| Highlights of Dawn | June 1957 |
From the North
SOME of the principal prophecies assuring us that just prior to the full establishment of Christ’s kingdom God would restore the scattered people of Israel to the land which he promised to their fathers, emphasize particularly that they would be brought from “the land of the north.” (Jer. 16:15) It seems generally agreed by students of the prophecies that Russia is the country primarily described by this expression. All of Europe is, of course, north of Palestine, and the great majority of the 1,500,000 Jewish people now residing in Palestine went there from European countries.
On the other hand, very few of them are from Russia, the Russian government having thus far refused to allow the Jews within her borders to emigrate to Israel. But this situation may soon change. In a news dispatch out of Tel Aviv, David Ben-Gurion, Israeli Prime Minister, is reported as saying:
“There is a prospect, though not a certainty, we shall see masses of Russian Jews here. A friend of mine recently returned from Russia had been told, he said, that almost all the Soviet’s Jewish youth wished to go to Israel. The constitution of Israel obliges it to admit Jews from any country.”
The same report states that the Hungarian government is also now considering allowing a Jewish exodus to Israel. There are now more than two and one-half million Jews behind the Iron Curtain. Should a large proportion of these be allowed to go to Israel it would place a further strain on the economy of the new state. But since the prophecies indicate that the Lord will bring his scattered people from the “land of the north” as well as from other countries where they have been domiciled throughout the centuries, we may rest assured that in due time it will take place, and that these additional representatives of a scattered people will be in the Promised Land when the Lord’s time comes to reveal himself to them.—Ezek. 38:23; 39:7
From the human standpoint, the outlook for Israel at the present time is rather confused. On the one hand, the very existence of the little nation is threatened by enemies, while at the same time there is the possibility that additional large numbers of the Jewish people will be seeking a home in the land of their fathers. The prophecies reveal what the final outcome of these situations will be, but we can only watch and wait to see how the details will be worked out.
DETROIT MICHIGAN
IN the year 1850 a strange agreement was made to break the barrier between life and death. It was made by two magicians, Conte, a Frenchman, and Herriman the Great. One of the clauses of this pact obligated the surviving member to name one or two successors. Through this arrangement Magician Howard Thurston, Lawyer Clarence Darrow, and Explorer Carveth Wells, were brought into the arrangement. Another was Claude D. Noble, of Detroit.
Mr. Noble has recently said, “I have been at this for eighteen years and nothing has come of it, and I think I’ll let it die with me.” It seems that all efforts which have been made by the various ones participating in the arrangement to make cant act with their dead friends have failed. Mr. Noble says further, “To me the fact that it hasn’t worked is the salvation of the whole idea. It shows up the spiritualists who tell people they can bring a person back from the dead.”
The claim has long been made by magicians that they can duplicate, by sleight of hand, any and all of the mysterious phenomena produced by spiritualists in their demonstrations of communicating with the dead. Perhaps they can, but this does not prove that spiritualists do not at times make contact with supernatural powers. However, we agree with the magicians that spiritualists are not able to communicate with the dead.
From the standpoint of the Word of God, the reason for this is very obvious. It is because the dead are dead, and therefore could not possibly communicate with the living. “The living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything. (Eccles. 9:5) It was Satan who started the notion that the dead are more alive than the living. He did this when he said to mother Eve, “Ye shall not surely die.”—Gen. 3:4
Because of sin, the sentence of death fell upon our first parents, and the human race has been dying ever since. But Satan has continued to insist that he told the truth, the claim being that death is not what it seems to be. He has done all he could to establish this claim, one of his efforts being what is known as spiritualism. Spirit mediums cause some to believe that they are able to communicate with their beloved dead.
Our booklet, “Spiritualism,” explains this matter in detail; but briefly, the power back of spiritualism comes from angels which sinned against God at the time of the Flood. By their superior intellects they are able to palm themselves off as the dead friends of those who endeavor to communicate with the dead. It is evident that most of the spiritualists themselves are deceived by the fallen angels. We suggest a careful reading of the “Spiritualism” booklet.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
A RECENT report out of Washington states that in America alone eight million Bibles were sold during 1956. It has been asked if this does not prove that there is a tremendous religious rival taking place in the world, and that at long last the Christian church is about to realize its desire to convert the world.
That eight million Bibles should be sold in one year is indeed impressive; especially when we take into consideration that in the United States there is already at least one Bible in so many millions of homes. But how many of these millions of Bibles are being read and studied? We might also ask how many non-Christians are becoming Christians as a result of reading the Bible? So far as we are aware there are no statistical answers to these questions.
The question as to whether or no, the world is now being converted to Christianity, is easier to ‘answer. A recent survey indicates that devotees of the non-Christian religions of the world are constantly becoming a larger majority, while adherents to the Christian faith are becoming an ever diminishing minority.
But this does not mean that Christianity is failing. It is simply that it was not God’s design that the world should be converted to Christ during the present age. This is to be the work of the next age, and it will be brought about through the administration of Christ’s kingdom. We are assured that then the knowledge of the Lord shall fill the earth as the waters cover the sea.
In the report of the eight million Bibles which were sold in the United States last year, reference is made to the various translations. It seems that the King James translation is still the preferred one, since many more copies of this translation were sold than of all the other translations combined.
Many wonder about these various translations of the Bible. Why should we not continue to use the King James Version? Is this not the only truly authorized Bible? This notion came about because of the statement on the title page that it is the “Authorized King James Version.” But this does not denote authorization by God, but merely by King James—“By his majesty’s special command.”
Probably the reason the King Jams Version is still the most popular is because people have become accustomed to it. Its language is rich and reverential. The various revised versions use language which is more modern. They have, of course, corrected many faulty and incorrect translations appearing in the King James Version; but not all of them, by any means.
For example, the King James Version quoting the words of Jesus, says, “Take therefore no thought for the morrow.” The new Standard Revised Version reads, “Do not be anxious about your lives.” (Matt. 6:34) This, obviously, is the better translation, since it would be most impractical to take no thought at all concerning the needs of the morrow.
Then there are the changed meanings of English words. The word hell, for example, originally meant to bury, or to conceal. Now, in the minds of most people, it has connotations of fire and brimstone, and torment. The use of this word in the King James Version therefore gives the wrong thought concerning the divine penalty for sin—that it is torment, and not death. The Revised Version leaves the Hebrew word sheol, and the Greek word hades—which are frequently translated hell in the King James Version—untranslated. It would have been better had the translators been more courageous and translated these words properly. This would have done much to help those who read the Bible realize that it does not teach the God-dishonoring doctrine of eternal torture.
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA
MR. HENRY B. SARGEANT, a founder of the Association of Applied Solar Energy, is reported as saying that he believes the sun’s energy, properly harnessed, may one day cure most of the afflictions which through the centuries have continued to plague mankind. This is interesting because the Bible uses the curative powers of the sun to illustrate the healing blessings of Christ’s kingdom.
In Malachi 4:2 we read that the “Sun of Righteousness” shall arise, “with healing in his wings.” Christ, primarily, will be the great “Sun,” whose curative powers will heal mankind of all diseases including the dreadful malady of sin. With Jesus will be those, who, during the present age, have suffered and died with him. These are referred to in one of Jesus’ parables as the “children of the kingdom,” and in explaining the parable, as the “righteous,” who, he says will “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.”—Matt. 13:43
The Bible reveals clearly that it is God’s purpose to restore all the willing and obedient of mankind to perfection of health. This will be during the thousand-year reign of Christ. When this work is complete, the promise of Isaiah 33:24 will be fulfilled. It reads, “The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.”
The Bible does not explain how this will be accomplished other than it will be by divine power. Doubtless to whatever extent it may be practical and possible, natural means will be used. But even so, the people will recognize that their efforts in conquering disease are successful only because the blessings of the Lord’s kingdom are upon them. Thus the glory will be the Lord’s.
GULF OF AQABA
THE GULF of Aqaba is mentioned in the Bible but not by this name. It is referred to in the marginal translation of I Kings 9:26 as the “Lip” of the Red Sea. In this passage we are told of the ships of Solomon sailing from “Eloth” [Elath] to Ophir to pick up a cargo of gold. Solomon’s copper refineries were located at Elath, as excavations have indicated. Apparently this ancient king of Israel had a good eye for strategic business locations.
It is interesting to note that in a Bible dictionary, published in 1917, the statement is made concerning Elath, “It is now quite insignificant.” But what a tremendous change has taken place since then! Now this city and the Gulf of Aqaba have suddenly become one of the centers of world controversy. The reason is that the time has come in the outworking of God’s plan for Israel and the world, for the Jewish people to repossess their ancient Land of Promise.
As the prophecies reveal there would be, so there is, controversy over their right to the land, and the Aqaba crisis is just one of the details in connection with this controversy. Our interest in it is in the fact that these events in general betoken the near establishment of the long-promised kingdom of Christ.
WASHINGTON, D.C.
THE Smithsonian Institute of Washington has published an article written by Dr. Wilder Penfield, of Montreal, Quebec, in which he says that “every conscious experience you ever had is recorded in your brain, and under certain circumstances can be played back like a taped TV show.” Someone wants to know what relationship the human soul has to this recording mechanism of the brain, and what happens to the recordings at death.
First of all, let us emphasize that, according to the Bible, the soul is not a separate, conscious entity dwelling in the human body, and escaping alive when the body dies. According to a committee of eminent clergymen in Great Britain, this theory was originated by the Greeks, and is not taught in the Bible.
The Bible teaches that man IS a soul, or, more understandably, a living being. In Genesis 2:7 we read: “the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.” The relationship of the soul to the recording mechanism of the brain is that the brain is a part of the soul, or living being—that part which thinks, reasons, plans, and, if you will, records the experiences of life. It is these recordings which reflect the character and personality.
The Bible tells us what happens when a person dies. It says that in “that very day his thoughts perish.” (Ps. 146:4) There can be no thoughts apart from the recording mechanism of the brain. The hope of life beyond the grave which is held out to us in the Bible is based upon God’s promises to restore the dead to life. The creative powers of God will do this by providing a duplicate brain structure, with all the original recordings restored.
Concerning the almighty power and infinite wisdom of the Creator who has promised to restore the dead, the Bible says, “He telleth the number of the stars; he calleth them all by their names. Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.” (Ps. 147:4,5) Obviously the one who knows the number of the stars because he created them, and can call them all by name, will not be overtaxed in the fulfilling of his promises to restore the dead to life. He will know every detail of all the recordings, and will restore them.
THE GAZA STRIP
THE Gaza strip is another bit of land which has become the center of international controversy, and largely, because the Israelites claim it as a part of the territory rightfully belonging to them. The ancient historical background of this part of the Promised Land is interesting, especially in view of what is now taking place.
The city of Gaza, located in the Gaza Strip, is mentioned many times in the Old Testament. In the New Testament it is referred to in connection with the baptism of the Ethiopian eunuch. (Acts 8:26) It was the last town in the southwest of the ancient Palestine, near the border of Egypt.
When the Israelites entered Canaan under the leadership of Joshua, forty years after their exodus from Egypt, in the division of the land between the twelve tribes, that section in which the city of Gaza is located was assigned to the tribe of Judah. But Joshua was not able to conquer Gaza. The tribe of Judah did later take possession of it, but were not able to hold it. Gaza was held and controlled most of the time by the Philistines, and was used by them as a base from which they launched frequent attacks upon the Israelites. Now, thousands of years later, Israel is again seeking to protect herself against raids from Gaza.
There is only one permanent solution to the age-long struggle between nations. It is the establishment of the kingdom of Christ. The prophecies of the Bible point out clearly that during the transition period leading to a world government under Christ, the Israelites would return to Palestine, and that their right to possess it would be challenged by their neighbors. That we now see these events taking place is one of the certain proofs that the Lord will soon answer the Christian’s prayer, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven.”
THE “MISSING LINK”?
THE Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D.C., has issued a report claiming that the so-called “missing link” in human evolution has been found. The report states that this creature lived in South Africa more than a million years ago. “Reconstructed” busts of a family group of these creatures have been put on display. Many wonder how reports of this sort can be harmonized with the teachings of the Bible with respect to the creation of man.
Reports like this, as such, cannot be harmonized with the Bible. This should not be a matter of concern, for the reports are based very largely on nothing more than vivid imagination. These so-called re-constructions, depicting what the “missing links” looked like, do not disprove the Bible account of creation any more than does the sketch of a caveman drawn for a magazine cover.
How could anyone decide the nature and appearance of a prehistoric race simply from the shape of a thigh bone, or a jaw bone, or the fragments of a broken skull? Existing on the earth today are both giants and pygmies, as well as all sizes and varieties of humans in between these two extremes. There are also those with deformed bone structures of one sort or another. Would the discovery of a deformed skull a few thousand years from now prove that all the inhabitants of the earth at the present had skulls shaped just like that one?
This, of course, brings us right back to the fact that we have no certain knowledge concerning the origin of the human race except that which is furnished in the Bible. And all true scientific knowledge is in harmony with the Bible. The Bible shows that the human race had its origin in the land adjacent to the Euphrates and Tigris rivers, and scientists have long known that the evidence points to this particular part of the earth as being the very “cradle of the race.”
If the theory of human evolution is true, let the scientists explain why it is not continuing. Why is there not still a race of missing links? Why do we not see humans evolving into something higher than humans? On the contrary, evidence all around us is that every species of plant and animal life is fixed. The Bible declared this truth in the statement, “After its kind,” which appears in the first chapter of Genesis in connection with the various species.
Man is falling, not evolving. But God has promised to restore the fallen race to perfection. This is the great hope of life beyond the grave held out to us in the Word of God. It is a genuine hope, based upon the promises of God, and guaranteed by his ability to fulfill his promises.—Acts 3:19-21