6
1
6
download/literature/watchtower/1901-14.pdf
../literature/watchtower/1901/14/1901-14-1.html
(223-227)
ZION'S
WATCH
TOWER
.\u
FGH£N',
P,
Incidentall,Y
we
remalk
that
these
ale
the
"spirits
In
prison"
mentioned
by
Peter
(1
Pet.
3:
19),
and
that
although
re
stricted
as
reRpects
their
powers
of
fellowship
with
the
holy
angels,
and
with
mankind,
being
no
longer
privileged
to
appear
as
men,
they
still
seek
human
fellowship,
endeavoring
to
gain
posses~ion
of
human
beings
who
yield
up
their
wills,
and
who
are
then
said
to
be
possessed
of
devils
or
"obsessed."
It
is
but
a
preliminary
step
toward
thus
getting
possession
of
the
individual
that
these
wicked
spirits
appeal
to
humanity
to
become
their
mediums
(spirit
mediums),
through
whom
they
to
some
extent
communicatp.
And
they
personate
dead
human
beings,
because
they
know
\\'ell
that
humanity
would
shun
them
and
fear
them
if
their
real
identity
were
discovered.
*
•
'NOAH
WAS
PERFECT
IN
HIS
GENERATION"
From
this
~tandpoint,
v.hich
we
hold
is
the
only
reason
..
ble,
com,i"tent
and
:-;criptural
one,
the
reaRon
and
necessity
for
the
deluge
is
quite
apparent.
The
reason
is
Scripturally
given,
that
the
w
hole
world
had
become
corrupt-the
original
Adamic
stock
had
become
confu'led
and
intermixed
with
an
other
life.
The
divine
pU1'po~e
of
redemption,
blessing
and
reshtutlOn
was
confine,l
to
Adam
and
hiS
family;
that
as
by
one
man's
dho!ll'd"'lll'P
~lll
,',Imp
lI1to
tlH'
\\'olld,
l'\
PH
~o
through
the
obedil'nce
of
one
many
may
be
justified
to
life.
Although
foreknowing
the
coudition
of
thmgs
God
made
no
provision
for
the
nllxed
progeny
of
the
angels-that
was
out
of
hh
order,
out
of
harmony
with
hi,;
arrangement,
and
hence
,tS
soon
as
it
had
demonstratpd
itself
and
taught
its
lesson
the
flood
swept
all
away,
except
the
one
family
of
Noah,
of
whom
It
IS
declared,
"Noah
was
a
just
man
and
perfect
in
his
gen
eration."
(Gen.
6:
9
\
Not
a
perfert
man,
for
he
was
a
fallen
man,
as
were
all
of
Adam's
children,
but
he
was
perfect
in
his
generattOn-he
was
not
of
the
mixed
sped,
he
was
pure
Adamic
stock.
The
Hebrew
v.
ord
here
remlprpd
genpmtion
is
toledaw
and
signifies
descent,
family.
The
lesson
taught
by
this
failure
of
the
angel~
and
its
ft'SUlt
to
mankind
wa"
that
any
deviation
fr01l1
the
divine
plan
and
arrangempnt
would
work
injury
instead
of
good
to
those
participating
in,
as
well
as
to
those
afl'ected
by
it.
The
angels
\\
ho
fell
from
their
noble
work
and
condition,
and
became
groveling
and
sensual.
manife~ted
clearly
in
their
own
course
the
downward
tendency
of
all
tran~gressions
of
the
divine
law.
Then
their
children,
who
might
have
been
expected
to
be
bril
liant,
talented,
able,
and
who
were
all
these
in
many
respects
("men
of
renown")
possessed
their
abilities
in
connection
with
!I.
sinful
and
alienah·d
eondition;
and
it
wa"
proper
that
both
angels
and
men
should
see
that
the
greater
the
ability
pos
sessed,
out
of
harmony
with
the
divine
arrangement,
the
greater
would
be
the
injury
instead
of
blessing
which
would
result.
Thus
we
Sl'e
that
these
renowned
men,
with
their
great
abilities,
physical
and
mental,
tended,
not
to
the
promo
tion
of
godliness,
peace,
joy,
happiness
in
the
"orId;
but
to
:,trife,
to
oppression,
to
violenre.
It
may
be
thought
by
some
that
we
are
straining
the
Illus
tration,
when
we
affirm
that
we
"ee
today
in
the
world
some
thing-
that
is
in
many
respects
analogous
to
this
evil
condi
tion
which
led
to
the
dissolution
of
the
first
world
or
dis
pensation;
that
we
sec
that
somewhat
similar
conditions
pro
ducing
somewhat
Rimilar
evils
are
leading
on
rapidly
to
the
great
catastrophe
With
which
"this
present
evil
world"
shall
pass
away,
in
a
great
commotion,
symbolically
called
"fire"
of
anarchy,-giving
place
to
the
new
order,
the
l\1Jllennial
king-
•
See
What
Say
the
Scnpt,trcs
About
Spirttualism?
Proof<
tllat
,t
's
[Jp»lOnlfnl
)(IUllt
..
tll1
....
n[fHP
dom.
The
analogy
1>\
as
between
humamty
and
the
new
ereatures
in
Christ,
who
are
Scripturally
called
"the
sons
of
God."
The
influence
of
these
sons
of
God
upon
the
world
of
mankind
should
be
instructive,
elevating,
helpful,
showing
forth
the
praises
of
him
who
called
them
out
of
darkness
into
his
marvelous
light,-transformed
by
the
renewing
of
their
nunds,
etc.,
they
should
be
letting
their
hght
-'0
slime
beiOlt'
men
that
men
would
see
their
good
works
and
glorify
the
Father
in
heaven.
But
the
influence
of
mankind
upon
the
church
seems
to
have
been
stronger
than
the
influence
of
the
new
creatures
upon
mankind-not
in
all
cases,
but
in
some
cases,
just
as
it
was
with
the
angels.
The
sons
of
God
(the
church),
enlightened
beyond
their
fallen
and
unregenerate
neighbors,
are
men
of
renown,
and
the
civilized
world
of
today,
Christendom,
represents
the
influence
of
this
combination
of
the
spiritual
with
the
natural
in
Babylon-Confusion.
It
has
lifted
up
humanity
wherever
it
has
gone;
it
has
sharpened,
it
has
broadened,
it
has
civilized;
but
lllstead
of
this
combina
tion
working
for
the
highest
benefit
of
mankind
in
all
cases,
we
find,
rather,
that
the
tendency
is
to
combine
the
higher
intelligence
With
human
selfishness,
and
the
result
of
this
union
is
the
bringing
forth
of
giants
in
the
earth,-cor
porative
giants-which
very
shortly
will
give
mankind
a
great
deal
of
trouble
and
fill
the
earth
with
violence.
Are
not
the
trusts
and
combines,
now
rapidly
developing
throughout
the
world,
the
off
"pring
of
this
union
of
heavenly
light
and
intelligence
with
the
selfish
depravity
of
the
fallen
race?
and
what
hope
can
mankind
have
when
once
these
giant~
have
reached
their
growth
and
strength,
and
when
their
Ilt'
cessities
combined
with
their
selfishness,
shall
influence
them
to
exert
their
power
in
the
world?
Will
it
not
lead
to
violence?
Will
it
not
bring
about
the
time
of
trouble
which
~cripturally
is
described
as
being
a
period
when
"every
man'~
hand
will
be
against
his
neighbor"-when
selfishness
will
ht'
in
control
in
every
direction
and
amongst
all
classes
except
those
who,
like
Noah
and
his
family,
are
in
the
Ark
of
safet,\'
-under
the
Lord's
special
and
protecting
care?
\Ve
would
not
press
the
figure
too
far,
but
we
do
see
"ome
analo~'
as
between
the
end
of
the
first
world
or
dispensation
and
the
end
of
the
preRent
dispensation,
the
second
world.
The
printed
lesson
deals
particularly
with
the
going
forth
of
Noah,
his
thankfulness
to
God,
his
worship,
as
expressed
in
the
building
of
the
altar,
and
the
offering
of
the
sacrifice,
typifying
man's
reliance
upon
God
and
the
great
sacrifice
for
'lin
securing
the
return
of
divine
favor
which
would
be
accom
plished
in
due
time
by
Messiah.
The
ofl'ering
was
accepted
by
the
Lord,
who
declared
that
the
earth
should
nevermore
be
visited
by
such
a
catastrophe,
and
that
nevermore
should
every
living
thing
be
smitten;
and
in
this
we
see
another
evidence
that
the
coming
trouble
will
not
destroy
all
human
life,
although
it
is
represented
symbolically
as
fire:
the
fire
of
that
day
will
burn
against
all
wickedness,
against
all
sin,
to
de
stroy
it
root
and
branch,
yet
the
Lord,
through
the
Prophet,
declares
that
after
the
fire
of
his
anger
shall
have
burned
in
fierceness
against
the
world
of
mankind,
he
will
subsequently
turn
to
the
people
a
pure
language,
that
they
may
all
call
upon
the
name
of
the
Lord,
to
serve
him
with
one
consent
thus
indirating
that
while
the
symbolical
fire
of
that
day
will
destroy
the
institutions,
arrangements,
peculiar
to
this
time,
it
will
not
destroy
all
the
people.
but
prepare
them
for
the
reception
of
the
Lord's
message
of
favor
and
blessing,
for
it
is
written,
"When
the
judgments
of
the
Lord
are
abroad
in
thf'
earth
the
inhabitants
of
the
world
will
learn
righteousness."
Zeph.
3:8,
9;
lsa.
26:9.
Our
German
tJi"nds
ale
lllgmg
that
DAWN.
VOL.
V.,
be
publi~hed
in
their
language
for
the
benefit
of
those
who
can
not
so
clearly,
or
at
all
understand
the
English
language.
We
'lubmit
the
matter
to
you
and
inquire
now,-How
many
con
~ider
thiS
advi~able"
~ay
how
many
eopies
you
will
want
at
DA\VN
VOL.
V.
IN
GERMAN
12%c
in
paper
covers
po>\tpaid
in
America,
or
25c
in
cloth
plus
10c
postage
anywhere.
If
we
obtain
a
sufficient
number
of
orders
to
meet
one-half
of
the
expense
we
will
publish
it.
You
need
not
send
the
money
now,
but
merely
say
how
many
copies
you
will
take
if
it
is
puhlished.
VOL.
XXII
ALLEGHENY,
PA.,
JULY
15,
1901
No.
14
"BEHEADED
FOR
THE
TESTIMONY
OF
JESUS"
"And
I
saw
the
81.r1/18
[pl'rsons]
of
them
that
were
beheaded
for
the
!citness
of
Jesus,
and
for
the
word
of
God,
...
and
they
lIVed
and
reigned
with
Christ
a
thousand
years."-Rev.
20
:4.
All
comtituting
the
kingdom
ela~"
are
here
referred
to
Pentecost
to
the
present
time,
have
died
by
decapitation.
We
as
beheaded-every
member
of
the
glorified
church
must,
are
to
remember,
however,
that
this
statement
is
from
the
eventually,
have
this
experience,
whatever
it
signifies.
But
symbolical
book,
and
is
therefore
a
figure
of
speech,
a
word
we
reflect
that
our
Lord
wa"
not
beheaded
and,
so
far
as
picture,
and
its
meaning
must
be
sought
for
accordingly.
history
shows,
few,
if
any,
of
the
apostles
were
literally
be-
The
Apostle
gives
us
the
key,
saying,
"The
head
of
hf'aded;
indel'd.
vl'rv
ft'w.
if
any.
of
the
Lord's
saints,
from
every
man
i"
Christ,
the
head
of
the
woman
IS
the
man;
[2844]
(223-227) ZION’S Incidentally we remaik that these are the “spirits in prison” mentioned by Peter (1 Pet. 3:19), and that although restricted as respects their powers of fellowship with the holy angels, and with mankind, being no longer privileged to appear as men, they still seek human fellowship, endeavoring to gain possession of human beings who yield up their wills, and who are then said to be possessed of devils or “obsessed.” It is but a preliminary step toward thus getting possession of the individual that these wicked spirits appeal to humanity to become their mediums (spirit mediums), through whom they to some extent communicate. And they personate dead human beings, because they know well that humanity would shun them and fear them if their real identity were discovered.* “NOAH WAS PERFECT IN HIS GENERATION’ From this standpoint, which we hold is the only reasonable, consistent and Scriptural one, the reason and necessity for the deluge is quite apparent. The reason is Scripturally given, that the whole world had become corrupt—the original Adamie stock had become confused and intermixed with another life. The divine purpose of redemption, blessing and restitution was confined to Adam and his family; that as by one man’s disobedience sin came inte the world. even so through the obedience of one many may be justified to life. Although foreknowing the condition of things God made no provision for the mixed progeny of the angels—that was out of his order, out of harmony with his arrangement, and hence ag soon as it had demonstrated itself and taught its lesson the flood swept all away, except the one family of Noah, of whom it 1s declared, “Noah was a just man and perfect in his generation.” (Gen. 6:9) Not a perfect man, for he was a fallen man, as were all of Adam’s children, but he was perfect in his gencration—he was not of the mixed seed, he was pure Adamic stock. The Hebrew word here rendered generation is toledaw and signifies descent, family. The lesson taught by this failure of the angels and its result to mankind was that any deviation from the divine plan and arrangement would work injury instead of good to those participating in, as well as to those affected by it. The angels who fell from their noble work and condition, and became groveling and sensual, manifested clearly in their own course the downward tendency of all transgressions of the divine law. Then their children, who might have been expected to be brilliant, talented, able, and who were all these in many respects (“men of renown”) possessed their abilities in connection with a sinful and alienated condition; and it was proper that both angels and men should see that the greater the ability possessed, out of harmony with the divine arrangement, the greater would be the injury instead of blessing which would result. Thus we see that these renowned men, with their great abilities, physical and mental, tended, not to the promotion of godliness, peace, joy, happiness in the world; but to strife, to oppression, to violence. It may be thought by some that we are straining the llustration. when we affirm that we see today in the world something that is in many respects analogous to this evil condition which led to the dissolution of the first world or dispensation; that we see that somewhat similar conditions producing somewhat similar evils are leading on rapidly to the great catastrophe with which “this present evil world” shall pass away, in a great commotion, symbolically called “fire” of anarchy,—giving place to the new order, the Millennial king *See What Say the Scriptures About Spirttualism® Proofs that 1 ts Demontsm 10 cents this office DAWN VOL. V, Our German friends aie urging that Dawn, VoL. V., be published in their language for the benefit of those who cannot so clearly, or at all understand the English language. We submit the matter to you and inquire now,—How many consider this advisable’ Say how many copies you will want at WATCH TOWER ALLFGHENY, Pv dom. The analogy is as between humamty and the new creatures in Christ, who are Scripturally called “the sons of God.” The influence of these sons of God upon the world of mankind should be instructive, elevating, helpful, showing forth the praises of him who called them out of darkness into his marvelous light,—transformed by the renewing of their minds, etc., they should be letting their light 50 shine betoie men that men would see their good works and glorify the Father in heaven. But the influence of mankind upon the church seems to have been stronger than the influence of the new creatures upon mankind—not in all cases, but in some cases, just as it was with the angels. The sons of God (the church), enlightened beyond their fallen and unregenerate neighbors, are men of renown, and the civilized world of today, Christendom, represents the influence of this combination of the spiritual with the natural in Babylon—Confusion. It has lifted up humanity wherever it has gone; it has sharpened, it has broadened, it has civilized; but instead of this combination working for the highest benefit of mankind in all cases, we find, rather, that the tendency is to combine the higher intelligence with human selfishness, and the result of this union is the bringing forth of giants in the earth,—corporative giants—which very shortly will give mankind a great deal of trouble and fill the earth with violence. Are not the trusts and combines, now rapidly developing throughout the world, the offspring of this union of heavenly light and intelligence with the selfish depravity of the fallen race? and what hope can mankind have when once these giants have reached their growth and strength, and when their necessities combined with their selfishness, shall influence them to exert their power in the world? Will it not lead to violence? Will it not bring about the time of trouble which Scripturally is described as being a period when “every man’s hand will be against his neighbor”—when selfishness will be in control in every direction and amongst all classes except those who, like Noah and his family, are in the Ark of safety —under the Lord’s special and protecting care? We would not press the figure too far, but we do see some analogy as between the end of the first world or dispensation and the end of the present dispensation, the second world. The printed lesson deals particularly with the going forth of Noah, his thankfulness to God, his worship, as expressed in the building of the altar, and the offering of the sacrifice, typifying man’s reliance upon God and the great sacrifice for sin securing the return of divine favor which would be accomplished in due time by Messiah. The offering was accepted by the Lord, who declared that the earth should nevermore be visited by such a catastrophe, and that nevermore should every living thing be smitten; and in this we see another evidence that the coming trouble will not destroy all human life, although it is represented symbolically as fire: the fire of that day will burn against all wickedness, against all sin, to destroy it root and branch, yet the Lord, through the Prophet, declares that after the fire of his anger shall have burned in fierceness against the world of mankind, he will subsequently turn to the people a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of the Lord, to serve him with one consent— thus indicating that while the symbolical fire of that day will destroy the institutions, arrangements, peculiar to this time, it will not destroy all the people. but prepare them for the reception of the Lord’s message of favor and blessing, for it is written, “When the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.”— Zeph. 3:8, 9: Isa. 26:9. IN GERMAN 12%4e in paper covers postpaid in America, or 25¢ in cloth plus 10c postage anywhere. If we obtain a sufficient number of orders to meet one-half of the expense we will publish it. You need not send the money now, but merely say how many copies you will take if it is published. VoL. XXII ALLEGHENY, PA., JULY 15, 1901 No. 14 “BEHEADED FOR THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS” “And I saw the suuls | persons] of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, ... and they lied and reigned with Christ All constituting the kingdom class are here referred to a8 beheaded—every member of the glorified church must, eventually, have this experience, whatever it signifies. But we reflect that our Lord was not beheaded and, so far as history shows, few, if any, of the apostles were literally beheaded; indeed. very few, if any, of the Lord’s saints, from a thousand years.”—Rev. 20:4. Pentecost to the present time, have died by decapitation. We are to remember, however, that this statement is from the symbolical book, and is therefore a figure of speech, a wordpicture, and its meaning must be sought for accordingly. The Apostle gives us the key, saying, “The head of every man is Christ, the head of the woman is the man; [2844]
To enhance your experience on our website, we use cookies and similar technologies. Some cookies are essential for the core functionality of our site and cannot be declined. You can choose to accept or decline additional cookies. We want to assure you that none of this data will be sold or used for marketing purposes. You can adjust your preferences at any time by accessing the Privacy Settings from the footer of the page. For more information, please refer to our
Privacy Policy
Terms of Use
.
