The talk is printed in the 1920's wt. Here is the text, spell corrected by nn.
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"The KINGDOM"
DISCOURSE BY BROTHER J.F. RUTHERFORD
presented Friday, September 8, 1922. Printed in The WATCH TOWER November 1, 1922.
"The kingdom of heaven is at hand."--Matthew 4:17.
NINETEEN hundred years ago Jesus in the flesh was on the earth. John his forerunner had announced his coming with the message: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." Shortly thereafter Jesus began his ministry with the self-same message: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." It was important then. It must be of greater importance now. The fact that both John and Jesus emphasized the message shows its paramount importance.
All the parabolic teaching of Jesus related to the kingdom and he continued to advertise that as the paramount issue. Many heard the announcement; a less number believed it; and a far smaller number adhered to what they did hear and believe. (How like the closing days of the present order!) Those who heard and appreciated the announcement made by John and Jesus were thrilled with the message. Why? Because a climax in the history of the nation of Israel had been reached. What was then true and being revealed had been foretold and foreshadowed. The importance of a coming event may be approximated by the time, wisdom and painstaking efforts put forth preparatory for that event.
At the beginning of Israel's national existence Moses, by Jehovah's providence, had delivered that people from the oppressive hand of the Egyptian ruler. Then Jehovah
said through Moses to that people: "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken."
(Deuteronomy 18: 15) Thereafter God through the mouth of his holy prophets time and again foretold the coming of the greater than Moses to be the deliverer of man from Satan, the mighty evil one of whom Pharaoh of Egypt was a type.
Not only did God foretell the coming of the mighty King and his kingdom, but he caused Israel to enact living pictures foreshadowing that kingdom. They were taught both by precept and by example, and yet failed to believe and fully trust the announcement of his coming.
Even John, who made the original announcement, became perplexed and in doubt, and sent word to Jesus to know whether or not he was the Messiah or whether they should look for another. The nation of Israel did not see or appreciate the day of favor, when the Lord did come to them. The minds of the majority were blinded to the blessings of that day; and hence the King, long foretold and foreshadowed, was rejected; and Israel was east off.
The reason for Israel's being cast off was unbelief, which unbelief was induced by the machinations of the mimic god, Satan, that old serpent, the adversary, the devil.
The coming of the Lord was to the Jews the most vital of all their days. God had provided the Law to lead them to Christ and to prepare them against this day of unbelief. The second coming of the Lord, as the great reigning Messiah, and the setting up of his kingdom are of vital importance to all of this day, but especially to the Christians. To these God has given the Bible, the inspired words written by the prophets, Jesus, and the apostles, to lead the Christians to this very day. Jehovah tenderly led the people of Israel from Moses to John; and yet the adversary so overreached the majority of them that they did not know of his presence. Today history is repeating itself. The present unbelief, as with Israel, is induced by the machinations of Satan. We therefore do well from time to time to review the organization of Satan's empire, why it was organized, what have been its operations, and what will be the final result, in order that we may not forget the wily enemy that wars against us. May the facts enable us to stand more firmly together in Christ.
More than six thousand years ago a bright shining one of the realm of the heavenly host conceived in his heart that he would be like the Most High God. Because of such wicked ambition he fell; and Jehovah then changed his name from Lucifer and gave to him four names, each of which depicts his despicable character. The name dragon signifies devourer. Satan has sought to devour the people of God from the time of Abel until now. Serpent means deceiver. He has deceived and continues to deceive from Eve until the present hour. Devil means slanderer. He has slandered Jehovah, the Lord Jesus, all the prophets, and all the followers of the Lord; and he continues so to do, and injects into the minds of others, thoughts of slander. Satan means adversary or opposer. He has opposed every step in the development of the kingdom class, He is the enemy of God, the enemy of man, the deadly foe of the righteous class.
Jehovah, the great ruler of tile universe, in whom all dominion rightfully lies, planned the redemption and deliverance of the human race and organized the nation of Israel to foreshadow such. With that nation he organized the true religion, commanding that they should worship him as the only true God. Satan, the opposer, the mimic God, organized amongst the people round about Israel the false religion, and caused them to worship him and other devils. The power exercised by Jehovah upon his people is the holy spirit. The tie that binds Satan to his followers is the evil spirit. Because of yielding to his machinations Israel was overreached by him. God pronounced a decree against the nation, and enforced that decree in 606 B.C.; and there Satan became the god of this world. He is also called the prince of the power of the air, thus indicating his organization visible and invisible.
THE KINGDOM CLASS
While the Law was intended to lead Israel to Christ, only a remnant of that nation escaped the wiles of the adversary. God had promised a seed through which all the families of the earth should be blessed. Satan developed an opposing seed. The seed of promise is the Christ. The seed of the evil one consists of his emissaries visible and invisible, warring against the seed of promise. The seed of promise is made up of the truly consecrated and anointed Christians on this side of the vail and of the Lord and the glorified saints on the other side of the will. The seed visible of Satan organized into a body is designated as the beast." The "beast" is composed of the three elements; big business, big politicians and big preachers. Satan's purpose is to control mankind and keep them subjected to wickedness. The purpose of the Messianic kingdom is to relieve mankind, to lift them up and bless them with life everlasting. This benevolent work must be done by the kingdom class
Satan's kingdom must be overthrown by the Messianic kingdom. Therefore there could be no kingdom without a king; and the king must be present and acting before the overthrow could take place.
The development of the kingdom class began at the consecration of Jesus at the Jordan. As a new creature he was there assigned to the office of king; hence it was proper for John and Jesus to say: "The kingdom of heaven Is at hand,"because the King was present. But Jesus must die and arise from the dead before he could become the King of glory.
God ordained that there should be associated with the King of glory as a part of the kingdom class the members of his body, designated his bride, the church. After Jesus
had announced his kingship he said to his disciples: "I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." (John 14:2,3) From the time of his ascension into heaven forward, Christians have looked for his return as the great event of all time. After his resurrection Jesus began to make known the mystery of God. He brought forth the true and faithful religion, of which he was the true and faithful Witness. Satan then organized the mystery of iniquity, bringing to the fore a faithless religion, a religion that claims to worship God but that in truth and in fact worships the devil and obeys his commandments.
HE IS HERE!
All the prophecies focused upon the coming of the King of glory. Not only did Jesus promise the disciples that day would come, but he taught them to pray: "Thy kingdom
come." The apostles looked with eagerness for his coming, and declared that there would be a special blessing to those who would be preaching and loving his appearing at the time of his coming. The prophet Daniel, looking to that time, exclaimed: 'Oh, the blessedness of him who lives and comes unto that time!' It is the all-important time, because it is the climax of the world's history.
The Scriptures show that Satan's empire will conclude with a deadly battle between Satan and his seed on the one side and the Lord and his seed on the other; and that the King of glory will triumph, resulting in the deliverance of the church and the world of mankind. The Scriptures further show that at that time Satan's kingdoms would have control of the earth, and Satan's representatives in earth would be subjecting the people to oppressive measures. But God through his prophet says: "In the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever." (Daniel 2: 44) For this reason Christians have eagerly looked and waited for the coming of the Lord and his kingdom.
Bible prophecy shows that the Lord was due to appear for the second time in the year 1874. Fulfilled prophecy shows beyond a doubt that he did appear in 1874. Fulfilled prophecy
is otherwise designated the physical facts; and these facts are indisputable. All true watchers are familiar with these facts, as set forth in the Scriptures and explained in the interpretation by the Lord's special servant.
Jesus himself declared that in the time of his presence he would conduct a harvest of his people, during which he would gather unto himself the true and loyal ones. For some years this work has been in operation and is nearing completion. He stated that during his presence he would have one who would fill the office of a faithful and wise servant, through whom the Lord would bring to his people meat In due season. All the facts show that these prophecies have been fulfilled.
DAY OF PREPARATION
Why has the King come? To set up his kingdom and reign as King. But he had a work to do before his reign began, and that is a preparatory work. Since there are to be associated with him in his reign his body members, these must be gathered together and prepared for the be ginning of the reign. The gentile times under the supervision of the god of this world ended August 1, 1914. Before that date it would not have been consistent for the Lord, the King of glory, to take unto himself his great power and reign. (Ezekiel 21:27) Since he has been present from 1874, it follows, from the facts as we now see them, that the period from 1874 to 1914 is the day of preparation. This in no wise militates against the thought that "the time of the end" is from 1799 until 1914. The period from 1799 to 1874 could not be said to be a day of preparation, but a day of Increasing light. It is not reasonable to think
that the King began to make preparations until he was present.
The Lord foreknew, of course, that Satan would not peaceably yield the kingdoms of earth. He knew that there would be a great conflict, and hence he must prepare for that conflict. The prophet Nahum, speaking with reference to tile time of the second presence of the Lord, shows that this was a preparatory period. He says: "He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face; keep the munition, watch the way, make thy loins strong, fortify thy power mightily." (Nahum 2: 1) Amongst other things done during the day of preparation have been the gathering together of the true followers of Jesus, the instructing of them in the truth and the preparing of them against the great and terrible day.
ELIJAH WORK
The Lord, referring to the conditions immediately preceding the establishment of the kingdom, said: "Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord; and he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse." (Malachi 4:5, 6) The "dreadful day of the Lord" is a day of trouble. It is spoken of as the "great and dreadful day of Jehovah," and also as the "day of vengeance," and as the "great day of wrath." This day of wrath and vengeance of God could not come until the end of the gentile times; and indeed the Lord definitely fixes that, saying, "Bee:rose thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come." (Revelation 11:17, 18) The facts show conclusively that that day began in 1914. It follows
that the Elijah work muse be done before then.
From the writings of the Lord's servant we read : "Elijah was a type and John the baptist a continuation of that type .... Elijah pictured the church doing a work 'in the spirit and power of Elijah,' announcing the Lord." (B252, 253) It will be observed that while a woman is used to prefigure the church alone, here a man is used. The reason assigned for this is that our Lord is the head of the church and the church does no work separate from him; therefore the Elijah work pictures a particular work done by the church under the supervision of the Lord. (B255) it follows, then, that tile Elijah work must be done between the beginning of the Lord's presence and the day of wrath. This is in harmony with Malachi's prophecy. The Elijah work was to convert Christendom to a humble, childlike condition, making them teachable as children, and turning their hearts from error, sin and unfaithfulness and leading them back into harmony with God and righteousness. (B249) This is in harmony with the direction given to the Lord's servant and his associates through the Prophet, saying, "Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of tile men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof."--Ezekiel 9:4.
Speaking of this same time, the Lord Jesus himself said in answer to a question: "Elijah truly shall first come, and restore all things." (Matthew 17:11) The Elijah work is not the restoration of man. The restoration work referred to, therefore, must be a restoring to the true followers of Jesus the great fundamental truths which had long been hidden under the debris of human traditions. This exactly corresponds with the work that was done by the church from 1874, and 1878 particularly, until 1914.
It could not be said that the period from 1874 to 1914 was a day of great stress, a day of darkness and blackness. On the contrary, it was a most favorable time for giving a witness to the truth.--B 260.
The Lord through the prophet then showed that unless the Elijah work succeeded in turning the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, then the Lord would cast off the systems and there would follow a great, burning, destructive time of trouble. It is well known to all that the work did not succeed in turning nominal Christendom to the Lord. On the contrary, only a remnant heard and believed and came together; while the great mass has persecuted these, smaller in number. While the Elijah class were pointing to the presence of the Lord and the great and terrible day coming, as late as 1913 the clergy of the leading church denominations of the world were boasting that another war was impossible. The gentile times ended August 1, 1914, and immediately followed the World War; and since that day there has been upon earth distress of nations, with perplexity. It has been a day of increasing darkness and blackness and suffering. The physical facts, then, clearly show that the day of preparation was from 1874 forward; and that the Elijah work was done from 1874 forward, ending in 1918.
Elisha was anointed to finish the work that Elijah began. Elisha therefore would picture and does picture a work somewhat different from that known as the Elijah work. The Elisha work must be performed by the Lord and the members of his body during the great and terrible day.
COMING TO HIS TEMPLE
The temple of God is the Messianic class, Jesus and the body members. "For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people." (2 Corinthians (3: 16) During the day of the Lord's preparation he has been gathering together the living stones of his temple. Many of these are already beyond the vail, and some of these are still on this side the vail, as we believe.
Through the prophet Malachi the Lord said: "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple." (Malachi 3:1) This further corroborates the view that the day of preparation is the period from the Lord's second appearing until the beginning of the overthrow of Satan's empire. The word suddenly here means straightway. A time that might seem long to man would be suddenly with the Lord. We believe, therefore, that the day of preparation ended in 1914; and that in 1918, or thereabouts, the Lord came to his temple. This coming to the temple was for judgment, because judgment must first begin at the house of God. (1 Peter 4: 17) The judgment would be upon the true church and also the nominal system. Then says the prophet: "Who may abide the day of his coming?' The Scriptures indicate a time of great testing when the Lord comes to his temple.
About October, 1917, began the Jewish year, 1918. It was at that time that there was a great shaking up of the people of God, who had been gathered to the temple condition. Referring to the Lord's coming to his temple, the Prophet wrote: "The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord's throne is in heaven: his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The Lord trieth the righteous; but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul hateth." (Psalm 11:4, 5) Again, concerning the same thing: "Hear, all ye people: hearken, O earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple."--Micah 1: 2.
Christ Jesus, the Head of the temple class, speaks through various members of his body or through instruments that he may use. Those Scriptures indicate the beginning of his judgments upon the nations of the earth and at the same time resulting in a test to the righteous members of the temple class this side the vail. The facts show that in January, 1918, a representative body of the Lord's people assembled in convention at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, passed a resolution, causing a copy to be presented to the President of the United States and to other officials of the Babylonish systems, calling attention to the unlawful relationship existing between the church nominal and the governments of earth. This was practically the last work of the Elijah class, pictured more particularly in the experiences of John the Baptist.
Surely from that time forward the Lord permitted his saints to be tested and tried. Throughout all the land of America and Canada in particular, as well as in Europe,
many of the saints were arrested and thrown into jail, many persecuted; and for a year or more there was great distress "amongst the people of God, and a cry went up from the temple class for help. This seems to be foreshadowed by the Psalmist when he says: "In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he beard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears." (Psalm 18:6) The Lord's people were in bondage, denied their personal liberty and the liberty of preaching the gospel. The Lord heard their cry and released them.
ISAIAH'S VISION
Isaiah, the prophet of God, a type of the true people of the Lord in the temple condition, had a vision. (Isaiah 6:1-11) In the picture he is represented as worshiping the Lord in the temple. The context shows that the throne here mentioned could not be the Millennial throne of Christ, but that it does refer to the throne of the Lord Jesus Christ, his position of authority as the representative of Jehovah after taking unto himself his great power to reign when he comes to the temple. Jesus quoted from this recorded vision of Isaiah, and his words clearly show that it does not refer to the Millennial throne. (John 12:40) It does show, however, a time of judgment against Christendom similar to that judgment which Jesus pronounced against the Pharisees when he was on earth.
The prophet Isaiah says that it was in the year that king Uzziah died that he had this vision. We believe that Uzziah pictured the nominal church, which has claimed to represent the Lord, but which in truth and in fact in the latter times has departed from the Lord. Uzziah was king of Israel for more than fifty years. For a long while he did right in the sight of God. He prospered and became very rich. He fought many successful battles. He was a great builder. He became a mighty king. Self-conceit, leading to a wrongful and selfish act, was the cause of his fall. He died a leper.
How clearly these facts fit the history of the church nominal! That system was organized for a righteous purpose at the beginning. The voice of the bride and of the Bridegroom was heard in her. The system delivered the message of the kingdom of God for many years. She builded many churches and schools for the education of the people. She did much toward the moral uplift of society. But she became self-conceited and fell for the same reason that Uzziah fell. St. Paul warned against this self-conceit, thereby clearly indicating that such would be the cause of nominal Christendom's downfall.--Romans 11 : 25.
Uzziah as king had no authority to act as priest. It was the prerogative of the priest to offer incense upon the golden altar in the temple. Uzziah had become so impressed with his own importance, however, that he considered himself above the rules of the temple, and went in to offer incense. The duly constituted priest withstood him to prevent him from offering the incense. But Uzziah became angry and Insisted that he would offer it; and he was immediately stricken leprous, became an outcast and died as such.
Prior to 1878 the nominal church had grown mighty in the earth. In 1878 God's favor was withdrawn from the nominal systems. From that time on Brother Russell and the brethren who supported him went throughout the land doing the Elijah work, endeavoring to turn the hearts of Christendom back to a childlike faith In God. The nominal church heeded not. In 1914 these systems were boasting of their power and influence and said: 'We are rich and have need of nothing.' When the World War began in 1914, nominal Christendom raised its voice in favor of the war. Her preachers preached the young men into the trenches, and told them that if they died upon the battlefield they would be a part of the vicarious atonement of Christ. The bloody war continued; and nominal Christendom continued to support it, but failed to heed its meaning within the words of the King then present.
We note again the words of the Prophet: "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him." (Habakkuk 2:20) The great storm of the World War blew itself out; and for a time the fighting ceased, and the nations in silence assembled in an attempt to prevent another outbreak. Would not now nominal Christendom, her nobles, her ministers, her mighty men, learn a lesson from the war and its effects as indicated by fulfilled prophecy, showing that the Lord is present and that his kingdom is at hand? They failed to learn such lesson. They were drunk with power and riches gained during the war. Their closer association with the other elements of the "beast," big business and big politics, had completely turned their heads.
The financial princes and the mighty rulers of earth assembled in Paris for a peace conference, and the clergy of nominal Christendom joined with them; and the result
was the bringing forth of the League of Nations, the devil's final substitute for the kingdom of Messiah. Nominal Christendom now not only was allied with big business and big politics, but boasted of the fact; and the nominal church (now a part of the devil's organization, with no authority to act in the priestly office) came forward to offer incense. And what was the form of it?
In January, 1919, before the League of Nations was completely born, the Federal Council of Churches boldly issued the following blasphemous statement:
"The time has come to organize the world for truth, right, justice and humanity. To this end as Christians we urge the establishment of a League of Free Nations at the coming Peace Conference. Such a league is not merely a peace expedient; it is rather the political expression of the kingdom of God on earth. The League of Nations is rooted in the gospel. Like the gospel, its objective is 'Peace on earth, good will toward men.' Like the gospel, its appeal is universal.
"The heroic dead will have died in vain unless out of victory shall come a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.--2 Peter 3: 13.
"The church [nominal] can give a spirit of goodwill, without which no League of Nations can endure."
Thus they denied the coming of the Lord and his kingdom to bless mankind, and openly allied themselves with the devil's scheme, and then blasphemously attempted to offer this before the Lord. Like their prototype Uzziah, the leprosy immediately appeared upon the nominal systems. Thus we are enabled to locate the time of the fulfillment of Isaiah's vision.
ISAIAH'S CRY
When Isaiah beheld this vision he saw standing above the throne the seraphim, each one of whom was saying: "Holy, holy, holy, Is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth Is full of his glory." Seraphim means "bright shining ones." In connection with Isaiah's vision we venture the suggestion that it is connected with the saying of St. Paul that the Lord is revealed in flaming fire. The Lord here is revealed to his people in the time of flaming fire. The immediate effect of the vision upon Isaiah caused him to cry out: "Woe Is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts. Then flew one of the seraphim unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar: and he laid it upon my
mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity Is taken away, and thy sin purged."--Isaiah 6:5-7.
Prophecy can be better understood when fulfilled. Often God causes his people to enact the fulfillment of a prophecy without their knowing it at the time, and later he reveals to them the interpretation. As above stated, in 1918 the temple class this side the vail was in restraint of both liberty of person and liberty of action in the proclamation of the message. Until 1919 there was a practical silence of the Lord's people, as far as proclaiming his message was concerned. In that year there assembled in convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, a large number of representative followers of the Lord. Suddenly they awoke to their privileges. Then they flung away their fears. Then they came to a knowledge of the fact that the Elijah work had ended, and that now the work pictured by Elisha must begin.
When Isaiah saw the King he knew that an impure being could not live in his presence. Hence his cry: "Woe Is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips... for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." Evidently his uncleanness or iniquity had something to do with the words of his mouth. He recognizes that he ought to be found praising God as the seraphim were; or that he had failed to speak the message that he should speak. His penitent cry leads to his purgation. The seraph then with a burning coal cleanses his lips. Then he is no longer silent, but ready to serve.
WHAT SHALL WE DO?
And so it was with the temple class In 1919. Realizing that they had been silent for a time, a cry went up to the Lord: 'What shall we do?' "While Isaiah thus stood in awe, wonder, amazement and fear, one of the seraphim flew unto him and cleansed his lips. So likewise was the temple class, in the year above mentioned, purged of any uncleanness of lips.
In 1919 the Lord doubtless permitted his people to see the necessity of taking some positive action in a more earnest witness of the truth, even though they saw it not foreshadowed so clearly In his Word. Today, if we have an understanding of this vision, if we appreciate the fact that the Lord is present and In his temple for judgment, seeing this, what shall we do?
There is a duty and obligation laid upon every one in the temple condition; and seeing this position, the prophet Isaiah instructs them what to do, saying, "Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee." (Isaiah 60: 1, 2) Truly the glory of the Lord has been shining upon his people for the past three years, and has blessed their efforts wonderfully. At the same time darkness has covered the earth, and gross darkness the people making up Christendom especially.
CHANGE OF WORK
There has been a distinct change In the character of the work of the church since 1918. The question is, Has it been warranted? Those who have walked with us but who with us no longer walk say: "No." Let us look again Isaiah's vision in conjunction with other things that the Lord has shown his people and then determine.
The temple class, having had their lips cleansed, like Isaiah tile prototype stood in a waiting attitude. Such was the condition of the church from 1918 until the latter part of 1919. In 1919 the Lord purged their lips. Like Isaiah, the temple class heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?" The question is not asked, Who will go for the seraphim? but, Who will go for the Lord Jesus and the Lord Jehovah? Who now, having their lips purged, will voluntarily carry the message? This vision seems to say to those to whom It applies: Do not become conceited with the thought that God has raised up certain Individuals to do his work. But this vision has come to us that we may prove whether or not our hearts are wholly devoted to the Lord. Those who hear the voice, who appreciate the time in which we are living, respond as did their prototype Isaiah, saying, "Here am I, send me." As good soldiers of the cross, they do not ask the reason why, nor when nor where they shall go; but, wholly submissive to the Lord, they cry: "Here am I, send me."
To the willing response, "Here am I, send me," the messenger of the Lord replies: "Go, and tell this people." Tell them what? That the kingdom is here; that the Lord is in his temple; that the world has ended; that Satan's empire is under Judgment; that the kingdom of heaven has begun, and that millions now living will never die. But will the ecclesiastic leaders and their flock supporting the devil's organization hear? The Lord's prophet answers: "Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not. Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed." -- Isaiah 6: 9, 10.
Why, then, deliver the message to those who do not understand? Will any one hear? The Prophet of the Lord answers: "Bring forth the blind people that have eyes, and the deaf that have ears. Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and show us former things.": Let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified; or let them hear, and say, It is truth. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. I, even I, am the Lord; and beside me there is no savior. I have declared, and have saved, and I have showed, when there was no strange god among you; therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, that I am God."--Isaiah 43: 8-12.
Thus we see that those of the temple class are clearly designated as the Lord's witnesses at this time, to bring a message of consolation to the people, that the kingdom of heaven is here, and that millions now living will never die. Thus it is seen that God purposes that His name shall be magnified, that the people shall know that he is Lord. Thus we see that God purposes to have a people in the earth in this time of stress, clearly marked as separate and distinct from all others, standing as his witnesses, fearlessly crying out the message: "The kingdom of heaven is at hand!"
HOW LONG?
But how long, O Lord, shall we continue to tell forth this message? May we not make a mistake and make ourselves obnoxious by telling it too often? Should we not preach some other message or keep silence altogether? And the Lord answers: "Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate." (Isaiah 6: 11) This is corroborated by the Lord in Matthew 24:14. Clearly, then, is set forth the proof that the temple class must continue to declare this message of the kingdom until their earthly career is ended. They must be his faithful witnesses until Babylon's walls crumble to the ground.
For six thousand years God has been preparing for this kingdom. For nineteen hundred years he has been gathering out the kingdom class from amongst men. Since 1874 the King of glory has been present; and during that time he has conducted a harvest and has gathered unto himself the temple class. Since 1914 the King of glory has taken his power and reigns. He has cleansed the lips of the temple class and sends them forth with the message. The Importance of the message of the kingdom cannot be overstated. It is the message of all messages. It is the message of the hour. It is incumbent upon those who are the Lord's to declare It. The kingdom of heaven is at hand; the King reigns; Satan's empire ts falling; millions now living will never die.
Do you believe it? Do you believe that the King of glory is present, and has been since 1874? Do you believe that during that time he has conducted his harvest work? Do
you believe that he has had during that time a faithful and wise servant through whom he directed his work and the feeding of the household of faith? Do you believe that the Lord is now in his temple, judging the nations of earth? Do you believe that the King of glory has begun his reign?
Then back to the field, O ye sons of the most high God! Gird on your armor! Be sober, be vigilant, be active, be brave. Be faithful and true witnesses for the Lord. Go forward in the fight until every vestige of Babylon lies desolate. Herald the message far and wide. The world must know that Jehovah Is God and that Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. This is the day of all days. Behold, the King reigns! YOU are his publicity agents. Therefore advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom.
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