| Highlights of Dawn | June 1959 |
Man’s Only Hope for Survival
“He must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.” —I Corinthians 15:25,26
MANKIND is threatened with destruction. The weapons now in the hands of the great powers of earth would, if used to their full capacity in a total war, in a very short time almost completely destroy the human race. This is a paradoxical situation, for the marvelous progress in the fields of science and invention could, if utilized in proper ways, provide the human race with the most abundant life it has ever known.
As a matter of fact, in limited areas of the earth it has already done this. But even in the United States of America, where the highest standard of living in the world is enjoyed, there could be even greater progress along all lines which pertain to human peace, prosperity, and happiness.
But selfishness prevents man from utilizing his inventive genius for his own good, except to a limited extent. Many of the basic inventions were first used for human destruction. Scientists tell us that we are now living in the nuclear age, but the greatest manifestation of this is in the various aspects of militarism. A few atomic power plants are being built to supply electricity for domestic purposes, but what is being done along this line is merely as the proverbial “drop in the bucket” as compared with the use of nuclear fission in the fields of destruction.
A War Economy
THE people in the United States and Western Europe are being told “they never had it so good.” But these “good times” are based upon a war economy, even though, at the moment, there is no shooting war. Reason tells us that this situation cannot continue indefinitely. The sudden halting of the armament races among the great powers of earth would cause such tragic economic unbalance that the people fear this almost as much as they fear the outbreak of a global war.
True, man’s work week could continue to be shortened. The needs of the countless millions of the underprivileged in all the many backward nations of earth could be supplied. The millions right in the United States, living in the squalor of run-down tenements, hovels, shanties and huts; half starved and poorly clothed, could be supplied. But human selfishness would not permit this proper use of the potentials of production.
Selfishness the Cause
THESE are simple facts, and we are calling attention to them for the purpose of emphasizing that while we are living in a time of wonderful progress so far as science and invention are concerned, it is a progress that is hurtling humanity along a road of chaos and destruction, either by war or by “peace,” or by both. Not that progress itself is at fault, but because, under the rulership of fallen man, it is motivated and controlled by selfishness.
Because of selfishness, we cannot expect to find a solution for the present dilemma into which man has fallen in any humanly conceived arrangement which might be suggested or attempted. Man’s only hope for survival is, based upon the promises of God to do for his human creatures what they cannot do for themselves, which is to eradicate selfishness from human hearts. The Bible reveals that this will be done through the agencies of the kingdom of Christ, that long promised world government that is to rule for a thousand years and bring about the full answer to the Christian’s prayer, “Thy kingdom come; thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”—Matthew 6:10
The Lord’s “Mountain”
IN THE Scriptures a mountain is used to symbolize Christ’s world-wide kingdom, or government. This was quite understandable to the Israelites to whom the Old Testament prophecies were originally addressed, for the Lord’s rulership over them was centered in Mount Zion of Jerusalem. To the Israelites, Zion was the mountain or kingdom of the Lord, with their various kings, beginning with David, and ending with Zedekiah, sitting upon the throne of the Lord, and ruling in the name of the Lord.—I Chron. 29:11,23
This arrangement was typical of the Kingdom of Christ, and it ceased with the overthrow of Zedekiah by Nebuchadnezzar when the nation was taken into captivity in Babylon. Among the Hebrew captives was Daniel, who became one of the outstanding prophets of the Old Testament. The Lord first used Daniel as a prophet in connection with the interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in which he saw a human-like image with head of gold, breast of silver, thighs of brass, and legs of iron; its feet and toes being composed of a mixture of iron and clay.
In his dream Nebuchadnezzar saw a stone cut out of the mountain without hands, which smote the image on its feet, causing it to fall and to be destroyed. Then the stone became a great mountain which filled the whole earth.—Daniel 2:31-35
In verses 36 to 45 of this chapter Daniel presents the interpretation of this dream. As explained by him, the image represented Gentile rulership, beginning with Babylon, continuing through Medo-Persia, Greece, and Rome, and ending with the divisions of the Roman Empire, as depicted by the feet and toes of the image; the kings, or kingdoms represented by the toes of the image reaching down even to this chaotic period of world history in which we are now living.
Concerning the stone which smote the image and then became an earth-filling mountain, Daniel said, “In the days of these kings [depicted by the toes of the image] shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.”—vs. 44
Two important points are established by Daniel’s interpretation of the stone which became a mountain to fill the earth. It proves that we are now living in the time when the kingdom of Christ will soon be manifested in power and great glory; and it furnishes us the key to the symbolic meaning of the mountain when used in the prophecies. It establishes the fact that the “mountain” of the Lord is the kingdom of the Lord, that kingdom which, by its authority and power, will intervene in human affairs and prevent man from bringing about his own destruction.
The Lord’s “House”
ONE of the prophetic references to the messianic kingdom as a “mountain” is Isaiah 2:2-4. Verse 2 reads, “It shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it.” Here we have an added symbolism—the “house” of the Lord—combined with the “mountain” of the Lord.
This also was understandable to the Israelites for, beginning with David, their rulers were all of the “house,” or the family of David. And since the Lord had established David’s family as the ruling house in the nation, it was the “house” of the Lord. But David’s house was merely typical of the messianic ruling house of the Lord. Christ is the antitypical David, the great King in the “mountain of the Lord’s house” which in the “last days” is “established in the top of the mountains,” and “exalted above the hills,” that “mountain” into which “all nations” shall flow.—Isa. 9:6,7; Luke 1:32,69; Isa. 11:1-9
Associate Kings
HOWEVER, in this antitypical ruling house of the Lord, Jesus is not alone. He has associate rulers, or joint-heirs. These are the ones who, during the Gospel age, are called to be sons of God. The first of these were selected exclusively from the Jewish nation. Jesus came to his own, we read, “but his own [as a nation] received him not.” But as many as did receive him as individuals were accepted as “sons of God.”—John 1:11,12
Beginning with Cornelius, the first Gentile convert, the opportunity to become a part of the antitypical ruling house of God was extended to believing Gentiles, and the work of the Lord in the earth throughout the age has been the calling and selecting of this “people for his name.” (Acts 15:14) The tests by which one qualifies for this exalted position in the divine arrangements are severe. They include faithfulness in suffering and dying with Christ.—Rom. 8:16-18; II Tim. 2:11,12; Rev. 14:1,4
These faithful ones, from among both Jews and Gentiles, are brought forth from death at the end of the age in what is described as the “first resurrection,” that thy might live and reign with Christ “a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:4,6) Just as the mighty power of the Creator was utilized to raise Jesus from the dead at the beginning of the age, it is again used at the end of the age to resurrect and exalt those who will reign with him in the “mountain” of the house of the Lord. Realizing this, should give us confidence that where such mighty power is available, nothing is able to interfere with the accomplishment of the Lord’s kingdom plan for the salvation of mankind.
World-wide Control
ISAIAH wrote that the “mountain of the Lord’s house would be established “in the top of the mountains,” and be “exalted above the hills.” The thought denotes that the Lord’s government will exercise dominant control over all the nations of earth, great and small, including the “hills.” It is to be a world-wide government, into which eventually all nations will flow.—Rev. 21:23-26
Verse 3 of the prophecy indicates that the “all nations” and “many people” which say, “Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,” have the desire to learn of the Lord’s ways and to walk in his paths. By the time this prophecy is fulfilled, the peoples and nations of the earth will have learned the futility of their own ways. They will have learned that preparation for war to prevent war does not result in peace.
And when they learn the Lord’s ways they will “beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (vs. 4) Thus is indicated that through the agencies of the messianic kingdom there will be a program of education in which the people will learn the advantages of love as against selfishness, and upon the basis of this, be glad to adopt a way of life consistent therewith, a way of life which will not include militarism in any of its ugly forms.
Righteous Judgment
ISAIAH wrote that Christ would “judge among the nations.” An elaboration of this is presented in chapter 11, verses 1-5. We quote:
“There shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; and shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: but with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.”
Who can doubt that under the rulership of such a King and Judge the people will learn righteousness. There will be no unjust decisions because the Judge will not depend upon outward and visible circumstances. He will be able to read the hearts of the people, and to know their every thought and every motive.
Nor will he need an army to enforce his edicts and laws. “He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” In our text the Apostle Paul tells us that Christ must reign until all enemies are put under his feet. The first of these enemies to be “put down” is the symbolic “earth,” the present selfish social order, which is under the rulership of Satan, the “god of this world.”—II Cor. 4:4
The symbolic earth is “smitten” by the “rod of his mouth,” which symbolizes Christ’s authority and any and every means which he may deem wise to use to destroy this “present evil world.” (Gal. 1:4) It is not the people that are smitten, but the social order which they have established. Naturally the people suffer as they see their institutions crumble. Many temporarily lose their lives in the process, for it involves a “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” (Dan. 12:1) But with the kingdom fully established and ruling in the earth, these will be awakened to enjoy its blessings if they then believe and obey.
Wicked Destroyed
THE righteous Judge, Jesus, will “slay the wicked” with the “breath of his lips.” This refers to those who, as individuals, refuse to obey the laws of that righteous government over which Christ is the Head. Under another symbol, Christ is referred to as a great “Prophet,” and Peter said, “It shall come to pass, that the soul, which will not obey that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.”—Acts 3:23
But no firing squad will be needed to execute the righteous decisions of Him who is able to read the thoughts and intents of the heart. “With the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.” It will be necessary merely for him to say the word, and the invisible powers of the kingdom will execute the sentence. We have an illustration of this in the ease of Peter’s dealing with Ananias and Sapphira.—Acts 5:1-11
Every opportunity will be given to the people to learn and obey the righteous laws of the messianic kingdom. The judgments of the Lord will not be designed to inflict punishment, but primarily to educate. We read, “When thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.” (Isa. 26:9) Verse 10 reads, “Let favor be shown to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the Lord.”
The reference here is to those who at heart are willfully wicked. They will not benefit from the “favor” that is shown them by the Lord’s judgments. Even in that era of “uprightness,” if they were permitted to go their own way, they would continue to deal unjustly, so it is these that are destroyed—destroyed so that those who obey the laws of the kingdom can enjoy unhindered the righteous rule of that divine world government. Nothing will be permitted “to hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain,” is the assurance that is given us, “for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”—Isa. 11:9
Death Destroyed
OUR text declares that the reign of Christ ultimately will result in the destruction of death. This was foretold in the prophecy of Isaiah 25:6-9, in Which Christ’s kingdom is again likened to a “mountain.” The promise is that in this “mountain” the Lord will destroy the “face of the covering cast over all people, and the veil that is spread over all nations.” This is simply a beautiful symbolic way of assuring us that the ignorance and superstitions of the people will be taken away, and that the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth, including the Lord’s way of love.
In this “mountain” the Lord will also “swallow up death in victory.” Thus Paul could write that the great enemy death would be destroyed by the reign of Christ. Paul gives us this assurance in connection with his masterful presentation of the Bible’s teachings concerning the resurrection of the dead. Death could not be destroyed as long as there were any in death because of Adam’s sin. So the promise implies the awakening of those in the sleep of death that they also may have an opportunity to share in the blessings of the kingdom.
The provision for the general resurrection was made by the death and resurrection of Jesus. Paul wrote, “Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.” (I Cor. 15:21,22) Human selfishness and unwisdom has brought humanity to the brink of total annihilation; but divine love, through Christ, has made such a marvelous provision for the survival of the race that even those who have died are included. How wonderful is the God of our salvation!