| The Christian Life | June 1940 |
Comfort the Mourning
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn. To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.”—Isaiah 61:1-3
JESUS quoted most of this divine commission to proclaim the truth, and applied it to Himself. The Scriptures make it clear that the Holy Spirit also authorizes the body members of the Christ to be “ambassadors,” to hold forth the “word of life.” Jesus, in His prayer recorded in John 17, said that as the Father had sent Him into the world, so He was sending His disciples. There can be no question, therefore, as to whether or not it is the divine will for the consecrated to proclaim the glad tidings of the Kingdom. That work was to continue until the “night cometh wherein no man can work.”
But Jesus did not quote all of the divine commission. That part of it referring to the “day of vengeance,” and to those who “mourn in Zion,” He omitted; evidently because it was not then the “due time”; inasmuch as the “day of vengeance” had not come, and because the mourners in Zion are a class that become manifested in the end of the Gospel age, rather than in the beginning. There is no doubt, however, but that now the feet members of the body of Christ are living right in the time when these final parts of the commission apply. This being true, we should be on the alert to make sure that this expression of the divine will for the consecrated is having the proper effect in our lives.
It is always proper to publish “glad tidings to the meek,” and to point out the hope of the resurrection—the “opening of the prison to them that are bound”—indeed, it is the proclamation of the entire divine plan, the Gospel of the Kingdom, that brings true comfort at any time, and especially now, when all the hopes of men and nations are falling like ashes upon their heads. Proclaiming the day of vengeance, and comforting those who mourn in Zion, is new only in the sense that it implies an up-to-date application of the glorious Kingdom truths. When churchianity and the kingdoms of this world are falling, the truth alone is able to point out the reason, and give men real hope for a better day soot to come.
Never before in the entire period of the harvest has the time been more opportune than right now to bear witness to the truth. Men see what they have supposed was Christianity crumbling at their feet. In millions of hearts the questions are being asked, Where is God? What is He doing? Has He no pity? Is He unable to care for His own? Present Truth gives the answer, and nothing else can. We cannot hope to reach all the bewildered and sorrowing ones, but we should lay down our lives in giving as wide a witness as possible, while there is still opportunity to do so. On page 235 of Volume III, of Studies in the Scriptures, Brother Russell says:
“While the glorified Head, and those members of the body on the other side of the veil have the complete supervision of the great changes now in progress and about to be inaugurated in the world, the fellow-members who remain in the flesh are the agents of the Kingdom in publishing, by word, by pen, by books, and by tracts, the ‘good tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people.’ They tell the world the blessed tidings of God’s gracious plan of the ages, and that the time is at hand for the glorious consummation of that plan; and they point to the great time of trouble impending, and also to the blessings which will follow it as a result of the setting up of God’s Kingdom in the world. A great and important work, then, is given to the remaining members: Kingdom work it is indeed, and accompanied also by Kingdom joys and blessings.”
The “dark night” in which no man can work has already settled down over most of the earth. In America we are still free to publish the glad tidings. Apparently, as the work started in America, it will close here; and perhaps the end of all opportunity to witness for the truth is not far distant. Conditions are changing rapidly these days, so let us be zealous while the way is still open.
In the “Day of Jehovah” chapter in Volume I, Brother Russell points out that the settling down of the time of trouble upon the world would furnish a wonderful opportunity to proclaim the glad tidings. This is proving to be true where the night is not already too dark. Friends testify that they never found it so easy to introduce the truth in conversation with others, as now.
Yes, the “day of vengeance” is upon the world, and it is our privilege to explain what it signifies. Thousands in Nominal Zion are mourning as they see their organizations fall. Let us be alert to explain that Christianity is not failing, that it is merely the counterfeit of Christianity that God is permitting the dictators to destroy. Let us faithfully proclaim that Christ’s real Kingdom will soon manifest itself in the blessing of all the families of the earth.
The old world is indeed collapsing. This means that all of its standards are being destroyed, including even the monetary standard. As Totalitarianism spreads throughout Europe, it is forcing changes in this country as well. There is every indication that the vast gold supplies of the world now being shipped to America will probably be valueless, as dictators will force the adoption of an entirely different method of exchange. This means that before long the millionaire will be no better off than the pauper. Those who are enlightened with present Truth do not look upon these things with horror, but rather rejoice in the further evidence they provide that our King is marching on.
Knowing these things, however, we will be doubly blessed if we make a practical application of the knowledge by redoubling our efforts both to make our own calling and election sure, and to be a blessing to our fellow man in this day when so many of them need the bit of comfort, the ray of hope, we can give. Let us be on the alert, also, to comfort and encourage each other—laying down our lives for the brethren.
A worldly writer who previously had been very interested in American politics, wrote home from Europe, saying that it was hard now to believe that political controversies amounted to anything in view of what is threatening the world. Here is a worldly person who has a proper sense of proportions. Should it not also be so with us as Christians? We are not interested in political controversies, but. we may permit ourselves to be unduly exercised over trifling difficulties among the brethren, and thus have our interest removed from the things that really count in this time when the present evil world is dying, and we should be looking for and proclaiming the establishment of the new world.
Let us not think we will be sacrificing our own spiritual interests by seeking to bless others with the truth. We can do nothing better for ourselves, than to seek to do something for others—“It is more blessed to give than to receive.” What wonderful blessings are available for us now upon this basis. Let us be faithful!
“Tell the whole world these blessed tidings;
Speak of the time of rest that nears:
Tell the oppressed of every nation,
Jubilee last a thousand years.”
—Hymns of Dawn