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ZION'S
WATCH
TOWER
ALLEGHaNY,
PA.
To
appreciate
their
question
we
must
understand
that
the
Sadducees
were
a
class
of
Jew.s
well
educated,
intellectual,
but
utterly
lacking
in
any
faith
respecting
a
future
life.
Whether
or
not
they
believed
in
a
God,
we
are
not
informed,
but
that
they
did
not
believe
in
invisible
angels
ar
spirit
beings
of
any
kind,
and
that
they
denied
that
there
would
be
a
resurrection
for
mankind
more
than
for
the
brute
beast
was
clearly
stated.
They
were
worldly-wise
men
who
believed
that
their
countrymen
were
laboring
under
a
foolish
delusion
in
expecting
any
blessings
in
the
future.
They
held
that
when
a
man
dies
that
i.s
the
end
of
him.
The
Sadducees
presented
a
question
which
they
thought
would
show
up
the
weakness
of
J
csus'
position
before
the
people,
and
incidentally
also
the
weakness
of
the
theories
of
other
Jews.
Their
question
was
probably
a
suppositious
one,
thaugh
stated
as
a
fact.
They
cited
the
Jewish
law
respecting
Jewish
marriage
stated
in
Deuteronomv
25:5-10.
The
ob
ject
of
that
law
seemingly
was
to
prevent
the
obliteration
of
any
family.
The
suppositious
case
was
that
under
this
law
one
brother
married
and,
dying
without
children,
the
second
brother
married
his
wife,
and
so
on
until
the
seven
brethren
had
married
the
one
woman,
each
In
turn.
Now
the
query
was,
Whose
wife
should
she
be
in
the
re.surrection,
since
she
was
the
wife
of
the
seven
during
her
earthly
life'
The
question
was
intended
to
show
the
absurdity
of
believ
ing
in
a
reflurrection,
that
it
would
occasion
all
kinds
of
confusion,
etc.
Our
Lord's
answer
was,
Is
not
your
difficulty,
your
error,
this-that
ye
unc1erstand
not
the
Scriptures
nor
the
power
of
God'
If
you
sufficiently
appreciated
the
power
of
God
you
would
know
that
he
who
is
able
to
raise
the
dead
is
able
also
to
order
and
dltect
all
the
incidental
affairs
con
nected
with
the
resurrection
of
mankind.
If
you
had
a
proper
appreciation
of
God's
character
you
would
have
faith
in
him
and
woulc1
not
stumble
aver
such
a
trivial
matter
as
this.
Leave
it
with
God.
Let
me
explain,
however,
that
when
they
shall
ri.se
from
the
dead
they
will
neither
marry
nor
be
given
in
marriage,
but
will
be
like
the
angels
in
heaven,
sexless.
This
was
a
new
thought
to
them.
Our
Lord
did
nat
attempt
a
particular
answer
to
their
que.stion,
knowing
(1)
that
they
were
not
sincere
question
ers,
and
that
such
an
explanation
would
be
like
casting
pearls
before
swine;
(2)
furthermore,
it
was
not
yet
time
to
give
an
explanation
of
many
of
the
details
respecting
the
resurrection.
Many
of
those
details
belong
only
to
the
spir
itual,
and
could
not
be
understoon.
by
any
except
those
be
gotten
of
the
Spirit,
and
the
Spirit
begetting
could
not
come
until
Pentecost,
and
Pentecost
could
not
came
until
after
the
Lord
had
paid
our
penalty
with
the
sacrifice
of
himself
and
had
ascended
up
on
high
and
appeared
in
the
presence
of
God
on
our
behalf.
From
our
standpoint,
however,
we
see
that
our
Lord
withont
designating
the
resurrection
of
the
church
or
th~
resurrection
of
the
worlc1,
stated
the
matter
broadly
in
such
a
way
as
to
apply
to
both.
For
instance,
those
who
will
constitute
the
church,
and
who
will
be
changed
from
earthly
to
heavenly
nature
in
the
first
resurrection-"
changed
in
a
moment'
'-will
be
Spirit
beings
like
unto
our
Lard
and
like
unto
the
angels
also
in
respect
that
they
will
be
se~less.
As
for
the
world,
which
will
not
be
changed
from
earthly
to
heavenly
nature,
and
will
not
experience
a
resurrection
change
in
a
moment,
but
a
gradual
change
or
uplift,
pro
gressing
step
by
step
during
the
thousand
years
of
the
"times
of
restitution,"
it
will
al.so
be
true
that
when
they
shall
have
attained
that
world
and
shall
have
attained
the
resurrection
from
the
dead
they
will
neither
marry
nor
be
given
in
marriage,
but
be
sexless.
That
is
to
say,
the
re
stored
human
family
will,
during
the
period
of
restitution,
lose
their
sexual
distinctions,
and
at
the
end
of
the
thousand
year.s
be
all
of
them
in
perfection,
like
Adam
was
before
Eve
was
taken
from
his
side.
•
'NOT
THE
GOD
OF
THE
DEAD"
Having
answered
their
question
that
the
resurrection
diffi
culties
they
anticipated
arose
from
a
failure
to
appreciate
the
divine
power
then
in
control,
our
Lord
passed
onward
in
the
argument
to
show
that
they
did
not
grasp
the
spirit
of
the
Scriptural
testimony.
They
had
reasoned
that
the
Old
Testa·
ment
saia
very
little
about
resurrection
anyway.
Our
Lord
pro
ceeded
to
show
them
that
there
were
various
features
of
the
Scriptures
which
indirectly
taught
the
resurrection
without
mentioning
it
in
so
many
words.
He
pointed
them
to
the
time
when
the
Lord
appeared
to
Moses
and
spoke
to
him
from
the
burning
bush,
saying,
"I
am
the
God
of
Abraham,
the
God
of
Isaac
and
the
God
of
Jacob."
Jesus'
argument
with
the
Sad
ducees
was
that
since
Abraham,
Isaac
and
Jacob
were
at
this
time
dead,
for
God
to
thus
speak
of
them
implied
a
resurrec
tion
of
the
dead,
implied
that
he
still
recognized
them
in
some
sense
or
degree,
that
they
were
not
extinct-that
God,
for
in
stance,
would
not
speak
of
being
the
God
of
a
dead
camel
or
a
dead
dog,
because
he
had
made
no
provision
for
a
resurrection
of
camels,
dogs,
etc.,
but
his
provision
for
the
resurrection
of
the
human
dead
is
a
fact,
and
constitutes
a
full
explanation
of
his
statement
here-that
he
is
still
the
God
of
Abraham,
Isaac
and
Jacob.
We
live
in
a
day
when
Satan's
delusions
through
Platonic
philosophy
has
gained
a
large
control
over
the
world.
All
the
heathen
today
believe
that
death
is
not
death,
but
an
entrance
into
a
fuller
life,
and
Christian
people
in
general
so
believe,
some
of
them
even
using
this
passage
of
Scripture
to
demon
strate
their
belief,
saying
that
if
God
be
the
God
of
Abraham,
Isaac
and
Jacob
they
could
not
have
been
dead
in
any
sense
of
the
word,
but
must
have
been
alive
somewhere,
they
know
not
where.
We
answer
that
these
also
err
in
not
giving
proper
at
tention
to
the
Scriptures,
which
teach
not
that
the
dead
are
alive,
but
that
there
shall
be
a
resurrection
of
the
dead,
both
of
the
just
and
of
the
unjust.
This
is
what
our
Lord
taught,
and
this
is
therefore
what
all
of
his
followers
should
believe
if
they
would
have
the
full
blessing
intended
for
those
who
con
tend
earnestly
for
the
faith
once
delivered
to
the
saints.
Note
that
our
Lord
so
expresses
it:
his
argument
is
based
upon
and
introduced
by
the
words,
"As
touching
the
dead
that
they
arise,
have
ye
not
heard,"
etc.-he
does
not
say
"as
touching
the
living
that
they
shall
arise,"
for
how
can
the
living
arise'
It
is
the
dead
who
need
a
resurrection.
The
Scriptures
never
suggested
the
absurdity
of
the
resurrection
of
the
living,
but
continually
assure
us
of
the
resurrection
of
the
dead,
both
the
just
and
the
unjust.-Acts
24:15.
Every
doctrine
of
the
Bible
is
intimately
associated
with
the
statement
that
the
wages
of
sin
is
literal,
actual
death
not
merely
the
death
of
the
body,
but"
the
soul
that
sinneth
it
shall
die."
(Ezek.
18
:4.)
The
death
of
the
soul
was
the
penalty
upon
Adam
and
upon
all
of
his
race;
hence
our
Lord
redeemed
our
souls
from
the
tomb
(Psalm
49:
15),
and
the
redemption
price
he
gave
was
his
own
soul,
his
own
being,
when"
he
poured
out
his
soul
unto
death,"
"he
made
his
soul
an
offering
for
sin."
(Isa.
53:
10,
12.)
Since
it
is
the
souls
of
men
that
are
redeemed
the
resurrection
is
to
be
a
r~surrec
tion
of
the
souls,
and
the
resurrection
of
our
Lord,
we
are
told,
was
a
resurrection
of
his
soul,
as
foretold
by
the
Prophet
and
confirmed
by
the
Apostle,
"Thou
wilt
not
leave
my
soul
in
sheol,"
hades,
in
the
tomb.-Psa.
16
:10;
Acts
2
:31.
While
it
is
unwise
to
push
this
feature
of
the
truth
to
the
front
because
of
the
prejudice
that
exists
in
the
minds
of
so
many
of
the
Lord's
people,
and
because
it
is
proper
that
we
should
be
wise
fishers
of
men,
nevertheless
it
is
absolutely
in
dispensable
to
an
appreciation
of
the
divine
plan
that
all
should
come
ultimately
to
see
that
this
is
the
fundamental
teaching
of
God's
Word,
and
to
build
the
proper
faith
structure
in
har
mony
therewith.
Adam
died
and
we
in
him-Christ
died
as
our
Redeemer,
and
thereby
made
possible
the
resurrection
of
the
dead,
both
of
the
just
and
unjust,
as
promised
in
God's
Word.
We
who
now
are
called
have
the
special
invitation
to
be
of
the
just,
the
justified,
the
acceptable
with
God-to
have
part
in
the
First
Resurrection
and
be
the
kings
and
priests
to
reign
with
our
Lord
on
the
earth,
to
bless
the
world
and
to
grant
to
man
kind
in
general
the
gradual
uplifting
or
raising
up
out
of
sin
and-death
conditions
to
the
full
perfection
of
human
nature
lost
in
Adam
and
redeemed
by
the
precious
blood.
VOL.
XXVII
ALLEGHENY,
P
A.,
SEPTEMBER
15,
1906
VIEWS
FROM
THE
WATCH
TOWER
No.
18
THE
JEW
I
THE
JEW
I
THE
JEW
I
spiring
throughout
the
world
affecting
the
Jews.
Noting
that
Spiritual
Israelites,
who
recognize
that
according
to
the
the
favor
to
Spiritual
Israel
meant
the
disfavor
of
natural
Word
of
God
natural
Israel
is
yet
to
play
an
important
part
Israel,
and
that
the
completion
of
Spiritual
Israel
would
mean
in
the
world's
affairs,
naturally
wateh
keenly
everything
tran-
the
return
of
natural
Israel
to
divine
favor
(Rom.
11:25-32),
[3854]
(286-291) To appreciate their question we must understand that the Sadducees were a class of Jews well educated, intellectual, but utterly lacking in any faith respecting a future life. Whether or not they believed in a God, we are not informed, but that they did not believe in invisible angels or spirit beings of any kind, and that they denied that there would be a resurrection for mankind more than for the brute beast was clearly stated. They were worldly-wise men who believed that their countrymen were laboring under a foolish delusion in expecting any blessings in the future. They held that when aman dies that is the end of him. The Sadducees presented a question which they thought would show up the weakness of Jesus’ position before the people, and incidentally also the weakness of the theories of other Jews. Their question was probably a suppositious one, though stated as a fact. They cited the Jewish law respecting Jewish marriage stated in Deuteronomy 25:5-10. The object of that law seemingly was to prevent the obliteration of any family. The suppositious case was that under this law one brother married and, dying without children, the second brother married his wife, and so on until the seven brethren had married the one woman, each in turn. Now the query was, Whose wife should she be in the resurrection, since she was the wife of the seven during her earthly life? The question was intended to show the absurdity of believing in a resurrection, that it would oceasion all kinds of confusion, ete. Our Lord’s answer was, Is not your difficulty, your error, this—that ye understand not the Scriptures nor the power of God? If you sufficiently appreciated the power of God you would know that he who is able to raise the dead is able also to order and direct all the incidental affairs connected with the resurrection of mankind. If you had a proper appreciation of God’s character you would have faith in him and would not stumble over such a trivial matter as this. Leave it with God. Let me explain, however, that when they shall rise from the dead they will neither marry nor be given in marriage, but will be like the angels in heaven, sexless. This was a new thought to them. Our Lord did not attempt a particular answer to their question, knowing (1) that they were not sincere questioners, and that such an explanation would be like casting pearls before swine; (2) furthermore, it was not yet time to give an explanation of many of the details respecting the resurrection. Many of those details belong only to the spiritual, and could not be understood by any except those begotten of the Spirit, and the Spirit begetting could not come until Pentecost, and Pentecost could not come until after the Lord had paid our penalty with the sacrifice of himself and had ascended up on high and appeared in the presence of God on our behalf. From our standpoint, however, we see that our Lord, without designating the resurrection of the church or the resurrection of the world, stated the matter broadly in such a way as to apply to both. For instance, those who will constitute the church, and who will be changed from earthly to heavenly nature in the first resurrection—‘‘changed in a moment’’—will be Spirit beings like unto our Lord, and like unto the angels also in respect that they will be sexless. As for the world, which will not be changed from earthly to heavenly nature, and will not experience a resurrection change in a moment, but a gradual change or uplift, progressing step by step during the thousand years of the “‘times of restitution,’’ it will also be true that when they shall have attained that world and shall have attained the resurrection from the dead they will neither marry nor be given in marriage, but be sexless. That is to say, the restored human family will, during the period of restitution, lose their sexual distinctions, and at the end of the thousand years be atl of them in perfection, like Adam was before Eve was taken from his side. . “NOT THE GOD OF THE DEAD”’ Having answered their question that the resurrection diffi culties they anticipated arose from a failure to appreciate the ZION’S WATCH TOWER Atiecueny, Pa, divine power then in control, our Lord passed onward in the argument to show that they did not grasp the spirit of the Seriptural testimony. They had reasoned that the Old Testament said very little about resurrection anyway. Our Lord proceeded to show them that there were various features of the Seriptures which indirectly taught the resurrection without mentioning it in so many words. He pointed them to the time when the Lord appeared to Moses and spoke to him from the burning bush, saying, ‘‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaae and the God of Jacob.’’ Jesus’ argument with the Sadducees was that since Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were at this time dead, for God to thus speak of them implied a resurrection of the dead, implied that he still recognized them in some sense or degree, that they were not extinct—that God, for instance, would not speak of being the God of a dead camel or a dead dog, because he had made no provision for a resurrection of camels, dogs, ete., but his provision for the resurrection of the human dead is a fact, and constitutes a full explanation of his statement here—that he is still the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. We live in a day when Satan’s delusions through Platonic philosophy has gained a large control over the world. All the heathen today believe that death is not death, but an entrance into a fuller life, and Christian people in general so believe, some of them even using this passage of Scripture to demonstrate their belief, saying that if God be the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob they could not have been dead in any sense of the word, but must have been alive somewhere, they know not where. We answer that these also err in not giving proper attention to the Scriptures, which teach not that the dead are alive, but that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and of the unjust. This is what our Lord taught, and this is therefore what all of his followers should believe if they would have the full blessing intended for those who contend earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints. Note that our Lord so expresses it: his argument is based upon and introduced by the words, ‘‘As touching the dead that they arise, have ye not heard,’’ ete.—he does not say ‘‘as touching the living that they shall arise,’’ for how can the living arise? It is the dead who need a resurrection. The Scriptures never suggested the absurdity of the resurrection of the living, but continually assure us of the resurrection of the dead, both the just and the unjust.—Acts 24:15. Every doctrine of the Bible is intimately associated with the statement that the wages of sin is literal, actual death— not merely the death of the body, but ‘‘the soul that sinneth it shall die.’? (Ezek. 18:4.) The death of the soul was the penalty upon Adam and upon all of his race; hence our Lord redeemed our souls from the tomb (Psalm 49:15), and the redemption price he gave was his own soul, his own being, when ‘‘he poured out his soul unto death,’’ ‘‘he made his soul au offering for sin.’’ (Isa. 53:10, 12.) Since it is the souls of men that are redeemed the resurrection is to be a resurrection of the souls, and the resurrection of our Lord, we are told, was a resurrection of his soul, as foretold by the Prophet and confirmed by the Apostle, ‘‘Thou wilt not leave my soul in sheol,’’ hades, in the tomb.—Psa. 16:10; Acts 2:31. While it is unwise to push this feature of the truth to the front because of the prejudice that exists in the minds of so many of the Lord’s people, and because it is proper that we should be wise fishers of men, nevertheless it is absolutely indispensable to an appreciation of the divine plan that all should come ultimately to see that this is the fundamental teaching of God’s Word, and to build the proper faith structure in harmony therewith. Adam died and we in him—Christ died as our Redeemer, and thereby made possible the resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust, as promised in God’s Word. We who now are called have the special invitation to be of the just, the justified, the acceptable with God—to have part in the First Resurrection and be the kings and priests to reign with our Lord on the earth, to bless the world and to grant to mankind in general the gradual uplifting or raising up out of sinand-death conditions to the full perfection of human nature Jost in Adam and redeemed by the precious blood. Vout. XXVII ALLEGHENY, PA., SEPTEMBER 15, 1906 No. 18 VIEWS FROM THE WATCH TOWER THE JEW! THE JEW! THE JEW! Spiritual Israelites, who recognize that according to the Word of God natural Israel is yet to play an important part in the world’s affairs, naturally watch keenly everything tran spiring throughout the world affecting the Jews. Noting that the favor to Spiritual Israel meant the disfavor of natural Israel, and that the completion of Spiritual Israel would mean the return of natural Israel to divine favor (Rom. 11:25-32), [3854]
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