Publication date
4/15/13
Volume
34
Number
8
The WatchTower
God's Sympathy for His People
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1913/8/1913-8-1.html
 
 
 
APRIL 
I, 
1913 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
(lID-lIS) 
Joseph's 
experiences 
of 
adversity. 
On 
the 
contrary, 
we 
may 
feel 
sure 
that 
the 
lessons 
of 
his 
adversity 
were 
merely 
prepara­ 
tions 
for 
his 
subsequent 
experiences 
as 
Pharaoh's 
logos, 
or 
mouthpiece, 
throughout 
the 
kingdom. 
We 
are 
reminded 
again 
of 
the 
lesson 
of 
a 
week 
ago--<that 
Joseph's 
experiences 
were 
typical 
of 
those 
of 
Jesus 
and 
the 
church, 
his 
followers. 
The 
Bible 
assures 
us 
that 
the 
graces 
of 
humility 
and 
patience 
are 
both 
closely 
related 
to 
love 
and 
loyalty. 
St'. 
Paul 
reminds 
us 
of 
this 
when 
he 
declares, 
•• 
If 
ye 
be 
without 
chastisement, 
... 
then 
are 
ye 
... 
not 
sons. 
For 
what 
son 
is 
he 
whom 
the 
father 
chasteneth 
not~" 
He 
reminds 
us 
that 
•• 
Whom 
the 
Lord 
loveth 
he 
chasteneth, 
and 
scourgeth 
every 
son 
whom 
he 
receiveth.' 
'-Hebrews 
12 
:6-8. 
It 
was 
so 
with 
Jesus, 
and 
with 
all 
the 
faithful 
apostles, 
and 
has 
been 
so 
with 
all 
the 
followers 
of 
Jesus 
during 
this 
Gospel 
age. 
It 
will 
undoubtedly 
continue 
to 
be 
true 
in 
the 
case 
of 
all 
the 
consecrated 
church. 
It 
is 
because 
the 
Lord 
Jesus 
10vA" 
these 
noble 
characters 
that 
he 
counts 
them 
worthy 
of 
trials 
and 
testings, 
disciplines, 
etc. 
These 
are 
necessary 
to 
qualify 
them 
for 
the 
positions 
of 
honor, 
glory, 
immortality 
and 
great 
responsibility, 
to 
which 
the 
Father 
has 
called 
Jesus 
and 
his 
brethren, 
the 
church. 
THE 
VALUE 
OF 
ADVERSITY 
.Tacob's 
special 
love 
for 
his 
son 
Joseph 
manifested 
itself 
in 
favoritism-the 
princely 
coat, 
or 
robe, 
etc. 
Quite 
possibly 
he 
would 
have 
dpoiled 
his 
son. 
had 
not 
divine 
providence 
inter­ 
fered 
and 
taken 
him 
entirely 
out 
of 
this 
father's 
control. 
Many 
fathers, 
especially 
the 
rich, 
have 
made 
similar 
mistakes. 
Hence 
the 
sons 
of 
the 
rich 
are 
not 
always 
a 
credit 
to 
their 
fathers. 
The 
great 
heavenly 
Father, 
however, 
makes 
no 
such 
mistakes. 
His 
people 
are 
assured 
that 
trials 
and 
difficulties 
are 
marks 
rather 
of 
their 
relationship 
to 
God 
and 
of 
his 
loving 
care 
over 
them. 
True, 
this 
providential 
care 
is 
restricted: 
"The 
Lord 
knoweth 
them 
that 
are 
his." 
His 
special 
dealings 
are 
with 
his 
consecrated 
people-those 
who 
have 
entered 
into 
a 
covenant 
with 
him, 
who 
have 
become 
his 
servants 
and 
his 
children. 
To 
these 
alone 
belongs 
the 
promise 
that" 
all 
things 
shall 
work 
to­ 
gether 
for 
good 
to 
them 
that 
love 
God, 
to 
those 
who 
are 
the 
called 
according 
to 
his 
purpose.' 
'-Romans 
8 
:28. 
While 
this 
special 
call 
applies 
peculiarly 
to 
the 
church 
of 
this 
Gospel 
age, 
there 
is 
a 
sense 
in 
which 
it 
was 
applicable 
to 
the 
Hebrews, 
since 
the 
time 
of 
Abraham. 
Joseph 
belonged 
to 
this 
line 
which 
was 
in 
covenant 
relationship 
with 
God. 
This 
accounts 
for 
God's 
dealing 
with 
him 
rather 
than 
with 
young 
men 
of 
other 
families 
than 
Abraham's. 
Incidentally, 
it 
is 
worthy 
of 
notice 
that 
the 
Israelites 
passed 
through 
many 
try­ 
ing 
experiences 
because 
of 
being 
God's 
people. 
Many 
of 
those 
experiences 
they 
might 
have 
escaped, 
had 
they 
not 
come 
into 
covenant 
relationship 
with 
God. 
But 
had 
they 
escaped 
the 
trials 
and 
difficulties, 
they 
would 
have 
escaped 
certain 
privileges 
and 
blessings 
also. 
And 
the 
blessings 
which 
God 
gives 
always 
outweigh 
the 
adversities 
which 
prepare 
for 
them. 
JEWISH 
AJ)lD 
CHRISTIAN 
ELECTIONS 
This 
reminds 
us 
that 
the 
Bible 
declares 
that 
the 
Jewish 
people, 
and 
subsequently 
the 
Christians, 
are 
God's 
elect-God's 
chosen 
people-the 
seed 
of 
Abraham, 
natural 
and 
spiritual. 
Both 
have 
offers 
of 
God's 
blessings 
not 
accorded 
to 
other 
peoples; 
and 
in 
both 
cases 
the 
trying 
experiences 
are 
to 
fit 
the 
elect 
ones 
for 
the 
future 
glories 
to 
which 
they 
have 
been 
invited. 
Nevertheless, 
God 
has 
also 
a 
great 
blessing 
in 
store 
for 
the 
non-elect. 
During 
the 
thousand 
years 
of 
Messiah's 
reign, 
the 
elect 
church, 
the 
saintly 
only, 
will 
be 
Messiah's 
joint-heirs 
in 
the 
great 
kingdom 
of 
God, 
which 
will 
then 
take 
control 
of 
the 
earth. 
Then 
also 
the 
elect 
from 
the 
Hebrews 
will 
be 
used, 
in 
another 
part 
of 
the 
work, 
in 
conjunction 
with 
the 
Christian 
church, 
the 
one 
on 
the 
heavenly 
plane, 
the 
other 
on 
the 
earthly. 
Through 
these 
two 
Israels, 
God's 
blessings 
are 
to 
be 
poured 
out 
on 
all 
nations, 
kindreds, 
peoples 
and 
tongues. 
Although 
God 
has 
not 
specially 
supervised 
the 
affairs 
of 
any 
except 
these 
two 
elect 
classes, 
nevertheless 
we 
see 
that 
he 
has 
permitted, 
in 
a 
general 
way. 
great 
lessons 
of 
adversity 
to 
come 
to 
the 
whole 
human 
family. 
As 
the 
special 
trials 
and 
difficulties 
of 
the 
elect 
classes 
are 
intended 
to 
work 
for 
them 
special 
blessing 
and 
qualifications 
for 
their 
work 
as 
God's 
agencies, 
so 
the 
general 
tribulations 
of 
the 
world 
will 
give 
general 
lessons 
that 
will 
be 
helpful 
to 
all 
people 
by 
giving 
all 
experiences 
with 
sin 
and 
death-by 
teaching 
all 
thus 
the 
ex­ 
ceeding 
sinfulness 
of 
sin. 
By 
the 
by, 
when 
Messiah's 
kingdom 
shall 
be 
established, 
when 
Satan 
shall 
be 
bound, 
when 
the 
reign 
of 
righteousness 
shall 
begin, 
when 
the 
curse 
shall 
be 
lifted, 
when 
the 
blessings 
shall 
flow 
instead-then 
the 
lessons 
of 
sorrow 
and 
tears 
and 
crying 
and 
dying 
will 
all 
prove 
valuable. 
Humanity 
will 
ap· 
preciate 
the 
great 
blessings 
of 
God 
in 
the 
future 
very 
largely 
by 
contrast 
with 
the 
evils 
and 
sorrows 
of 
the 
present 
time. 
When, 
by 
and 
by, 
they 
shall 
learn 
fully 
and 
conclusively 
that 
all 
these 
sorrows 
and 
tears 
are 
the 
results 
of 
violation 
of 
God's 
laws 
and 
disregard 
of 
his 
injunctions, 
the 
lesson 
undoubtedly 
will 
be 
one 
that 
will 
never 
be 
forgotten. 
Wherever 
the 
plowshare 
of 
trouble 
has 
gone, 
it 
has 
served 
to 
break 
up 
the 
fallow 
ground 
and 
to 
make 
ready 
for 
the 
seed 
of 
divine 
truth 
and 
grace. 
The 
next 
age, 
under 
Messiah's 
beneficient 
rule, 
will 
be 
the 
time 
of 
sowing 
the 
seeds 
of 
knowl­ 
edge 
of 
God 
and 
appreciation 
of 
his 
glorious 
character 
and 
plan. 
The 
results 
will 
undoubtedly 
be 
glorious, 
as 
the 
Scrip­ 
tures 
declare. 
Eventually 
all 
will 
participate 
in 
these 
bless­ 
ings 
everlastingly, 
except 
such 
as 
intelligently 
refuse 
them, 
choosing 
sin 
rather 
than 
righteousness, 
in 
that 
day 
when 
the 
knowledge 
of 
the 
truth 
will 
be 
given 
to 
all 
and 
when 
assistance 
to 
righteousness 
will 
be 
apparrnt. 
AN 
INTERESTING 
LETTER 
THE 
SECHETARY, 
THE 
1. 
B. 
S. 
A., 
DEAR 
SIR: 
Can 
you 
let 
me 
have 
a 
copy 
of 
., 
The 
Divine 
Plan 
of 
the 
Ages," 
Helping 
Hand 
series~ 
I 
saw 
a 
copy 
in 
a 
cell 
of 
the 
Kandy 
Gaol 
today. 
The 
prisoner 
said 
it 
had 
been 
a 
great 
help 
and 
blessing 
to 
him. 
He 
had 
spent 
a 
fortnight 
of 
great 
darkness 
and 
doubt, 
but 
this 
book 
hall 
cheered 
him 
up. 
Yours 
sincerely, 
(Signed) 
ROBERT 
A. 
CLAI{KE, 
Captain 
Salvation 
Army, 
Kandy, 
Ceylon. 
The 
above 
is 
the 
result 
of 
a 
book 
placed 
in 
a 
prison 
library 
1Il 
India. 
VOL. 
XXXIV 
BROOKI1YN, 
N. 
Y., 
APRUl 
15, 
1913 
No. 
R 
GOD'S 
SYMPATHY 
FOR 
HIS 
PEOPLE 
"Thus 
saith 
the 
high 
and 
lofty 
One 
that 
inhabiteth 
eternity, 
whose 
name 
is 
Holy; 
I 
dwell 
in 
the 
high 
and 
holy 
place, 
with 
him 
that 
is 
of 
a 
contrite 
and 
humble 
spirit, 
to 
revive 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
humble, 
and 
to 
revive 
the 
heart 
of 
the 
contrite 
ones. 
"-Isaiah 
57:15. 
.Jehovah 
is 
the 
high 
and 
lofty 
One 
who 
inhabits 
eternity. 
Before 
the 
mountains 
were 
brought 
forth, 
or 
the 
hills, 
before 
the 
First-born 
was 
created, 
he 
is 
God. 
To 
Moses 
at 
the 
burn­ 
ing 
bush, 
he 
said, 
"I 
AM 
THAT 
I 
AM." 
(Exodus 
3: 
14) 
Our 
God 
is 
very 
great, 
very 
wise, 
very 
high. 
Nevertheless, 
the 
Scriptures 
show 
us 
that 
he 
is 
also 
very 
sympathetic. 
He 
is 
a 
God 
of 
mercy 
and 
of 
love. 
The 
passage 
from 
which 
our 
text 
is 
taken 
informs 
us 
that 
if 
God 
were 
to 
contend 
with 
humanity, 
the 
end 
of 
the 
strife 
would 
be 
that 
mankind 
would 
be 
blotted 
out 
of 
existence. 
But 
he 
remembers 
that 
we 
are 
dust, 
and 
has 
compassion 
upon 
us. 
In 
this 
respect 
he 
is 
different 
from 
the 
gods 
of 
the 
heathen, 
who 
are 
domineering, 
apparently 
bent 
on 
wreaking 
vengeance 
uJlon 
those 
in 
their 
power. 
Besides 
being 
very 
great 
and 
lofty, 
our 
God 
is 
particularly 
sympathetic 
towards 
those 
who 
are 
of 
a 
broken 
and 
contrite 
hrart, 
whose 
spirit 
is 
humble, 
who 
realize 
that 
they 
arc 
im­ 
perfed, 
who 
desire 
to 
be 
in 
a('cord 
with 
him, 
and 
to 
dwell 
in 
holiness. 
To 
such 
he 
is 
ev('r 
near-to 
revive 
the 
spirit 
of 
the 
hum 
li1e, 
to 
give 
them 
strength. 
lIe 
will 
not 
trample 
them 
into 
the 
dust, 
as 
many 
an 
earthly 
potentate 
has 
done 
to 
his 
sub­ 
jects, 
but 
will 
assist 
them 
in 
the 
right 
way, 
and 
revive 
the 
heart 
of 
the 
contrite. 
These 
are 
to 
know 
that 
our 
God 
is 
a 
God 
of 
sympathy, 
compassion 
and 
love, 
who 
takes 
pleasure 
in 
reviving 
their 
hearts 
and 
in 
bringing 
them 
back 
into 
harmony 
with 
him, 
if 
they 
are 
willing 
to 
be 
led. 
DISCOURAGEMENT 
WITH 
SELF 
A 
FAVORABLE 
CONDITION 
'rh('re 
is 
a 
difference 
between 
a 
broken 
and 
a 
contrite 
heart. 
A 
heart 
is 
broken 
when 
it 
is 
bowed 
down 
with 
grief 
and 
sor­ 
row; 
a 
heart 
is 
contrite 
when 
it 
has 
a 
quiet, 
deep, 
continual 
sorrow 
for 
acts 
not 
in 
harmony 
with 
righteousness. 
A 
broken 
will 
is 
not 
necessarily 
the 
same; 
for 
there 
are 
those 
whose 
[5217] 
APRIL I, 1913 Joseph’s experiences of adversity. On the contrary, we may feel sure that the lessons of his adversity were merely preparations for his subsequent experiences as Pharaoh’s logos, or mouthpiece, throughout the kingdom. We are reminded again of the lesson of a week ago—that Joseph’s experiences were typical of those of Jesus and the church, his followers. The Bible assures us that the graces of humility and patience are both closely related to love and loyalty. St. Paul reminds us of this when he declares, ‘‘If ye be without chastisement, ... then are ye... not sons, For what son is he whom the father chasteneth not?’’ He reminds us that ‘‘Whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.’’—Hebrews 12:6-8. It was so with Jesus, and with all the faithful apostles, and has been so with all the followers of Jesus during this Gospel age. It will undoubtedly continue to be true in the case of all the consecrated church. It is because the Lord Jesus loves these noble characters that he counts them worthy of trials and testings, disciplines, ete. These are necessary to qualify them for the positions of honor, glory, immortality and great responsibility, to which the Father has called Jesus and his brethren, the church. THE VALUE OF ADVERSITY Jacob’s special love for his son Joseph manifested itself in favoritism—the princely coat, or robe, etc. Quite possibly he would have spoiled his son, had not divine providence interfered and taken him entirely out of this father’s control. Many fathers, especially the rich, have made similar mistakes. Hence the sons of the rich are not always a credit to their fathers. The great heavenly Father, however, makes no such mistakes. His people are assured that trials and difficulties are marks rather of their relationship to God and of his loving care over them. True, this providential care is restricted: ‘‘The Lord knoweth them that are his.’’ His special dealings are with his consecrated people—those who have entered into a covenant with him, who have become his servants and his children. To these alone belongs the promise that ‘‘all things shall work together for good to them that love God, to those who are the ealled according to his purpose.’’—Romans 8:28. While this special call applies peculiarly to the church of this Gospel age, there is a sense in which it was applicable to the Hebrews, since the time of Abraham. Joseph belonged to this line which was in covenant relationship with God. This accounts for God’s dealing with him rather than with young men of other families than Abraham’s. Incidentally, it is worthy of notice that the Israelites passed through many trying experiences because of being God’s people. Many of those experiences they might have escaped, had they not come into covenant relationship with God. But had they escaped the AN THE SEcrETARY, THe J. B.S. A., Dear Sir: Can you let me have a copy of ‘‘The Divine Plan of the Ages,’’ Helping Hand series? I saw a copy in a cell of the Kandy Gaol today. The prisoner said it had been a great help and blessing to him. He had spent a fortnight of great THE WATCH TOWER (110-115) trials and difficulties, they would have escaped certain privileges and blessings also. And the blessings which God gives always outweigh the adversities which prepare for them. JEWISH AND CHRISTIAN ELECTIONS This reminds us that the Bible declares that the Jewish people, and subsequently the Christians, are God’s elect—God’s chosen people—the seed of Abraham, natural and spiritual. Both have offers of God’s blessings not accorded to other peoples; and in both cases the trying experiences are to fit the elect ones for the future glories to which they have been invited. Nevertheless, God has also a great blessing in store for the non-elect. During the thousand years of Messiah’s reign, the elect church, the saintly only, will be Messiah’s joint-heirs in the great kingdom of God, which will then take control of the earth. Then also the elect from the Hebrews will be used, in another part of the work, in conjunction with the Christian church, the one on the heavenly plane, the other on the earthly. Through these two Israels, God’s blessings are to be poured out on all nations, kindreds, peoples and tongues. Although God has not specially supervised the affairs of any except these two elect classes, nevertheless we see that he has permitted, in a general way, great lessons of adversity to come to the whole human family. As the special trials and difficulties of the elect classes are intended to work for them special blessing and qualifications for their work as God’s agencies, so the general tribulations of the world will give general lessons that will be helpful to all people by giving all experiences with sin and death—by teaching all thus the exceeding sinfulness of sin. By the by, when Messiah’s kingdom shall be established, when Satan shall be bound, when the reign of righteousness shall begin, when the curse shall be lifted, when the blessings shall flow instead—then the lessons of sorrow and tears and crying and dying will all prove valuable. Humanity will appreciate the great blessings of God in the future very largely by contrast with the evils and sorrows of the present time. When, by and by, they shall learn fully and conclusively that all these sorrows and tears are the results of violation of God’s laws and disregard of his injunctions, the lesson undoubtedly will be one that will never be forgotten. Wherever the plowshare of trouble has gone, it has served to break up the fallow ground and to make ready for the seed of divine truth and grace. The next age, under Messiah’s beneficient rule, will be the time of sowing the seeds of knowledge of God and appreciation of his glorious character and plan. The results will undoubtedly be glorious, as the Scriptures declare. Eventually all will participate in these blessings everlastingly, except such as intelligently refuse them, choosing sin rather than righteousness, in that day when the knowledge of the truth will be given to all and when assistance to righteousness will be apparent. INTERESTING LETTER darkness and doubt, but this book had cheered him up. Yours sincerely, (Signed) Ropert A. CLARKE, Captain Salvation Army, Kandy, Ceylon. The above is the result of a book placed in a prison library in India. Vou. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y., APRIL 15, 1913 GOD’S SYMPATHY FOR HIS PEOPLE ‘‘Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones. ’’—Isaiah 57:15. Jehovah is the high and lofty One who inhabits eternity. Before the mountains were brought forth, or the hills, before the First-born was created, he is God. To Moses at the burning bush, he said, ‘‘I AM THAT I AM.’’ (Exodus 3:14) Our God is very great, very wise, very high. Nevertheless, the Scriptures show us that he is also very sympathetic. He is a God of mercy and of love. The passage from whieh our text is taken informs us that if God were to contend with humanity, the end of the strife would be that mankind would be blotted out of existence. But he remembers that we are dust, and has compassion upon us. In this respect he is different from the gods of the heathen, who are domineering, apparently bent on wreaking vengeance upon those in their power. Besides being very great and lofty, our God is particularly sympathetic towards those who are of a broken and contrite heart, whose spirit is humble, who realize that they are imperfect, who desire to be in accord with him, and to dwell in holiness. To such he is ever near—to revive the spirit of the humble, to give them strength. He will not trample them into the dust, as many an earthly potentate has done to his subjects, but will assist them in the right way, and revive the heart of the contrite. These are to know that our God is a God of sympathy, compassion and love, who takes pleasure in reviving their hearts and in bringing them back into harmony with him, if they are willing to be led. DISCOURAGEMENT WITH SELF A FAVORABLE CONDITION There is a difference between a broken and a contrite heart. A heart is broken when it is bowed down with grief and sorrow; a heart is contrite when it has a quiet, deep, continual sorrow for acts not in harmony with righteousness. A broken will is not necessarily the same; for there are those whose (5217]

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