| Highlights of Dawn | January 1967 |
Outlook for the New Year
THE Christian’s outlook for 1967, and for the future in general, is one of hope based upon the assurances of God’s Word that the great Creator of the universe has the affairs of his earthly creatures well in hand, and that eventually they will be delivered from the miasma of sin and death in which they are now wallowing. Followers of Christ today, however, will remember those timely words of information given by Jesus to those first disciples when he said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.” (Acts 1:7} Remembering these words, they will not undertake to forecast just when the messianic kingdom, which is to deliver mankind from sin and death, will manifest itself in power and great glory, as the Scriptures assure us will be accomplished in God’s own due time.
However, God has permitted sufficient information concerning “the times” and “the seasons” of his plan to be known by his people at this juncture to give the assurance that we are living in the end of the age, and that the experiences the nations of the world are now undergoing are in preparation for his long-promised kingdom. With this in mind, we can view the day-by-day events of the world with interest, and with faith that in the general picture there is evidence that our own deliverance into the kingdom is drawing near, and that the blessing of all the families of the earth through the agencies of that kingdom is therefore also near.
Progress in Knowledge
The period in which we are now living is described in Daniel’s prophecy as “the time of the end.” (Dan. 12:4) In this “time of the end,” the prophecy explains, there would be an increase of knowledge and much running to and fro. Because this was to be one of the characteristics of the end of the age, we know that during 1967 science and invention will continue to expand in every field of human endeavor.
And think of what has already taken place in fulfillment of this prophecy! The pre-nineteenth-century world possessed none of those numerous things which depend upon electricity, including all our means of rapid communication today. It is only since the incoming of the twentieth century that the world has had airplanes, television and commercial radio. Radar, atomic energy, space rockets, and jet propulsion have been in use only a few years.
Electronic computers are revolutionizing the business and industrial worlds. It is safe to say that great strides will continue to be made throughout 1967, providing still more wonderful things for the human race to use. Speed of travel—especially by air—will be increased. The length of time once consumed in crossing the Atlantic has already been reduced from several months to a few hours, and that time continues to be cut down; for now giant airplanes are being manufactured which will speed travelers across the ocean at 1,500 miles an hour, and that will not be the end of progress in rapid travel.
It is difficult at times to understand just why one would wish to travel so fast, although there are doubtless times when such speed offers considerable advantage; for example, when President Johnson traveled 25,000 miles in seventeen days on his Asian peace mission. The fact, however, that the President of the United States felt it necessary to go on such a mission in this time of enlightenment and great progress reveals that man, with all his inventions, has done little to solve the problems of human selfishness and sin.
Death on the Highway
One of man’s greatest conveniences is the automobile. These appeared in their first crude form near the close of the nineteenth century. Now they are being manufactured by the millions every year. Highways cannot be built fast enough to accommodate the increasing number of automobiles. In and near the large cities of America and Europe, and elsewhere, the highways are becoming increasingly congested; and in America alone 50,000 people are killed in automobile accidents every year. While serious efforts are being made to reduce this traffic death toll, the outlook does not seem very promising.
Science and invention have provided man with great possibilities for peace and happiness. In some countries the standard of living has been greatly raised, but the affluent life of the masses in the more favored countries has not resulted in contentment. There is discontent in every quarter. This is true within nations and among the nations. If in a small community half of the people had more than they needed and the other half were starving, there would be trouble; and the same thing is true in the world community of nations. The rich nations are trembling with fear as the attitude of the poor nations becomes more and more threatening. It is unlikely that this unhappy situation will improve during 1967.
The World’s Awareness
One of the unique situations resulting from the increase of knowledge in this “time of the end” is the manner in which the general public is made aware of so much that is taking place throughout the earth. By means of television we see actual battles raging in Viet Nam, with Americans and Vietnamese being killed and wounded. We see bloody riots on the streets of our large cities. We see buildings being burned. In short, we often see the news as it occurs and, if not just at the instant, very shortly thereafter.
Fallen human nature being what it is, it seems that what is considered worthwhile news coverage usually involves the unhappy events so prevalent throughout the earth. It was once observed by a philosopher that if one were walking down the street and saw a drunken man in the gutter, and helped that unfortunate one to get up and perhaps to reach his home, it is likely that few would know about it. But if perchance that person were walking down the street and hit a man over the head and left him lying in the gutter, his name and picture would appear on the front page of the paper, or today he might even be seen on television.
We mention this as a reminder that a great portion of the daily news brought to the public by the press, radio, and television presents the unhappy, tragic aspects of human experience. And today there is so much of this that the mental attitude of the public must be adversely affected. Think of being awakened in the morning by the radio blaring out how many were killed in Viet Nam overnight, how many persons were trapped in a fire and burned to death, how many were murdered, and so forth. Humans did not have to contend with this prior to “the time of the end.” But we can be sure that this symptom of a sick world will continue with us throughout 1967.
An Evil World
The Apostle Paul spoke of man’s social order as an “evil world.” (Gal. 1:4) This does not mean that there is no good in the world, but simply that evil predominates. There is still much good in the world. Acts of kindness by individuals and groups are taking place all around us. There are noble-minded men and women who are laying down their lives for those in need. How much darker this dark world would be without these! And sometimes the noble deeds of the truly good people of earth do get favorable mention in the news. How refreshing it is when this happens!
However, to the truth-enlightened Christian the hope for that better world destined ultimately to come is not based on the efforts of those today who are nobly doing all they can to alleviate mental and physical suffering. The hearts of the people as a whole are little or no different today than prior to the foretold increase of knowledge. Throughout the ages there have always been the evilly inclined, although there have also been those who have preferred to do good rather than evil, and who have been willing to have their good deeds cost them something—in many instances, even life itself.
The recent great advances in science and invention have not changed the hearts of the people. Because this is true, the abilities of many scientists are being utilized for making increasingly destructive materials and weapons of war. The United States and Russia now have it within their power to destroy essentially all mankind in a very short period of time. Some day not too distant probably China will also possess the same potential. This was one of the threatening news items of 1966. We are not to expect that scientists will find a way to change the human heart from selfishness to love, from hate to mercy, either in 1967 or any other time.
God’s Way
The Scriptures reveal that in this prophetic “time of the end” man’s extremity becomes God’s opportunity to set up his control in the affairs of men through the establishment of that long-promised messianic kingdom. This kingdom, or government, is foretold in Isaiah 9:6,7. In this prophecy we are informed that “of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end.” The same prophecy gives us the assurance that “the zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this.”
The Hebrew word here translated “zeal” is used in Zephaniah 3:8, where it is translated “jealousy.” We think the word “zeal” conveys the more correct thought. Zephaniah’s prophecy reads, “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 [zeal].”
In this prophecy we see the zeal of the Lord overthrowing the selfish and sinful institutions of earth in preparation for the establishment of Christ’s “government and peace.” We believe that this is now taking place. In Daniel’s prophecy “a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation” is associated with the foretold increase of knowledge; and the increase of knowledge has itself had much to do with precipitating this world-wide distress of nations with perplexity, as Mentioned by Jesus.—Dan. 12:1; Luke 21:25,26
In Zephaniah’s prophecy it is the symbolic earth that is devoured, even as it is symbolic fire—the fire of God’s zeal—that does the devouring. The important consideration for us, however, is not the fact that “this present evil world” is being destroyed, but that a new world is to be established. This new world will be under the jurisdiction of the kingdom of Christ. One of the main functions of that kingdom will be to enlighten the people concerning God and his ways, and to assist them in walking in his way of righteousness.
Zephaniah’s prophecy continues: “For then will I turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent.” (Zeph. 3:9) There are other prophecies which give us similar information. Isaiah wrote, “They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.”—Isa. 11:9
In many places throughout the earth today the people are hurting and destroying one another because they lack a true knowledge of the loving God of the Bible, the Creator of heaven and earth. They do not know of his loving plan for the recovery of mankind from sin and death. They do not know that God so loved them and all mankind that he gave his beloved Son to die for them that they might have life. They do not know of his plan to set up a government in the earth in which Jesus will be the King, and that through the agencies of that government the Lord will satisfy the legitimate desires of the people of all nations.
Hearts Will Be Changed
Satan will be bound during that thousand-year reign of Christ’s kingdom, and will therefore not be able then to deceive the nations. Thus the true knowledge of God will enter the minds and hearts of the people, and its enlightening and soothing powers will soften the hearts made hard by selfishness, and the people will respond in obedience to the laws of the kingdom. When they are thus taught concerning God and his ways, they will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruninghooks, and will learn war no more. How marvelous will be the accomplishments of the zeal of the Lord of hosts!—Micah 4:14
The New Covenant
In Jeremiah 31:31-34 we are given a promise by God that he intends to “make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.” Other prophecies reveal that this covenant will be extended to the people of all nations. As the Lord explains, this covenant will not be written on tables of stone as was the covenant given to Israel through Moses. This New Covenant, the Lord says, will be written in the “inward parts” and in the hearts of the people.
No rulership which is imposed by the strength of arms can result in the law of God being written in the hearts of the people. But this will be accomplished through the agencies of Christ’s kingdom. Thus love will replace selfishness as the motivating factor in human behavior. What a different world it will be when this glorious work of the messianic kingdom is fully accomplished! David presents a poetic description of the happy conditions that will exist here on earth when the long-promised kingdom of Christ shall have accomplished its designed purpose: “Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Yea, the Lord shall give that which is good; and our land shall yield her increase.”—Ps. 85:10-12
Knowing that the time of our deliverance from this present evil world and our exaltation into Christ’s kingdom is near, we can enter 1967 with assurance and hope. We can also rejoice on behalf of mankind in general, who are destined to be delivered soon from the bondage of sin and death; for the kingdom will give not only peace to the nations, but health and life as well. And even the dead will be restored to enjoy that blessed new day of peace and happiness.