Publication date
7/1/16
Volume
37
Number
13
The WatchTower
Signs of the Presence of the King
The Watchtower Magazines
../literature/watchtower/1916/13/1916-13-1.html
 
 
 
 
095-196) 
T 
II 
E 
/17 
£1 
T 
C 
II 
T 
0 
IV 
E 
R 
IhOOKI,YN, 
N. 
Y. 
the 
liberty, 
sir, 
to 
present 
you 
my 
warmest 
felicitations 
for 
the 
work 
you 
have 
undertaken, 
which 
consists 
in 
giving 
to 
our 
associates 
spiritual 
meat 
in 
harmony 
with 
their 
faith 
and 
be· 
lief. 
I 
would 
gladly 
reimburse 
the 
expenses 
you 
have 
made 
for 
the 
services 
rendet:ed 
to 
my 
son, 
who 
is 
very 
well 
pleased 
with 
THE 
\\'ATCH 
TOWER 
and 
MILLENNlAL 
DAw;o;. 
Our 
cor- 
respondence 
with 
Switzerland 
1I0t 
heing 
allowed, 
I 
send 
this 
to 
my 
aforesaid 
son 
in 
Germany, 
who 
will 
transmit 
it 
to 
you, 
Please 
believe, 
sir, 
in 
my 
deep 
g-ratitllde 
and 
accept 
my 
Christian 
greetings. 
,J 
OSEPII 
S],;RVIAs. 
President 
of 
the 
Temperance 
Society.-Belgium. 
YOLo 
XXXVII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
JULY 
1, 
1916 
SIGNS 
OF 
THE 
PRESENCE 
OF 
THE 
KING 
No. 
13 
"Hut 
lcho 
may 
abide 
the 
day 
of 
his 
comingf 
A.nd 
who 
shall 
stan,d 
!/;hen 
he 
appearethf 
for 
he 
is 
like 
a 
refiner's 
fire 
and 
like 
fullers' 
soap."-Malachi 
3 
:2. 
The 
I\OlC1, 
of 
the 
l'lophl't 
"ilen 
ill 
our 
tcxt 
refer 
to 
the 
of 
these 
are 
living 
now, 
at 
the 
elm.e 
of 
the.age; 
and 
these 
rnll~t 
elose 
of 
the 
present 
Gospel 
age. 
0 
It 
is 
the 
same 
day 
prophesied 
go 
through 
"the 
great 
tribulation" 
and 
must 
wash 
their 
soiled 
by 
the 
Apostle 
Paul 
when 
he 
declared, 
"The 
fire 
of 
that 
day 
robes 
and 
make 
them 
white 
in 
the 
blood 
of 
the 
Lamb. 
shall 
try 
every 
man's 
work 
of 
what 
sort 
it 
is." 
(l 
Corinth- 
(Revelation 
7:9·17) 
They 
will 
have 
a 
blessed 
portion 
attcr 
ians 
3 
:,,13) 
It 
is 
the 
day 
of 
which 
the 
Apostle 
Peter 
wrote 
their 
purification, 
but 
far 
less 
glorious 
than 
that 
to 
which 
so 
graphically 
when 
he 
said 
that 
in 
the 
great 
day 
of 
the 
they 
were 
called. 
Lord 
the 
heavens 
should 
be 
on 
fire 
and 
the 
elements 
should 
The 
Apostle 
Paul 
in 
his 
writings 
lays 
spccial 
emphasis 
melt 
with 
fervent 
heat, 
and 
that 
the 
earth 
and 
all 
the 
works 
upon 
the 
fundamental 
importance 
of 
corrcct 
doctrinal 
teaeh- 
therein 
should 
be 
burned 
up. 
(2 
Peter 
3:10) 
It 
is 
the 
day 
ing. 
It 
made 
no 
difference 
whether 
PauloI' 
Apollos 
or 
even 
of 
which 
the 
Prophet 
Zephaniah 
spoke 
when 
he 
said 
that 
in 
an 
angel 
from 
heaven 
taught 
anything, 
it 
must 
be 
in 
harmony 
the 
great 
day 
of 
the 
Lord 
all 
the 
earth 
should 
be 
devoured 
with 
the 
foundation 
doctrines 
which 
had 
been 
given 
them 
by 
with 
the 
fire 
of 
ODd's 
jealousy. 
(Zephaniah 
3: 
8) 
Isaiah, 
the 
Lord. 
(Galatians 
1 
:6-12) 
He 
assured 
the 
church, 
that 
Jeremiah, 
and 
many 
of 
the 
faithful 
prophets 
of 
God 
prophe· 
what 
he 
had 
taught 
them 
was 
from 
God, 
and 
that 
even 
If 
an 
sied 
of 
this 
day. 
The 
Prophet 
Daniel 
was 
instructed 
by 
the 
angel 
should 
bring 
them 
another 
Gospel, 
it 
would 
be 
a 
proot 
angel 
of 
the 
Lord 
that 
in 
that 
day 
there 
should 
be 
a 
"time 
that 
such 
angel 
had 
deflected 
from 
loyalty 
to 
the 
Lord. 
That 
of 
trouble 
such 
as 
never 
was 
since 
there 
was 
a 
nation." 
(Dan· 
Jesus 
Christ 
died 
to 
secure 
the 
redemption-price 
for 
Adam 
iel 
12: 
1 
) 
Our 
Lord 
Jesus 
himself 
verified 
this 
prophecy, 
and 
and 
his 
race 
is 
the 
foundation 
doctrine 
of 
the 
church, 
which 
added 
that 
never 
afterwards 
should 
there 
be 
such 
a 
time.- 
was 
received 
from 
Jesus 
himself 
and 
from 
his 
faithful 
mouth- 
:\fatthew 
24 
:21, 
22. 
piece 
and 
which 
was 
shown 
in 
the 
divinely 
given 
types 
of 
the 
The 
Scriptures 
call 
this 
day 
"the 
day 
of 
the 
Lord," 
"the 
law. 
Whoever 
taught 
this 
fundamental 
truth 
faithfully 
was 
day 
of 
Jehovah," 
"the 
day 
of 
God," 
"the 
day 
of 
Christ," 
"the 
a 
real 
help 
to 
the 
people 
of 
God. 
Yet 
even 
such 
a 
t~acher 
day 
of 
vengeance," 
"that 
great 
and 
notable 
day," 
etc. 
It 
is 
might 
help 
them 
to 
build, 
even 
.on 
this 
proper 
foundatIOn, 
a 
the 
day 
in 
which 
the 
old 
order 
is 
to 
perish 
and 
the 
glorious 
faith 
and 
character 
structure 
whIch 
would 
not 
stand 
the 
tests 
new 
order 
is 
to 
be 
ushered 
in. 
In 
foretelling 
this 
day, 
both 
of 
the 
great 
day 
of 
the 
Lord; 
for 
the 
fire 
of 
that 
day 
would 
the 
prophets 
and 
the 
apostles 
speak 
of 
the 
class 
which 
will 
surely 
prove 
the 
nature 
of 
this 
structure. 
Consequently, 
stand 
in 
this 
day 
when 
all 
others 
shall 
fall. 
St. 
Paul 
says 
both 
teacher 
and 
pupil 
would 
suffer 
loss 
and 
be 
saved 
only 
that 
everything 
which 
can 
be 
shaken 
down 
will 
be; 
and 
that 
"as 
through 
fire." 
only 
the 
kingdom 
which 
will 
then 
be 
set 
up, 
and 
which 
can- 
INVULNERABILITY 
OF 
THE 
TRUTH 
not 
be 
shake~, 
will 
remain.. 
(Hebrews 
12 
:25·29) 
The 
~res~nt 
This 
prophecy 
o~ 
our 
text 
is 
s~ill 
~n 
process 
of 
fulfilment. 
order 
of 
sOCIety-the 
nomlllal 
church 
systems, 
finanCIal 
In- 
The 
"refiner's 
fire" 
IS 
even 
now 
dOlllO' 
ItS 
work, 
and 
thousands 
~titutions, 
political 
institutions-all-,vill 
go 
down. 
and 
tens 
of 
thousands 
are 
falling 
~b 
about 
us. 
The 
Proph- 
During 
the 
Gospel 
age 
many 
who 
have 
not 
been 
Christians 
et's 
query 
is 
very 
pertinent 
at 
this 
time. 
We 
see 
that 
the 
have 
associated 
themselves 
with 
the 
church. 
The 
civilized 
false 
teachings 
which 
have 
come 
down 
during 
these 
many 
world 
of 
today 
call 
themselves 
"Christians," 
in 
contradistinc- 
centuries 
since 
the 
apostles 
fell 
asleep 
have 
made 
humanity 
tion 
to 
the 
nations 
which 
they 
call 
"heathen," 
though 
from 
incapable 
of 
reasoning 
correctly 
on 
religious 
subjects. 
In 
the 
the 
Scriptural 
standpoint 
they 
are 
all 
heathen~entiles. 
past 
we 
have 
had 
our 
own 
experiences 
along 
this 
line. 
When- 
Among 
all 
these 
various 
nations 
we 
find 
many 
religions, 
whose 
ever 
anything 
religious 
was 
mentioned 
we 
seemed 
to 
lose 
our 
devotee~ 
claim 
that 
they 
have 
consecrated 
themselves 
to 
God. 
common 
sense. 
Now 
we 
have 
lost 
our 
fear 
of 
the 
dread 
pen- 
But 
the 
touch-stone 
by 
which 
these 
claims 
may 
be 
tested 
is 
altv 
of 
usinO' 
our 
reason. 
We 
have 
corne 
back 
to 
the 
teach- 
the 
Word 
of 
God. 
See 
Galatians 
1 
:6-9. 
To 
the 
true 
church 
ings 
of 
Jesu~ 
and 
the 
apostles, 
and 
we 
find 
them 
grand 
and 
of 
Christ 
alone 
will 
God 
give 
the 
Messianic 
kingdom. 
beautiful. 
Some 
who 
really 
have 
Christ 
and 
his 
work 
of 
sacrifice 
as 
their 
Those 
who 
have 
been 
teaching 
errors 
will 
soon 
be 
ashamed 
foundation 
will 
be 
saved, 
but 
at 
the 
expense 
of 
all 
their 
works, 
(Isaiah 
66:5) 
while 
the 
fire 
of 
this 
day 
will 
only 
manifcst 
their 
character-structure, 
which 
the 
"fire" 
of 
this 
day 
will 
the 
truth 
to 
alI. 
Now 
power, 
no 
tongue, 
no 
pen, 
can 
succcss· 
consume. 
The 
tare 
class 
in 
the 
nominal 
churche~ 
will 
be 
fully 
contradict 
the 
truth, 
the 
great 
divine 
plan 
of 
the 
ages. 
bundled 
and 
"burned," 
not 
as 
individuals, 
but 
as 
professed 
It 
is 
strong 
before 
its 
enemies 
and 
befoTe 
all 
who 
make 
as- 
Christians; 
that 
is 
to 
say, 
their 
professions 
will 
be 
seen 
to 
be 
saults 
upon 
it 
and 
ere 
long 
the 
folly 
of 
its 
foes 
shall 
be 
made 
without 
foundation. 
They 
will 
come 
to 
see 
how 
grossly 
in 
known 
to 
th~ 
whole 
world. 
"There 
shall 
be 
weeping 
and 
error 
they 
were-how 
far 
rcmoved 
from 
the 
truth. 
gnashing 
of 
teeth." 
"SAVED 
AS 
THROUGH 
FIRE" 
SIGNIFICANCE 
OF 
THE 
PRESENCE 
OF 
THE 
KING 
The 
ones 
who 
are 
upon 
the 
Rock 
Christ 
Jesus, 
the 
only 
true 
The 
coming 
of 
the 
King 
to 
possess 
his 
kingdom 
will 
mean 
a 
Foundation, 
are 
those 
who 
have 
accepted 
Jesus 
as 
their 
personal 
as 
well 
as 
a 
national 
and 
a 
church 
examination, 
judg- 
ransom-sacrifice, 
and 
have 
consecrated 
themsclves 
wholly 
to 
ment 
and 
treatment. 
It 
will 
mean, 
when 
the 
kingdom 
is 
fully 
God 
through 
him. 
All 
these 
have 
been 
"called 
in 
one 
hope 
inaugurated, 
the 
suppression 
of 
vice 
in 
a 
manner 
and 
to 
a 
de· 
of 
their 
calling." 
(Ephesians 
4: 
4) 
Many 
of 
these 
will 
fail 
gree 
never 
attempted 
by 
any 
earthly 
reformer. 
There 
will 
be 
to 
make 
their 
calling 
and 
election 
sure 
and 
will 
suffer 
great 
no 
license 
to 
do 
evil 
in 
any 
form. 
The 
only 
liberty 
granted 
loss. 
They 
did 
not 
build 
properly 
upon 
this 
Foundation, 
will 
be 
liberty 
to 
do 
right. 
It 
is 
no 
wonder 
that 
so 
few 
ex- 
Christ, 
a 
structure 
of 
gold. 
silver 
and 
precions 
stones 
of 
truth 
perience 
joy 
at 
the 
proclamation 
of 
the 
return 
of 
earth's 
right. 
and 
of 
whole-hearted 
loyalty 
to 
the 
Lord. 
They 
will 
suffer 
ful 
King 
to 
reign. 
To 
many 
it 
will 
mean 
the 
loss 
of 
their 
the 
loss 
of 
the 
kingdom, 
and 
through 
much 
tribulation 
will 
present 
advantage 
over 
their 
fello\'\'lIlen. 
To 
many 
it 
will 
take 
a 
lower 
place, 
before 
the 
throne--not 
rulers, 
but 
honor- 
mean 
the 
prohibition 
and 
cutting 
off 
of 
sins 
now 
indulged 
in 
able 
servants 
of 
the 
ruling 
class. 
All 
who 
have 
been 
begotten 
and 
enjoyed. 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
must, 
as 
we 
have 
shown 
elsewhere, 
either 
Nevertheless, 
hath 
the 
King 
and 
the 
kingdom 
are 
not 
only 
be 
born 
upon 
the 
spirit 
plane 
or 
lose 
life 
aUogether. 
Those 
corning, 
but 
are 
here; 
and 
the 
present 
troubles 
and 
shakings 
who 
prove 
wholly 
faithful 
will 
be 
born 
divine 
beings. 
Thosc 
in 
church 
and 
state, 
and 
the 
general 
awakening 
of 
the 
people 
not 
whoIly 
faithful, 
and 
who 
miss 
the 
great 
"prize," 
though 
arf' 
the 
results 
of 
influences 
emanating 
from 
that 
King 
and 
not 
denying 
the 
Lord 
that 
bough.t 
them, 
will 
be 
born 
spirit 
kingdom. 
Though 
men 
know 
it 
not, 
it 
is 
the 
smiting 
of 
the 
beings 
of 
a 
lower 
order. 
kingdom 
of 
God 
that 
is 
even 
now 
preparing 
for 
the 
wreck 
The 
tribulations 
which 
characterize 
the 
end 
of 
this 
age 
of 
all 
the 
kingdoms 
of 
the 
earth, 
that 
the 
way 
may 
be 
opened 
will 
thoroughly 
awaken 
these 
careless 
ones. 
Certain 
special 
for 
the 
establishment 
of 
righteousness 
in 
the 
world, 
that 
men's 
tribulations, 
we 
understand, 
have 
come 
to 
those 
who 
were 
of 
hearts 
may 
be 
humbled 
and 
prepared 
for 
the 
rig-hteous 
govern. 
this 
class 
all 
through 
the 
age. 
But 
apparently 
a 
large 
number 
ment 
which 
is 
to 
take 
cont,rol 
of 
earth. 
Worldly 
men 
cannot 
[6916] 
(195-196) THE the liberty, sir, to present you my warmest felicitations for the work you have undertaken, which consists in giving to our associates spiritual meat in harmony with their faith and belief. I would gladly reimburse the expenses you have made for the services rendered to my son, who is very well pleased with THE Watcu ToweR and MILLENNIAL Dawn. Our cor WATCH TOWER Brookiyn, N.Y. respondence with Switzerland not being allowed, I send this to my aforesaid son in Germany, who will transmit it to you. Please believe, sir, in my deep gratitude and accept my Christian greetings. JOSEPH SERVIAS. President of the Temperance Society.—Belgium. Vou. XXXVII BROOKLYN, N. Y., JULY 1, 1916 No. 13 SIGNS OF THE PRESENCE OF THE KING “But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.”—Malachi 3:2, The words of the Prophet given in our text refer to the close of the present Gospel age. It is the same day prophesied by the Apostle Paul when he declared, “The fire of that day shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.” (1 Corinthians 3713) It is the day of which the Apostle Peter wrote so graphically when he said that in the great day of the Lord the heavens should be on fire and the elements should melt with fervent heat, and that the earth and all the works therein should be burned up. (2 Peter 3:10) It is the day of which the Prophet Zephaniah spoke when he said that in the great day of the Lord all the earth should be devoured with the fire of God’s jealousy. (Zephaniah 3:8) Isaiah, Jeremiah, and many of the faithful prophets of God prophesied of this day. The Prophet Daniel was instructed by the angel of the Lord that in that day there should be a “time of trouble such as never was since there was a nation.” (Daniel 12:1) Our Lord Jesus himself verified this prophecy, and added that never afterwards should there be such a time.— Matthew 24:21, 22. The Scriptures call this day “the day of the Lord,” “the day of Jehovah,” “the day of God,” “the day of Christ,” “the day of vengeance,” “that great and notable day,” ete. It is the day in which the old order is to perish and the glorious new order is to be ushered in. In foretelling this day, both the prophets and the apostles speak of the class which will stand in this day when all others shall fall. St. Paul says that everything which can be shaken down will be; and that only the kingdom which will then be set up, and which cannot be shaken, will remain. (Hebrews 12:25-29) The present order of society—the nominal church systems, financial institutions, political institutions—all—will go down. During the Gospel age many who have not been Christians have associated themselves with the church. The civilized world of today call themselves “Christians,” in contradistinction to the nations which they call “heathen,” though from the Scriptural standpoint they are all heathen—Gentiles. Among all these various nations we find many religions, whose devotees claim that they have consecrated themselves to God. But the touch-stone by which these claims may be tested is the Word of God. See Galatians 1:6-9. To the true church of Christ alone will God give the Messianic kingdom. Some who really have Christ and his work of sacrifice as their foundation will be saved, but at the expense of all their works, their character-structure, which the “fire” of this day will consume, The tare class in the nominal churches will be bundled and “burned,” not as individuals, but as professed Christians; that is to say, their professions will be seen to be without foundation. They will come to see how grossly in error they were—how far removed from the truth. “SAVED AS THROUGH FIRE”’ The ones who are upon the Rock Christ Jesus, the only true Foundation, are those who have accepted Jesus as their ransom-sacrifice. and have consecrated themselves wholly to God through him. All these have been “called in one hope of their calling.” (Ephesians 4:4) Many of these will fail to make their calling and election sure and will suffer great loss. They did not build properly upon this Foundation, Christ, a structure of gold, silver and precious stones of truth and of whole-hearted loyalty to the Lord. They will suffer the loss of the kingdom, and through much tribulation will take a lower place, before the throne—not rulers, but honorable servants of the ruling class. All who have been begotten of the holy Spirit must, as we have shown elsewhere, either be born upon the spirit plane or lose life altogether. Those who prove wholly faithful will be born divine beings. Those not wholly faithful, and who miss the great “prize,” though not denying the Lord that bought them, will be born spirit beings of a lower order. The tribulations which characterize the end of this age will thoroughly awaken these careless ones. Certain special tribulations, we understand, have come to those who were of this class all through the age. But apparently a large number of these are living now, at the close of the age; and these must go through “the great tribulation” and must wash their soiled robes and make them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:9-17) They will have a blessed portion aiter their purification, but far less glorious than that to which they were called. The Apostle Paul in his writings lays special emphasis upon the fundamental importance of correct doctrinal teaching. It made no difference whether Paul or Apollos or even an angel from heaven taught anything, it must be in harmony with the foundation doctrines which had been given them by the Lord. (Galatians 1:6-12) He assured the church that what he had taught them was from God, and that even if an angel should bring them another Gospel, it would be a proot that such angel had deflected from loyalty to the Lord. That Jesus Christ died to secure the redemption-price for Adam and his race is the foundation doctrine of the church, which was received from Jesus himself and from his faithful mouthpiece and which was shown in the divinely given types of the law. Whoever taught this fundamental truth faithfully was a real help to the people of God. Yet even such a teacher might help them to build, even on this proper foundation, a faith and character structure which would not stand the tests of the great day of the Lord; for the fire of that day would surely prove the nature of this structure. Consequently, both teacher and pupil would suffer loss and be saved only “as through fire.” INVULNERABILITY OF THE TRUTH This prophecy of our text is still in process of fulfilment. The “refiner’s fire” is even now doing its work, and thousands and tens of thousands are falling all about us. The Prophet’s query is very pertinent at this time. We see that the false teachings which have come down during these many centuries since the apostles fell asleep have made humanity incapable of reasoning correctly on religious subjects. In the past we have had our own experiences along this line. Whenever anything religious was mentioned we seemed to lose our common sense. Now we have lost our fear of the dread penalty of using our reason. We have come back to the teachings of Jesus and the apostles, and we find them grand and beautiful. Those who have been teaching errors will soon be ashamed (Isaiah 66:5), while the fire of this day will only manifest the truth to all. Now power, no tongue, no pen, can successfully contradict the truth, the great divine plan of the ages. It is strong before its enemies and before all who make assaults upon it, and ere long the folly of its foes shall be made known to the whole world. “There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRESENCE OF THE KING The coming of the King to possess his kingdom will mean a personal as well as a national and a church examination, judgment and treatment. It will mean, when the kingdom is fully inaugurated, the suppression of vice in a manner and to a degree never attempted by any earthly reformer. There will be no license to do evil in any form. The only liberty granted will be liberty to do right. It is no wonder that so few experience joy at the proclamation of the return of earth’s rightful King to reign. To many it will mean the loss of their present advantage over their fellowmen. To many it will mean the prohibition and cutting off of sins now indulged in and enjoyed. Nevertheless, hoth the King and the kingdom are not only coming, but are here; and the present troubles and shakings in church and state, and the general awakening of the people are the results of influences emanating from that King and kingdom. Though men know it not, it is the smiting of the kingdom of God that is even now preparing for the wreck of all the kingdoms of the earth, that the way may be opened for the establishment of righteousness in the world, that men’s hearts may be humbled and prepared for the righteous government which is to take contro] of earth, Worldly men cannot [6916]

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