| Highlights of Dawn | June 1962 |
Preparation for the Reign of Righteousness
THERE is a storm in the world “and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring.” (Luke 21:25) There have been storms which have occurred at different times, for sin and selfishness have always kept things stirred up. The seed of envy, selfish motives, and injustice having been sown, mankind is now reaping a whirlwind. The storm will grow more intense until finally the Lord will say, “Peace, be still!”—Mark 4:39
It is for us as God’s people to favor peace and righteousness and to live in harmony with those principles. It is ours also to know what is coming upon the world. Even more, it is ours to know the outcome. Because the people of God trust in his promises, their hearts are at rest and they are calm even though, generally speaking, men’s hearts are failing them for fear as they anticipate what is coming upon the earth. (Luke 21:26) When the Lord speaks peace to our hearts, we hear his voice of assurance through the Word of God.
In II Timothy 3:1-5 the Apostle Paul speaks of the day in which we live. He says, “In the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud … traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” The Scriptures speak of the “last days” as being the end of the present dispensation; the end of the present reign of evil, and not as the end of time. They point to great commotions to come during this time, as evidenced in several places.
Our Lord himself, in Matthew 24:21,22, prophesied, “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no, flesh be saved: but for the elect’s sake those days shall be shortened.” The Prophet Daniel speaks of the same period as a “time of trouble, such as was not since there was a nation.” (Dan. 12:1) The Apostle Paul says that the “fire” of that day “shall try every man’s work” (I Cor. 3:11-15), and in II Peter 3:10 the apostle, speaking of our day, says, “The elements shall melt with fervent heat.”
In the “fire” of the “last days,” part of God’s preparatory work for the reign of righteousness will be the special testing of his children. Some will be found to have built their “house of wood, hay, and stubble, even though they have built upon the true foundation of faith in Christ. Others will be found to have built on the true foundation, with “gold, silver, and precious stones.” These latter works will stand, for the superstructure of this kind of faith is based upon the reality of God’s Word, and loyalty to our Heavenly Father.
All the true saints of God must suffer, for “through much tribulation” shall we enter into the kingdom. (Acts 14:22) Peter reminds us that “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow in his steps.” (I Peter 2:21) To those properly exercised, the fiery experiences of this day draw them closer to the Lord, and work out for them an “exceeding and eternal weight of glory.”—II Cor. 4:17
To one class of the Lord’s people these fiery tests of faith are “light afflictions,” while to another they result in “wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 8:12; 13:42) One of the Lord’s methods of getting ready for the reign of righteousness is by testing and purifying those who will be closely associated with the King of kings. (Mal. 3:2,3) For that reason the true followers of the Master appreciate all the experiences that come to them.
The Lord informs the faithful, watching ones of the importance of present conditions through signs corroborating Bible chronology; A sign is an indication. A baker’s sign indicates that bread, cakes, and cookies are for sale in that particular establishment; a butcher’s sign, that meat is for sale. Some can read weather signs, and are able to predict storms, or fair weather.
In connection with the “last days,” and particularly the Lord’s second presence, we are not to expect to see shining letters written across the sky indicating that the time is here for those events. Yet there have been signs given which most of the Lord’s people have recognized. One has been the gathering of “wheat” into the barn; another, the barren fig tree putting forth its leaves; another, the smiting bf the nations; still another, the increase of knowledge; and another, the exploding population.—Matt. 18:30; 24:32,33; Dan. 12:4
The Wise Understand
WHEN Daniel inquired concerning the prophecies, the Lord said, “Go thy way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” (Dan. 12:9) In the next verse the prophecy says, “Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried.” This statement reminds us of I Corinthians 3:11-15, where Paul speaks of the fire trying every man’s work. Verse ten of Daniel’s prophecy continues, “But the wicked shall do wickedly and none of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.” Here is a prophecy which indicates that on way in which the Heavenly Father would prepare for the reign of righteousness would be by specially enlightening his people.
For hundreds of years it is likely that only a few understood the meaning of the ransom. Then suddenly, with the beginning of the harvest, a right understanding of this foundation truth became known to thousands. The “wise” understood that the real sacrifice for sins—the sacrifice of Jesus—was taken away by the traditions of men. They understood that there were two parts to the atonement work: first, paying the price; and second, bringing back the whole world of mankind, step by step, during the reign of the kingdom on earth, into harmony with God.
The “wise” understood even more: that the dead are dead; that the Creator is not a part of a triune God; and that the manner of our Lord’s return would be invisible. Furthermore, they began to understand time prophecies. This was “new meat,’’ something no other part of the church could understand, for this was the “due time.”
Not only English-speaking; people became the “wise” regarding prophecy, but also Germans, Swedes, Russians, French, Poles, Italians, Greeks, and many others. Even though for the most part they were not rich, not noble, many of them understood. Some of them were not even able to read, yet the Scriptures call them “wise,” for they understood the teachings then due, the “meat in due season.” (Matt. 24:45) Did this just happen? No, it was a sign that the Chief Reaper was on the scene and grains of wheat were, and still are, being gathered into the barn.
The Barren Fig Tree
THEN there is the sign of the barren “fig tree,” the Jewish nation, putting forth its leaves. (Matt. 24:32,33) The Lord, in giving his disciples various signs which would indicate the near establishment of his kingdom on earth, used a “fig tree” as a sign to illustrate events to occur in connection with Israel, because years before the Heavenly Father, in Jeremiah, chapter twenty-four, pictured the Israelites by figs.
What has happened to Israel is an old story to Bible Students. First, as a nation they were scattered to the four corners of the earth. As the time for the promised restoration of God’s favor toward Israel drew on, a preparation was made for it. Some of the most important events in this preparation were:
The Berlin Conference of Nations on June 13, 1878.
The founding of the Zionist Movement in 1897 by Theodor Herzl.
The Balfour Declaration on November 2, 1917.
The British Royal Commission Report, recommending the partition of Palestine, on July 7, 1937.
The white paper issued by the British Government in May 1939, declaring the establishment of a Jewish state.
The proclamation of an independent State of Israel on May. 14, 1948, when the British Mandate was terminated.
The admittance of the new nation of Israel into the United Nations on May 11, 1949.
Increase of Knowledge
PREPARATIONS for the reign of righteousness were to include a “time of trouble,” according to the prophecies. This “time of trouble such as never was” is located, among other ways, by the prophecy which says that “many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” (Dan. 12:4) Developments in modern means of travel are breath taking, and what is taking place in the field of education has benefited most people in a way that was not possible a few years ago. However, how the “increase of knowledge” has affected the Bible is even more interesting.
When the due time came, Bibles began to get a wider distribution than ever before through newly organized Bible societies. Then came a desire on the part of Bible scholars for better translations. The King James Version of the Bible was translated in 1611 and its translators took into account various preceding versions. The King James Version of the New Testament was based upon Greek texts which were marred by mistakes, and contained the accumulated errors of fourteen centuries. When the due time arrived for knowledge to be increased, a Revised Version of the Bible was published. This work was begun in 1870 and was completed in 1881.
We now possess many ancient manuscripts which afford us an even better understanding of the vocabulary, grammar, and idioms of the original language of the Bible. Since 1611 there has been a great change in English language usage—some words are obsolete; other words have changed their meaning. All this additional knowledge helps students of the Bible to appreciate God’s truth better. Did all this just happen? Far from it; the Lord gave the watchers another sign of his presence and the near establishment of his kingdom on earth.
Earth Destroyed
ANOTHER sign which evidences the further preparation for the reign of righteousness is found in II Peter 3:10: “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the wok s that are therein shall be burned.” In Bible language “earth” means human society. The word “world” is translated mainly from two Greek words, kosmos, simply meaning orderly arrangement, and aion, meaning age.
Many fear that the return of Christ means the end of probation and the burning up of the earth. They have looked at certain passages of Scripture from the wrong viewpoint, failing to discern between symbolic and literal statements: The “fire” of our day which destroys the old order of things is just as symbolic as the “fire” which tries every true Christian’s works
Various texts of Scripture, emphatically prove this. One of these is Zephaniah 3:8,9—“Wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy.”
What could more graphically, describe the “burning” day in which we live! Considering these verses alone, we could easily assume that this “fire” will not only incinerate the entire earth, but its inhabitants also. However, a careful reading of Zephaniah’s succeeding words makes clear that this is not the case. After the burning day has passed, people will still be on the earth, and will receive blessings from the Lord. Verse 9 continues:
“For then will I turn to the people [who are not consumed, but alive] a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” In the light of this additional statement, showing that the people are still on the earth, and worshiping the Lord, who could question that the fire and devastation previously mentioned are but pictorial expressions of the destruction of the old order, and which we see going on in our own lifetime. Although this passage of Scripture shows that the old order with its wicked and evil works is to be destroyed, “the earth abideth forever.”—Eccles. 1:4; Isa. 45:18
As we examine the sign of the “earth” being destroyed; we will find that tremendous changes have taken place in our world—our arrangement of things. The Apostle Paul, in his description of the day in which we live, says that “sudden destruction” shall come “as travail upon a woman with child.” (I Thess. 5:1-3). Travail in connection with the birth of children comes in spasms with periods of easement between the pains. Has this been the pattern of world events? Since 1914 it has! Even secular students of’ world events recognize this.
Newsweek magazine has recently published a book entitled; “The Five Worlds of Our Lives.” In the preface it is stated, “Its concern is not with war itself but with the world before the great wars, worlds of volcanic upheavals that led to, war and changed every map, disposing of kings, tyrants, and idealists with equal dispatch.”
One world [orderly arrangement] of our day was the “World of Imperialism.” In it there was Queen Victoria of England, whose navies controlled the oceans of the world. In 1881 France began her drive to become a great colonial power. Then came the rise of Germany in 1888 under Wilhelm II, the last of the Hohenzollerns. In the meantime, the Austro-Hungarian Empire under the unifying symbol of Emperor Franz Joseph Otto, the last of the Hapsburg kings, was little more than a shell. About this time Russia, under the Romanoff Tsars, was suffering a mortal illness.
All of these circumstances exploded in 1914 into World War I, bringing to an end that world, or orderly arrangement. “The Five Worlds of Our Lives” speaks of it in this way, “Even before the last cannon was fired on the Western Front, a vast wave of change swept Eastern Europe, destroying the old order:”
The spasms since then have come with great rapidity. They have included hunger in Europe, the Stock Market crash, and the Great Depression. Dictators sprang up—Hitler, Mussolini, and Stalin—resulting in the fact that soldiers were again on the march. Then came Munich, the fall of Poland, the Blitz and fall of France. After that the deadly surprise, at Pearl Harbor. But in the end death came to the dictators, and the Atomic Age began.
A peace of sorts settled over a shattered planet after World War II. A weary world tried to put together the pieces, even though. Germany, Italy, and Japan were in ruins, France demoralized, and Britain exhausted In the meantime, almost unnoticed, a new force began to rise—nationalism. Not only was Europe broken up into small nations, but Asia and Africa, too. Each an independent nation, each with its own flag, government, army, and problems.
The old order is indeed broken up. Little semblance remains of the arrangement of things that existed before 1914; a revolution has taken place.
Population Explosion
THE last sign, which makes us realize that the preparations for the reign of righteousness are speeding on, is the exploding population. First we must report that there are countries in the world where the average income is $60 to $70 per year. This means that millions of people in Asia, Africa, Latin America, and other parts of the world live on 20 a day. Unless the increase in population is quickly stemmed in these countries their standard of living will drop even more.
Every year enough people are added to the world’s population to equal the population of a country like France. The present world population is nearly three billion people, and it will require only forty years to double this amount. In 200 years—in the year 2162—the population will be 135 billion, virtually standing room only, unless the problem is solved.
When the Heavenly Father told Adam and Eve to “be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth” (Gen. 1:28), he did not command that it should be overpopulated. Just as the Lord put bounds upon the sea (Job 26:10; 38:11), so undoubtedly when the due time comes he will bring to a halt the population explosion. The rapid increase of humanity indicates that the time necessarily is not, too far off when God will intervene, because his wisdom will not allow more to be born into the world than it could accommodate.
The world does not recognize what is going on. Men have been busy with their own schemes, plans, and governments. They have anointed their own kings, and tried every experiment at self-government. One after another they have ended in failure. The real King of earth is present. He has not come as the sweet babe of Bethlehem, nor as “the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all.” (I Tim. 2:5,6) But he has returned highly exalted, robed with the divine nature, as a spirit being. Such is the nature and majesty of the King. The presence of the King of the earth means much trouble and general overturning, for the old order must be swept away, and in its place will be the everlasting kingdom of God.
The kingdoms of this world are being broken in pieces as “a potter’s vessel,” but it is the only remedy—and the best one—for all the wrongs and woes of men. Therefore, we should be pointing the groaning creation to our King. Tell them he is the great Prophet, Priest, and King. Tell them his death was the redemption for all, and that the return of the King is to bind Satan and eventually free all the captives of sin and death.
How glad we are that God is now letting the light of truth shine in the world! It is shining in a way that makes the path of the just shine more brightly, and in a measure is being reflected upon the pathway of those in the world, opening their eyes to human rights, liberties, and privileges. As a result there is unrest, and the very conditions which, if rightly received, should be bringing men and women happiness, are resulting in more and more discontent.
After the symbolic fire shall have consumed present evil arrangements, then shall arise the triumphant kingdom of God so long foretold—the same for which the Master himself taught us to pray, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.” (Matt. 6:10) Then the Lord, as the Prophet Zephaniah foretold, will turn to the people “a pure language”—literally a pure word.
In the past, as in the present, people generally have been unable to discern the pure Word of God. They have heard various creeds and theories, which have resulted. in confusion. When the promised day shall have come, and the present arrangement of things removed by the fierce burning of the climax of the time of trouble, prejudice and superstition will have been cleared away. The truth of God’s Word, will then shine forth to give mankind a clearer and better comprehension, not only of the divine character and the divine plan, but of the rights of men, and of the proper course of action in dealing with one another.
The real object of our Lord’s return is to bless the entire world of mankind. If this could be clearly appreciated by all, humanity would be longing and waiting for the realization of their best hopes and desires. World conditions prove that Christ has returned, and that great preparations are being made for the reign of righteousness.
Soon the remaining footstep followers of the Master, those who have sacrificed their all even unto death, will receive their exaltation in “the first resurrection.” Soon thereafter the mass of mankind will be given an opportunity to become acquainted with our loving Heavenly Father, and to believe upon the only “name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12) This will include not only the living generation, but also those who are in their graves.—John 5:28,29
Thank God for the wonderful blessings which yet lie ahead for the whole world even though these blessings are now being introduced by a “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” We can rejoice that beyond the present dark clouds of despair, lie the blessings of peace, health, happiness, and life. Who shall not rejoice in the Lord, and reverence him) when his righteous and loving acts are made manifest?