Publication date
1/15/13
Volume
34
Number
2
The WatchTower
Covenant Relationship with God Essential to Life Everlasting
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1913/2/1913-2-1.html
 
 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y 
And 
now, 
the 
women 
of 
my 
class 
of 
last 
winter 
and 
the 
winter 
before 
arc 
begging 
me 
to 
talk 
to 
them 
again. 
I 
may 
choose 
my 
own 
subject, 
and 
I 
want 
to 
give 
some" 
Talks 
on 
the 
Bible." 
I 
have 
consulted 
a 
dear 
brother 
and 
sister 
here, 
and 
they 
advise 
me 
to 
give 
the 
talks-they 
think 
it 
is 
a 
wonderful 
opportunity. 
But 
we 
finally 
decided 
we 
would 
sub­ 
mit 
the 
question 
to 
you. 
The 
situation 
is, 
I 
know, 
unusual, 
and 
as 
I 
told 
Sister 
C., 
it 
is 
so 
difficult 
to 
make 
the 
situation 
understood 
in 
all 
its 
details. 
But 
I 
think 
I 
have 
stated 
the 
main 
facts. 
Of 
course, 
my 
whole 
object 
will 
be 
to 
endeavor 
to 
have 
those 
who 
listen 
to 
me 
read 
the 
SCRIPTURE 
STUDIES 
for 
themselves. 
I 
know, 
dear 
brother, 
you 
are 
a 
busy 
man, 
and 
I 
am 
sorry 
to 
trespass 
so 
much 
upon 
your 
valuable 
time, 
but 
I 
am 
so 
anxious 
to 
do 
whatever 
work 
I 
can 
at 
this 
time; 
for 
"the 
night 
cometh 
in 
which 
no 
man 
can 
work." 
And 
at 
the 
same 
time 
I 
do 
not 
wish 
to 
be 
disorderly 
or 
bring 
any 
reproach 
upon 
the 
ecclesia. 
Now, 
will 
you 
please 
tell 
me 
what 
I 
ought 
to 
do~ 
If 
you 
would 
like 
to 
have 
me, 
I 
will 
give 
you 
a 
list 
of 
my 
subjects 
and 
a 
little 
synopsis 
of 
each. 
I 
am 
praying 
only 
to 
be 
guided 
in 
this 
and 
in 
all 
thmgB 
by 
the 
spirit 
of 
truth. 
Your 
sister 
in 
Christ, 
CHARLOTTE 
C. 
HEINEMAN.-Cal. 
REPLY 
Dear 
Sister 
in 
Christ:- 
Yours 
of 
recent 
date 
is 
at 
hand 
and 
contents 
are 
noted. 
We 
rejoice 
with 
you 
in 
the 
fact 
that 
the 
Lord 
has 
found 
you 
worthy 
of 
receiving 
a 
knowledge 
of 
the 
Truth. 
May 
his 
continued 
guidance 
and 
blessing 
be 
with 
you, 
enabling 
you 
to 
profit 
by 
every 
experience 
which 
comes 
to 
you. 
My 
thought 
would 
be 
that 
the 
Lord 
would 
be 
pleased 
to 
have 
you 
use 
the 
talent 
you 
possess. 
Apparently 
he 
has 
given 
you 
a 
constituency 
in 
which 
you 
can 
work 
and 
regarding 
which 
you 
have 
responsibilities 
toward 
him. 
I 
would 
recom­ 
mend, 
therefore, 
that 
after 
you 
have 
thoroughly 
familiarized 
yourself 
with 
the 
truth, 
you 
resume 
your 
lectures 
to 
women, 
discussing 
nothing 
but 
the 
truth, 
and 
stick 
close 
to 
the 
teach­ 
ings 
in 
the 
volumes 
of 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIPTURES. 
The 
restriction 
that 
St. 
Paul 
makes 
regarding 
women's 
teaching 
refers 
to 
meetings 
of 
the 
church, 
and 
these 
usually 
include 
both 
men 
and 
women. 
The 
meetings 
such 
as 
you 
would 
have 
would 
not 
be 
meetings 
of 
the 
ecclesia, 
and 
to 
my 
understanding 
you 
would 
not 
in 
any 
wise 
come 
under 
the 
restriction 
men­ 
tioned 
by 
St. 
Paul. 
In 
such 
a 
case, 
even 
if 
some 
men 
should 
take 
upon 
themselves 
the 
position 
of 
women 
and 
attend 
one 
of 
your 
lectures, 
this 
would 
bring 
you 
under 
no 
condemnation. 
Not 
only 
would 
it 
be 
proper 
for 
you 
to 
resume 
your 
lec­ 
tures, 
but 
if 
your 
finances 
would 
permit, 
and 
the 
way 
should 
open 
for 
you 
to 
again 
meet 
and 
address 
women 
in 
other 
cities, 
whom 
you 
had 
formerly 
served, 
or 
whom 
you 
could 
reach, 
I 
would 
recommend 
that 
you 
extend 
your 
work 
accordingly. 
Praying 
for 
you 
the 
Lord's 
guidance, 
wisdom 
and 
richest 
blessing 
in 
your 
endeavors 
to 
glorify 
his 
name, 
I 
remain, 
Your 
brother 
and 
servant 
in 
the 
Lord. 
Dear 
Brother 
Russell:- 
As 
an 
encouragement 
to 
some 
who 
may 
grow 
weary 
in 
well-doing, 
we 
report 
the 
instance 
of 
a 
man 
who 
said 
he 
got 
PEOPLES 
PULPITS 
stuffed 
into 
his 
pockets 
nearly 
everywhere 
he 
went. 
We 
solicited 
him 
for 
STUDIES 
IN 
THE 
SCRIPTURES 
in 
his 
work-place 
and 
got 
his 
order 
for 
six 
volumes 
imme­ 
diately, 
he 
saying 
on 
sight 
of 
the 
titles 
that 
he 
was 
just 
reading 
a 
paper 
about 
them 
Sunday. 
He 
commended 
us 
to 
three 
others 
of 
his 
shop-mates 
with 
the 
result 
of 
an 
order 
for 
six 
volumes 
each. 
They 
in 
turn 
gave 
us 
the 
names 
of 
others 
yet 
to 
be 
called 
on, 
which 
we 
trust 
will 
likewise 
result 
in 
further 
sales. 
Again, 
on 
the 
train 
Sunday 
returning 
from 
Bainbridge, 
we 
handed 
out 
"BRIMSTONE" 
PULPITS 
to 
the 
conductor 
and 
others, 
having 
given 
out 
1,000 
or 
more 
at 
the 
above 
town 
When 
we 
left 
the 
train 
the 
conductor 
was 
still 
eagerly 
read­ 
ing 
in 
a 
corner 
beyond 
interruption. 
Trusting 
the 
multitude 
of 
your 
labors 
are 
continually 
sweetened 
by 
reason 
of 
the 
approval 
from 
above, 
and 
sending 
Christian 
love 
and 
Thanksgiving-day 
greetings, 
Yours 
in 
the 
Master's 
Vineyard, 
J. 
G. 
,Ohio. 
VOL. 
XXXIV 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
JANUARY 
15, 
1913 
No.2 
COVENANT 
RELATIONSHIP 
WITH 
GOD 
ESSENTIAL 
TO 
LIFE 
EVERLASTING 
God 
is 
not 
in 
covenant 
relationship 
with 
the 
brute 
creation; 
for 
to 
them 
he 
has 
made 
no 
promises, 
although 
he 
has 
made 
a 
general 
provision 
for 
their 
needs. 
But 
we 
may 
understand 
that 
with 
all 
his 
intelligent 
creation 
he 
has 
a 
covenant, 
or 
agreement, 
to 
the 
effect 
that 
so 
long 
as 
they 
will 
do 
his 
will 
they 
shall 
possess 
life. 
Because 
of 
violation 
of 
that 
arrange­ 
ment, 
the 
fallen 
angels 
were 
cast 
off, 
"reserved 
in 
chains 
of 
darkness 
unto 
the 
judgment 
of 
the 
great 
day" 
(Jude 
6), 
to 
receive 
their 
final 
punishment. 
When 
Adam 
and 
Eve 
were 
disobedient, 
they 
violated 
this 
covenant, 
and 
came 
under 
the 
sentence 
of 
death. 
"They 
like 
men 
[Heb. 
Adam], 
have 
trans­ 
gressed 
the 
covenant; 
there 
have 
they 
dealt 
treacherously 
against 
me."-Hos. 
6:7, 
margin. 
Because 
of 
Adam's 
transgression, 
the 
world 
is 
not 
in 
cove­ 
nant 
relationship 
with 
God 
in 
any 
sense 
of 
the 
word. 
On 
the 
contrary, 
they 
are 
aliens, 
strangers, 
foreigners. 
(Eph. 
2 
:11-13.) 
To 
some 
extent 
God 
brought 
Abraham 
back 
into 
covenant 
relationship, 
but 
not 
fully 
so. 
To 
the 
nation 
of 
Israel 
he 
maue 
certain 
promises 
in 
the 
form 
of 
a 
Law 
Cove­ 
nant, 
to 
the 
effect 
that 
whoever 
kept 
that 
covenant 
would 
thereby 
demonstrate 
his 
worthiness 
to 
receive 
God's 
blessing 
promised 
to 
Abraham-that 
through 
him 
should 
all 
the 
fam­ 
ilies 
of 
the 
earth 
be 
blessed.-Gen. 
12: 
3. 
The 
Law 
Covenant 
was 
given 
to 
the 
.J 
ewish 
nation; 
Moses 
was 
the 
mediator, 
for 
it 
was 
impossible 
to 
make 
the 
covenant 
with 
Israel 
directly. 
Although 
they 
were 
unable 
to 
keep 
that 
covenant 
because 
of 
inherited 
weaknesses 
of 
the 
flesh, 
yet 
it 
brought 
them 
a 
measure 
of 
blessing, 
as 
St. 
Paul 
points 
out. 
(Rom. 
7: 
7.) 
While 
it 
lifted 
Israel 
above 
the 
degradation 
into 
which 
the 
Gentiles 
were 
falling, 
nevertheless 
it 
did 
not 
bring 
the 
blessing 
for 
which 
they 
longed. 
It 
did 
not 
remove 
the 
death 
penalty-it 
did 
not 
give 
them 
life. 
In 
the 
clear 
light 
now 
shining 
for 
the 
people 
of 
God, 
we 
see 
that 
the 
Law 
Covenant 
was 
only 
IJ, 
type 
of 
a 
better 
covenant 
to 
be 
made 
with 
Israel 
after 
the 
church 
of 
Christ 
has 
been 
glorified; 
that 
Moses 
himself 
was 
only 
a 
type 
of 
a 
better 
Mediator; 
that 
the 
sacrifices 
of 
the 
Law 
were 
only 
types 
of 
the 
"better 
sacrifices" 
mentioned 
in 
Heb. 
9: 
23, 
and 
that 
their 
priesthood 
was 
a 
type 
of 
the 
royal 
priesthood 
of 
the 
Gospel 
age.-Heb. 
7 
:27. 
In 
the 
Scriptures, 
the 
words 
covenant 
and 
promise 
are 
used 
synonymously. 
The 
children 
of 
Israel 
were 
under 
the 
Abra­ 
hamic 
Covenant 
long 
before 
they 
entered 
into 
the 
Law 
Cove­ 
nant. 
They 
are 
still 
under 
those 
covenants. 
St. 
Paul 
says, 
, 
'God 
hath 
not 
cast 
away 
his 
people 
whom 
he 
foreknew." 
(Rom. 
11:2.) 
Then 
he 
proceeds 
to 
say 
that 
after 
the 
elect 
church 
has 
been 
gathered 
from 
among 
the 
Gentiles, 
the 
favor 
of 
God 
will 
return 
to 
Israel; 
for 
they 
are 
still 
beloved 
for 
the 
fathers' 
sake. 
The 
fathers 
of 
Israel 
are 
the 
patriarchs 
Abraham, 
Isaac 
and 
Jacob. 
The 
Jews 
are, 
therefore, 
under 
the 
Abrahamic 
Covenant.-Rom. 
11 
:25-28. 
ISRAEL'S 
COVENANT 
RELATIONSmp 
ACTUAL 
An 
actual 
covenant 
relationship 
is 
one 
that 
is 
fully 
es­ 
tablished-not 
merely 
suggested, 
or 
proposed, 
but 
accomplished. 
As 
Israel 
approached 
Mt. 
Sinai, 
God 
proposed 
to 
make 
a 
covenant 
with 
them. 
When 
all 
was 
in 
readiness, 
the 
cove­ 
nant 
was 
made 
through 
Moses 
as 
the 
mediator. 
The 
work 
of 
mediation 
was 
twofold; 
the 
first 
part 
was 
the 
sprinkling 
of 
the 
law, 
representing 
the 
satisfaction 
of 
Justice; 
the 
sec­ 
ond 
part 
was 
the 
sprinkling 
of 
the 
people, 
representing 
the 
bringing 
of 
the 
people 
into 
covenant 
relationship 
with 
God. 
That 
covenant 
was 
then 
fully 
made, 
and 
has 
remained 
in 
operation 
ever 
since.-Exod. 
24:3-8. 
With 
the 
Israelites, 
God 
was 
making 
a 
covenant 
which 
was 
to 
last 
for 
centuries. 
It 
was 
good 
for 
only 
one 
year 
at 
a 
time, 
however. 
For 
the 
first 
year 
the 
people 
were 
in 
harmony 
with 
God, 
but 
at 
the 
end 
of 
that 
time 
the 
cancella­ 
tion 
of 
sins 
ceased; 
for 
the 
blood 
of 
bulls 
and 
of 
goats 
can­ 
not 
take 
away 
sin. 
The 
whole 
arrangement 
was 
only 
a 
type. 
At 
the 
end 
of 
that 
first 
year, 
the 
day 
of 
atonement 
was 
in­ 
augurated, 
and 
sacrifices 
were 
made 
for 
another 
year. 
The 
fact 
that 
the 
atonement 
day 
sacrifices 
were 
repeated 
year 
by 
year 
shows 
that 
they 
were 
efficacious 
for 
only 
a 
year 
at 
a 
time, 
and 
so 
never 
really 
took 
away 
sin.-Heb. 
10:1-4. 
After 
the 
day 
of 
atonement, 
the 
people 
made 
various 
kinus 
of 
offerings. 
Some 
of 
these 
seem 
to 
typify 
the 
pre­ 
sentation 
of 
the 
worshiper 
himself 
to 
God, 
as 
an 
indication 
that 
he 
wished 
to 
do 
the 
will 
of 
Jehovah. 
Others 
were 
for 
sin-offerings, 
indicating 
that 
the 
worshiper 
realized 
that 
there 
had 
been 
a 
measure 
of 
wilfulness 
in 
his 
conduct. 
So 
rigid 
are 
the 
requirements 
of 
the 
Law 
Covenant 
that 
only 
one 
Jew, 
the 
Lord 
Jesus 
Christ, 
was 
able 
to 
keep 
them. 
This 
he 
coulll 
[5162] 
(15-19) And now, the women of my class of last winter and the winter before are begging me to talk to them again. I may choose my own subject, and I want to give some ‘‘ Talks on the Bible.’’ I have consulted a dear brother and sister here, and they advise me to give the talks—they think it is a wonderful opportunity. But we finally decided we would submit the question to you. The situation is, I know, unusual, and as I told Sister C., it is so difficult to make the situation understood in all its details. But I think I have stated the main facts. Of course, my whole object will be to endeavor to have those who listen to me read the Scriprure Srupies for themselves. I know, dear brother, you are a busy man, and I am sorry to trespass so much upon your valuable time, but I am so anxious to do whatever work I can at this time; for ‘‘the night cometh in which no man can work.’’ And at the same time I do not wish to be disorderly or bring any reproach upon the ecclesia, Now, will you please tell me what I ought to do? If you would like to have me, I will give you a list of my subjects and a little synopsis of each. I am praying only to be guided in this and in ali things by the spirit of truth. Your sister in Christ, CHARLOTTE C, HEINEMAN.—Cal, REPLY Dear Sister in Christ :— Yours of recent date is at hand and contents are noted. We rejoice with you in the fact that the Lord has found you worthy of receiving a knowledge of the Truth. May his continued guidance and blessing be with you, enabling you to profit by every experience which comes to you. My thought would be that the Lord would be pleased to have you use the talent you possess. Apparently he has given you a constituency in which you can work and regarding which you have responsibilities toward him. I would recommend, therefore, that after you have thoroughly familiarized yourself with the truth, you resume your lectures to women, discussing nothing but the truth, and stick close to the teachings in the volumes of STUDIES IN THE Scriptures. The THE WATCH TOWER Brooxtyn, N. Y restriction that St. Paul makes regarding women’s teaching refers to meetings of the church, and these usually include both men and women. The meetings such as you would have would not be meetings of the ecclesia, and to my understanding you would not in any wise come under the restriction mentioned by St. Paul. In such a case, even if some men should take upon themselves the position of women and attend one of your lectures, this would bring you under no condemnation. Not only would it be proper for you to resume your lectures, but if your finances would permit, and the way should open for you to again meet and address women in other cities, whom you had formerly served, or whom you could reach, I would recommend that you extend your work accordingly. Praying for you the Lord’s guidance, wisdom and richest blessing in your endeavors to glorify his name, I remain, Your brother and servant in the Lord. Dear Brother Russell :— As an encouragement to some who may grow weary in well-doing, we report the instance of a man who said he got Peoples Puupits stuffed into his pockets nearly everywhere he went. We solicited him for SrupIes IN THE SCRIPTURES in his work-place and got his order for six volumes immediately, he saying on sight of the titles that he was just reading a paper about them Sunday. He commended us to three others of his shop-mates with the result of an order for six volumes each. They in turn gave us the names of others yet to be called on, which we trust will likewise result in further sales. Again, on the train Sunday returning from Bainbridge, we handed out ‘‘BrimsTone’’ Puupirs to the conductor and others, having given out 1,000 or more at the above town When we left the train the conductor was still eagerly reading in a corner beyond interruption. Trusting the multitude of your labors are continually sweetened by reason of the approval from above, and sending Christian love and Thanksgiving-day greetings, Yours in the Master’s Vineyard, J. G.—§-———,, Ohio. Vou. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y., JANUARY 15, 1913 No. 2 COVENANT RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD ESSENTIAL TO LIFE EVERLASTING God is not in covenant relationship with the brute creation; for to them he has made no promises, although he has made a general provision for their needs. But we may understand that with all his intelligent creation he has a covenant, or agreement, to the effect that so long as they will do his will they shall possess life. Because of violation of that arrangement, the fallen angels were cast off, ‘‘reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day’’ (Jude 6), to receive their final punishment. When Adam and Eve were disobedient, they violated this covenant, and came under the sentence of death. ‘‘They like men [Heb. Adam], have transgressed the covenant; there have they dealt treacherously against me.’’—Hos. 6:7, margin. Because of Adam’s transgression, the world is not in covenant relationship with God in any sense of the word. On the contrary, they are aliens, strangers, foreigners. (Eph. 2:11-13.) To some extent God brought Abraham back into covenant relationship, but not fully so. To the nation of Isracl he made certain promises in the form of a Law Covenant, to the effect that whoever kept that covenant would thereby demonstrate his worthiness to receive God’s blessing promised to Abraham—that through him should all the families of the earth be blessed.—Gen. 12:3. The Law Covenant was given to the Jewish nation; Moses was the mediator, for it was impossible to make the covenant with Israel directly. Although they were unable to keep that covenant because of inherited weaknesses of the flesh, yet it brought them a measure of blessing, as St. Paul points out. (Rom. 7:7.) While it lifted Israel above the degradation into which the Gentiles were falling, nevertheless it did not bring the blessing for which they longed. It did not remove the death penalty—it did not give them life. In the clear light now shining for the people of God, we see that the Law Covenant was only g type of a better covenant to be made with Israel after the church of Christ has been glorified; that Moses himself was only a type of a better Mediator; that the sacrifices of the Law were only types of the ‘‘better sacrifices’? mentioned in Heb. 9:23, and that their priesthood was a type of the royal priesthood of the Gospel age——Heb. 7:27. In the Scriptures, the words covenant and promise are used synonymously. The children of Israel were under the Abrahamic Covenant long before they entered into the Law Covenant. They are still under those covenants. St. Paul says, ‘‘God hath not cast away his people whom he foreknew.’’ (Rom, 11:2.) Then he proceeds to say that after the elect church has been gathered from among the Gentiles, the favor of God will return to Israel; for they are still beloved for the fathers’ sake. The fathers of Israel are the patriarchs Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The Jews are, therefore, under the Abrahamic Covenant.—Rom. 11:25-28. ISRAEL’S COVENANT RELATIONSHIP ACTUAL An actual covenant relationship is one that is fully established—not merely suggested, or proposed, but accomplished. As Israel approached Mt. Sinai, God proposed to make a covenant with them. When all was in readiness, the covenant was made through Moses as the mediator. The work of mediation was twofold; the first part was the sprinkling of the law, representing the satisfaction of Justice; the second part was the sprinkling of the people, representing the bringing of the people into covenant relationship with God. That covenant was then fully made, and has remained in operation ever since.—Exod. 24:3-8. With the Israelites, God was making a covenant which was to last for centuries. It was good for only one year at a time, however. For the first year the people were in harmony with God, but at the end of that time the cancellation of sins ceased; for the blood of bulls and of goats cannot take away sin. The whole arrangement was only a type. At the end of that first year, the day of atonement was inaugurated, and sacrifices were made for another year. The fact that the atonement day sacrifices were repeated year by year shows that they were efficacious for only a year at a time, and so never really took away sin.—Heb. 10:1-4. After the day of atonement, the people made various kinds of offerings. Some of these seem to typify the presentation of the worshiper himself to God, as an indication that he wished to do the will of Jehovah. Others were for sin-offerings, indicating that the worshiper realized that there had been a measure of wilfulness in his conduct. So rigid are the requirements of the Law Covenant that only one Jew, the Lord Jesus Christ, was able to keep them. This he could [5162]

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