| Highlights of DAWN | June 1980 |
To Be Testified in Due Time
“For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” —I Timothy 2:5,6
THE Bible abounds in glorious promises of the coming of a grand new world of peace and plenty, in which every man will praise and reverence his great Creator and love his neighbor as himself. It foretells a world wherein there will be no wars, no poverty, no strife, no sickness, no more tears, sorrow, or crying—and, best of all, no more death. These promises have been the hope and strength of all mankind ever since sin and death first entered the world, destroying the peace and beauty of man’s lovely Garden of Eden.—Isa. 35:1-10; 65:17-25; Jer. 31:31-34; Rev. 21:1-4; Mic. 4:1-5
From the very beginning God permitted a dim ray of hope to cheer the hearts of his newly created, sorrowing pair. He indicated that the seed of the woman would eventually destroy the one who had brought about man’s downfall and would thus end all his evil works. This statement vaguely suggested that somehow, in his wisdom, love, and justice, and in his own due time, a means would be found whereby happiness, peace, and life would be restored to the human race.
Some two thousand years went by before God added substance to this obscure suggestion. When Abraham demonstrated his faith by his willingness to offer his son Isaac in sacrifice, Jehovah God made a wonderful promise to him. He said, “By myself have I sworn … because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son: that … in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.”—Gen. 22:15-18
Lacking though it was in details as to how this vast project was to be accomplished, here at last was a definite promise that carried grand and joyous prospects for the entire dying human race. If all the families of the earth were to be blessed, then of necessity there would first have to be a resurrection of all the dead. If all the families of the earth were to be truly blessed, then sickness, sin, and suffering would have to be abolished forever from the face of the earth. There could be no more wars, no more strife, no more poverty—and no more death. Love and patience and benevolence would flow from the heart of every grateful human being toward equally grateful neighbors. How the hopes of the suffering, dying race must have soared as word of this precious promise was spread abroad!
But, once more, long centuries came and went. True, God’s holy prophets meantime painted glorious pictures of that coming new world and recorded inspired identifications of the One through whom these promised blessings would come. And Jehovah God prepared types and shadows that would later explain and clarify the development of his wise and just and loving plan of salvation. But down through the years man continued to live a short space, to suffer, and eventually to go into the grave. And thus, another long two thousand years passed by.
At last the long-heralded, long-awaited Messiah of promise arrived on the scene. That he was truly the Messiah who would redeem mankind was demonstrated by the miracles he performed, even as foretold by God’s holy prophets of old. That he was truly the promised Seed who would bless all the families of the earth was later confirmed by the Apostle Paul, who wrote: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many: but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ.”—Isa. 61:1; Gal. 3:8,16
Again, the hopes of the few who believed in Jesus as the promised One who would bring life and blessings to the world were revived. Again, their hopes were blighted, when their Savior died on Calvary’s cross.
While Jesus was teaching his disciples, he had tried to prepare them against this disappointment. Matthew writes, “From that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” (Matt. 16:21) In explanation of the need for him to die in order that the world might be redeemed, he said, “I will give … my flesh … for the life of the world.”—John 6:51
When father Adam was placed in the Garden of Eden, he was a perfect human being and possessed the capability of fully obeying God’s instructions. He disobeyed and was justly condemned to death; and the entire human race, who were in his loins, lost life. Had God excused Adam’s disobedience, justice would have been violated, and thus God’s future pronouncements, of whatever character, could henceforth not be trusted.
The Apostle Paul wrote, “By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for … all have sinned.” (Rom. 5:12) To recover father Adam (and the entire human race) from the penalty of death, God’s justice required that a propitiation be made. Jesus Christ, by dying on the cross, became that propitiation. The Apostle John wrote, “Jesus Christ the righteous … is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.”—I John 2:1,2
Paul explained the philosophy of this transaction in a letter to Timothy, wherein he wrote, “The man Christ Jesus … gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” (I Tim. 2:5,6) The English word “ransom” in this text is translated from the Greek word antilutron, which carries the meaning of being a “corresponding price”. Adam, a perfect man, had sinned and was justly condemned to death; justice required that a corresponding price be paid to bring about Adam’s redemption. The perfect man Jesus, who was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners,” offered himself as that corresponding price. Thus Paul wrote, “By one man’s disobedience [the] many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall [the] many be made righteous.”—Heb. 7:26; Rom. 5:18,19
But Jesus, the foretold Everlasting Father, the prophetic bringer of everlasting life, died as man’s Redeemer almost two thousand years ago. Yet to this very day men continue to be born, to live a while, and to go down into death. That promised time when all men would live forever in love and righteousness, with each showing justice toward his neighbor, still eludes man’s grasp, as sickness and suffering, crime and corruption, violence and gross immorality pervade the social fabric of the entire world.
It requires but little knowledge of history to learn that man has suffered every imaginable affliction since the time he was expelled from the Garden of Eden. Troubles, as such, are not new to man. But since the beginning of this present century, the world has become increasingly agitated and distressed, and man is experiencing today, along with all the old troubles of past millennia, new troubles—troubles which are of a character and magnitude he never before encountered and with which he seems unable to come to grips.
Never before in the history of the world has civilization been threatened with utter destruction as it is today by nuclear bombs, the possession of which is becoming ever more widespread. Never before has a devastating international monetary collapse been possible as it is today, with the financial stability of the leading nations of the world intertwined with, and dependent upon, that of other nations. Never before have the atmosphere, lands, and waters of earth been defiled with disease and death-laden pollutants as today. Never before has a worldwide energy crisis faced the nations in the way it now does, resulting from the almost universal adoption of oil as the basic source of power for production, transportation, and day-to-day living.
To a greater or lesser extent all these problems are related to the so-called population explosion, which in itself is another “never before” development, unique to the day in which we are living. As population increases, nations strike out aggressively for new land areas and new raw resources; industrial and agricultural production must be increased to feed, clothe, and house the growing population, while the associated pollution problems likewise increase. And, to protect themselves from encroachment or subjugation by nations seeking to provide for the growing needs of their own people, the neighboring nations in turn waste precious resources of substance and money on ever more powerful, destructive, and satanic war materials and equipment.
In the world today a growing sense of helplessness and disaster gnaws at the hearts of all the people, great and small alike. Such is the present condition of the world. Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger recently stated, “We are sliding toward a world out of control. … We are losing our ability to manage our problems.” Increasing numbers of thoughtful people, even dedicated believers in the Bible, are becoming puzzled and distressed. If Jesus came to eliminate the curse of death and establish that grand new day of peace and love, that world wherein dwelleth righteousness, so beautifully described by the holy prophets of old, why, they ask, is the world in such a distressing plight? When, if ever, will Christians have the answer to the prayer that was taught to them by Jesus, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven”?
It was in this kind of world that Mr. Carter became president of the United States in 1976—a world that in just the past seven decades has produced two world wars and many lesser ones, a great depression, the proliferation of nuclear weaponry, vastly increased expenditures for war materials by the nations of the world, problems of waste disposal, fears of impending starvation for millions of people in various parts of the world, the virtual enslavement of much of Eastern Europe, and the callous murder of six million Jews in Central Europe.
These and other present-day problems, national and international, have frequently been attacked by others in high places, whose task it has been to try to solve them but whose efforts have met with little apparent success. It seems quite clear, however, that Mr. Carter, who calls himself a “born-again Christian,” came to the powerful office of the presidency in full confidence that, with the help and direction of the Lord, he would be able to handle these problems without too much difficulty. To his credit, Mr. Carter demonstrated many times that he is not ashamed of being known as a praying Christian, and few would doubt that he has indeed besought the Lord’s instruction in all those difficult decisions any president must make.
After Mr. Carter has spent more than three years in office, wrestling with the problems of state, what do we find? We find a man whose frustration is obvious to all. The SALT agreement with the Soviets, which had seemed to hold such promise for a more peaceful world, is in a shambles, and the nuclear arms race is once again proceeding in earnest. He has failed to persuade Russia to withdraw her armies from Afghanistan. American hostages are still being held in Iran. Russia’s military forces are still in Cuba. Mr. Carter’s belated efforts to control inflation have yet to prove effective. What he had hoped would be the chief accomplishment of his administration and perhaps earn him an honored place in history have been his efforts to arrange a peace treaty in the Mid-East between Israel and her Arab neighbors and possibly preserve the peace of the rest of the world. While these efforts had at first appeared encouraging, there have surfaced between the parties differences which seem well-nigh impossible to reconcile. And then came the latest in a long line of frustrations for Mr. Carter—the failure of the attempt to rescue the American hostages held in Iran.
Most of Mr. Carter’s fellow citizens would agree that in all these matters he was sincerely trying to administer his powerful office as a Christian should. And few would deny that he sought the Lord’s help and guidance in all these affairs.
In a column in Time magazine (April 21, 1980), under the heading “Too Good a Samaritan,” while observing Mr. Carter’s dismal record in coping with these difficult problems, writer Hugh Sidey states: “It may come to pass that the Bible will be recognized as a dubious guide to the exercise of power. The Bible, is, of course, President Carter’s basic manual. Were he more inclined to the thunder of the Old Testament, the U.S. might have a better global position. But Carter runs to the New Testament, wherein the meek inherit the world, turn the other cheek, love enemies, are first by being last, and find strength made perfect in weakness.
“In personal terms, there is no better instruction. However, the Good Samaritan on the dangerous road of modern leadership who stops too long to minister to a few fallen persons (the hostages) may harm his nation—or never get to his destination. Turning away from evil (the Shah) may invite a greater evil (the Ayatollah Khomeini). Soviet Defense Minister Dmitri F. Ustinov seems to be inheriting more of the world than are the meek.”
The writer goes on to suggest that there are times in the presidential life “when the larger realities of the world require [the president] to risk lives and fortunes. … Carter clings to his conviction that there must be a way through prayer and good will to let the cup pass.”
Well, what can we say to that? Is there really no point in seeking the Lord’s help and guidance in solving human problems? Is God not listening to the earnest prayers of his human creatures? And what about all those glowing promises of a wonderful new world of peace, plenty, justice, and everlasting life that the Bible so beautifully and convincingly records and which Christians hold dear as foretelling the establishment in the earth of Christ’s kingdom?
God’s interest and concern for all his human creatures is unfailing and unchanging, and his loving promises on their behalf are firm forever. The merciful Heavenly Father has designed a great and remarkable Plan of the Ages that will result in man’s ultimate happy, everlasting life on this earth. But the fruition of that plan requires its sure and orderly development. And those who truly seek to serve and worship him and wish to have his blessing and guidance must gain some understanding of the basic features of that plan, including its times and seasons. There is a due time for each of the various features of that plan to evolve and become effective. There is a due time for God’s human creatures to be heard or to receive his blessings.
The Apostle Peter, who was also one of the Lord’s greatest prophets, describes earth’s arrangements as consisting of three worlds, each composed of “the heavens and the earth.” The first of these worlds, or social arrangements, ended, he says, with the Flood. “By the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water; whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished.” (II Pet. 3:5,6) Let it be noted that the Planet Earth was not destroyed. The social arrangement then existing perished. This world, or social arrangement, was destroyed by Jehovah God because it was unimaginably corrupt.—Gen. 6:1-22
Peter then describes the second world as being the present world, or present social arrangement. “But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (II Pet. 3:7) The Apostle Paul refers to the second world as being this present evil world,” as indeed it is.—Gal. 1:4
This is the world, or social arrangement, in which we all presently exist. Jesus is not king in this world. To Pilate he said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36) Paul identified Satan as being “the god of this world,” (II Cor. 4:4), while Jesus called Satan “the prince of this world” and said he would be cast out. (John 12:31) Peter wrote that “the Devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about” in this present evil world, “seeking whom he may devour.”—I Pet. 5:8
It is because Satan is the prince of this world that evil flourishes on every hand and wickedness is rewarded. It is because Satan is the god of this present world that there is so much trouble in the earth. Therefore, Peter, under inspiration, tells us this present evil world is destined for destruction. He says, it is “kept in store” for burning. This destruction will be brought about in the day of the Lord. “The day of the Lord [Jehovah] 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 [evil] works that are therein shall be burned up.”—II Pet. 3:7-10
The Prophet Isaiah confirms that this day of the Lord, or time of trouble, is to bring about the destruction of this present evil world because it is filled with iniquity. “Howl ye; for the day of the Lord [Jehovah] is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man’s heart shall melt; and they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames. Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. … And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible. … Therefore I will shake the heavens, and the earth shall remove out of her place, in the wrath of the Lord of hosts, and in the day of his fierce anger.”—Isa. 13:6-13
Our Lord himself further attests to these statements by Peter, Paul, and Isaiah, and by other holy prophets of God. Toward the close of Jesus’ ministry, his disciples asked him for signs of his second presence, “and of the end of the world.” Jesus replied that at that time there would be wars and rumors of wars and iniquity would abound, and he concluded by saying that “then shall be great tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”
Another translator describes this great time of trouble that is to bring an end to this present evil world as one “the like of which has not occurred from the beginning of the world down to the present time—no, nor ever will again.” (Matt. 24:3,6,12,21) We believe the problems presently confounding and frustrating the powerful and the wise of this world, including Mr. Carter, are clearly of a character and magnitude “the like of which” have never previously confronted mankind, and they tell us we are indeed in the closing days of this present evil world.
Thus we find that it is the combined testimony of Jesus, the apostles, and all God’s holy prophets that this present evil world is to be destroyed. It is not God’s purpose to preserve it, and Jesus did not teach us to pray for it. All the combined wisdom and power of earth’s greatest statesmen, all the supplications of its most exalted leaders of religion, all the prayers of the most sincere and earnest individuals of mankind will not avail to change it or to save it.
But this is the world in which it is the lot of humankind to be living at the present time. It is also the world in which the children of the Most High God are striving to serve their Lord. If this present world is not to be converted and saved, how should those who call themselves Christians be using their time, their talents, and their consecrated lives?
Our Guide and Pattern is our Lord Jesus. Like Jesus, the Christian has a glorious message to tell. Our Lord outlined the essence of that message in a sermon he delivered in the synagogue at Nazareth shortly after Jordan. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord.”—Luke 4:18,19
In fact, in this briefest of all sermons Jesus actually presented two different messages to two different classes of people. One is a special invitation to those whose hearts are touched with love for their Heavenly Father and with compassion for all humankind so that they offer themselves in sacrifice, take up their cross, and follow in Jesus’ steps, in the hope of sharing with him in blessing all the families of the earth in the kingdom. For these (the little flock) the Gospel Age of this present evil world, with its ever-present trials and testings, is “the acceptable year of the Lord.” In no other day or age will it ever again be possible for anyone to run for the prize of the high calling of God and to seek after glory, honor, and immortality. This is the due time in God’s plans and purposes for the selection and proving of those who will be kings and priests in Christ’s coming righteous kingdom.—Matt. 16:24; Rom. 6:1,2; Rev. 20:6; Rom. 2:5,7
The other message is one of hope to all the remainder of humankind, promising release from the bonds of sin and death, restitution to the perfection and peace enjoyed by father Adam in the Garden of Eden, and everlasting life. These two messages constitute the heart of the Gospel, or good news, that Jesus instructed his followers to preach in all the world for a witness to all nations, saying, “and then shall the end come.”—Matt. 24:14
Also, like Jesus, his followers are not of this world. “Ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world.” (John 15:19) The Christian is “to keep himself unspotted from the world.” (James 1:27) He is not to be “conformed to [the evil ways of] this world” but to be transformed into the likeness of his Lord by the renewing of his spirit-begotten mind.—Rom. 12:2
Like Jesus, the Christian must be thoroughly tested to prove his faithfulness and his worthiness to gain the prize of the high calling, immortal life. “Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.”—I Pet. 4:12,13
And the Christian must put on the fruits and graces of the Spirit. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. … If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:22-25) The footstep follower of Jesus must thus prove his love for Jehovah God, for his Lord Jesus, for his fellows, and for righteousness, all in an imperfect world—for God has wisely so arranged the matter. In this present evil world it is the Christian who learns patience by turning the other cheek, compassion by loving even his enemies, and faith and trust in the Lord despite his own weakness. This is not the due time in God’s plans for the meek and humble to inherit the earth.
But the Apostle Peter, in his discussion, did not stop with two worlds. After describing the destruction of this present evil world, or social arrangement, he tells us of that wonderful new world which is to follow on its heels, even as promised by Jehovah God so many times and so long ago. “Nevertheless,” he says, “we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”—II Pet. 3:13
That grand new world of which Peter here speaks is the promised kingdom over which Jesus and his faithful, glorified followers will reign in truth and justice for one thousand years. It is the foretold due time when the benefits of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice on behalf of sinful man will be made manifest to the whole world and God’s promise to Abraham to bless all the families of the earth will be fulfilled.
After the establishment of Christ’s kingdom, one of the first things to be done will be the resurrection of the dead. Having performed several miracles such as turning water into wine and healing the man with the infirmity, Jesus indicated that these were relatively small accomplishments. He said to those about him, “Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming [in due time], in the which all that are in the graves shall hear … [my] voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of [judgment, RSV and Diaglott].” (John 5:28,29) Every human being who ever lived on this earth will be brought forth from the grave and given an opportunity to gain everlasting life by obedience to the righteous laws of the righteous government then in control.
It is then, when Christ’s millennial reign begins, that all those ages-long, hope-inspiring promises of a world wherein dwelleth righteousness and peace will truly come to pass. The Devil will be bound “that he should deceive the nations no more.” Love, justice, and truth will rule in all the earth. All human imperfections of mind and body will be banished. Even the earth will be restored to the harmony, peace, and pristine beauty of that original Garden of Eden. There shall be no more death. All mankind will joyously and reverently return to the family of the Heavenly Father, and he will be their God.
We believe that time is near. We believe we are indeed in the foretold time of trouble that would mark the end of this age and world, in preparation for the coming kingdom of justice, peace, and love—and everlasting life. Jesus plainly said, When ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.” (Luke 21:31) That is the foretold time—the due time—for the answer to come to the prayer Jesus taught his disciples to pray, the prayer we all love so dearly, and in which we heartily join:
“Our Father which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come.
Thy will be done in earth,
as it is in heaven.”—Matt. 6:9,10