| News and Views | December 1944 |
Longing for the Day
“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. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.”—Isaiah 66:1-3
“HOPE springs eternal in the human breast,” wrote Alexander Pope, but added, “Man never is, but always to be blest.” The experiences of mankind during the year 1944 have been in keeping with this viewpoint. It was the hope of the United Nations at the beginning of the year that victory would crown the efforts of their armies, bringing peace, at least in the European theatre of war, before the end of the year. Those in responsible positions are now saying that in all probability the war in Europe will continue until the spring of 1945. “Hope deferred maketh the heart sick,” wrote the prophet (Prov. 13:12) and the deferred hopes of coming peace are bound to weaken spill further the morale of men and women in all countries.
But even when peace is officially declared in Europe, and also in the Pacific, will it mean to the people the realization of their hopes? It will be a cessation of hostilities in so far as the nations are officially concerned, but it is problematical as to whether it will result in the near-utopian order of things for which millions have been induced to hope. With their cities destroyed; governments, industry, and the general public bankrupt; millions of their youth dead; the end of the war in Europe will, at the most, be a first step toward the restoration of anything like normal conditions.
Allen Raymond, writing in The Saturday Evening Post, declares that “Bankrupt Italy is capable of anything. This country is profoundly corrupt. It is trained in corruption and steeped in corruption, from the lowest functionaries to the highest.” Mr. Raymond also writes that “Roaming this country today are many thousands of Italians—hungry Italians with guns.” These, he explains, are the patriots who have been fighting Fascists and Nazis “underground.” Some of this class, the report indicates, have been persuaded to hand over their arms, but others have not, and have no intention of doing so until the social order of their dreams has been established.
What is true in Italy is undoubtedly true of other countries in Europe, even in Germany, so it is not difficult to foresee the condition of chaos and suffering which will continue to exist in those lands, even after the Nazis have been defeated. The great struggle of the masses for liberty from the oppression of their rulers, civil and ecclesiastical, will continue. Clashes between groups inspired by conflicting ideologies will break out here and there.
The dominant position of Russia accorded her by the success of her armies will be conducive to the further spread of the Russian form of government. Those opposed to communism will endeavor to combat this trend toward anti-capitalism by political intrigue, and when they deem it advisable, probably by armed force. Thus the official ending of the global war will leave the world still merely hoping to “be blessed.”
What is true with respect to the hopes of mankind relative to the outcome of the present war applies on a larger scale in connection with the experiences of Christendom during the entire lifetime of the present generation. Fifty years ago it was the hope of the Evangelical churches to convert the world to Christianity during this generation. Should the world have been actually thus converted it would have been the best possible safeguard for peace, for nations truly Christian would not go to war against each other. All now know only too well how utterly these hopes failed.
That eighteen centuries and more should have passed with so small a part of the world even professing to be Christian, might well have caused the leaders of world. opinion inside and outside of the churches to question the possibility of accomplishing within the lifetime of one generation what had failed to be accomplished in so many hundreds of years. But it would seem that the hope which “springs eternal in the human breast” blinded the people to reality, although they were keenly aware of the need of Christian reform. More than sixty years ago The Watchman, the Y.M.C.A. Journal of Chicago, commented on the outlook for Christianity as follows:
“The ideas of some are very misty and indefinite in regard to the world’s spiritual condition. We hear of the glorious revival work at home and abroad, of fresh missionary efforts in various directions, of one country after another opening to the Gospel, and of large sums being devoted to its spread: and we get the idea that adequate efforts are being made for the evangelization of the nations of the earth. It is estimated today that the world’s population is 1,424,000,000. … Considerably more than one-half—nearly two-thirds—are still totally heathen, and the remainder are mostly either followers of Mohammed or members of great apostate churches whose religion is practically a Christianized idolatry, and who can scarcely be said to hold or teach the Gospel of Christ. Even as to the 116 millions of nominal Protestants, we must remember how large a proportion in Germany, England and this country have lapsed into infidelity—a darkness deeper, if possible, than even that of heathenism—and how many are blinded by superstition, or buried in extreme ignorance; so that while eight millions Jews still reject Jesus of Nazareth, and while more than 300 millions who bear His name have apostatized from His faith, 170 millions more bow before Mohammed; and the vast remainder of mankind are to this day worshipers of stocks and stones, of their own ancestors, of dead heroes, or of the devil himself; all in one way or other worshiping and serving the creature instead of the Creator, who is God over all, blessed forever. Is there not enough here to sadden the heart of thoughtful Christians?”
This statement from The Watchman was republished in The Divine Plan of the Ages in 1886, and commented upon by the author as follows:
“Truly this is a sad picture. … Some might at first suppose that this view with reference to the proportion of Christians is too dark and rather overdrawn, but we think the reverse of this. It shows nominal Christianity in the brightest colors possible. For instance, the 116,000,000 put down as Protestants is far in excess of the true number. Sixteen millions would, we believe, more nearly express the number of professing church members of adult years, and one million would, we fear, be far too liberal an estimate of the ‘little flock,’ the ‘sanctified in Christ Jesus,’ who ‘walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.’ It should be borne in mind that a large proportion of church members, always numbered in the reckoning, are young children and infants. Especially is this the case in the countries of Europe. In many of these, children are reckoned church members from earliest infancy.”
In the sixty years which have passed since the above was written, the picture has not brightened. Christianity has failed to take a deeper hold upon the consciences of the people, either individually or nationally. As a matter of fact, even smaller percentage of the adult population of countries called Christian are Interested in religious matters than sixty years ago. In Great Britain today only about ten percent of the people attend church; in the United States about eight percent. In Russia, where the total population was counted Christian fifty years ago, only small remnants of professed believers remain. Instead of converting heathen nations to Christianity, heathen missionaries are busy in America, and have succeeded in establishing a considerable following in many of the larger cities.
Humanity’s Dark Night
Thus seen from a purely human standpoint, the darkness deepens. The blighted hopes of this generation, furthermore, are in keeping with the experience of the human race during the entire six thousand years of its existence. It has been one long nighttime of sorrow and weeping. Nevertheless, the hope which springs eternal in the human breast has kept the people encouraged, and almost by instinct they have waited for, longed for, and prayed for the coming of a golden age. True, men have groped blindly, because they have been unaware of the actual provision for their blessing which the loving Creator has planned and provided for them. Because of this lack of knowledge, their highest conceptions of a utopia of peace and joy fall far short of what the reality will be.
The Bible describes this long period of human suffering and death as a nighttime of weeping. The prophet declares that “weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” (Psa. 30:5) Thank God for this assurance that a morning is coming, and that it will be a morning of joy! Using a similar figure of speech, the Scriptures, in revealing to us the provision through which joy will come to the nations, refer to Jesus as the “Light of life.” (John 8:12) Simeon, speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit concerning the child Jesus, said, “For mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”—Luke 2:30-32
This beautiful statement of truth concerning Jesus was uttered more than nineteen centuries ago, and still the Gentiles are almost wholly without the foretold light that was to come to them through Jesus, and Israel continues to reject the Messiah who is to give them glory. This is the picture which presents itself to the professed Christian world of today. It would be a sad one indeed if we had no other way of viewing it except through the distorted and beclouded lenses of human wisdom.
Our purpose in calling attention once more to the utter failure of man and the continued blasting of his hopes by human selfishness is to emphasize the need for a re-examination of the Word of God, that we may understand better His purposes for the human race. If God’s plan, through Christ, has been what the majority have supposed it to be, then that plan is a miserable failure, and the God who made it would be wholly unworthy of our worship.
The Bible, on the other hand, reveals to us a God wholly capable of accomplishing what He purposes to do. “My Word,” He declares, “that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, for it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.” (Isa. 55:11) Not only is God abundantly able to accomplish His purpose, but His plans are infinitely better than anything the human mind has ever conceived. God Himself declares through His prophet that as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are His thoughts and ways higher than ours. (Isa. 55:9) We should expect this to be true concerning the Creator.
Our text suggests the manner in which the Lord will enlighten and bless mankind. It was addressed to natural Israel, but the promise is inherited by spiritual Israel, made up largely of Gentiles due to the failure of the Jewish nation to accept the light when it shined upon them at the first advent. The great light long looked for by Israel was their Messiah, who came in the person of Jesus, the true Light, who will yet enlighten every man who cometh into the world. The prophecy had a partial fulfillment to fleshly Israel, but as a nation they knew not the time of their visitation. (Luke 19:44) “The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.”—John 1:5
Consequently, the glory of the Lord was then seen upon Israel in fulfillment of the promise in our text. The Jews did not know their King, nor did they enter with Him into His Kingdom, although the opportunity was then offered to them. Because they did not embrace the opportunities offered, they did riot arise and shine, hence darkness came upon them; and as a nation they were blinded to their highest interests. It is in keeping with this that Jesus said, “Yet a little while is the Light with you. Walk while ye have the Light, lest darkness come upon you.”—John 12:35
The real fulfillment of the promise is to be realized through spiritual Israel, the Zion, or Kingdom class of this Gospel age. Jesus said to His disciples in the beginning of the age, “Ye are the light of the world.” (Matthew 5:14-16) All the light that has been seen in the world during the entire Gospel age has emanated from the followers of Jesus. This light has not been appreciated by the world. Indeed, the darkness has hated the light.
This shining of the light of Christ through the church during the Gospel age is likened to a candle. The full shining forth of Christ, through the spiritual Zion class, is likened to the light of the sun. It will be this brighter and worldwide shining of the light that will fulfill the prophecy of our text. It will be then that the Gentiles will come to the Light, and kings to the brightness of His rising. This will be after spiritual Zion has been glorified with Christ. Jesus’ own promise to these is that they shall shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father.—Matthew 13: 43
Malachi 4:2 describes Jesus as the Sun of Righteousness. How precious is the promise that those upon whom He shines during the Gospel age, and who yield themselves humbly and enthusiastically to the influences of divine light which enters their hearts, are to shine forth with Him as the sun, for the enlightenment and blessing of both Jews and Gentiles during the Kingdom period. It is the rising of this prophetic Sun of Righteousness that will bring the daytime of peace and happiness for which the world has so long waited. Then the hopes of all mankind will be more than realized, not because man in his fallen condition has found a remedy for the ills which plague him, but because the love of God has provided a Redeemer, a King, and a great Light and Life-giver for the people.
What a wonderful hope this is for the church! May it inspire us to be faithful now in reflecting the light of Christ and the truth. Let us be faithful to the light, by walking in that light for if we prove unfaithful, it will be withdrawn from us.
The prospect of blessing for all mankind through the establishment of the Kingdom of Christ, is, to the Christian, one of the most inspiring features of the Gospel. One who rejoices only in that which God has provided for him alone has not caught the true spirit of Christianity. It is because God’s plan of salvation offers hope for others besides ourselves that we are inspired to lay down our lives in its service.