Emerging from that blackness of error called Calvinism (with its heaven of blessing for the “little flock” and its eternal torment for all others, as taught by good but sadly deceived men – John Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Charles H. Spurgeon and others – ) into the glorious light of the goodness of God, shining in the face of Jesus Christ our Lord and revealed in the divine Plan of the Ages, the writer was subjected to the same attacks of…
What about the 120 years? 120 years prior to the flood the Lord warned Noah that the present age of mankind had but 120 years remaining before He would destroy them from the face of the earth (Gen 6:13). Noah then immediately commenced to warn his contemporaries of this impending judgement; however, the majority chose to ignore him while others mocked and jeer him. Now it has been surmised that as the Lord gave a warning previous to the destruction of the “heavens and earth” which existed…
The following we add as a supplement to this study as it coincides with our study here. It was taken from our study on Matthew Chapter 24, “The Lord’s Great Prophecy” We would like here to present a bit more insight in regards to the “watches” mentioned in Luke 12:38, which we hope might aid some to a better appreciation of what was being referred to there. We should also like to take another look at the time similarity between the 120…
“THEY WITHOUT US SHALL NOT BE MADE PERFECT.” – Heb 11:40. – We remark, incidentally, that following the gathering of the Church to glory, as above outlined, will come the resurrection of the holy ones of the past, – “Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and all the holy prophets,” whose resurrection will be to perfect earthly conditions, and who shall be the “princes in all the earth,” seen of men, and representatives of the invisible but all-powerful spiritual Kingdom – the glorified Christ. Thus,…
“BLESSED THE DEAD WHO DIE.” Furthermore, we note a beautiful analogy here; for, thus considered, our Lord’s resurrection a few days after his taking of office as King in typical Israel, corresponds to, or parallels the resurrection of the Church, “the body of Christ” a few days after his taking to himself honor and glory and power as the King of nations, in the Spring of 1878. Not only so, but the Book of Revelation, in a scene which belongs…
THEY KNEW NOT THE TIME OF THEIR VISITATION. – LUKE 19:44. – Our Lord reproved the teachers of Israel because they did not discern the signs of the times; because they “knew not the TIME of their visitation.” His words imply that their ignorance was a mark of carelessness and unworthiness, and of divine disfavor. He said: “Ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?” There was a reason, and the realization of…
Continuing our previous thought: The change of nature which our Lord experienced in his resurrection was no less a step upward from the earthly to the heavenly condition, than was the change of nature which he experienced at his birth a step downward from the heavenly to the earthly condition, called “humbling himself,” laying aside his glory. As he laid aside the glory of his spirit being to become a man, so he, in turn, laid aside his humanity in death in…
“THAT WHICH IS BORN OF THE SPIRIT IS SPIRIT.” We call to mind also our Lord’s explanation of spiritual things to Nicodemus, in which he declared plainly that only those who are born again can either enter into, or SEE the Kingdom of God (because as we had previously seen this is a spiritual kingdom, invisible to men. Note likewise here that the Lord never said that those not born again would not enter into the earthly phase of the…
PRESENCE GRADUALLY REVEALED. Foregoing we drew the line of distinction between the parousia and the epiphania or apokalupsis of our Lord, quite sharply, to assist the reader in noting their difference of signification. As a matter of fact, however, the bright shining of the present One is due to begin shortly after the parousia begins; and again, as at the first advent it will be true that “the Light shineth in the darkness, and the darkness comprehends it not.” The revealing of the Lord’s presence begins with the faithful of the Church speedily,…
PAROUSIA IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. The word parousia occurs in the following texts of the New Testament in each of which it should be properly translated “presence:” – “What shall be the sign of thy presence?” – Matt 24:3 “So shall also the presence of the Son of Man be.” – Matt 24:27,37,39 “They that are Christ’s at his presence.” – 1 Cor 15:23 “What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye, presented before our Lord Jesus Christ at his presence?” – 1 Thess 2:19 That “he may establish…