More than thirty years ago I abandoned the teachings of all the Christian creeds respecting Jews, Mohammedans and heathen. I could no longer believe that the great Jehovah, our Creator, had destined all these thousands of millions to an eternity of torture because they had never accepted Jesus as their Redeemer, the Savior of the world. On the contrary, my sympathy went out, and still goes out, to humanity in general, blinded by ignorance and superstition and the Adversary and confused by the jarring creeds. I believe that Divine sympathy for all of these is still greater than yours and mine.
I found that others shared the same general sentiments, but abandoned faith in the Bible as a Divine message. By God’s grace I was not swept off in the current of unbelief, which more and more is overwhelming the intellectual portion of our race. On the contrary, I held fast to the statement of the Scriptures that “there is none other name given under heaven or amongst men whereby we must be saved” than the name of Jesus.
But deeper study of God’s Word revealed the fact that for fifteen centuries Christendom has been misunderstanding the Scriptures in supposing that the present call of the Church, spiritual Israel, marks the culmination of the Divine Plan. On the contrary, we find the Scriptures distinctly to teach that God has two salvations—both to be accomplished through Jesus—through faith in the only name given.
One of these salvations is to a heavenly nature, in joint-heirship with Jesus on the spiritual plane: “partakers of the divine nature,” “far above angels, principalities and powers and every name that is named.” The other salvation is to be a human salvation—to earthly perfection by processes of restitution, uplifting, enlightenment, etc.
The perfection of the human salvation will be to bring mankind back to the image and likeness of God, in which the race was originally created in Father Adam. Sin and its death penalty have gradually effaced from mankind much of the original godlikeness, bringing instead brutality, weakness, decay and death. It will be the work of the great Messiah to bless the redeemed world by the uplifting influences of the glorious Kingdom of God so long promised, for which we have so long prayed—“Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.”
“TO THE JEW FIRST”
When we read in the Bible of the Divine favor bestowed upon Israel for centuries as God’s chosen people, we are to realize that Jehovah has a right to bestow His blessings and favors as He wills. When God, therefore, declares that it is His design that in all His dealings with our race the blessings shall come to the Jew first, it is not for us to rebel, nor to refuse Divine favors through whatever channels they may come.
Nor does this recognition of Israel’s primacy in the Divine Plan necessarily signify superiority in that race. For does not God expressly term them a stiff-necked race, a disobedient people? And does He not declare that His use of Israel has been, and will be, with a view to showing forth His own glory and the power of His grace?
Such was God’s promise to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the nation of Israel. It is a common mistake amongst Christian people to suppose that those promises have been revoked. It is another mistake to suppose that Christians have inherited those promises. Quite to the contrary, the promises made to Abraham and his natural seed were earthly promises.
Israel has not yet received this great blessing, nor entered upon the work outlined for it—that through God’s Covenant with Israel all the Gentiles shall receive the blessings of Divine favor and everlasting life. All those promises are as true and as sure today as when they were given. As St. Paul declares, “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.”
THE HIDDEN MYSTERY
When now we point out that Israel’s great Messiah is indeed about to take the rulership of the world and establish a Kingdom which will bless all the families of the earth—the living and the dead—we are but stating Israel’s great hope.
But, like all of God’s works, this hope is greater and grander than ever imagined.
The hidden Mystery is that this great Prophet, Priest and King is not a man, but a Son of God on the spirit plane; and further, that this Messiah is composed of many members, of which He is the Head.
These members were first gathered from the Jews and subsequently from all nations. In the symbolism of the Bible, Messiah is Jehovah’s Son, appointed to establish the Divine Kingdom in the earth and to overthrow sin, Satan and death. His elect members are symbolically styled His Bride.
This work of selecting the Bride has been quietly accomplished and was hidden until God’s due time. Now, as we come into harmony with Him, our eyes are opened to this understanding.
This work is nearly completed. These constitute the spiritual Seed of Abraham, represented as the stars of heaven, while the earthly seed is represented as the sand of the seashore. God’s promises are sure to both.
ISRAEL’S NEW COVENANT NEAR
Immediately that the spiritual Seed of Abraham shall have been completed, God’s New Covenant will forthwith go into effect toward Abraham’s natural seed, Israel. The favor of God was to the Jew first in ancient times, when that nation alone for centuries was recognized as God’s people. The favor of God came to the Jew first in respect to the spiritual Seed, the first members of which were selected from Israel after the flesh. The favor of God is to come to the Jew first in the times of restitution of all things, which will begin promptly when Messiah shall be revealed in power and great glory.
I feel great sympathy for the Jews in their unbelief in Jesus. With their minds filled with thoughts of the glory of the great Messiah who would conquer the world and establish the Divine standard in all the earth and would uplift all the people, using Israel as His agency or channel, how unreasonable it seemed that Jesus of Galilee, surrounded by His fishermen apostles, should be that Messiah. They saw not that the prophecies tell both of the sufferings and of the glory of Messiah—that He must redeem His people before He would deliver them from the power of sin and death; that to this end He must be the Passover Lamb slain for their deliverance; that He must be the atonement sacrifice, the antitype of their bullock of sin-offering; and that He must make satisfaction for sins for Israel and the whole world before the Plan of God could go forward and the blessed time begin.
Not only must Messiah suffer as being the antitypical serpent reared upon the pole and the better sacrifice than those of the Law of the Mosaic system, but additionally those to be associated with Him must likewise, as antitypical priests and Levites, share with Him in the sufferings and sin-offerings before they would be tested and proved worthy to share with Him the glories on the spirit plane and the work of blessing and saving the world in general on the earthly plane. All this was clearly foretold through the prophets, but our eyes were holden and we saw them not.
For instance, through the prophet Malachi (3:1, 2) the Lord declares that He will send Messiah, “even the Messenger of the Covenant that ye delight in [the Mediator of the New Covenant in which now their hopes rest]. But who shall abide the day of His coming? For He is as a refiner’s fire and as fuller’s soap; and He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, that He may purify the sons of Levi that they may offer unto the Lord an acceptable sacrifice.”
All of these spiritual Israelites must be priests and Levites antitypical of Aaron and his sons and his house of Levi. Not until this work of finding and completing spiritual Israel shall be accomplished will God’s time come for bringing back fleshly Israel into His favor, to be used as His channel for pouring out blessing upon all the families of the earth, in harmony with His Covenant made to Abraham.
So far, then, from thinking of our Jewish neighbors as being in torture, we must learn the Bible teaching on the subject—that they, like the remainder of the race, are simply dead until Messiah shall establish His Kingdom and call forth from the prison-house of death the sleeping thousands of millions.
The “first resurrection,” the Scriptures tell us, will consist of the royal priesthood, who will be associates with Messiah on the spirit plane. Following this will come Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all of the prophets of the past to be resurrected to human perfection, of which they were counted worthy for obedience to the faith. These, the Bible tells us, Messiah will make princes and rulers in all the earth.
And associated with these Divinely appointed princes under Israel’s New Covenant will come all true Israelites, who, with their eyes of understanding, will rejoice in Jehovah and in His glorious Son and Redeemer and Mediator, and in His glorious Kingdom and its righteous requirements. Such will have the privilege of uplifting out of sin and death to perfection and life eternal.
And more than this—the hope of all the world, of every nation, people, kindred and tongue, lies in that same New Covenant which God will consummate with Israel, taking the place of the Mosaic Covenant. All nations, in order to share the blessings of that New Covenant, will be required to become “Israelites indeed.”
Thus at the conclusion of Messiah’s reign of a thousand years the seed of Abraham will have become as the sand of the sea. As it is written, “I have constituted thee, Abraham, a father of many nations.” Thus eventually only Abraham’s seed will remain, because all nations shall flow unto it to share the Divine blessing promised.
THE MESSAGE IN JERUSALEM
When recently in Jerusalem I had pleasure in responding to an invitation to address Jews, Mohammedans, Catholics and Protestants, I took for my text the words of Isaiah’s prophecy (40:1, 2), “Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her appointed time is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she hath received from the Lord’s hand double for all her sins.”
My heart went out in sympathy for all of them, as I realized that the barriers of the various faiths were chiefly of the Adversary and along the lines of misunderstanding the Divine character and plan, rather than of opposition to God.
GLAD TIDINGS
To them all I gave the message which God sent eighteen centuries ago by the angels, saying: “Behold, we bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people, because unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior (life-giver), which is Christ the Lord.”
I pointed them to the fact that they had all been looking forward in anticipation to a better day, however they expected it to come. When that day shall arrive, as God through the prophets has foretold, it will be “the desire of all nations”—what all nations, peoples, kindreds and tongues are desiring, hoping for, praying for—a better day, the Golden Age. Thus we found a common ground of agreement.
Having in mind chiefly the Jews, God’s chosen people, I pointed out that the glorious Kingdom of the Messiah, for which they had so long waited and prayed, is surely near—even at the door. I pointed out that the hopes of Israel were built upon Divine promises and must surely be fulfilled; that God’s blessings would surely come to all nations through the Seed of Abraham, and the privilege be granted to all nations of coming in under Israel’s New Covenant, of which the Messiah in glory will be the great Mediator, Prophet, Priest and King.
I pointed to the fact that they had not followed fables but the sure promises of the Bible, and that all of its good promises would have fulfillment. Then I proceeded to point out to them from the Prophets the cause of the delay of their hopes from the text which I have taken for this occasion:
“Comfort ye, comfort ye, my people, saith God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem and cry unto her that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned, for she hath received at the Lord’s hand DOUBLE for all her sins.” — Isaiah 40:1, 2.
ISRAEL’S DOUBLE
And I said to them, so now I say to you, that the Bible distinctly informs us that the people of Israel are God’s special heritage. He has not permanently cast away His people, whom He foreknew; He has merely hidden His favor from them for a season and for a purpose.
Israel’s history as a nation began at the death of Jacob, and the entire period since, down to the establishment of the nation as God’s earthly representative in power and great glory, is divided into two equal parts. During the first of these divisions God showed that nation special national privileges and favors. During the second part He has shown them no national favors.
Let us note this “double” of Israel’s experiences as foretold by three of their most prominent prophets:
- Through Jeremiah, the Lord declared that because of Israel’s unfaithfulness He would scatter them among all nations, and after they had received a time of disfavor equal to their former favor, He would bring them back and fulfill His promises (Jeremiah 16:13–18).
- Through Zechariah (9:9–12), the Lord announced the day marking the turning point of their “double”—fulfilled when Jesus rode into Jerusalem.
- In Isaiah 40:1–2, the Lord marks the end of this “double” period of disfavor.
These “doubles” refer not to severity, but to equal periods of time.
PREACHES IN JERUSALEM
On the occasion of our previous visit, eighteen years ago, we sought opportunity to make known this message of peace, but found no ears to hear, but rather a strong resentment. This time we were requested to give a public discourse, and a Hebrew put at our disposal, free of cost, the best public hall in Jerusalem.
We had the closest attention from Hebrews, Arabs, Catholics and Protestants. Amongst our auditors was Dr. Levy, the Treasurer and General Business Manager of the Zionists. He expressed himself freely as deeply appreciating our message, and inquired, “Why do not other Christians give us a word of encouragement and recognition as a people of God?”
He and other Hebrews regretted that our message was not heard by all their co-religionists as an encouragement and stimulus to faith. Learning that we would deliver our present address, Dr. Levy volunteered to communicate with prominent Hebrews of this city, urging them to be present.
The Zionist movement had not been begun at the time of our previous visit. Now Hebrews all the world over are agog—the fire of patriotism begins to burn. At the last meeting of the Zionists it was determined to transfer all the business of the Association to Palestine as headquarters, and that at future conferences only the pure Hebrew should be spoken by delegates—the Yiddish is under the ban as unpatriotic and non-progressive.
Palestine, and particularly Jerusalem, is arising from the ashes of the dead past. New hope is coming into the hearts of many who had almost ceased to hope for the consolation of Israel.
CROOKED STICK TO GANG PLOW
At one bound agriculture is passing from the stage of plowing with a crooked stick drawn by an ox or a camel, and sometimes by donkeys, to the latest improvements in agriculture—a twelve-gang plow drawn by a traction engine.
The Oriental Trading Company at Jaffa have just imported and set up this piece of machinery, whose capacity is forty acres per day of plowing, harrowing and seeding complete. Following comes the reaping and threshing apparatus, operated by the same engine.
The Arabs are selling their property and the Jews are buying from them. A recently passed law requires that taxes hereafter shall be paid in money and not in a share of the crop. This means that whoever holds the title must cultivate the land, and signifies in turn that the waste places must be made productive and that the non-progressive Arabs must give place to the Jews who are purchasing and improving.
Inside the city walls matters have made little improvement, but on the outside much money has been spent, and many fine buildings, public and private, have been erected. The outside is modern Jerusalem. The extension is in the direction which ruins of ancient walls indicate was once enclosed.
We should not be understood as recommending that all Jews go to Palestine, nor as expecting that many of the eight millions of that people will leave their homes of great comfort for the land of promise. Our understanding of the Scriptures is that the door to Palestine, which has now been opened to the Jews under the new Turkish Government, will be entered by the most earnest and faithful of the Jews, and that the persecutions in Russia and elsewhere will make the land of promise attractive to them.
A little later some of the more wealthy Hebrews, foreseeing troublous times elsewhere, will go to Jerusalem as the City of Peace. These are not our speculations, but interpretations of Hebrew prophecies.
During our tour the Russian Government ordered the departure of twenty thousand Hebrews from Kiev, and others will doubtless be commanded. Thus the Lord opens the door, attracts the attention of His people, and then pushes them out of other lands and makes them long for their fatherland.
THE NEW JERUSALEM
Pastor Russell reminded his audience that Christians have a deep interest in all these matters because the period of Jewish disfavor and rejection has been the period of Christian favor. While natural Israel has been outcast, the gathering of spiritual Israel has been in progress, and the returning of favor to Abraham’s natural seed will signify that the spiritual Seed has all been selected.
This has a momentous significance to us, and but a little time remains in which to make our calling and election sure as Abraham’s spiritual Seed (Galatians 3:29).
We are interested in the earthly Jerusalem and the prosperity about to come to it, when, under Messiah’s Kingdom, it shall become the capital of the world. However, we have a deeper interest in the heavenly Jerusalem—symbolically, the glorified Church, the spiritual Seed of Abraham, Mount Zion.
For “the law shall go forth from Mount Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” None of the nations of Christendom will constitute the New Jerusalem, nor all or any of its sects. The Lord is choosing a saintly little company out of all nations, peoples, kindreds and tongues, sects and parties.
To these He says, “Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the Kingdom.” As soon as this little flock shall have been found, completed, tested and glorified, the time will come for the establishment of Messiah’s Kingdom under the whole heavens.
For a thousand years it will rule the world for the overthrow of sin and death, and for the uplifting of humanity out of degradation to full human perfection into the image and likeness of God.
ANCIENT WORTHIES OF ISRAEL
The channel through which this spiritual and invisible Kingdom will operate amongst men will be the ancient worthies of Israel.
“Ye shall see Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the prophets in the Kingdom.”
In close association with these, first to be recognized will be the Jews—natural Israel. God’s favor to them will open the eyes of their understanding and the ears of their hearts, and they will receive the necessary instructions and the blessings of restitution, which will begin with them according to God’s Covenant with them.
All who would enjoy Divine favor and restitution blessings will gladly gather to their standard, and by circumcision of heart and consecration of will they will become Israelites, proselytes, children of Abraham.
Ultimately, all who will not come into accord with the Divine arrangement then established will die the “second death”—destruction. And all who will obey that glorious Kingdom of God’s dear Son, the Kingdom of Messiah, will be blessed as Abraham’s seed and be lifted up, up, up to perfection and to everlasting life.
During this reign of Messiah’s Kingdom the earth, too, shall be blessed and shall yield her increase and become Paradise restored—the footstool of God, which He declares shall be made glorious.
Then in the end the entire race will be Abraham’s seed, whose number shall be as the sands of the seashore, while spiritual Israel, as foretold, will be as the stars of heaven.
Then God’s will shall be done on earth as it is now done in heaven.
Thenceforth “there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away.”
“And every creature which is in heaven and on earth, and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, heard I saying, Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.” — Revelation 21:4; 5:13.
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