Publication date
8/1/00
Volume
21
Number
15
The WatchTower
"Let Us Draw Near"
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1900/15/1900-15-1.html
 
 
{224 
227) 
ZION}S 
WATCH 
TOWER 
ALLEGHENY, 
PA. 
explain 
the 
significance 
of 
his 
action 
in 
making 
a 
clay 
oint· 
ment 
out 
of 
dust 
with 
his 
spittle, 
and 
anointing 
the 
man's 
eyes 
with 
this, 
and 
Rending 
him 
to 
wash 
them 
and 
receive 
Right 
at 
the 
Pool 
of 
Siloam, 
we 
may 
exercise 
our 
mental 
pow­ 
ers 
in 
thinking 
of 
what 
thpRe 
different 
things 
would 
signify. 
But 
we 
al 
e 
limited 
in 
our 
speculatIons, 
nevertheless, 
and 
may 
not 
run 
wild, 
but 
mu"t 
restrain 
our~elves 
within 
the 
limits 
of 
plain 
statements 
of 
thc 
\Vord 
of 
God 
respecting 
his 
plan 
of 
salvation. 
In 
hn~mony 
wi!h 
these 
plain 
statements 
we 
may 
interpret 
our 
Lord 
s 
"ymbol!c'al 
act 
thus: 
The 
blind 
man 
would 
fitly 
represent 
the 
world 
of 
mankind 
in 
general, 
who 
during 
the 
present 
lifc 
are 
mentally 
hliml-who 
cannot 
now 
see 
the 
gooclne<;<;, 
merp~·. 
and 
love 
of 
God 
a" 
thf>"c 
may 
be 
recognized 
hy 
other" 
who 
arc 
now 
ahlc 
to 
see 
th('m. 
His 
being 
born 
blind 
would 
harmonize 
with 
thi'l 
thought, 
for 
the 
blindncss 
that 
is 
upon 
thc 
\\orld 
i<;, 
to 
a 
large 
extent 
at 
least, 
a 
matter 
of 
h"redity. 
His 
hlindn!''l'l 
docs 
not 
f{'present 
a 
blindness 
on 
tIll' 
part 
of 
tllO<'C 
\\ho 
have 
once 
"een 
God's 
gracr, 
represented 
in 
his 
"'onl 
and 
plan, 
and 
\\ 
ho 
have 
then 
becpme 
blind 
there­ 
to, 
nml 
\\ 
110 
would 
rrprcsent 
the 
clas'l 
mentioned 
by 
the 
Apos­ 
tle 
a~ 
haviJ~g 
once 
been 
cnhghtenccl, 
and 
who 
sub'lequently 
lObI' 
that 
enlIghtenment. 
(Hpb. 
G:4-G) 
If 
then 
the 
blind 
man 
rl'plP,,-pnh 
thl' 
hlincl 
\\ol'lc] 
(\lho 
do 
not 
ser, 
in 
the 
sense 
that 
tllp 
c']llllch 
"l'l'~, 
of 
\\h0111 
the' 
Lord 
"aiel, 
"Blessed 
are 
your 
pyes 
fOJ 
tlll'V 
~l'("'), 
the 
time 
of 
the 
healing 
of 
such 
blindness 
is 
in 
the 
.:\IiIll'nninl 
nge, 
as 
Scripturally 
pointed 
out, 
when 
"All 
thp 
blind 
eyes 
"hall 
he 
opened, 
and 
the 
deaf 
ears 
un· 
stopped." 
(Isa. 
3;,:!i) 
And 
this 
agrees 
with 
the 
conditions 
of 
our 
LOllI's 
1I1I1apl('. 
],c'('alh!' 
We' 
arp 
mformed 
that 
thiS 
miracle 
took 
plape 
011 
the 
Sabbath, 
or 
seventh 
day, 
which 
corresponds 
to, 
and 
typifies 
the 
Millennial 
day, 
the 
seventh· 
thou5and 
year 
perioll. 
Our 
Lord's 
\\'ord~, 
nevertheless, 
Reem 
to 
indicate 
that 
some 
part 
of 
thi~ 
symbolical 
picture 
relate'l 
to 
the 
present 
age, 
for 
he 
Raid, 
"I 
must 
work 
the 
works 
of 
him 
that 
sent 
me 
while 
it 
i'! 
day: 
the 
night 
cometh 
wherein 
no 
man 
can 
work." 
In 
thi" 
statempnt 
the 
word 
"day" 
would 
seem 
to 
belong 
to 
the 
pI 
e~ent 
time', 
alld 
to 
be 
illustrated 
in 
the 
makinO' 
of 
clay 
with 
our 
Lonl's 
slllttle, 
and 
the 
anointing- 
of 
the 
bliI';'d 
man's 
eyes. 
The 
\\ 
ashin~ 
of 
his 
l'yes 
and 
the 
curp 
would 
seem 
to 
belong 
to 
thl' 
next 
age, 
the 
l\Hllennial 
age. 
The 
Lord's 
spittle, 
the 
~eprl'tion'l 
of 
his 
mouth, 
might 
Iepre"ent 
the 
truth 
as 
fitly 
as 
would 
the 
words 
of 
his 
mouth-it 
is 
another 
figure, 
but 
spemingly 
of 
the 
same 
force 
nnd 
meaning. 
He 
uttered 
the 
truth, 
hrought 
it 
in 
contact 
WIth 
the 
du~t 
of 
the 
earth-not 
in 
contac·t 
,\ 
Ith 
all 
thp 
du-t 
of 
tIle 
earth, 
but 
with 
a 
limited 
portion, 
an 
elt'ct 
or 
scll'pt 
portlOn,-and 
of 
this 
llC 
made 
the 
anointing 
clay, 
The 
SpripturPR 
do 
inform 
U'l, 
in 
harmony 
with 
thi~, 
that 
the 
'VOId 
of 
Cod's 
grape, 
delivered 
through 
and 
by 
our 
Lord 
Jesus, 
is 
designed 
in 
the 
present 
age 
to 
act 
upon 
a 
small 
fragment 
of 
humanity, 
and 
to 
consecrate 
them 
and 
make 
them 
meet 
for 
the 
Master's 
use 
in 
the 
blessing 
of 
the 
world, 
in 
the 
anointing 
of 
the 
eyes 
of 
the 
blind. 
From 
thIS 
standpoint 
of 
view, 
the 
making 
of 
the 
clay 
would 
repre­ 
Rent 
the 
formation 
of 
the 
elect 
church 
for 
the 
blessing 
of 
the 
poor, 
blind 
world. 
And, 
quite 
possibly, 
not 
only 
in 
this 
work 
of 
making 
the 
clay 
now 
in 
progress, 
but 
perhaps 
some 
portion 
of 
the 
anointing 
work 
is 
now 
being 
done, 
&S 
is 
intimated 
by 
the 
Scripture 
which 
declares 
that 
the 
Gospel 
must 
first 
be 
p?'eached 
faT 
a 
1citness 
in 
all 
the 
world, 
before 
the 
end 
of 
this 
age. 
The 
world 
must 
be 
witnessed 
to 
during 
this 
age, 
hut 
the 
world 
will 
not 
have 
the 
eyes 
of 
its 
understanding 
opened 
during 
this 
age: 
it 
must 
wait 
until 
the 
great 
washing 
time 
of 
the 
Millennia 
I 
age, 
of 
which 
the 
Scriptures 
declare, 
"In 
that 
day 
there 
shall 
be 
a 
fountain 
opened 
to 
the 
house 
of 
David 
for 
sin 
and 
for 
uncleanness." 
(Zech. 
13: 
1) 
In 
full 
ngrepmpnt 
with 
thi'l 
is 
the 
significnnpe 
of 
the 
worel 
Silonm, 
It 
signifies 
"The 
sending 
forth," 
or 
"The 
fountain." 
The 
Pharisee 
objected 
to 
the 
Lord's 
goodne'l", 
],l'cnuse, 
forsooth, 
it 
infructed 
some 
of 
their 
hyperclltical 
dogma" 
nnd 
tradition'!. 
This 
is 
interesting, 
as 
showing 
to 
what 
extent 
religious 
forms 
and 
ceremonies 
may 
bind 
and 
blilld 
intellIgent 
and 
reverential 
people. 
And 
this 
should 
be 
a 
lesson 
to 
all 
the 
intelligent 
and 
reverent, 
leading 
them 
to 
grcat 
care 
in 
j 
!lclglng 
righteous 
judgment, 
according 
to 
the 
standard 
of 
thc 
diYine 
\\'ord, 
and 
not 
according 
to 
their 
prejudices 
and 
revf'red 
crl'eds, 
and 
the 
traditions 
of 
the 
fathers. 
Still 
another 
lesson 
mav 
be 
founcl 
in 
the 
fact 
that 
thp 
man 
who 
confessed 
our 
Lord 
Jesus, 
and 
who 
stood 
up 
in 
hold 
cle­ 
fence 
of 
righteousness, 
was 
greatly 
blessed, 
in 
that 
aftpr 
he 
had 
thus 
demonstrated 
his 
loyalt.v 
to 
pi 
incipll', 
amI 
hacl 
suffered 
as 
a 
result 
excommunication 
from 
the 
church-then 
the 
Lord 
found 
him. 
Thus 
his 
faithfulnes'l 
under 
trinl'l 
and 
difficulties, 
and 
his 
willingness 
to 
suffcr 
the 
loss 
of 
earthly 
fellow~hip 
and 
honor 
amongst 
men, 
Il'd 
directly 
to 
a 
still 
grpater 
blessing, 
even 
direct 
fellowship 
and 
communion 
with 
the 
Lord 
himself. 
How 
many 
are 
there 
\\ 
hose 
Ilwntn 
1 
eyes 
have 
been 
opened 
to 
the 
truth, 
who 
have 
bpen 
~o 
loynl 
to 
the 
Lord 
and 
so 
appreciative 
of 
his 
goodness 
a'l 
to 
be 
f.\ithf,l1 
in 
declaring 
the 
facts? 
How 
many 
of 
these 
have 
fouml 
that 
such 
faithfulness 
means 
separation 
from 
the 
synagogue, 
from 
the 
church 
nominal? 
How 
many 
of 
these 
han' 
feared 
to 
lose 
prestige 
and 
influence, 
through 
confessing 
the 
light 
of 
pre"ent 
truth? 
But 
all 
who 
have 
followed 
the 
noble 
course 
of 
thank­ 
fulness, 
loyalty, 
and 
obedience 
to 
Gocl, 
have 
found 
that 
fluch 
obeclience, 
while 
it 
led 
to 
a 
lo~s 
of 
fellowship 
in 
the 
nominal 
church, 
led 
also 
to 
a 
greater 
fellowship 
and 
communion. 
nnd 
a 
more 
intimate 
acquaintance 
with 
the 
Lord 
him~elf. 
VOL. 
:XX 
I 
J\ 
LLEGHE}\Y, 
PA., 
AUGUST 
1, 
1900 
No. 
15 
---=-- 
__ 
-_- 
__ 
-_-_ 
=_-_-_-_=-=-_-_- 
__ 
- 
-=- 
-_ 
-cc===-cc:=cc=-=== 
"LET 
US 
DRAW 
NEAR" 
"Let 
us 
draw 
nco,?' 
WIth 
a 
/rlle 
heart, 
in 
f!tTl 
as&!trance 
of 
faIth, 
having 
our 
hearts 
sprinkled 
fl'om 
a 
consciousness 
of 
edl, 
and 
uur 
/)!JIlI('l; 
"pril1kl(~d 
lnt 
h 
rJUre 
tcater."-Heb. 
10 
:22. 
Xot 
to 
"inners 
i~ 
this 
ill\it'dion 
addre~se(l. 
The 
invitation 
The 
next 
step 
beyond 
the 
"Holy" 
was 
the 
"Mo"t 
Huly," 
to 
them 
i~ 
a 
very 
(hfferent 
olle. 
t'i~ 
.. 
-]{l'pent., 
and 
believe 
on 
representing 
hpa\ 
en 
Itself; 
but 
this 
could 
be 
entpl 
ed 
only 
the 
LOllI 
.Tp~lI~ 
Chn~t, 
and 
tIm" 
obtain 
the 
remis~ion 
of 
your 
from 
the 
"Holy" 
and 
1y 
pas~ing 
under 
the 
Second 
Vail, 
wludl 
flins. 
aIHl 
thpn 
:von 
will 
be 
III 
thl' 
attit 
nde 
to 
receive 
the 
invita- 
represented 
t.he 
actnal 
death 
of 
the 
prif'st, 
eVen 
as 
the 
:Flrst 
tion. 
Dnl\\' 
near 
to 
God. 
The 
Apo~tle 
iq 
addressing 
those 
who 
\'ail 
represf'nted 
the 
reekonec] 
death 
or 
consecratioll. 
The 
haH' 
all 
ehdy 
bpliend 
lmto 
.in~tifipation, 
Tf'Cf'ivIDg 
to 
them- 
Apo'!tll' 
has 
this 
sallle 
thought 
in 
mind 
\vhpn 
e1'lewherl' 
lIP 
men· 
selves 
the 
henefit" 
of 
the 
Lord's 
promise, 
"Their 
sins 
and 
tIOIlS 
the 
consecrated 
RoyafPriesthood 
as 
"seated 
together 
with 
iniqniticQ 
Will 
I 
remrmhpr 
no 
more." 
(Yerse 
17) 
The 
Apostle 
is 
Christ 
in 
heavenly 
places"'--in 
the 
heavenly 
condition, 
the 
pon- 
addres<;in~ 
thp 
1Jrdhn'lI, 
and 
not 
Rinner<" 
and 
urges 
them, 
clition 
represcnted 
by 
the 
first 
apartment 
or 
"Holy" 
of 
the 
flHymg. 
"Having 
tllPrl'fol'p, 
brcthren, 
boldnes" 
[courage, 
eon- 
TalJl'rnacle 
and 
of 
the 
Temple. 
fic!en(·l'. 
pllnll'ge] 
to 
Plitn 
illto 
the 
holip,,-t 
hv 
the 
blood 
of 
Jebu~. 
lJV 
a 
new 
and 
11\ 
ing 
way 
. 
. 
. 
. 
. 
let 
us' 
draw 
near." 
PRIVILEGES 
OF 
THE 
ROY~~ 
PRIESTHOOD 
. 
, 
It 
is 
in 
reference 
to 
this 
propOSItIOn 
to 
advance 
from 
the 
The 
Apo<,tll"s 
word" 
carrv 
onr 
nttenhon 
to 
IRrael's 
Taber- 
"Court" 
condition 
of 
justification 
into 
the 
"Holy" 
or 
heavenly 
nflcle 
in 
thr 
,\ 
ilclcl'IJe,,~. 
nI1c1 
the 
,,;piritnal 
things 
which 
it 
or 
spirit-begotten 
l'ondition, 
reached 
through 
consecration 
11ln~tl'atl'd 
Thp 
Court, 
I'ntpJ"('d 
throtwh 
thr 
:.r.d,l'. 
~lgnl1ied 
the 
(and 
the 
closest 
possible 
approach 
to 
God) 
that 
the 
Apostle 
fltate 
or 
pOIHlition 
of 
the 
,1u"tifiecl, 
\\:10 
mn~t 
pass 
the 
Altar 
urges, 
"Let 
us 
draw 
near." 
His 
language 
implies 
that 
there 
representing 
Christ'fl 
"aerifil'e 
for 
Rinq; 
secondly, 
approach 
lIlay 
properly 
be 
a 
diffidence 
nn 
our 
part 
in 
respect 
to 
this 
the 
LaYer 
of 
water 
for 
eleansing 
from 
defilement,,; 
and 
then 
privilege. 
\Ve 
might 
properly 
hesitate 
to 
expect 
to 
have 
be 
ready 
to 
pass 
under 
the 
first 
Vfli] 
into 
the 
apartment 
of 
the 
eommunion, 
fellowship, 
close 
approach 
to 
the 
great 
Creator, 
Tahernacle 
called 
"The 
Holy." 
Thi'l 
"Holy" 
apartment 
upre- 
realizing 
that 
by 
nature 
we 
are 
imperfect, 
"children 
of 
wrath, 
RPnted 
the 
state 
or 
condition 
of 
God's 
consecrated 
people 
evpn 
as 
others," 
and 
that 
in 
whatever 
degree 
we 
differ 
from 
(typi 
fipd 
by 
JRrae1's 
prie~ts) 
whIle 
:vet 
in 
the 
flesh, 
und 
had 
others 
and 
are 
accounted 
worthy 
of 
Ru(·h 
a 
privilege 
of 
drawing 
itA 
Goldpn 
Camllp<,tipk 
for 
their 
enlightenment, 
it'l 
table 
of 
near 
to 
God, 
it 
is 
not 
on 
account 
of 
personal 
worth 
on 
our 
She", 
hrpall. 
l'epreRcnting 
thpir 
privilege 
of 
fellowship 
with 
part, 
bnt 
on 
account 
of 
God's 
grace 
bestowed 
upon 
us 
through 
God,-drawlIlg" 
near 
to 
lllm 
III 
prayer, 
prai"e 
and 
ponllnunion. 
.TeRufl 
0111' 
Lord, 
The 
Apostle 
therefore 
flpeaks 
to 
helieyer'! 
in 
[2670] 
(224 227) explain the significance of his action in making a clay ointment out of dust with his spittle, and anointing the man’s eyes with this, and sending him to wash them and receive sight at the Pool of Sileam, we may exercise our mental powers in thinking of what these different things would signify. But we are limited in our speculations, nevertheless, and may not run wild, but must restrain ourselves within the limits of plain statements of the Word of God respecting his plan of salvation. In harmony with these plain statements we may interpret our Lord’s symbolical act thus: The blind man would fitly represent the world of mankind in general, who during the present life are mentally blind—who cannot now sce the goodness, mercy, and love of God as these may be recognized by others who are now able to see them. His being born blind would harmonize with this thought, for the blindness that is upon the world is, to a large extent at least, a matter of heredity. lis blindness does not represent a blindness on the part of those who have once seen God’s grace, represented in his Word and plan, and who have then become blind thereto, and who would represent the class mentioned by the Apostle as having once been enlightened, and who subsequently lose that. enlightenment. (TIeb. 6:4-6) If then the blind man represents the blind world (who do not see, in the sense that the chinch sees, of whom the Lord said, “Blessed are your eyes for they see’), the time of the healing of such blindness is in the Millennial age, as Scripturally pointed out, when “AIL the blind eyes shall be opened, and the deaf ears unstopped.” (Isa, 35:5) And this agrees with the conditions of our Lord's mimiacle, because we are mformed that this miracle took place on the Sabbath, or seventh day, which corresponds to, and typifies the Millennial day, the sevenththousand year period, Our Lord’s words, nevertheless, seem to indicate that some part of this symbolical picture relates to the present age, for he said, “I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day: the night cometh wherein no man can work.” In this statement the word “day” would seem to belong to the present time, and to be illustrated in the making of clay with our Lord’s spittle, and the anointing of the blind man’s eyes. The washing of his eyes and the cure would seem to belong to the next age, the Millennial age. The Lord's spittle, the secretions of his mouth, might 1epresent the truth as fitly as would the words of his mouth—it is another figure, but seemingly of the same force and meaning. He uttered the truth, brought it in contact with the dust of the earth—not in contact with all the dust of the earth, but with a limited portion, an elect or select portion—and of this he made the anointing clay. The Scriptures do inform us, in harmony with this, that the Word of God's grace, delivered through Vou. X XI “LET US DRAW NEAR” ZION’S WATCH TOWER ALLEGHENY, PA., AUGUST 1, 1900 ALLEGHENY, Pa, and by our Lord Jesus, is designed in the present age to act upon a small fragment of humanity, and to consecrate them and make them meet for the Master’s use in the blessing of the world, in the anointing of the eyes of the blind. From this standpoint of view, the making of the clay would represent the formation of the elect church for the blessing of the poor, blind world. And, quite possibly, not only in this work of making the clay now in progress, but perhaps some portion of the anointing work is now being done, as is intimated by the Seripture which declares that the Gospel must first be preached for a wittness in all the world, before the end of this age. The world must be witnessed to during this age, but the world will not have the eyes of its understanding opened during this age: it must wait until the great washing time of the Millennial age, of which the Scriptures declare, “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David for sin and for uncleanness.” (Zech. 13:1) In full agreement with this is the significance of the word Siloam. It signifies “The sending forth,” or “The fountain.” The Pharisee objected to the Lord’s goodness, lecause, forsooth, it infracted some of their hypereritical dogmas and traditions. This is interesting, as showing to what extent religious forms and ceremonies may bind and blind intelligent and reverential people. And this should be a lesson to all the intelligent and reverent, leading them to great care in judging righteous judgment, according to the standard of the divine Word, and not according to their prejudices and revered creeds, and the traditions of the fathers. Still another lesson may be found in the fact that the man who confessed our Lord Jesus, and who stood up in bold defence of righteousness, was greatly blessed, in that after he had thus demonstrated his loyalty to principle, and had suffered as a result excommunication from the church—then the Lord found him. Thus his faithfulness under trials and difficulties, and his willingness to suffer the loss of earthly fellowship and honor amongst men, led directly to a still greater blessing, even direct fellowship and communion with the Lord himself. How many are there whose mental eyes have been opened to the truth, who have been so loyal to the Lord and go appreciative of his goodness as to be faithfal in declaring the facts? How many of these have found that such faithfulness means separation from the synagogue, from the church nominal? How many of these have feared to lose prestige and influence, through confessing the light of present truth? But all who have followed the noble course of thankfulness, loyalty, and obedience to God, have found that such obedience, while it led to a loss of fellowship in the nominal church, led also to a greater fellowship and communion. and a more intimate acquaintance with the Lord himeelf. “Let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from a consciousness of evil, and our bodies sprinkled with pure water.’—Heb. 10:22. Not to sinners is this invitation addressed. The invitation to them is a very different one, vis.—Repent, and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thus obtain the remission of your sins, and then vou will be m the attitude to receive the invitation, Draw near to God. The Apostle is addressing those who have already believed unto justification, receiving to themselves the henefits of the Lord’s promise, “Their sing and iniquities will I remember no more.” (Verse 17) The Apostle is addressing the brethren, and not sinners, and urges them, saying, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness [courage, confidence, privilege} to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. by a new and living way... .. let us draw near.” The Apostle’s words carry our attention to Israel’s Tabernacle in the wilderness. and the spiritual things which it lustrated The Court, entered through the gate, signified the state or condition of the justified, who must pass the Altar representing Christ’s sacrifice for sins, secondly, approach the Laver of water for cleansing from defilements; and then be ready to pass under the first Vail into the apartment of the Tabernacle called “The Holy.” This “Holy” apartment represented the state or condition of God’s consecrated people (typified by Isracl’s priests) while vet in the flesh, and had its Golden Candlestick for their enlightenment, its table of Shewbread. representing their privilege of fellowship with God,—drawing near to him in prayer, praise and communion. The next step beyond the “Holy” was the “Most Holy,” representing heaven itself; Lut this could be entered only from the “Holy” and by passing under the Second Vail, which represented the actual death of the priest, even as the First Vail represented the reckoned death or consecration. ‘The Apostle has this same thought in mind when elsewhere he mentions the consecrated Royal Priesthood as “seated together with Christ in heavenly places’”-—in the heavenly condition, the condition represcnted by the first apartment or “Ifoly” of the Tabernacle and of the Temple. PRIVILEGES OF THE ROYAL PRIESTHOOD It is in reference to this proposition to advance from the “Court” condition of justification into the “Holy” or heavenly or spirit-begotten condition, reached through consecration {and the closest possible approach to God) that the Apostle urges, “Let us draw near.” His language implies that there may properly be a diffidence on our part in respect to this privilege. We might properly hesitate to expect to have communion, fellowship, close approach to the great Creator, realizing that by nature we are imperfect, “children of wrath, even as others,” and that in whatever degree we differ from others and are accounted worthy of such a privilege of drawing near to God, it is not on account of personal worth on our part, but on account of God’s grace bestowed upon us through Jesus our Lord. The Apostle therefore speaks to believers in [2670]

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