The Watchtower, August 1, 1942
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“COMFORT” TESTIMONY PERIOD
To Jehovah’s witnesses the month of August is known as the “Comfort” Testimony Period During these 31 days a special effort will be made on the part of Jehovah’s witnesses to comfort as many people as they possibly can with the truths as set forth m the Word of Jehovah God. To aid those who love righteousness the book Children along with the booklet Hope will be offered to the people on a contribution of 25c These two publications set forth a message which shows there is something worth while living for. Those persons who trust m Jehovah’s kingdom and know that this is the only hope for the world will proclaim the message contained in these publications and make them available to as many persons as they can possibly meet during August. “Comfort” Testimony Period will be a blessing to all those who share in the preaching of the gospel. Make your report of activity to your local company servant, or if you are not associated with a company, make your report direct to the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. In a world of distress and perplexity all readers of The Watchtower will agree that comfort to those that mourn is important at this time. Aid those who love righteousness with the message and information you already possess.
“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES
Week of September 6: “Atonement for the New World” (Part 1), 1-21 inclusive, The Watchtower August 1, 1342.
Week of September 13: “Atonement for the New World” (Part 1), 22-42 inclusive, The Watchtower August 1, 1942.
NEW EDITION OF “THE EMPHATIC DIAGLOTT”
There has always been a steady demand for the Greek and English “New Testament” known as “The Emphatic Diaglott” The old edition became exhausted some months ago, and a new has been in preparahon meanwhile. The desirable features of the Diaglott are many.
The actual Greek in which the “New Testament” was originally written is given according to the well-known and highly-respected Griesbach recension. Then in footnotes variations according to the Alexandrine and Vatican (No. 1209) manuscripts are given, two of the very oldest manuscripts m existence.
The Diaglott also contains a useful and valuable alphabetical appendix in the back, which is practically a compact Bible dictionary containing helpful features not found in other dictionaries of the Bible.
The binding is beautiful blue leatherette, and flexible. The paper is of good quality, and the type is clear. The size is 4 1/2 by 7 1/4 by 1, which is convenient for handling.
The new edition of the Diaglott will be off the press by the time you read this announcement, and will then be ready for distribution. The cost is $2 per copy.
No. LXIII August 1, 1942 No. 15
ATONEMENT FOR THE NEW WORLD
PART 1
We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world." – 1 John 2:1, 2
JEHOVAH’S purpose to build a new world is about to be fulfilled. This is cause for all lovers of righteousness, truth and liberty to rejoice. All such, honestly examining the Creator’s promises and descriptions and acts concerning that new world, are led to love it. That is like Jehovah God. He too loves it and has proved his love for it. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” In those words, at John 3:16, the Son explained why he was on the earth as a perfect man, preaching the coming establishment of a new world under a new government, “the kingdom of heaven.” This spells the doom of the present world now in the throes of “distress of nations, with perplexity”. The year 1914, remembered by men as the year of the outbreak of the World War, marked the turning point for the affairs of the universe. By the political, military and religious maneuvers of the nations since then they now stand at the “place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon”, and all Bible prophecy and world events combine to prove that the great battle at that “place” is very soon to be joined. No mere international or capitalist-labor or Catholic-Protestant war will that be, but a war between worlds, with the kingdom of heaven of the new world fighting to victory on the right side against the demons and wicked men of “this present evil world” on the side of defeat and destruction. The “new heavens” and “new earth” of God’s unforgettable promise shall thereafter hold sway and shall endure forever to the unfading glory of Jehovah and to the blessing of all lovers of the new world.
2 It is of God’s great mercy that he has not completely wiped out the human race ere now for all its unrighteousness which stains every page of its history. Sober-thinking men ought to tremble at the thought that he will wipe out all the worldly nations at the impending Armageddon fight and thereby at last, after a wait of six thousand years, vindicate his name and his almighty power for righteousness and truth. Only human creatures who now set their love and confidence and hopes on the new world of God's creation and who immovably take their stand for it and publicly confess thereto will be spared to enter into its joys, privileges and blessings. Now is the destiny-making time, the time to decide whether to work for the preservation of this wicked world, with certain disappointment in the end, or to serve the interests and prove oneself worthy of the new world with its endless joys that will outweigh all the sufferings for righteousness endured at present. God in his loving-kindness has made all needed provision whereby men who have been born of the sinner-race may escape the condemnation of death due to sin and may qualify for everlasting life, some in the “new heavens” of that new world, and a far larger number on a purified earth under those new heavens. Such provision of God is through his only begotten Son, who qualified to be the King of the new world and King of all who live in that world without end. This is the wonderful meaning of the truth contained in the words: “We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: and he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” –1 John 2:1, 2.
3 Those words of comfort were addressed under inspiration directly to those who will be associated with God’s anointed King in the “new heavens”. They also hold out glorious hope for all men who love truth and who turn from sin and desire to do right on the earth under new heavenly government, The Theocratic Government. Such men of good-will toward God and his kingdom strive to do right to the best of their ability now and according to God’s standard of truth and righteousness. To such “men of goodwill” God extends peace on earth through his King. None of those who now turn to the new world and who advertise it to others can at present do perfectly. Hence they need the help of the “advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous”. “Advocate” means helper. All men descended from Adam have been “shapen in iniquity, and in sin did [their] mother conceive [them]”, and this through no choice of their own. (Ps. 51:5) Sin entered into the world before the birth of the first child of Adam and Eve. That was in Eden, when Adam chose to follow his wife in transgression of God's law, which transgression brought the penalty of death. –Gen. 2:17.
4 Eve acted just as selfishly and willfully as her husband. In fact, she ran ahead of her earthly head Adam and showed insubordination, and hence Eve, although deceived by the subtle serpent, was inexcusable and “was in the transgression”. (1 Tim. 2:11,13,14) God made promise in their hearing concerning “childbearing”, that is, concerning God’s “woman” who should bear the Seed that should crush the Serpent’s head. Only this holds out any hope for those of Adam and Eve’s offspring who turn from the Serpent and its deceptions and turn to the Seed who delivers from the power of the Serpent. (Gen. 3:15; 1 Tim. 2:15) Thus it came about that “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men [by human birth and inheritance], for that all have sinned”. – Rom. 5:12.
5 Being conceived in sin and shaped in iniquity, Adam’s offspring are imperfect as well as sinners and hence under the condemnation of death and have no right to human life. They have no claim upon God and God owes nothing to them; rather by God’s long- suffering and mercy they enjoy what conscious existence they have on earth. At death they return to the dust, to a state of non-existence. No hope of future living again would be possible for any of them excepting for God’s providing of a sin-offering, a “propitiation” for sins, for those willing to accept the benefits of it on God’s terms. The principal term upon which they receive the good effects of that sin- offering or propitiation is that they must forever be for a vindication of God’s name in contradiction of the infamous reproaches that the Serpent has brought upon God’s blameless name. “Propitiation” means that thing which makes propitious, favorable, that is to say, the thing which removes the reason for God to condemn the creature and which therefore brings the creature into the mercy, favor and loving- kindness of God. “The wages of sin is death”; and sin is charged against all men by inheritance from their first father, Adam. The propitiation removes the charge of sin as the cause of condemnation to death from all who avail themselves of the propitiation, and is the sin-offering.
6 The first man on earth, Adam, was perfect, because he was the creation of God, and, as for God, “His work is perfect.” (Deut. 32:4) God made Adam in His likeness, that is, possessed of a suitable measure of wisdom, justice, love and power. He made Adam in His image, that is, as God’s visible representative on earth. (Gen. 1:26,28) Jehovah is a “God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he”. There was no iniquity or injustice or unrighteousness in his creation Adam, because Jehovah God is not the source or author of such.
7 As such perfect creature, Adam had the right to life in his perfection. His Creator stated that Adam could possess that right forever by continued obedience to Theocratic law, that is, the law of his God. As long as Adam thus continued in perfect obedience to his Maker and Sustainer Adam was a part of the universal organization of God and was the visible or earthly part thereof. Adam’s wife, Eve, being likewise the creation of God, was also perfect, as was Adam. Both were acquainted with God’s law and both were intelligently under test to prove their worthiness either of everlasting life or of being cut off from life without any hope or promise of recovery. Their choice as manifested by their course of action thenceforth must determine their everlasting destiny. They chose death. In their case God could not reverse his law or recall it. For God to do so would make his judgment and his law and his word unreliable, and creatures throughout the universe would have grounds for believing that the life of a mere creature is more to God than his own word, and that creatures could willfully sin against God and yet have the hope of universal salvation by God’s reversal of his own penalty for the sin of willful sinners. It was the Serpent, Satan, who promised universal salvation, by persuading Eve that despite her willful sin against God she would be saved, and she could enjoy sin against God and also enjoy salvation.
8 Jehovah God vindicated his own law and turned Adam and Eve to destruction before a “day” or period of one thousand years passed. (Gen. 2:17) He instantly withdrew from them the right to life, and left them to die amid the thorns and thistles outside Eden. He permitted them to reproduce their kind and rear children, and this God did for his name’s sake. To these children he let the information be handed down that God would in due time produce a Seed by his “woman”, and which Seed would destroy the Serpent, who by deception had brought sin and death on them. It is the father who gives or transmits life, through the mother, who supplies the organism to the creature born. Adam, having forfeited the right to life for himself, could not transmit that right to his imperfect, sin-cursed offspring. It was therefore the right to life as a perfect human creature that he parted with both for himself and for his offspring by Eve. Adam and Eve, having been, directly on trial and failing therein, could never recapture that right. However, their offspring had not been personally on trial to determine their destiny, and could take advantage of whatever merciful provision God might choose to make in harmony with his justice and out of love for a new world and in vindication of his word and name.
9 If any of Adam’s offspring did not by faith choose to take advantage of God’s arrangement for life in the new world, such ones would be the losers. God will have the new world of his love, regardless of who refuses to seek life in it, and he will vindicate his name by the Theocratic Government of that new world. Certainly no creature born in sin, and hence under condemnation of death, could gain life in the new world if he did not choose the Builder thereof and also its King. To that effect it is written: “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” (1 John 5:11,12) “The Father . . . hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.” –John 3:35,36.
10 Sin and the condemnation due to it rested as a disability upon Adam’s descendants. In order that such of them as turn to God in faith and obedience might have the way opened to gain and enjoy life in the new world, that disability must be lifted and removed. God alone could do that, by furnishing a sin-offering to make atonement for the sins of those wanting to come into harmony with him. The “sin- offering'’ is the victim, whose offering is made necessary by sin, and which sin-offering is of such value and power as to be able to cancel or wipe out the effect of the sin.
11 The word “atonement” is used in God’s law by Moses and in the writings of Christ’s apostles. It has the basic thought of “cover” and “exchange”; that is, the thing exchanged or applied instead of another thing must exactly cover, correspond with or duplicate that other thing. The English word “atonement” is derived from the expression “at one”, and has the Bible meaning. The thing which makes satisfaction for another thing that is lost or forfeited must be “at one” with or cover, coincide with and be exactly equivalent to that other thing. This, therefore, shows what must be required in the “sin-offering”-. It must correspond perfectly, without overlapping or without shortcoming, with the thing for which it atones or makes just satisfaction. Only by atonement through such a sin-offering could favor be restored to one who is under a natural disability before God. Therefore the one who is offered as the victim or sin-offering is the “propitiation” or the thing which makes God favorable to the one hitherto disabled and under God’s wrath and condemnation by birth. It was God’s love of the new world and of those who meet his requirements for living in it that moved God to furnish the means of propitiation. “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” –1 John 4:10.
MIRACULOUS PROVISION
12 How could God’s only begotten Son become the sin-offering to propitiate for sins? Certainly not by remaining in his original condition. God his Father is spirit, the Supreme One, invisible to man and almighty’ in power. When Almighty God Jehovah brought his first-born son into existence, that only begotten Son "was like his Creator-Father, a spirit or heavenly person, higher than man and more powerful. Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature.” (Col. 1:15) As such the only begotten Son was perfect in mind and organism and possessed the right to everlasting life in heaven in association and communion with his Father and his God, Jehovah.
13 The Lord God made this first-born, only begotten Son his “Word”, or mouthpiece and executive, toward all creatures that should thereafter be created. Jehovah used this Word thenceforth in the creation of all things animate and inanimate, ineluding angels and men. This Word of God (John 1:1-3) was therefore higher than angels, and, since man was made “a little lower than the angels”, he was far higher than man. Adam had been made a perfect man, and when he sinned he lost for himself the right to life in absolute human perfection. God made this earth not in vain; “He formed it to be inhabited” by perfect men. (Isa. 45:12,18) Adam forfeited that right for all his descendants. For any of his offspring to come into enjoyment of that right a sin-offering must be provided with the exact value-content of a perfect human life together with the right thereto. The life of the Word of God in heaven was not of equal value with that, but far more excellent. Hence it was not suitable for a sin-offering. Note now the wisdom and power and justice and love of Jehovah God, in meeting his own exact law, namely, “Life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot.” –Deut. 19: 21.
14 Instantly that sin had entered into that first world by Satan’s rebellion and Adam’s transgression, Jehovah God purposed to build a new world of which man on the earth should be a part, and which new world would be governed by a new heavenly government, The Theocracy, under his only begotten Son. His Son would be the Seed of God’s “woman” entrusted with the honor of vindicating God’s name by destroying sin from the universe, and all practicers thereof, including Satan, “that old Serpent, which is the Devil.” That Son or Word of God was the highest one in God’s universal organization, and the Lord God had used him in the creation of all the rest of God’s universal organization. (Col. 1:15-18) Thus God’s only begotten Son occupied a special relationship with his Father toward that universal organization, namely, that of joint-creator thereof with God.
15 It is written: “Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world.” (Acts 15:18) “Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure.” (Isa. 46:10) Jehovah God purposed that the government of the promised new world should be cut out of his universal organization as its “mother” and should be made the capital organization over and above his entire universal organization. Also his only begotten Son should be the anointed King in such capital organization. The great Organizer of this new government also purposed that there should be associated with his Son in the capital organization a body of 144,000 faithful members over whom his Son would be the Head. All these together, the 144,000 and One, should compose Jehovah’s royal family of heaven.
16 This great privilege, however, was not to be gained without cost to the Son, namely, the cost of absolute and complete obedience to his Father under the most severe test. The Son had from the very beginning of his life been obedient to Jehovah his Father, but now he must be perfected in his obedience in order to qualify for the glorious position immediately next to the Most High God. This obedience must be perfected by holding faithful and true under the greatest suffering at the hands of the organization of the great Serpent, who is at enmity with the Seed of God’s “woman”. In agreement with this it is written as to God’s method: “For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto [heavenly] glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Heb. 2:10) The Son must be willing to exchange all he had and undergo even the deprivation of life itself, in order that he might fully demonstrate his obedience to Jehovah God and his love for Him and his Theocratic Government of the new world. In brief, the Son must be “faithful unto death”, and must trust his Father to use his almighty power to raise his Son out of death as a reward of his Son’s perfect obedience and faithfulness. Hence the Son said: “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.” –John 10:17,18.
17 The great adversary challenges Jehovah’s universal domination. He raised the question of doubt that Almighty God is able to produce any creatures of perfect integrity who, if exposed to assault by the Devil and his organization, would continue to acknowledge God’s universal domination and to abide in his universal organization. God’s only begotten Son, by proving his devotion and obedience perfect under suffering, would supply a complete and lasting answer to that question and prove the Devil a false accuser. At the earth, where Satan was the invisible overlord of fallen man, that question had been raised by the Devil in connection with man. Therefore it must be that God’s Son undergo the thorough test of his obedience, devotion and integrity on the earth. He must become a man and undergo the loss of life itself in order to provide the perfect answer to the question in vindication of his Father’s name and word. Laying down his life in obedience to God would, however, not mean the loss of his right to life; rather it would prove his worthiness to resume his life with his Father in heavenly glory and to be ‘clothed upon with immortality’ as a reward and to sit down with his Father in His throne, there to reign as King of Jehovah’s Theocratic Government. Secondly, by laying down his life and putting aside the humanity he had assumed he would provide the sin-offering. Thereby he would open the way for devoted men and women to be redeemed from among humankind and to be given a change to heavenly life, to be associated with their Redeemer and Head in the kingdom of heaven, The Theocracy.
18 At God’s chosen time he revealed this purpose, which was before that a hidden mystery, to be his beloved Son. Joyful at the opportunity to be the vindicator of his Father’s name, the Son gladly accepted his Father's will for him and agreed to do it. The same love his Father had for the new world was manifested by the Son. God was willing to give his beloved Son to be the governmental Head of that new world. The Son was willing to give his all for the privilege of clearing the Father’s name of all reproaches from the adversary. This giving of his all Jesus pictured in two parables, saying: “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.” (Matt. 13:44-46) The “field” which the Son bought at the cost of his all was Jehovah’s universal organization, in the creation of which he had been a colaborer with God his Father. (John 17:10; Heb. 1:2) The “treasure” hidden therein, and the “one pearl of great price”, was and is the “kingdom of heaven”, the government of the new world. It included the privilege of being the Head thereof and to have associated with him in his throne 144,000 redeemed from among men. Thus in the selling of all he had the Son laid aside his life and glory in heaven and became a perfect man, poor in comparison.
19 The laying aside of heavenly life and glory was not a part of the sin-offering. “The law of the Lord is perfect,” and it provided that like should go for like. The sin-offering must therefore have a value exactly equal to that which was lost or forfeited by the perfect man Adam. (Ps. 19:7; Lev. 24:20,21; Ex. 21: 23-25) The sin-offering in man’s behalf must be a ransom of exactly corresponding price or value. The spirit life and glory of which the Son divested himself to become the “man Christ Jesus” was far higher and of far greater value and worth than anything the perfect man in Eden possessed and enjoyed. Hence the Son’s emptying himself of this heavenly power and position was not part of the sin-offering, but was part of his proving perfect obedience to his Father. It was in order that he might become a perfect man and maintain his integrity toward his Father under the crucial test and thereby provide Jehovah’s complete answer to Satan’s lie. This would be for the vindication of Jehovah’s name and would prove the Son to be worthy to be Head of Jehovah’s capital organization and as such the Vindicator of God's name. Thus viewed, the chief purpose of God’s beloved Son in becoming a perfect man was, not to provide redemption for humankind, but to bear witness to Jehovah’s name and new government and to vindicate His name. – John 18: 37, 36.
20 What, then, is the “sin-offering”? It is the perfect Victim that provides propitiation for the sins of all those of Adam’s descendants who are eventually redeemed or delivered from sin and death. When God’s fullness of time was come his heavenly Son divested himself of all above and Jehovah God his Father transferred his life to the womb of a virgin of the tribe of Judah. Hence this virgin was a descendant of Abraham, who was called “the friend of God”. She was also a descendant of David, the anointed king of Israel. Jehovah had declared to Abraham His unconditional covenant to set up The Theocratic Government and that the seed of Abraham should rule therein, and that in Abraham’s seed all men who will may bless themselves by faith and obedience. Thereafter, with Abraham’s descendant David, Jehovah made the covenant for the Kingdom and declared in this covenant that of the seed of David God would set the Ruler upon the throne of the promised Theocratic Government. – Gen. 12:3; 22:18; 2 Sam. 7 :12-16; Ps. 89: 20-37.
21 Jehovah further promised that the future Ruler would be born at Bethlehem in the tribe of Judah. (Mic. 5:2) In keeping with all his promises God’s Son was miraculously conceived and born by the virgin at Bethlehem; “concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power.” (Rom. 1: 3,4) His human birth was not an incarnation making him part man and part spirit person. No; but in this transfer of his life to the virgin’s womb Jehovah’s God-like Son divested himself of everything spirit and heavenly and became a man. His serving as the “sin-offering” absolutely required this. (Phil. 2:5-8) “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14) As a man his name was called “Jesus”.
PERFECT
22 Being born of an imperfect woman descended from Adam, was Jesus perfect in the flesh? or was it possible for him to have the right to perfect human life and at the same time not have a perfect human body? Job had reference to a child’s father when he asked the question: “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.” (Job 14:4) But Jesus did not have an unclean father, as his life was not from Adam, but direct from God, the Holy One.
23 It should not be necessary to discuss this question. As early as 1897 the Watchtower publications (Volume Five of Studies in the Scriptures) referred to it in these words: “Of the two false but popular theories one claims that our Lord Jesus was the Almighty God, Jehovah, who merely garbed himself in human flesh, without really having actual sensibility of humanity’s trials, temptations and environments. The other theory claims that he was a sinful man, partaker of the blemishes of our race, just as others, but more successful than others in combatting and resisting the motions of sin. . . . Since this was the divine program –that our Lord should not only be the Redeemer of the world, but also a pattern for the ‘brethren’ who would be his joint-heirs, – therefore, in carrying out this divine program it was fitting that he should in all his trials and experiences be ‘made like unto his brethren’. Tie was tempted in all points like as we are, yet without sin.’ (Heb. 4:15) It will be noticed that this statement is not that our Lord was tempted in all points like as the world is tempted, but like as we, his followers, are tempted. He was not tempted along the lines of depraved appetites for sinful things, received by heredity, from an earthly parentage; but being holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners, he was tempted along the same lines as his followers... ” – The At-one-ment Between God and Man, pages 107,109,110.
24The Scriptures do not state that God’s Word was made imperfect flesh; nor do the Scriptures say God’s Son was made in sinful flesh, filled with inherited weaknesses. Romans 8:4 (Weymouth’s translation) states: ‘For what was impossible to the Law – thwarted as it was by human frailty –God effected. Sending His own Son in the form of sinful humanity to deal with sin, God pronounced sentence upon sin in human nature; in order that in our case the requirement of the Law might be fully met.’ Jesus’ body was real flesh, but not sinful or imperfect; it was merely in the “likeness of sinful flesh”. Jesus was in the likeness of other men whose power of existence was transmitted from the sinner Adam; but Jesus was not exactly such as other men are, because only his mother was human and God was his Father. Because of Jesus’ likeness to other men, the religionists accused him of being born of fornication, not recognizing God as Jesus’ Father. Jesus “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men [children of Adam]: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross”. –Phil. 2:7,8.
25 The argument is raised that Jesus had the right to human life, but was born imperfect, with the human frailties of sinful men, just so he might in himself personally experience what it felt like to have such frailties to fight against and overcome, in order that he might be able to sympathize fully with humankind as their High Priest. Such argument magnifies the creature man. It overlooks the primary purpose for which Jesus was sent to earth to become man. The real issue was not how it felt to be a man imperfect and sinful in tendency and how hard it was for such an imperfect, sin-laden creature to fight and overcome the weakness of the flesh. It was not sympathy for sinful man and the need therefore to taste their frailties that brought God’s Son to earth. The question that was linked to the issue of God’s universal domination and which must be settled was: Adam as a perfect man had failed to resist the Devil and his temptation. Could Jehovah, then, put his Son as a perfect man on earth, subject him to the temptations and sufferings at the hands of Satan and his demons, and still have Jesus maintain his integrity absolutely flawless and not be forced out of God’s organization? Would Jesus show perfectness of obedience under such experience of temptation and suffering, even unto death, and thereby vindicate his Father’s word and name! Would he be faithful and true as a witness for Jehovah and his Theocracy under the reproaches and oppositions by the enemy!
26 By his faithful course which led to his death on the tree Jesus answered that principal question at issue to the honor and vindication of his Father. The matter of being frail, infirm and imperfect as sinful humans are was not involved or required for the settlement of the issue at all. Jesus healed of their sickness and diseases those that came to him in faith, and this at the cost of virtue which went out from him. Thus he partook of the infirmities of men and women of faith and showed his feeling for and loving-kindness toward them. (Mark 5: 30: Luke 6:19; 8: 46) This was in fulfillment of the prophecy, at Isaiah 53:4. It would have been impossible if he had himself been filled with frailties and infirmities and imperfections in his own flesh. (Matt. 8:16,17) The inspired writer cites a proof of perfection in the flesh by this example: “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.” (Jas. 3:2) To prove Jesus’ perfection the divine testimony is: “Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.” (1 Pet. 2:21-24) To his religious accusers Jesus said: “Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God.” –John 8: 46, 47.
27 It is inconsistent to say Jesus could be imperfect in the flesh but could have the right to everlasting life because of the perfect integrity of his heart toward God. The ancient record truly does say that “Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generations”; and that God commanded Abraham, "Walk before me, and be thou perfect”; and that God said that Job was a “perfect and an upright man”. (Gen. 6:9; 17:1; Job 1:1,8; 2:3) But the perfection in the sense there meant did not of itself entitle them to the right to perfect human life. Their receiving the right to life depends upon the sin-offering of Jesus applied in their behalf. This proves that Jesus had more than mere perfection of heart integrity as those faithful men had it. Jesus had perfection of flesh, of human organism, and because of this he was able to provide the sin-offering. Concerning the animal offered as a typical offering upon God’s altar Jehovah’s law required: “It shall be perfect to be accepted; there shall be no blemish therein.” (Lev. 22:21) This does not refer to perfect heart integrity, for a dumb brute has none; it refers to its physical condition. All this has forceful meaning when taken in connection with Jesus’ words: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” –John 6:51.
28 Jesus’ fitness to be the sin-offering required his perfection in the flesh together with the right to human life in such a perfect human body. As it is written: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor. 5:21) It is the sin-offering that makes atonement. That means it supplies the perfect satisfaction and coverage for that which was lost or forfeited and which it is the desire to buy back or recover. This is according to God’s perfect law that like shall go for like in absolute justice. Adam was created with a perfect human organism, and he had the right to human life in such an organism. By willful transgression of God’s published law Adam lost both these valuable things for himself and his offspring. Therefore Adam died. God’s justice was perfectly satisfied in his death and shall forever be satisfied therein, and the sentence upon Adam shall never be reversed, for the great Judge, Jehovah God, changes not.
29 Adam’s offspring by Eve were not born of an innocent woman, for she was “in the transgression” and hence under the same sentence with him. Their children were born imperfect, and dying, and perforce under God’s wrath and condemnation. In due time all must perish for ever, unless God made provision for those having faith and obedience to live in the new world. For the human perfection and the right to human life to be recovered for them a sin-offering must be presented to God in their behalf. None of Adam’s offspring possessed the values to fit them to provide the sin-offering. In loving-kindness and for his name’s sake God did so. To provide the exact equivalent of what Adam had forfeited by sin, it was necessary that Jesus divest himself of his heavenly position and powers and become a perfect man, possessed of the right to human life. This Jesus did. Moreover he must lay down these human things of value and for ever part with them by presenting them to the great Life-giver Jehovah. Then the Lord God could justly bestow such valuable things upon all or as many of Adam’s offspring as would please God and prove worthy thereof by faith and obedience toward Him and his High Priest Christ Jesus. So it is written: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour: that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.” –Heb. 2:9.
SPIRIT-BEGETTING
30 Jesus as a boy was a perfect child, with a perfect child’s mind. Hence he sought information at God’s temple in Jerusalem. To his earthly caretakers he there said: “How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” (Luke 2:42-49) When he grew to perfect manhood, arriving at the age of thirty years, he was released from all subjection to his human homekeepers and he applied himself directly and exclusively to his heavenly Father’s business. He consecrated himself to Jehovah God to do his will. In public symbol of this consecration to be dead to his own will as a man and to be alive to God’s will as God’s servant, Jesus submitted to baptism, being totally immersed beneath Jordan’s waters by John the Baptist. Immediately thereafter the revelation of his heavenly Father’s will came to him; figuratively, “the heavens were opened unto him.” God expressed his acceptance of the consecration by the pouring out of his spirit upon Jesus, the descent of the spirit being accompanied by that heavenly symbol of peace, the dove. (Matt. 3:13-17) There for the first time Jesus was announced to human ears as the Son of God: “And, lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.” That meant that Jesus’ condition was altered again from what it was at the time of his human birth. How?
31 Jehovah’s will was that Jesus should lay down his life to vindicate his Father’s name by proving faithful under suffering even unto the death. Thereby he would come to the perfection of his obedience toward God and would overcome Satan’s world and so would prove worthy to sit down with his heavenly Father in his celestial throne. (Rev. 3: 21) He must suffer in order to reign thereafter. Hence Jehovah in his prophecy gave the promise that when Jesus should thus die faithful to Him he would not leave Jesus’ soul in hell (Sheol, the death condition), but would raise him out of death on the third day unto life evermore. (Ps. 16:10; Acts 2: 23-32) This meant that Jesus would return to life in the spirit with his Father in heaven.
32 Moreover, and in a secondary order, it was Jehovah’s will that Jesus should at the same time offer his perfect human life as a sacrifice, to serve the purpose of a sin-offering, that faithful men might have the way opened to gain life in the new world. (John 14: 6) Thereby Jesus would become Jehovah’s High Priest to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people. Also by holding fast his integrity under crucial suffering unto the death on the tree he would prove worthy to become God’s 'high priest after the order of Melchizedek’, that is, a high priest upon a royal throne, a king-priest like Melchizedek of old. (Heb. 3:1; 5:1-6; 7:1-17; Ps. 110:4) Therefore when Jehovah God accepted Jesus’ consecration at Jordan the heavenly Father took Jesus into the covenant by sacrifice. (Ps. 50:5) That covenant was made beyond repeal or recall. Hence when Jehovah accepted Jesus for sacrifice, Jesus was as good as dead as a perfect man. Immediately thereupon the great Life-giver begot Jesus by his almighty invisible power to life in the spirit, and Jesus became the spiritual Son of God, having the right to life in the spirit. For this new reason Jehovah acknowledged Jesus as his Son who was and is well-pleasing to his heavenly Father. Jesus was still in the perfect body of flesh, but he was nonetheless a “new creature”, because by his Father’s begetting of him by the spirit Jesus now had right to life in the spirit with the sure and certain hope to “ascend up where he was before”. (2 Cor. 5:17; John 6:62) When he should in due time ascend up there, then he would present at the throne of God the value of his human sacrifice as a ransom for every man that believes in Jehovah God and in his provision for life through Christ Jesus.
33 Having begotten Jesus by the spirit, Jehovah God also took him into the covenant for the Kingdom or Theocracy and anointed him with the spirit of power to be the King thereof. There God’s Son became Christ Jesus, that is, the Anointed Jesus, Christ meaning “Anointed”, and Jesus meaning “Savior”. That Jesus was then anointed or commissioned to be the Theocratic King is evidenced during Jesus’ temptation thereafter in the wilderness, when the Devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of this world and offered them to Jesus for his worship of the Devil. Jesus turned down the offer flatly and held to the worship of Jehovah. (Matt. 4:1-10) In fulfillment of his commission to announce the Theocratic Government of the new world to men, Jesus, as soon as he came forth from the wilderness, began to teach and preach, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” –Matt. 4:17.
34 Jesus then by this preaching began to gather about him the first ones of the 144,000 who were to be joined with him in his kingdom. When he ascended up on high after finishing his earthly course, he did not immediately begin the active operation of that heavenly kingdom over men. It was not then God’s time for Satan’s world to be ousted and destroyed. Hence Jehovah God bade his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, to await the due time to act against the enemy world. "But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting [awaiting] till his enemies be made his footstool.” –Heb. 10:12,13.
35 Ten days after his ascension to heaven came the day of Pentecost, and the faithful disciples of Christ Jesus who had like him consecrated themselves to God were assembled together in Jerusalem. There Jehovah God by Christ Jesus poured out his spirit upon them, begetting them of the spirit and also anointing them as his commissioned witnesses and putting them in line for a place in the government of the new world with their Head Christ Jesus. (Acts 2) From then on Jehovah God by these anointed witnesses has continued the proclamation of his kingdom under Christ. Thereby he has been selecting out from the worldly nations others to complete the number of 144,000 to be united with Jehovah’s King in The Theocratic Government. (Acts 15:14-18; Rom. 11:11, 25) All these must hear the Kingdom gospel, must exercise faith in Jehovah as God and in Christ Jesus as his King and must accept of the benefits of his sin-offering for humankind. They must prove their faith by making a complete consecration of themselves through Christ to do God’s will. Then they must follow carefully in his footsteps and be faithful and true witnesses to God and his kingdom as Jesus was. If God is pleased to take them into the covenant by sacrifice, he justifies them for that purpose on the basis of the merits of Jesus’ sin-offering. He then accepts them to be sacrificed and begets them with the spirit of his power to be his spiritual children. (Rom. 5:1; 8: 1; Jas. 1:18) These follow Jesus’ example and publicly symbolize their consecration to God by being baptized in water. –Acts 2: 37-41.
36 If these consecrated ones in the covenant by sacrifice prove faithful under test, Jehovah God baptizes them into the “body of Christ" and anoints them as members thereof with his spirit and brings them into the covenant of faithfulness for the Kingdom of God. (Rom. 6: 3-5) They must be baptized in the likeness of Jesus’ death in order to share in his resurrection unto life in the spirit. They must suffer with him if they would reign with him in the Kingdom. They must be perfected in obedience under suffering and prove their integrity toward God under the crucial test, in order to be associated with Christ Jesus in the vindication of his Father’s name. (Matt. 20:22,23; 2 Tim. 2:11,12) When the Lord comes in his kingdom and comes to his temple for judgment of those worthy and those unworthy to enter into the new world, the faithful body members are united with the Lord Jesus Christ in the Kingdom. Those body members that slept in death are awakened at his coming and made like him in the “first resurrection”. The remnant of body members yet alive on earth are engaged in giving a faithful witness concerning the Kingdom unto all nations for a testimony. They must finish their earthly course faithful unto death in completion of their covenant by sacrifice. Then they are given an instantaneous resurrection-change, to be made like him and to see him as he now is in divine glory. (1 Cor. 15: 50-54; 1 John 3:1,2) Christ Jesus and all these who participate with him in the “first resurrection” constitute together the “new heavens” which Jehovah God promised to create for the new world. – Rev. 20:4, 6; 21:1; 2 Pet. 3:13.
“THE WHOLE WORLD”
37 Christ Jesus is the propitiation for sins not only of those associated with him in the “new heavens”, but also of the “whole world”. This would include the “other sheep”. These the Lord is now’ gathering, and to them he extends the hope of surviving the battle of Armageddon and thereafter living upon the earth, forever enjoying righteousness and peace and prosperity under the “new’ heavens”. Since this is the period of the “covenant by sacrifice”, the “other sheep”, who shall remain forever on the earth, will not be justified until after Armageddon, to carry out the divine mandate to multiply and fill the cleansed earth with their righteous offspring. That “whole world”, wherein righteousness shall reign, will include also those faithful men who occupied the relation of earthly fathers to Christ Jesus and who died faithful prior to Christ’s ascension to heaven and selection of the “kingdom of heaven” class. Because his propitiation for sins includes those faithful ones of old, they shall receive life from him as their father in a “better resurrection”. Hence they shall become the children of “The Everlasting Father”, and he will make them “princes in all the earth”. As such they shall rule as the visible representatives of the “new heavens” and shall constitute the “new earth” or visible ruling organization over men that live on the literal earth. –Ps. 45:16; Isa. 32:1; Heb. 11:35-40.
38 Furthermore, that “whole world” for which Christ Jesus is the propitiation for sins would include those who have “done evil" because of birth in sin and who have died, but who have not perished because of practicing willful rebellion and wickedness against God. Such ones sleep in the graves, and shall be remembered when the One who is the propitiation for sins calls forth all such in the general earthly resurrection under the Kingdom. They shall have a “resurrection of judgment” if they avail themselves of the propitiation and then devote themselves to Jehovah God and obey his Theocratic Rule. – John 5:28, 29.
WHO HAS PART IN THE SIN-OFFERING?
39 It is thus seen that the spiritual class of the Lord’s followers who reign with him in the “new heavens” are first to receive the benefits of the propitiation, from Pentecost forward. The others who shall live as perfect human creatures on the earth in the new world receive the benefits thereof under the established Kingdom or Theocratic Government. Since A. D. 1914 that Government has been in operation for the bringing of Jehovah’s glorious purpose to a grand climax in vindication of his name and word. Since 144,000 are to be finally associated with him in that Government of Righteousness, and since these have been justified and taken into the covenant of sacrifice with Christ and must carry it out faithful unto death, do these have part with Christ Jesus in the sin-offering?
40 During the World War, which marked the “beginning of sorrows” for the old world now facing its final end, the newspapers published the statements of certain religious preachers that the men who fell in death in the line of duty to their earthly country had a part in the sacrifice of Christ and therefore had an immediate passport into heaven. As part of the sacrifice of Chrisf the preachers meant that the fallen ones bestowed benefits like Christ’s on the rest of humankind that survived them. For hundreds of years, particularly since the sixth century, Roman Catholic popes and priests have been celebrating the so-called “mass”, whereby they claim to call down Christ Jesus from heaven and to sacrifice him anew under the forms of bread and wine upon their religious altars. So doing, each priest is understood to have an indispensable part in passing on or releasing further benefits of Christ’s sacrifice to those contributing money for the mass and those assisting at the mass.
41 In answer to the question here raised the following quotation is made from the book Salvation, published in 1939: “It has been repeatedly said that the church, that is, the glorified members of the body of Christ, by reason of their sacrifice, have a part in the sin offering; and in support of that theory the following scripture is offered: ’Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat.’ (Leviticus 16:15) Neither the foregoing nor any other scripture sustains the conclusion that the body members of Christ have any part in the sin offering. It is the lifeblood of the man Jesus alone that is the valuable thing, the purchase price, and which price is presented and paid over as a sin offering.” –Page 197, параграф 1, 2.
42 Because this is the day of the vindication of Jehovah’s name, and the subject of the sin-offering is inseparably related therewith, The Watchtower in its next two issues will take up a verse-by-verse examination of Leviticus, chapter sixteen, above quoted from, concerning the typical day of atonement for Israel. In the meantime prepare for the study thereof by reading and becoming familiar with the features of that typical atonement day. It
was a shadow of good things to come for those who seek the new world. –Heb. 10:1.
(To be continued)
SINGING IN THE WORLD’S CRISIS
IT WAS a time of crisis when the Lord Jesus Christ ate his last passover with his faithful apostles and set the memorial of his death as ‘the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world”. Nevertheless, when he had finished speaking to them about God’s kingdom, symbolized by Mount Zion, it is written, “when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.” – Matt. 26:30.
Those faithful apostles were only the first of the company of 144,000 who follow Christ’s steps faithfully unto death and who shall therefore reign with him in his heavenly kingdom, the Mount Zion. At the end of Satan’s rule, the time of the world’s great crisis, this company is visualized as singing without fear of men or governments the praises of Jehovah God and his Righteous Government for such of humankind as obey God. “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and -with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.” –Rev. 14:1,3.
The singers have The Throne, and not who they are, in mind. They are not the important ones. It is Jehovah and his King, whose praise they sing. In the grand chorus the 144,000 are singing “before the four beasts”, that is, in the presence and hearing of Jehovah’s universal organization, four-square, perfect, symbolized by four living creatures. Thus they are made a “theater ... to angels, and to men”. (1 Cor. 4:9, margin) Even the “prisoners” of the enemy organization Babylon are hearing the song and are being loosed by the Lord God. The 144,000, including the remnant on earth, sing to each other and sing to all who love Jehovah God; they lift up a standard for the people and point them to God’s kingdom. (Isa. 62:10-12) They bring good tidings of great joy; they publish peace and say unto those of Zion, “Thy God reigneth”; they see eye to eye the wonders of God’s purposes, and together they lift up the voice and sing. (Isa. 52: 7-9) All those who by reason of growth and maturity are “elders” in Christ and who have been raised out of death in the first resurrection likewise hear the song. All who are of the 144,000 must sing now, and they do sing. The singing in the hearing of all of God’s organization implies that the remnant on earth must now be singing as their theme God’s supremacy in the throne, in order that his word and his name might be made known and in due time fully vindicated.
“No man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand.” This means that no one aside from God’s anointed can appreciate and join the invisible members of God’s organization in the song of joy. One must appreciate a thing in order to really rejoice therein.
Anciently in the temple at Jerusalem only the Levites were trained and allowed to sing in the temple service. (1 Chron. 6:31,32; Neh. 12:46, 47) From the Levites the priests were taken, and these are the singers. Not everyone who can make a noise would be chosen to sing before the King Only highly trained voices would be given that privilege. No one could ever learn the song except God’s anointed who shall be God’s royal family. The Hebrew word “learn” means “accustom oneself to”. And so it is that practice, and much of it, is required; and constancy in the work of witnessing to Jehovah’s name and kingdom is a thing essential. Only those who do the required practice are pictured in this group of singers. That explains why there is a remnant that really earnestly and faithfully docs the work of making the word and name of Jehovah known. And they must learn the text of that song, and the harmony; and this they do by making use of the “meat in due season”, which by the grace of God is provided for the remnant. That “meat in due season” is the illumination and publication of his Word of truth from time to time. That textbook of song is “sealed” to the earthly learned and the religionists and to the "old men”, who are dreamers and prefer to snore rather than to sing with enthusiasm. (Joel 2:28) The persons of good-will who become the earthly companions of the remnant become familiar with the theme of that “new song” sung officially by the remnant, and they sound it forth to others who are pleased to hear (Rev 22:17) The faithful are rejoicing, and they pray for success and prosperity from the Lord as they sing. (Ps 118:24,25) They say: “Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments.” –Ps. 119: 73.
To his children of the royal family the Lord God gives instruction, and the same rule applies to their earthly companions, the Lord’s “other sheep” , to wit: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels" (Prov. 1:5) “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.” (Prov. 9:9) It is therefore the wise that understand and give praise to the Lord God and that delight in his service, “the wicked shall do wickedly: and none of the inched shall understand; but the wise shall understand” (Dan 12:10) Further, it is written: “The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. The heart of the wise teacheth [or, maketh wise] his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips ” (Prov. 16:21,23) The wise are they that hear the commandments of the Lord and hasten to obey them They use their lips in obedience to God’s commandments and learn to sing that “new song”, the song of the new world, the “new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness”. – 2 Pet. 3:13.
Concerning the 144,000 it is written that they were “redeemed from the earth”. (Rev. 14:3) The last members of these are yet on the earth singing the song. This faithful remnant are “redeemed” through the love of God and by the blood of “The Lamb”, Christ Jesus. They are literally separated from the earth, being “in the world, but not of it”, and in due time they, having finished their earthly course and service, shall be taken from the earth to be forever with the Lord in the heavens of the new world. “They shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” –Rev. 20:6.
The faithful remnant are further identified and described in the vision (Rev. 14: 4, 5) : “These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.” How are they not “defiled with women”? The “women” here referred to must be dissolute women, which symbolically represent the “god of this world” and are in his service. In the Bible the term applies to the religious systems that practice deceit and draw men away from Jehovah God. Here, however, the term “women” means much more than that. It represents the devilish influence, sly, deceitful and seductive, that tries to induce those who are begotten of God’s spirit to violate his law either positively or negatively. That means either to refuse to keep and perform God’s commandments or to neglect to do so. Sometimes a legal earthly wife of a consecrated man may cause him such defilement, or the husband may exercise the same influence to cause the wife to refrain from serving the Lord. As stated at Luke 14 20 concerning those invited to come to the Lord: “And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.”
Also literal mothers, sisters and daughters, and others, are used by the great adversary to draw consecrated ones away from God’s service. “If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple.” (Luke 14:26) One who is in a covenant to do God’s will must love Jehovah God with all his heart. That does not mean he is to do injury to anyone, but, with him, to please God is that of first importance. The Scriptures explain that the wrongful influence is due to the fact that, to quote 1 Corinthians 7 : 29, 33, “he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife,” and hence manifests love for his wife rather than for the Lord and his kingdom. Therefore the advice is given: “The time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none.” Earthly relatives often induce one to divide his affections with ‘things of this world’, which pertains to Satan’s organization, by giving less consideration to God’s service and his kingdom. Such relatives argue that one should not make himself foolish and obnoxious to the world, but should show the proper honor to the world and to the men and institutions of the world. Thus they are led to worship or give honor to the Devil’s organization and are defiled. The faithful remnant must be absolutely and completely separated from Satan’s organization. They stand out boldly as God’s witnesses.
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