THE HIGHWAY OF HOLINESS While the special hope of the Gospel age is so surpassingly glorious, and the way to it, is correspondingly difficult –narrow, hedged in by hardships and dangers at every step–so that few find it, and even fewer still run so as to obtain the great prize at its end, the new order of things in the age to come is to be entirely different. As a different hope is held out, so also a different way…
“THE NARROW WAY TO LIFE” continued In the beginning of the Millennial age, those who now walk the narrow way will have gained the great prize for which they ran, immortality; and being thus clothed with the divine nature and power, they will be prepared for the great work of restoring and blessing the world during that age. With the end of the Gospel age, the narrow way to immortality will close, because the select “little flock” that it was…
“THE NARROW WAY TO LIFE” continued From 1 Tim. 6:14-16 we learn that the immortal or divine nature was originally the possession of divinity only. We read: “He [Jesus] in his time [the Millennial age] will show who is the blessed and only potentate–the King of kings and Lord of lords, who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen nor can see.” All other beings, angels, men, beasts, birds,…
“THE NARROW WAY TO LIFE” Our Master tells us that it is because of the narrowness (the difficulty) of the narrow way that the many prefer to remain on the broad (way or) road to destruction. “Strait [difficult] is the gate and narrow is the way that leads unto life, and few there are that find it.” Before considering this way and its dangers and difficulties, let us notice the end to which it leads–LIFE. Life may be enjoyed on…
The reason we bring this subject up is because many are still confused as what the Apostle referred to when he spoke of those who are of “the way”. “Then Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked letters from him to the synagogues of Damascus, so that if he found any who were of the Way, whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem.” (Acts…
Revelation Chapter 8 The First Trumpet VERSE 7 (NAU) “The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.” The one symbol that we have not considered yet was that all of the green grass was burned up. This is also mentioned in the above…
Revelation Chapter 8 One Third of the Trees Burned Up So how do we apply what we have learned to the symbols of the first trumpet? We find that one of the results of the truth being cast into the earth, or being misused to gain power over others resulted in the burning up of a third of the trees. As we explained before the four angels had been commanded not to harm the trees so we know this is…
Revelation Chapter 8 The First Trumpet As we had briefly outlined in our previous posts the early church had the beginnings of the wrong attitude which eventually led to the oppressive false church state system, composed of the beast and the image. So for that reason we think that the very beginnings of the problems with the earth (society, earthly institutions both religious and secular) that led to the beast and the image already existed in the first church. This…
Revelation Chapter 8 The First Trumpet VERSE 7 (NAU) “The first sounded, and there came hail and fire, mixed with blood, and they were thrown to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees were burned up, and all the green grass was burned up.” The mingling of blood with the hail or truth and throwing it into the earth would seem to indicate the misuse of doctrine in the churches…
Revelation Chapter 8 The First Trumpet One Third Taken Away = .666 etc. Another reason for the conclusion that this trumpet is showing us something bad, was an interesting observation that was made in regard to the adjective “one third”, that this and the next three trumpets have as a part of their vision. Others have explained the symbol one third in a number of different ways, but the most promising way that we know of is actually quite simple….