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VOLUME 80, NO. 34 SEPTEMBER 8, 1953
Your Bible Questions flowered
Origin of Evil
Editor
From the Scriptures, especially the words of
prophecy, it seems that God foreknows all things.
When they had war in heaven, and God cast the
devil and his angels down to this earth (Revelation 12:7-9), did He know Satan was bringing sin
into the world? When God put Adam and Eve in
the Garden of Eden, did He know that they would
eat the forbidden fruit and become sinners?
D. U. T.
Arthur S. Maxwell
Assistant Editor . . . Charles D. Utt
Volume 80, No. 34
September 8, 1953
CONTENTS
YOUR BIBLE QUESTIONS ANSWERED
EDITORIALS: THAT HOPE AGAIN
ESCAPE
"SIGNS" FOR CHAPLAINS
WILL THE JEWISH THEOCRACY BE
RESTORED ?
2
3
4
S. A. Kaplan 5
Lawrence Maxwell 6
"FEAR NOT," BUT "FEAR GOD" . . . Taylor G. Bunch 7
WHILE BREEZES SING (POEM) . . Ethelyn M. Kincher 7
TRENDS OF THE TIMES
. . . .
WORLD-WIDE PROCLAMATION OF THE
GOSPEL
Arthur S. Maxwell
SECOND CHANCE FOR SINNERS ?
Marenus H. Jensen
RELIGION IN ACTION
M. Carol Hetzell
THE FRUITAGE OF
Q
10
11
Dallas Youngs 12
Leonard C. Lee 16
FAITH
THE WAY OF LIFE
OUR COVER
In this beautiful picture Clyde Provonsha has endeavored to portray the description of God's last threefold
message to the world, found in Revelation 14:6-12. As
the three angels wing their flight "to every nation, and
kindred, and tongue, and people," so God's messengers
today are hurrying to the ends of the earth with the
urgent tidings, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for
the hour of His judgment is come." See "World-Wide
Proclamation of the Gospel," by the Editor, on page 8
of this issue.
53
CIRCULATION MANAGER
H. K. CHRISTMAN
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Vt7A.Z..
,•
Page Two
God knew that Satan would tempt Adam
and Eve, and that they would disobey His
command and become sinners. Looking back
and about us, we see the results of sin; God
saw them all in advance.
The questions then arise, Why did not God
destroy Satan and his angels before they could
introduce sin and death into the world? and,
Why did He not create man incapable of sinning?
If we approach these questions with the
conviction that God is good as well as wise,
we shall see that He could not have done
otherwise than He did. If God had destroyed
Satan at once, before his rebellion had time
to show its real nature and results, the loyal
angels and other intelligent beings in God's
universe would not have understood the evil
character of Satan or God's justice in destroying him. They would have served God from
fear rather than from love and understanding
of His justice. As time has passed and the
direful results of sin have become more and
more marked in the human race and in the
whole creation (Romans 8:22), they see Satan
as the father of lies and a murderer from the
beginning (John 8:44), and they will understand the justice of God when He finally destroys Satan.
If man had been made unable to choose
evil as well as good, he would have obeyed
God because he had to, like a machine. God
wanted voluntary service actuated by love.
Compulsory allegiance and obedience would
not develop in man the moral character befitting a being created in the image of God.
Therefore He gave Adam and Eve the power
to choose.
We must make the same choice between
obedience and disobedience. All who enter
heaven will have chosen God's service and
God's ways rather than Satan's. They will
have seen and experienced the results of sin,
and sin will never have any more attraction
for them. They will see God's wisdom in permitting sin to exist for a time and His justice
in destroying the one who caused it and all
C. D. U.
who refuse to forsake it.
Christ's Enduring Words
Please explain, "Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but My words shall not pass away." MatC. A. C.
thew 24:35.
In the words quoted, Christ claimed for
His words the same enduring nature that He
had already declared belongs to the law: "For
verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth
pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass
from the law, till all be fulfilled." Matthew
5:18; Luke 16:17. In the Old Testament it
is declared of the word of God, "The grass
withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word
of our God shall stand forever." Isaiah 40:8;
Psalm 119:89.
The passing away of heaven and earth has
been predicted (Psalm 102:25-27; 2 Peter
3:10; Revelation 21:1), but no word of Christ's
c. D. u.
will ever pass away unfulfilled.
SIGNS of the TIMES
UNITED PRESS
THE FLIGHT OF
All Eastern Europe seethes with unrest today.
Here demonstrators are seen marching through
famed Brandenburg Gate into the western sector of Berlin on the occasion of the June 17 riots.
IIffit
That Hope Again
E
VER since the World Council of
Churches decided to make "The
Christian Hope" the theme of its 1954
General Assembly, the religious press
has been filled with discussion of the
subject. Never before has it received such
world-wide consideration.
This has come about largely because
many Christian people have found themselves facing a dilemma. Subconsciously
and somewhat vaguely they have always
believed in a "Christian Hope;" but they
have never been quite sure what it is. It
has been a nice, pious sentiment without
any particular meaning. Now they are
compelled to define it.
As the discussion has proceeded, a line
of cleavage has appeared between those
who believe that the "blessed hope" is
nothing else than the imminent personal
return of Christ in power and glory,
and those who hold that it is merely the
improvement of society through the
effect of Christ's teachings upon the
hearts of men. Between the two groups,
which broadly represent "conservative"
and "liberal" thinking in the church,
there has been a good deal of heated
debate, which is still proceeding.
Some writers are now trying to blend
the two hopes, saying that perhaps both
views have elements of truth.
for SEPTEMBER 8, 1953
In recent issues of The Christian Century—which has been strongly opposed
to any literal second advent—William
Hordern expresses the thought that the
Christian hope might possibly be both,
a hope for "here" and "hereafter"—
"here"referring to this world and "hereafter" to the afterlife and/or the second
coming of Christ.
"It is entirely proper," he says, "for a
Christian to look hopefully beyond the
world of space and time. The ultimate
basis of the Christian gospel is the faith
that God has resources which are not
exhausted by the history of this earth."
Again, "The Christian God and the
Christian ethic will both disappear if we
do not hold fast to the otherworldly portion of our Christian hope, and to the
faith that it applies to those who have
lived in the past as well as to the generations that are to inherit the future. . . .
The Apocalypse is a symbolic representation of the legitimate faith that
history has a meaning and is moving,
under God, toward a goal in which man
shall achieve his noblest aims and hopes."
This is a long way for a liberal to go
—and it is as far as he does go in this
direction. Then he emphasizes what he
sees, as another "facet" of the Christian
hope, "that under the impact of Jesus
Christ earthly society may be made more
just." On this point he argues fluently
that because Christianity can change
men's lives it can "through those changed
lives . . . change the society in which
men live." "Real progress is still a social
possibility," he claims, pointing to Christianity's notable achievements in ending
"infanticide and chattel slavery," in raising the status of women, and in filling
men with concern for "the sick, the
starving, the uneducated, and the homeless."
From this he concludes that "the
Christian hope is both otherworldly and
this worldly." And he has a point. We
believe this, too, though we would state
it in different terms.
In our opinion, based, we believe, upon
the solid testimony of all the writers of
the New Testament, the Christian hope
is primarily the return in glory and
power of Jesus Christ, crowned King of
kings and Lord of lords. As the apostle
wrote, it is "the glorious appearing .of
the great God and our Saviour Jesus
Christ." Titus 2:13. It is the literal, personal coming of "this same Jesus" (Acts
a I), "with the voice of the Archangel,
and with the trump of God." 1 Thessalonians 4:16.
This is the hope that Jesus Himself
expressed when He told the high priest,
"Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man
sitting on the right hand of power, and
coming in the clouds of heaven" (Matthew 26:64), and when He told His
disciples that "all the tribes of the earth"
shall one day "see the Son of man cornPage Three
ing in the clouds of heaven with power
and great glory" (Matthew 24:30).
To deny Christ's literal return is to
deny not only what He Himself said, but
also what the Bible says will be the consummation of the plan of salvation.
Minimizing or ignoring His glorious
second advent is to set aside all the
prophecies of the Bible which focus on
this event as the climax of history and
the triumph of Christ over the powers
of evil He died to vanquish.
Unquestionably the second advent is
the Christian hope. However, we gladly
admit that it has many "facets." The
apostle John tells us, for instance, that
he "that hath this hope in Him purifieth
himself, even as He is pure." I John 3:3.
Belief in Christ's second advent acts as
a cleansing agent in the hearts of men.
He "that hath this hope" also becomes
a zealous missionary, filled with ardor
for the cause of Christ. Eager for the
salvation of others, he unites with that
faithful band of witnesses who have "the
everlasting gospel to preach unto them
that dwell on the earth, and to every
nation, and kindred, and tongue, and
people, saying with a loud voice, Fear
God, and give glory to Him; for the
hour of His judgment is come." Revelation 14:6, 7.
The noble lives of these consecrated,
devoted servants of God, and of all who
heed their message, are a blessing to the
communities in which they live. Of
course. Where they are numerous, or
even in the majority, there is little need
of a police force, a grand jury, or a
divorce court. Their love for Christ and
their hope in His soon return automatically make them the best possible citizens. But they never lose sight of the
fact that they are part of a plan—God's
plan—and that this plan calls for Christ's
return in glory as its most important and
culminating event.
Christians should understand once and
for all that they are not going to convert the world. Christ never expected
them to. Matthew 24:14. If they were
to try for a hundred million years, they
would never succeed in doing so. If this
were the Christian hope, it would be a
slim hope indeed.
Christians are to teach, to warn, to persuade, to plead, but not to take over the
government of nations. Christ will do
that. They must witness; He must reign.
This is the one sure hope.
A. S. M.
Escape
IN THE summer season the minds of
I nearly all turn longingly to thoughts
of vacation, a few days of escape from
the routines and pressures of daily life.
This is a natural instinct. We need occasional change.
Unfortunately, some seek escape in
dissipation or in entertainments or
sports that tear down rather than build
up. The Christian, of course, will not
engage in such diversions, but he will
seek the kind that will make him better
able to do his accustomed work, whatever it is, when he returns to it. There
is a "sound and wholesome escapism,"
as was well stated by Dr. Robert J. Mc-
UNITED PRESS
Looking somewhat like organ pipes, these strange tanks at NACA's Gas Dynamic Laboratory
are filled with compressed air at 5,000 pounds per square inch—for use with supersonic jets.
Page Four
Cracken in a sermon preached recently
in New York. Concerning the constructive kind of escape he said:
"God has set up numerous ladders
from earth to heaven. Nature provides
a way of escape to thousands. So do
music and art and literature. So in particular does worship.
"It is not running away from life or
from the duties and responsibilities of
life. It is turning back to the primal
source of strength and peace and happiness that the soul may be recharged
with the fullness of life that only the
Creator can impart."
Jesus recognized the need for the
kind of escape here described when He
said: "Come ye yourselves apart into a
desert place, and rest awhile : for there
were many coming and going, and they
had no leisure so much as to eat. And
they departed into a desert place by ship
privately." Mark 6:31, 32.
The scenes of nature—mountain,
woods, desert, or seashore—give rest to
body, quiet to mind, and renewal to
spirit. One need not go far nor spend
much money. Such a vacation can be
one of our best investments. C. D. u.
"Signs" for Chaplains
A
NOTHER urgent request for free
copies of the Signs has just reached
us from Korea. An Army chaplain says
that he will gladly distribute as many
as fifty copies a week if someone will
supply him with them.
William H. Bergherm, secretary of
the International Service Commission,
who relayed the request to us, reports
that several other chaplains would appreciate a similar service. There is a deep
interest in the things of God among the
young soldiers, he says. Many are eager
to learn more about the Bible.
Mr. Bergherm, himself a chaplain in
the Armed Forces for several years, believes that the Signs is just the paper
to meet the need. He hopes that at least
50o copies a week can be made available.
Such a request, of course, takes priority
over all others. If the men in Korea are
anxious and willing to read the Signs,
they must have them. Once more, however, we are faced with the fact that our
Signs World Extension Fund, to which
we would normally look for funds to
meet such a need, is exhausted. It must
be replenished right away.
If you would like to supply a chaplain
with, say, ten, twenty, or maybe fifty,
Signs a week, we would be happy to hear
from you. Send your gift to Signs World
Extension Fund, Signs of the Times,
Mountain View, California. A. s. M.
SIGNS of the TIMES
ZIONISM AND
BIBLE PROPHECY
At Haifa, in celebration of the nation's fifth anniversary of independence, Israel's armed forces paraded before 150,000 spectators.
fill the Jewish Theocracy Be Restored?
'I'll"
IERE are many devout Jews
today who regard the founding of the Israeli state as a
distinct sign of God's special
II
favor toward the Jewish nation, and as a steppingstone to the renaissance of their ancient kingdom and
glory. Some religious Jews even anticipate the revival of the ancient temple
ritual, and in support of their allegations they fondly quote the scripture
which declares, "Out of Zion shall go
forth the law, and the word of the Lord
from Jerusalem." Isaiah 2:3.
Nor are the pious Jews the only ones
who attach such prophetic significance
to Medinat Israel—the Israel state. Many
Christian people also look upon the
recent return of thousands of Jews to
Palestine as a fulfillment of Bible prophecy and as incontrovertible evidence that
the Jewish nation is still God's specially
favored and chosen people. Are there indeed predictions in Scripture foretelling
such a restoration of the Jewish nation
in our day ?
A careful study of the Scriptures reveals that there are in reality two separate
lines of prophecy concerning Israel. One
alludes to the return of literal Israel from
the Babylonian captivity. This line of
prophecy was fulfilled nearly twentyfive hundred years ago under the leadership of Ezra and Nehemiah. The other
line envisions spiritual Israel as they will
reign with Christ throughout eternity
for SEPTEMBER 8. 1953
by S. A. KAPLAN
ful study to distinguish between them.
A typical example of such a mingling
of the two lines of prophecy is found in
in the earth made new after the total Ezekiel 37, from which we quote in
eradication of sin. This event, referred part:
"Thus saith the Lord God; Behold,
to in the Scriptures as the re-establishing
O My people, I will open your graves,
of "David's" throne, is yet future.
In Jeremiah 29:10-14 we have a typical and cause you to come up out of your
example of the first line of prophecy: graves, and bring you into the land of
"For thus saith the Lord, That after Israel. . . . And shall put My spirit in
seventy years be accomplished at Baby- you, and ye shall live, and I shall place
lon I will visit you, and perform My you in your own land. . . .
"The word of the Lord came again
good word toward you, in causing you
to return to this place. . . . And I will unto me, saying, Moreover, thou son of
be found of you, saith the Lord : and man, take thee one stick, and write upon
I will turn away your captivity, and I it, For Judah, and for the children of
will gather you from all the nations, and Israel his companions: then take another
from all the places whither I have driven stick, and write upon it, For Joseph, the
you, saith the Lord; and I will bring stick of Ephraim, and for all the house
you again into the place whence I caused of Israel his companions: and join them
one to another into one stick; and they
you to be carried away captive."
This prophecy was made about 600 shall become one in thine hand. . . . And
say unto them, Thus saith the Lord
B.C. In 538 B.c. Babylon was conquered
by the Medo-Persians under the skillful God; Behold, I will take the children of
generalship of Cyrus the Great, who, in Israel from among the heathen, whither
536 B.C., issued a decree granting Israel
they be gone, and will gather them on
permission to return to Babylon. This every side, and bring them into their
decree was supplemented by Darius in own land: . . . and they shall be no more
519 B.C. and finally went into effect under two nations, neither shall they be divided
Artaxerxes Longimanus in 457 B.C.
into two kingdoms any more at all. . . .
"And David My servant shall be king
Side by side with the prophecies concerning the return of literal Israel from over them; and they all shall have one
Babylon are predictions that refer par- shepherd. . . . And they shall dwell in
ticularly to the final triumph of spiritual the land; . . . forever: and My servant
Israel. These prophecies are frequently David shall be their prince forever. . . .
so interlocked that it requires much care- My sanctuary shall be in the midst of
(A Hebrew Christian)
Page Five
them for evermore." Ezekiel 37:12-28.
While it is true that in a limited sense
this prophecy was fulfilled by the return
of literal Israel from Babylon, there are
many specifications which still await fulfillment. The ten tribes which had composed the northern kingdom of Israel
did not as a whole reunite with Judah.
Josephus, the famous Jewish historian,
and Graetz, the distinguished modern
historian, as well as other scholars and
authorities, are agreed that the vast
majority of the ten tribes remained in
Babylon.
There are many Christians who see in
modern Zionism a fulfillment of the
above Bible prophecy of Ezekiel 37, but
there are too many factors that militate
against such an interpretation.
First. The above prediction twice emphasizes a literal resurrection of the
righteous before God's people will be
placed in their "own land." Verses 12,
14. There obviously has been no such
literal resurrection of the dead in connection with the establishment of the
little state of Israel or at the time of the
return of the Jews from Babylon.
Second. When this prophecy is fulfilled, the two sticks, representing Israel
and Judah, will unite and form a kingdom that shall never pass away. In other
words, it envisions an everlasting kingdom with "David" as their king reigning "forever." This was not true of the
return of the Jews from Babylon. Politically speaking, the Jews never have had
a king since their complete subjugation
by Babylon in the reign of King Zedekiah.
No Zionist, however zealous he .may
be, will claim that the specifications of
the above prophecy have been met by
the foun ding of the Israeli government.
Obviously the major part of this prophecy still awaits complete fulfillment at
some future time. When, how, and by
whom it will be fulfilled will be the subject of a subsequent article.
In order to appreciate how utterly untenable, from the Scriptural viewpoint,
is the idea of a restoration of the Jewish
nation and their ancient theocracy, we
need but consider Jesus' own prophecy
concerning literal Israel: "And when ye
shall see Jerusalem compassed with
armies, then know that the desolation
thereof is nigh. . . . For there shall be
great distress in the land, and wrath
upon this people. And they shall fall
by the edge of the sword, and shall be
led away captive into all nations: and
Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the
Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles
be fulfilled." Luke 21 :20-24.
In this utterance of Jesus three things
stand out clearly.
Page Six
I. The Jewish people were to suffer
"great distress" and "wrath." When the
leaders of the Jewish nation assumed
full responsibility for the crucifixion of
the Son of God and said, "His blood be
on us, and on our children," they little
realized the terrible implications of this
sentence which they pronounced against
themselves. The sufferings which the
Jewish people have endured during the
past nineteen centuries are without parallel, and the end is not yet.
Their tragic experience should be an
object lesson to all of us, lest we also
despise the precious gift of heaven and
spurn God's merciful provision for our
salvation. The answer to Pilate's question, "What shall I do then with Jesus ?"
is still the paramount question confronting every nation as well as every individual; for upon the right answer to
this important question hang not only
our present happiness and welfare, but
our eternal destiny as well.
2. According to the Saviour's prophecy quoted above, the Jews were to be
scattered among all nations. This has
indeed been the lot of the Hebrew people for the past nineteen hundred years.
At the present time we find them scat-
Trends of the Times
by LAWRENCE MAXWELL
Converted Pocket Books
Generosity marked the offerings of Seventhday Adventists last year. With fewer than
270,000 members in the United States and
Canada, contributions amounted to $44,362,947.38 during 1952, averaging $174.70 each.
Of this total, over twenty-six million represented tithe, while over eight million was
given in addition for foreign missions, and
over nine million for home and local expenses.
Bombs and Textbooks
Americans spent $5,084,000,000 to operate
their school systems during the school year
1950-51, it is reported by the council of state
Chambers of Commerce. By contrast, says
General Omar Bradley, Americans must spend
three billion dollars a month on defense "as
far into the future as we can possibly see."
This is thirty-six billion a year.
More than in World War II
"More tons of aviation ordnance—such as
bombs, rockets and machine-gun ammunition—have been expended in Korea by the
Navy and Marine Corps than were expended
by them during all of World War II," says
Science News Letter.
Nonpraying Divines
Theological students of Harvard Divinity
School no longer consider it necessary to pray
at the beginning of the business meetings of
their Student Association. Business meetings
were formerly opened with prayer, but at a
recent meeting it was decided to eliminate
the invocation.
tered among more than eighty different
nations. It is no mere coincidence that
the Jews are thus divided and dispersed
to every corner of the habitable globe,
for this cannot be said of any other people on the face of the earth. Singularly,
not even the much-heralded newly
formed state of Israel possesses enough
magnetic power to attract these scattered
fragments of the Jewish race to Palestine
and thus frustrate and make of no effect
the Saviour's prophecy.
3. The above prophecy also declares
that Jerusalem was to be "trodden down"
of the Gentiles "until the times of the
Gentiles be fulfilled." What is meant
by "the times of the Gentiles"? It refers
to the long period of time during which
the gospel is to be preached to the nonJewish nations. It commenced after the
rejection of the Messiah by the Jewish
nation, when Stephen, the first HebrewChristian martyr for Jesus, was stoned
A.D. 34. This marked the end of the 490
years of the final probationary time allotted to the Jewish nation, as recorded in
Daniel 9:24-27. This final rejection of
heaven's attempt to save them sealed
their national destiny. Henceforth the
gospel was no longer proclaimed exclusively to the Jews; but the disciples of
Christ "went everywhere," announcing
to the Gentiles, far and near, the joyful
news of a glorified and risen Saviour.
When the Jews failed to carry out their
God-appointed mission and turned decisively against the gospel, Paul, the
Jewish apostle, solemnly declared: "It
was necessary that the word of God
should first have been spoken to you:
but seeing ye put it from you, and judge
yourselves unworthy of everlasting life,
lo, we turn to the Gentiles." Acts 13:46.
This, of course, had reference to the Jewish nation as a whole, and did not refer
to individual Jews who acknowledged
the Saviour as their Messiah and King.
How reassuring is the thought that
our heavenly Father loves all—Jew and
Gentile—alike, and that He dispenses
His gifts without partiality, for "God is
no respecter of persons: but in every
nation he that feareth Him, and worketh
righteousness, is accepted with Him."
Acts 10:34, 35.
The preaching of the gospel to the
Gentiles was accompanied by such signal manifestations of the power of God
that within a few decades the good news
of salvation was "preached to every creature which is under heaven." Colossians
I :23.
In this connection it is interesting to
note that the instruments which God
used to bring such inestimable blessings
to the Gentiles were still His ancient
(Continued on page 15)
SIGNS of the TIMES
"FEAR NOT,"
"Year
by TAYLOR G. BUNCH
OMEONE has said that "fear,
worry, and anxiety are the greatest single
trinity of evils." Jesus declared that fear
would grip the human race in the last
days and would therefore constitute one
of the signs of His return. In answer to
the question of His disciples, "What
shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of
the end of the world ?" He said among
other things: "And there shall be signs
in the sun, and in the moon, and in the
stars; and upon the earth distress of
nations, with perplexity; the sea and the
waves roaring; men's hearts failing them
for fear, and for looking after those
things which are coming on the earth:
for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
WHILE BREEZES SING
by ETHELYN M. KINCHER
As long as there are trees
to sway
While breezes sing a
roundelay;
As long as birds build nests
and fly
Against the faultless blue
of sky;
As long as some men do
their best
To lessen pain, and greed
arrest;
So long as faith can comfort
you
And help you see your troubles
through—
So long is life worth all
your pain.
And not a moment of it
vain!
for SEPTEMBER 8, 1953
—7
Another Bible Paradox Clarified
And then shall they see the Son of man
coming in a cloud with power and great
glory. And when these things begin to
come to pass, then look up, and lift up
your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh." Luke 21 :25-28.
"Nations will be in dismay, bewildered
at the roar of sea and waves, men swooning with panic and foreboding of what
is to befall the universe," is the James
Moffatt translation; and "On earth anguish among the nations in their bewilderment at the roaring of the sea and its
billows; while men's hearts are fainting
for fear, and for anxious expectation of
what is coming on the world," is the
Weymouth (3d ed.). A noted writer
recently said: "The great scourge of
mankind is not war, though it is frequently referred to as such. It is something more fundamental—something
that plays its part in producing wars. It
is fear—an emotion tremendously devastating to human personality."
There is nothing more disruptive and
paralyzing than haunting fear. The
psalmist said "Fret not—it only leads to
evil" (Psalm 37:8, Moffatt), and Jesus
declared that life is often "choked with
worries." See Luke 8:14, Moffatt. Fear
is now known to be one of the chief
causes of disease. A physician recently
said, "Fears are the most disruptive thing
we can have." This is also indicated in
Ecclesiastes II :1o: "Banish all worries
from your mind, and keep your body
free from pain." (Moffatt.) Job said:
"The thing which I greatly feared is
come upon me," and that is usually true.
What we worry about is likely to happen. Fear is the result of a lack of faith
and love. We are told, "He that feareth
is not made perfect in love." I John 4:18.
But there is deliverance in the Lord. The
psalmist said: "I sought the Lord, and
He heard me, and delivered me from all
my fears." Psalm 34:4. There is no
other remedy.
But there is another kind of fear which
(Continued on page 15)
Page Seven
The Corning King—lo
World-Wide
Proclamation
of the Gospel
1
Ninth Great Sign of the
Imminent Return of Christ
by ARTHUR S. MAXWELL
"This gospel of the kingdom shall
be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall
the end come." Matthew 24:14.
A few decades ago sailing vessels such as the "Pitcairn" were the only way of reaching
the islands of the South Pacific with the gospel.
O
F ALL the promised signs of the
imminent return of Jesus Christ,
none is having a more spectacular fulfillment than this. Never in all
history have there been such abundant
facilities for quickly proclaiming the
gospel to all nations, and never was
the name of Christ so widely known
throughout the world.
A century and a half ago the very
idea that one man might preach a sermon that could be heard simultaneously
in every country would have seemed preposterous. And if anyone had suggested
that the day would dawn when millions
of families—in their own homes—would
be able both to see and hear the same
preacher, at the same time, .his sanity
would have been questioned.
In those days—not very long ago—
men traveled on horseback and sailing
ships. The swiftest means of communication was the pony express. Steamships, railroads, automobiles, and airplanes were unknown. Nobody had
heard of telephones, radio, television,
and other marvelous inventions so common today. A voyage to India or China
Page Eight
consumed many months and entailed
serious hardships. Anyone venturing
upon such an undertaking was virtually
cut off from his homeland. He could
not call for supplies, relief, or assistance,
for there were no cables, no telegraph
system, and no postal organization such
as we have now. If he fell ill he had
no penicillin or sulfa drugs to help him
combat tropical diseases, and if he died
no one at home knew about it for
months afterward, if ever.
At the dawn of the nineteenth century
much of the world was still enveloped
in heathen darkness. Most of Asia,
South America, Africa, and the South
Sea Islands were totally devoid of the
gospel. True Christianity was practically
unknown through all these lands. Native
inhabitants had never heard of the Bible,
much less seen a copy of it. Illiteracy
was almost total. Idolatry, superstition,
and spirit worship reigned unchallenged.
Slavery was common. Cannibalism was
still practiced in certain places. There
were no missionary societies, no Bible
societies, no Christian hospitals, no welfare organizations.
A Great Gong Sounds
But the time came, in the providence
of God, when the whole world must be
prepared for the second coming in glory
of His Son. The hour struck for "the
time of the end" to begin. Suddenly, at
the close of the great time period of
Daniel 7:25—the 126o years of papal supremacy—it seemed as though a great
gong sounded through the universe, calling the entire human race to awake from
the slumber of centuries and prepare for
history's closing scenes..
Then it was that the era of modern
invention began. The pace of life began
to quicken, as men devised new ways
to travel to and fro. Christians caught
the vision of a world task and began to
dedicate themselves to carrying the gospel to earth's remotest bounds. The year
1804 saw the organization of the British
and Foreign Bible Society. Twelve years
later the American Bible Society was
founded. One after another missionary
societies were established and the first
gallant pioneers of the modern missionary movement sallied forth on their
noble enterprise for Christ.
SIGNS of the TIMES
As if to assist their efforts came the
first steamboat in 1807, the first steam
printing press in 1811, and the first railroad train in 1825.
But there was need for still greater
speed, for now, of all times, the King's
business required haste. So in 1837 came
the invention of the electric telegraph,
followed in 1851 by the laying of the first
submarine cable. The typewriter was
added in 1868 and the telephone in 1876.
The electric train appeared in 1879, the
linotype in 1885, the steam turbine in
1888, radio in 1895, the automobile in
1896, the airplane in 1903, and television
in 1926.
Broadcasting the Message
By means of all these inventions, and
thousands of others, too numerous to
mention, the gospel of Christ has been
carried into all the world. The printing
press has made it possible for hundreds
of millions of copies of the Bible to be
produced in more than eleven hundred
languages. It has multiplied the word
of God through tracts, periodicals, and
books beyond all reckoning. Much of
the world has been covered with Christian literature as by the leaves of autumn. It has been said that some portion of the Bible is available in languages
that 95 per cent of the world's population
can read. Wesley's prayer, "0 for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise!" has now, in one sense at
least, been answered.
THE COMING KING
This series of articles, dealing with the
ten great signs of Christ's imminent
return, is now available in book form.
Price, in cloth cover, $1.50, in paper,
$ .50. Address the publishers, Pacific
Press Publishing Association, Mountain
View, California.
--+
Radio has enabled men of God to
speak the message of salvation to vast,
innumerable audiences. As the power
of broadcasting stations increases, the
gospel is being carried ever farther and
farther afield into the last hidden hinterlands of humanity. As a concrete illustration, one might mention the letters
received by the Voice of Prophecy in
response to its broadcast from the 50,000-
Television is only one of the marvelous means God has provided for proclaiming
to the world the message of Christ's soon coming.
for SEPTEMBER 8, 1953
watt station in Colombo, Ceylon. Listeners have written from as far away as
Central Africa on the west, Siam on the
east, and the Himalayas on the north—
clear evidence that hosts of people are
today hearing the gospel simultaneously,
over vast areas, and in the most inaccessible places.
Television—the latest and most wonderful handmaid of the church—is making it possible for the preacher to step,
as it were, into the very homes of the
people, personally pleading the cause of
the Master and telling of His soon return. As this amazing new channel of
communication becomes more and more
popular, and is developed in more and
more countries, the day may dawn when
on a single night, in countless millions
of homes the world around, the final
warning will be given, "Behold, the
Bridegroom cometh!" Certainly it presents the church of Christ with a most
potent means of quickly finishing its
appointed task.
Other Inventions Speed the Gospel
Viewing the remarkable developments
of the past hundred and fifty years, one
cannot but feel that they have all come
about in fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy:
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make
straight in the desert a highway for our
God. Every valley shall be exalted, and
every mountain and hill shall be made
low: and the crooked shall be made
straight, and the rough places plain: and
the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together: for the
mouth of the Lord hath spoken it."
Isaiah 40:3-5.
As great highways and railroads have
belted the globe in these latter days, they
literally exalted the valleys and made
low the mountains, making easy and
swift the movements of the messengers
of God. With the coming of the airplane,
radio, and television, both valleys and
mountains have been virtually eliminated. Distance has been annihilated
and the world has shrunk to a fraction
of its former size. The "ends of the
earth" have come together. Even international boundaries are a barrier no
longer. Borne by invisible electrical impulses at the speed of light, God's message penetrates every human barricade
in this day of His preparation. For
everyone, everywhere, must hear the
cry: "Behold, the Lord God will come
with strong hand, and His arm shall
rule for Him: behold, His reward is
with Him, and His work before Him."
Verse Iv.
When the apostle John was given a
vision of this closing work for the salva(Continued on page 14)
Page Nine
The Bible and
the Millennium
Secoad
FOR SINNERS?
ANY Christians believe that
the millennium will be a time
of peace, prosperity, and rerepentance. They hold that during this thousand-year period all who
have spurned the pleadings of the Holy
Spirit and continued in wickedness to
the day of their death, will be brought
to life and given another chance to make
up their minds whether they wish to be
saved or lost.
Let us make sure that this is not wishful thinking or human speculation. The
millennium is still future, and man of
himself cannot know the future. He may
tell the past with some degree of accuracy, but only God can outline events
to come. The moment a man departs
from the word of God on any subject
dealing with the future, his teaching
is dangerous.
What does the Bible say about this
thousand-year period ? The New Testament account is found in Revelation
20 :1-9 :
"And I saw an angel come down from
heaven, having the key of the bottomless
pit and a great chain in his hand.
"And he laid hold on the dragon, that
old serpent, which is the devil, and Satan,
and bound him a thousand years,
"And cast him into the bottomless pit,
and shut him up, and set a seal upon
him, that he should deceive the nations
no more, till the thousand years should
be fulfilled: and after that he must be
loosed a little season.
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon
them, and judgment was given unto
them : and I saw the souls of them that
were beheaded for the witness of Jesus,
and for the word of God, and which had
not worshiped the beast, neither his
image, neither had received his mark
upon their foreheads, or in their hands;
and they lived and reigned with Christ
a thousand years.
Page Ten
MONOMEOER
by MARENUS H. JENSEN
"But the rest of the dead lived not
again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part
in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall
be priests of God and of Christ, and shall
reign with Him a thousand years.
"And when the thousand years are
expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his
prison,
"And shall go out to deceive the nations which are in the four quarters of
the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather
them together to battle: the number of
whom is as the sand of the sea.
"And they went up on the breadth of
the earth, and compassed the camp of
the saints about, and the beloved city :
and fire came down from God out of
heaven, and devoured them."
Let us enumerate the facts brought to
view in these verses. First, an angel
comes down from heaven and binds the
devil and casts him into a pit for a thousand years. During this thousand-year
period a judgment scene convenes. Those
who have won the victory over the powers of evil live and reign with Christ a
thousand years. The rest of the dead do
not live until the thousand years are
finished. Next the devil is loosed for a
little season. He goes out to deceive the
nations. Those whom he deceives surround the City of God, and fire comes
down from heaven and devours them.
SIGNS of the TIMES
Someone may ask, "Where is the
devil? Where will the angel have to go
to bind him ?" The Bible tells us where
the devil is. "And the great dragon was
cast out, that old serpent, called the devil,
and Satan : . . . he was cast out into the
earth." Revelation 12:9. John the revelator says that the angel came down from
heaven and laid hold of the devil and
bound him. He doesn't say that the
angel took him off to heaven or to hell,
but just bound him and cast him into
a pit.
What and where is the "bottomless
pit" ? The original word signifies a place
of desolation, an abyss, and corresponds
to that used in Genesis 1:2. "And the
earth was without form, and void; and
darkness was upon the face of the deep."
That the earth will one day return to
such a condition is suggested in Jeremiah
4:23, where we read, "I beheld the
earth, and, lo, it was without form, and
void; and the heavens, and they had no
light." The next verses say, "I beheld the
mountains, and, lo, they trembled, and
all the hills moved lightly. I beheld, and,
lo, there was no man, and all the birds of
the heavens were fled. I beheld, and, lo,
the fruitful place was a wilderness, and
all the cities thereof were broken down
at the presence of the Lord, and by His
fierce anger. For thus hath the Lord
said, The whole land shall be desolate;
yet will I not make a full end." Verses
24-27.
The prophet Isaiah gives us a similar
description of the future condition of
the earth. He says, "Behold, the Lord
maketh the earth empty, and maketh
it waste, and turneth it upside down,
and scattereth abroad the inhabitants
thereof. . . . The land shall be utterly
emptied, and utterly spoiled: for the
Lord hath spoken this word." Isaiah
24:1-3.
Never since the days of Isaiah and
Jeremiah has the earth been utterly
emptied of its inhabitants, with all its
cities broken down. The fulfillment of
these predictions is still future. And
when this happens, the devil will be
chained amid total desolation for a thousand years.
What is the chain ? It could be a chain
of circumstances. We often speak of a
chain of circumstances that binds us or
prevents us from doing what we would
like to do. Could not the devil be bound
the same way ?
The nineteenth chapter of the Revelation makes it clear that the millennium
follows the second coming of Christ.
When Jesus comes, there will be only
two classes of people on the earth—the
righteous and the wicked. Concerning
the righteous we are told, "For the Lord
for SEPTEMBER 8:1953
Himself shall descend from heaven with
a shout, with the voice of the Archangel,
and with the trump of God: and the
dead in Christ shall rise first: then we
which are alive and remain shall be
caught up together with them in the
clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and
so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Thessalonians 4:16,17. Thus the righteous dead and living will be taken from
this earth. The devil will no longer be
able to tempt them.
What of the wicked ? We are told
of their fate. "And then shall that
wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall
consume with the spirit of His mouth,
and shall destroy with the brightness
of His coming." 2 Thessalonians 2:8.
Let us read again the fifth verse of that
twentieth chapter of the Revelation :
"But the rest of the dead lived not again
until the thousand years were finished."
Who are the rest of these dead? They
are the ones who are not living and
reigning with Christ. They are the
wicked.
Religion
in Action
by M. CAROL HETZELL
• With five states in the West gripped by
drought, congregations have been holding
prayer services for rain. One such service
in Olney, Texas, had to be moved indoors
when a veritable cloudburst descended
upon the community just before the service
was scheduled to begin.
• Baby sitting has proved a source of revenue for a Cleveland, Ohio, Baptist church.
Teen-age girls of the congregation, after
forming a church guild to study mission
fields and their needs, decided on this
method of raising funds for church enterprises at home and overseas.
• Bible translations in modern colloquial
terminology will be appearing in various
languages soon if a resolution taken by the
central council of the United Bible Societies
at Bad Boll, Germany, is carried out. The
resolution pointed out that the classic,
academic idiom is hardly understood by
the modern generation.
• Janitors whisking out the dust of the
five-day Seventh-day Adventist Pan-American Youth Congress held in the Civic
Auditorium of San Francisco were impressed by the absence of cigarette butts
on the premises in spite of the fact that
many thousands of young people had used
the auditorium during the congress. Adventists abstain from the use of tobacco
as well as intoxicants.
If the righteous dead are resurrected
and the righteous living are translated
and are all taken to be with Christ, and
if the wicked living are destroyed by the
brightness of His coming, and all the
wicked dead live not again until the
thousand years are finished, how many
people will there be on this earth for the
devil to tempt during the thousand
years ? Not one. This is in harmony
with the teaching of Isaiah, who said
that the earth would be "utterly emptied" (Isaiah 24:1, 3) ; and with Jeremiah, who said that there would be no
man left on the earth. Jeremiah 4:25.
This earth, then, is the "bottomless
pit" in which the devil will live in solitary confinement for a thousand years,
bound by a chain of circumstances.
Verses 3 and 7 of Revelation 20 tell
us that after the thousand years Satan
will be loosed for a little season. What
looses him? Verse 5 says, "But the rest
of the dead lived not again until the
thousand years were finished." This is
another way of saying that when the
thousand years are finished, they will
live again. This looses Satan.
The eighth verse tells us that they will
compass the camp of the saints. Where
does it come from ? John in vision saw
it coming down from heaven. We read,
"And I John saw the Holy City, New
Jerusalem, coming down from God out
of heaven." Revelation 21 :2.
Now the righteous and the wicked are
both back on this earth. Satan is loosed,
but only for "a little season." The ninth
verse tells us what happens to the devil
and his followers. "And they went up
on the breadth of the earth, and compassed the camp of the saints about, and
the beloved city: and fire came down
from God out of heaven, and devoured
them." Revelation 20:9. This is their
"second death." The righteous do not
die a second time. Verse 6 reads, "Blessed
and holy is he that hath part in the first
resurrection: on such the second death
hath no power." Thus ends the millennium and the great drama of sin. What
follows ? The meek inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5. "And God shall wipe
away all tears from their eyes; and there
shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
nor crying, neither shall there be any
more pain : for the former things are
passed away." Revelation 21 :4.
Don't be misled into believing that
there is to be a great Christian revival
and a turning to God during the millennium. Says the apostle Paul, "But
evil men and seducers shall wax worse
and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." 2 Timothy 3:13. There will be
no second chance during the millen(Continued on page 15)
Page Eleven
QUIET HOURS WITH THE BIBLE
/r
il/p 4,.
by DALLAS YOUNGS
j
ITHOUT faith nothing
AL A worth while is undertaken or accomplished. The farmer sows
his seed by faith. By faith the engineer
runs his train and the captain his ship.
Faith enters into every phase of human
existence.
Genuine faith always bears its certain
fruitage of loyalty and obedience.
"When Bishop William S. Lewis asked
a young Chinese why, having refused a
splendid position with the government,
he offered himself as a Christian
preacher, the youth said: 'During the
Boxer uprising I lived in an inland village where there was a temple for devil
worship. The Christians were led by
the soldiers to that temple and ordered
to renounce their religion and bow before the devil image or be executed. I
saw 163 of my townsmen walk by the
devil god with heads erect, when a little
bow would have saved their lives—then
out to a great beam over which they
placed their heads for the swift stroke
of the executioner's sword that sent their
heads rolling in the dust. My father was
one of that number. It was the unshaken
integrity of their faith that thrilled me
and gave me a longing for the new life.
I must go back and tell my fellow townsmen of Christ, who loves them, and of
His power to save.' "
The faith of these noble Chinese
Christians led them to obey the commandment which forbids idolatry. Bowing momentarily before the idol might
have seemed but a little thing, but to
them it was a denial of God. Real faith
always begets obedience.
How was Abraham severely tested
in his old age?
"He said, Take now thy son, thine
only son Isaac, whom thou lovest, and
get thee into the land of Moriah; and
offer him there for a burnt offering upon
one of the mountains which I will tell
thee of." Genesis 22:2.
would not have become the father of the
faithful. Abel's faith caused him to obey
God exactly in the offering of the lamb,
a type of Christ. Enoch's faith led him
to divorce the world and to walk with
God. Noah's faith moved him to obey
God and build an ark by which he was
saved, and his household.
Upon what basis did God promise
to bless Abraham?
"By Myself have I sworn, saith the
Lord, for because thou hast done this
thing, and hast not withheld thy son,
thine only son: that in blessing I will
bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven,
and as the sand which is upon the seashore; and thy seed shall possess the gate
of his enemies; and in thy seed shall
all the nations of the earth be blessed;
because thou hast obeyed My voice."
Verses 16-18.
Note: In Abraham, faith and obedience worked together. Had he not
obeyed, he would not have pleased God,
he would not have been blessed, and he
By what was Abraham justified?
"Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac
his son upon the altar ?" James 2 :21.
Note A: Both faith and works are
necessary. No man is saved by his works,
but he will assuredly be lost for lack of
them. Works prove the quality of one's
faith. Without works there is no evidence of the presence of faith.
Note B: "Obedience is the test of discipleship. It is the keeping of the commandments that proves the sincerity of
our professions of love."—E. G. White,
Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing,
page 210.
"We are justified by faith only, for
there is nothing that we can do to corn-
What motivated Abraham to obey
God?
"By faith Abraham, when he was
called to go out into a place which he
should after receive for an inheritance,
obeyed; and he went out, not knowing
whither he went." Hebrews 11:8.
Page Twelve
RALPH PALLEN COLEMAN, ARTIST
By faith Abraham obeyed God, even to placing his son on the altar of sacrifice.
SIGNS of the TIMES
mend ourselves to God. But becoming
thereby partakers of the 'divine nature,'
the 'righteousness of the law' is 'fulfilled
in us who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit,' and the works of the
Spirit bear witness to the regeneration
which has taken place. If such 'works'
are not manifest, doubt is cast upon the
reality of the claim to inward change.
`We are not justified by keeping the
law; we keep the law because we are
justified.' "—H. M. Hughes, Christian
Foundations, page 169.
What does disobedience show?
"Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath
not God." 2 John 9.
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What indisputable evidence does
obedience provide?
"Hereby we do know that we know
Him, if we keep His commandments."
I John 2:3.
How is the hypocrite characterized?
"He that saith, I know Him, and
keepeth not His commandments, is a
liar, and the truth is not in him." Verse 4.
Under what circumstances is
"faith" said to be "dead"?
"Even so faith, if it hath not works,
is dead, being alone." James 2:17.
How is faith made "perfect"?
"Seest thou how faith wrought with
his works, and by works was faith made
perfect ?" Verse 22.
Although He was the Son of God,
what was it necessary that Jesus
learn?
"Though He were a Son, yet learned
He obedience by the things which He
suffered." Hebrews 5:8.
Note: Life is a school of obedience.
Jesus proved His faith by His obedience,
as any other man must. He did so when
He refused to exercise His divine power
to turn stones into bread; when He refused to act presumptuously by casting
Himself off the pinnacle of the temple;
when He refused to bow down and
worship Satan. His death on the cross
afforded the supreme evidence of His
faith.
To whom is Christ the author of
salvation?
"And being made perfect, He became
the author of eternal salvation unto all
them that obey Him." Hebrews 5 :9.
Note: Christ is not the author of eternal salvation to the disobedient, but to
the obedient. This is the clear teaching
of the Bible. Heaven will be the abode
of the righteous, the meek, the humble,
the submissive, the willing, and the
for SEPTEMBER 8, 1953
obedient, the saints. It is they who will
inhabit the earth made new—not the
impious, the impure, the wicked, the
sinful.
Does obedience go beyond the act
itself?
"Casting down imaginations, and
every high thing that exalteth itself
against the knowledge of God, and
bringing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ." 2 Corinthians
10:5.
Note: Since all one's deeds are under
the control of the mind, it is imperative
that the mind itself be under the control
of Christ.
What is the natural course when
one repents and comes to have faith?
"The word of God increased; and the
number of the disciples multiplied in
Jerusalem greatly; and a great company
of the priests were obedient to the faith."
Acts 6:7.
Was this true of Gentiles as well as
of Jews?
"I will not dare to speak of any of
those things which Christ hath not
wrought by me, to make the Gentiles
obedient, by word and deed." Romans
15:18.
Note: Faith directs in one identical
course—the course of obedience. We
know of no instance in the Bible in
which a man became a true disciple
without changing his course of action
from disobedience to obedience. "Do we
then make void the law through faith?
God forbid: yea, we establish the law."
Romans 3:31. Before the coming of faith
a sinner disparages God's law through
his presumptuous violation of it, but
after the advent of faith he "establishes"
the law through his obedience. "Here
is the patience of the saints: here are they
that keep the commandments of God,
and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12.
In the sight of God, which is better
—sacrifice or obedience?
"Samuel said, Hath the Lord as great
delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
as in obeying the voice of the Lord ? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and
to hearken than the fat of rams." I Samuel 15:22.
How is the sin of rebellion classed?
"For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and
idolatry." Verse 23.
How does the Lord look upon the
breaker of but "one" commandment?
"Whosoever shall keep the whole law,
and yet offend in one point, he is guilty
of all." James 2:10.
Note: "These Ten Commandments
are not ten different laws; they are one
law. If I am being held up in the air
by a chain with ten links, and I break
one of them, down I come, just as surely
as if I break the whole ten. . . . 'The
golden chain of obedience is broken if
one link is missing.' "—Dwight L.
Moody, Weighed and Wanting, page 11.
How does God appeal to sinners?
"0 that there were such an heart in
them, that they would fear Me, and keep
all My commandments always, that it
might be well with them, and with their
children forever!" Deuteronomy 5:29.
Page Thirteen
Proclamation of Gospel
(Continued from page 9)
tion of a lost world, he wrote: "And I
saw another angel fly in the midst of
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to
preach unto them that dwell on the
earth, and to every nation, and kindred,
and tongue, and people, saying with a
loud voice, Fear God, and give glory
to Him; for the hour of His judgment
is come: and worship Him that made
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the
fountains of waters." Revelation 14:6, 7.
That this is a picture of the final
preaching of the gospel in the last days
is clear from verses 14, 15 of the same
chapter, where the apostle says : "And
I looked, and behold a white cloud, and
upon the cloud One sat like unto the
Son of man, having on His head a
golden crown, and in His hand a sharp
sickle. And another angel came out of
the temple, crying with a loud voice to
Him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in
Thy sickle, and reap: for the time is
come for Thee to reap; for the harvest
of the earth is ripe."
Some people question whether it is
possible, even with all available modern
facilities, for the entire human race to
hear the gospel in our day. They point
to the large, unentered, or partially entered, mission fields. They refer to the
high birth rate in many non-Christian
lands and the unceasing march of oncoming generations.
But are not these facts known to God ?
Was not Christ aware, when He uttered
His great prophecy, that such conditions
would prevail in the last days ? Surely
He has not been taken by surprise! And
must it not be true that He has a thousand ways of making known His truth
of which we have no knowledge ?
The Task Will Be Finished
It is a mistake to assume that a long
time must elapse before Christ can come
because there is so much yet to be accomplished. God can move fast—and is doing so. Moreover, the world is not to be
converted to Christianity before Christ
will return. No such suggestion is made
in this prophecy, nor anywhere else in
the Scriptures. Nor is it necessary to
assume that the universal promulgation
of the gospel calls for the establishment
of churches in every city and village
around the globe. All that is required
to fulfill the prophecy is the preaching
of the gospel as a witness unto all nations. The name of Jesus must be made
known to all people. His offer of salvation must be proclaimed everywhere.
And then shall the end come.
Let there be no doubt whether the task
Page Fourteen
will be accomplished. It will be—and
soon. Says prophecy: "In the days of the
voice of the seventh angel, when he shall
begin to sound, the mystery of God
should be finished." Revelation io :7.
The preaching of the gospel—the everblessed mystery of God's love for lost
mankind—will not fade -out in failure.
Like the sounding of a trumpet it will
become louder and louder, more and
more definite and insistent, until God's
purpose is achieved. It will be proclaimed with "great power" till the earth
is lightened with its glory. Revelation
18:1. Then it will be finished. Every
living soul will have had the opportunity
to make his decisoin for or against Christ.
And the harvest of the earth will be ripe
—ripe for the reaping.
That the end is much nearer than
many think is evidenced by the closing
doors in many a former mission field.
For years these doors stood wide open,
as needy men, like those of Macedonia,
cried eagerly and gladly, "Come over
and help us!" As missionaries went forIf you knew a thief were coming
ward to answer these calls they were
to rob your home, you would be on the
welcomed as friends and brothers. But
alert, you would prepare to meet the
today, in all too many places, what a
robber, to resist him; whether he came
by night or by day.
change has taken place! Doors that long
CHRIST'S COMING will be a surwere wide open have been slammed in
prise to many. He will come as a
thief in the night, the Bible tells us.
the faces of those who bear the gospel
We need not be surprised. We can be
tidings—or behind the backs of faithful
ready. Every soul in this land should
workers driven from their fields of labor.
read the new book on this subject by
A. S. Maxwell, editor of the "Signs
Gone is the warm welcome, chilled by
of the Times."
bitter hatreds. Vanished is the happy
friendliness, poisoned by venomous
falsehoods.
THE COMING KING
Indicative of this changed attitude
This book is gripping, convincing,
interesting, appealing. This troubled
was the announcement made by India's
world is nearing its end. You will find
Home Minister, Kailash Nath Katju, in
the evidence in this new volume. It
the Upper House of Parliament on April
will be an inspiration and an encouragement. When you have read
15, 1953, that no more foreign missionit, you will want to give it to others.
aries are desired in his country. "If they
Beautifully illustrated in color. It has
come here for evangelical work," he
been bound in an inexpensive binding to keep the price down. Millions
said, "the sooner they stop it the better."
should read it.
This attitude exists also in other lands.
$ .50, paper
Some contend that all this will change;
1.50, cloth
that the good old days will return, that
Add sales tax where necessary.
the closing doors will open again. They
Prices are higher in Canada.
may; but they may not. Fading light
Pacific Press Publishing Association
betokens not dawn but coming darkMountain View, California
ness and midnight. Not with weakening purpose does Satan attack the cause
Gentlemen:
of Christ today, but as a roaring lion
Enclosed find .$
, for
he leaps forth with fiendish fury to
which please send me
destroy it.
copies of the new book, "The CornThe slamming of the doors of opportunity upon the messengers of Christ,
ing King."
far from betokening the coming of better
Name
times, or easier conditions, is stamping
Address
finis upon the glorious task of the
church. The days of the voice of the
seventh angel are almost over. The work
of God on earth is almost completed.
IThe coming of Jesus is at hand.
LA4MERT
A Thief
in the Night
SIGNS of the TIMES
"Fear Not"
(Continued from page .
io), also says to every human being,
"Fear God, and give glory to Him."
There is no contradiction in this paradox. The Christian has no difficulty in
obeying both commands. His religion
makes him calm, serene, poised, and
restful under all conditions. He does not
fret or worry, because he knows that "all
things work together for good to them
that love God, to them who are the
called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28. But the Christian at the
same time fears God and reverences His
name and word. He is controlled by
godly fear which produces obedience.
He marvels at the immeasurable love
and indescribable grace of God which
was demonstrated on the cross of Calvary, and he is filled with amazement
and wonder, admiration and astonishment. The plan of salvation is to him
"the mystery of godliness."
May we all know more of the fear
that builds and creates, constructs and
regenerates, and less and less of that
which frustrates, disrupts, and destroys.
Then we will know by experience the
peace and tranquillity described by the
ancient prophet: "And the work of
righteousness shall be peace; and the
effect of righteousness quietness and
assurance forever. And My people shall
dwell in a peaceful habitation and in
sure dwellings, and in quiet resting
places." "And all thy children shall be
taught of the Lord; and great shall be
the peace of thy children." Isaiah 32:
17,18; 54:13.
is healthy and virtuous, because it produces zeal, ambition, and energy. It is
creative, constructive, and productive,
and is absolutely essential to growth and
progress in any line. The fear of disease
and death account for the phenomenal
success of modern medical science, and
produces the chief incentive for obedience to the laws of our being even at the
expense of effort and sacrifice. The fear
of being ignorant and mediocre is the
motive power of study, research, and
educational progress. The fear of poverty
and starvation impels the human family
to toil and sweat in order to obtain a
livelihood. The fear of war and its terrible consequences has led to noble efforts to outlaw mass murder and bring
peace to a war-weary world.
There is also a form of fear which is
akin to awe and reverence for the Supreme Being and for holy things, and is
necessary to salvation. This kind of fear
has no relation to fright, dread, or terror.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of wisdom: and the knowledge of the
holy is understanding." Proverbs 9:1o.
"The first thing in knowledge is reverence for the Eternal, to know the Deity
is what knowledge means," is the James
Moffatt translation. This kind of fear
is basic in true education. Said the
psalmist : "God is greatly to be feared in
the assembly of the saints, and to be had
in reverence of all them that are about
Him." Psalm 89:7. We are admonished
to "serve God acceptably with reverence
Second Chance?
and godly fear." Hebrews 12:28.
(Continued from page n)
The wise man declared that "the conclusion of the whole matter" of life and nium. "But the rest of the dead lived
conduct is, "Fear God, and keep His not again until the thousand years were
commandments : for this is the whole finished." Revelation 20:5.
duty of man. For God shall bring every
Let us heed the warning of the Holy
work into judgment, with every secret Scriptures: "Be thou faithful unto death
thing, whether it be good, or whether it [not after death], and I will give thee a
be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14. God's crown of life." Revelation 2:10. "And as
last warning message is to be heralded it is appointed unto men once to die, but
to "every nation, and kindred, and after this [not a second chance, but] the
tongue, and people, saying with a loud judgment." Hebrews 9:27. "But he that
voice, Fear God, and give glory to Him; shall endure unto the end, the same
for the hour of His judgment is come: shall be saved." Matthew 24:13.
and worship Him that made heaven,
The second-chance doctrine is only a
and earth, and the sea, and the fountains siren song of the devil to lull men to
of waters." See Revelation 14:6-14. In sleep until it is too late. Now, while we
this disrespectful and irreverent age the are living, is our day of salvation. If we
kind of fear described in these texts is wait for the millennium to make our
not only greatly needed, but is absolutely peace with God, we will find ourselves
necessary to success and redemption.
coming up just one thousand years too
The same God who says, "Fear thou late. We will come up in the second
not; for I am with thee: be not dis- resurrection and go down in the second
mayed; for I am thy God : I will death. "Blessed and holy is he that hath
strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; part in the first resurrection : on such the
yea, I will uphold thee with the right second death hath no power." Revelahand of My righteousness" (Isaiah 41: tion 20:6.
for SEPTEMBER 8, 1953
The Jewish Theocracy
(Continued from page 6)
people—the Jews; for the first followers
of Christ were of Abraham's literal seed
who recognized in the lowly Nazarene
the long-looked-for Messiah. Furthermore, consider the writings of the New
Testament. Their elevating influence
upon mankind is unequaled in human
history. Who were the writers of this
inspired volume? With scarcely an exception they were Hebrew Christians,
literal sons of Abraham.
The amazing work that these Jewish
disciples of Jesus did in spreading the
gospel is an object lesson of the infinitely
mightier work that God had designed
to accomplish through the entire Hebrew
nation had they but been faithful! What
a glorious opportunity was theirs had
they but embraced it and recognized in
it the day of their visitation!
The gospel has been widely proclaimed
among the Gentiles for the past nineteen hundred years, and it is being
preached with even greater urgency today. Will the times of the Gentiles end
soon ? We quote Jesus' words:
"This gospel of the kingdom shall be
preached in all the world for a witness
unto all nations; and then shall the end
come." Matthew 24:14. According to
scripture, "the end," or the end of the
world, coincides with the second coming of Christ, for we read that when the
disciples of Christ asked Jesus, "Tell us,
. . . what shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world ?" they
referred to one and the same event.
Thus we see that Jerusalem will be
trodden down of the Gentiles until the
end of the world. The very evident implication of the Saviour's prophecy is
that the ancient city of Jerusalem will
never again be the possession of the Jews.
In this connection it is pertinent to note
that not a single Jew is now living within
its walls, and soldiers of the Arab legion
are stationed there, keeping guard. Yes,
the old city is still being trodden down
of the Gentiles, and, according to the
prophecy of Jesus, neither the ancient
Jewish theocracy nor its temple services
will ever be restored.
The hope of the Jews is no longer
bound up in an earthly temple, nor with
anything this world can offer, but in the
imminent return of Christ in power and
glory, and the eventual setting up of His
everlasting kingdom. His coming cannot be much longer delayed. The Saviour, speaking of these latter days, admonishes us, "When these things begin
to come to pass, then look up, and lift
up your heads; for your redemption
draweth nigh."
Page Fifteen
•
DEVANIY
In His law. God has given us a guide to direct us on the way of life.
The Way of Life
On either side of these arc the "Thou
L night long the rain had been fallby LEONARD C. LEE
shalt not" commandments. They are like
ing in torrents. The river was risthe telltale signs along the road warning
ing, rapidly, and all residents of the
us away from dangers we cannot see, but
lowlands had been warned to leave. As we
which would destroy us.
drove along, the highway we found that we were almost too
As I followed the road onto higher ground, away from
late. For a quarter of a mile ahead the road was covered by
the water, I was very thankful for the "Thou shalt nots."
the rising waters. We could not turn back, for there was no
had heeded their warnings and was safe.
other way out. Under the water there was a way. It was
Perhaps the psalmiSt had.' a similar experience which
unseen, but it was there.
caused him to resolve, "I will run the way of Thy commandCautiously I drove into the water, seeking to keep to the
ments." Psalm 119:32.
very center of the safe ribbon of concrete. Far ahead I could
As we drive the highways we are selekim tempted to leave
see the road as it emerged from the water. But the only way
the solid pavement and drive over fields and prairies. We
I could tell where the hidden road was, was to know where
can see and understand the danger and damage such a foolit was not. There were little indications all along the way
ish act would cause. But the highway of life is more like
which warned me away from the ruts and ditches just off
the flooded road. The dangers are there, just as real and
the concrete. I could watch the weed tops growing beside
treacherous, but we cannot always see them.
the road, the fence posts, and here and there a culvert stake.
Our loving heavenly Father has provided for us in His
These were all warnings where not to drive.
holy law a guide that is unerring. If we will let Him, He
As we slowly crawled between the hidden dangers that
He will
lay on either side, I couldn't help thinking of the Ten comwill write it in our minds and hearts. Hebrews 8
never leave us in doubt when we want to know the way.
mandments. Right down the center of the, law of God are
two commandments that are positive. They tell us what to
"Thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is
do. Their way is safe and leads to the promised future home.
the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and
The fourth commandment, "Remember the Sabbath day, to
when ye turn to the left." Isaiah 3o:21.
As surely as my guides which warned me away from dankeep it holy," leads along the way of love and harmony and
fellowship with God. The fifth commandment, "Honor
ger led to the promised security at the other end of the
thy father and thy mother," is the basis of our finest relationflooded strip of road, so the guideposts of the Ten Commandments will lead us into the way of eternalllife.
ship to our fellow men.
AL