Publication date
10/1/17
Volume
38
Number
19
The WatchTower
The concluding work of the Harvest
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1917/19/1917-19-1.html
 
 
VOl 
•. 
XXXVIII 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y., 
OCTOBEH 
1, 
191, 
THE 
CONCLUDING 
WORK 
OF 
THE 
HARVEST 
No. 
19 
., 
And 
another 
angel 
eame 
out 
from 
the 
altar, 
which 
had 
power 
over 
fire, 
and 
cried 
with 
a 
loud 
voice 
to 
him 
that 
had 
a 
sharp 
sickle, 
saying, 
Thrust 
in 
thy 
sickle 
and 
gather 
the 
clusters 
of 
the 
vine 
of 
the 
earth, 
for 
her 
grapes 
are 
fully 
ripe. 
And 
the 
angel 
thrust 
in 
his 
sickle 
upon 
the 
earth 
and 
gathered 
the 
vine 
of 
the 
earth 
a.nd 
cast 
it 
into 
the 
great 
winepress 
of 
the 
wrath 
of 
God. 
"-Rev. 
14 
:18, 
19. 
It 
is 
the 
new 
creation 
that 
is 
gathered 
into 
the 
garner 
of 
the 
Lord. 
It 
is 
the 
vine 
of 
the 
earth, 
c(}mposed 
of 
the 
tare 
systems 
of 
the 
earth, 
that 
must 
be 
gathered 
for 
destruction. 
Such 
were 
the 
words 
of 
the 
Master. 
For 
nineteen 
centuries 
God 
has 
been 
preparing 
the 
new 
creation. 
That 
work 
is 
now 
reaching 
a 
climax. 
Jehovah 
is 
a 
strict 
economist. 
He 
wastes 
neither 
time 
nor 
effort. 
111e 
length 
of 
time 
and 
the 
expenditure 
of 
treasure 
is 
evidence 
all-sufficient 
of 
the 
great 
importalWe 
(}f 
the 
work 
of 
com­ 
pleting 
the 
new 
ereation. 
This 
work 
has 
consisted 
of 
the 
purchasing, 
calling, 
begetting 
and 
transformation 
of 
poor, 
sad, 
dying 
human 
beings 
into 
perfeet, 
joyful, 
spirit 
beings 
of 
superlative 
beauty 
and 
glory, 
possessing 
life 
immortal 
and 
powers 
for 
usefulness 
without 
limitation. 
Long 
ago, 
at 
great 
cost 
to 
himself-yea, 
at 
the 
cost 
of 
the 
dearest 
treasure 
to 
his 
own 
heart-Jehovah 
provided 
for 
the 
purchase 
of 
the 
entire 
human 
race. 
The 
purchase-price 
has 
been 
used 
f(}r 
those 
who 
will 
compose 
the 
new 
creation, 
and 
they 
have 
been 
hrought 
to 
a 
knowledge 
of 
that 
fact 
and 
joy­ 
fully 
accepted 
the 
benefits 
thereof. 
PIOTURES 
FORESHADOWING 
DEVELOPMENT 
Long, 
long 
before 
the 
beginning 
of 
the 
actual 
development 
of 
the 
new 
creation, 
God 
caused 
manr 
wonderful 
pictures 
to 
be 
made, 
foreshadowing 
the 
preparation 
for 
and 
the 
process 
of 
bringing 
to 
completion 
the 
great 
work 
in 
behalf 
of 
the 
new 
ereation. 
To 
Abraham 
he 
made 
a 
pr(}mise 
concerning 
the 
same, 
designating 
tliat 
class 
as 
"the 
seed" 
from 
which 
shall 
go 
forth 
the 
blessings 
to 
all 
humankind. 
Abraham 
offered 
up 
his 
son 
in 
the 
mountain 
and 
received 
him 
as 
from 
the 
dead, 
picturing 
the 
death 
and 
resurrection 
of 
the 
anti 
typical 
Isaac, 
the 
Lord 
Jesus. 
(Hebrews 
1l:17-19) 
For 
many 
cen­ 
turies 
God's 
typical 
people 
offered 
yearly 
sacrinces 
foreshadow­ 
ing 
the 
great 
sin-offenng 
on 
behalf 
(}f 
the 
church 
and 
the 
world. 
David 
in 
his 
experiences 
typified 
the 
church 
at 
war, 
while 
Solomon 
pictured 
the 
new 
creation 
in 
glory. 
The 
sin-offering 
on 
behalf 
of 
the 
church 
being 
finished, 
God 
issued 
a 
call 
for 
the 
electi(}n 
of 
the 
new 
creation. 
Mark, 
that 
this 
call 
began 
at 
Pentecost 
and 
not 
before; 
there 
the 
heavenly 
way 
was 
opened. 
God 
designates 
this 
class 
as 
his 
elect, 
as 
distinguished 
from 
the 
non-elect. 
Selected 
from 
anwngst 
men, 
fa.vored 
with 
a 
knowledge 
of 
his 
great 
plan 
and 
furnished 
with 
the 
rules 
governing 
the 
election, 
the 
caMed 
ones 
have 
the 
assurance 
that 
if 
they 
conform 
themselves 
t() 
these 
rules 
they 
will 
be 
elected 
judges 
and 
blessers 
of 
mankind, 
and 
thereafter 
forever 
he 
the 
recipients 
of 
Jehovah's 
favor. 
Again, 
Jehovah 
likens 
this 
class 
unt(} 
a 
glorious 
temple, 
of 
which 
Solomon's 
Temple 
was 
a 
type 
or 
picture. 
The 
ma­ 
terial 
for 
Solomon's 
Temple 
was 
prepared 
in 
advtlnce, 
and 
when 
the 
time 
came 
it 
was 
put 
together 
without 
noise 
or 
confusion. 
(1 
Kings 
6: 
7) 
So 
the 
new 
creation 
has 
been 
long 
in 
the 
course 
(}f 
preparation. 
Now 
it 
is 
being 
put 
in 
order 
and 
the 
glorious 
temple 
is 
being 
erected, 
without 
noise 
or 
confusion, 
and 
without 
the 
knowledge 
of 
the 
world. 
Long 
centuries 
ago 
God 
caused 
to 
be 
erected 
in 
Egypt 
a 
mighty 
pillar 
of 
stone, 
composed 
of 
many 
stones, 
all 
dressed 
and 
nicely 
shaped 
and 
fitted 
to 
the 
one 
chief 
corner 
stone. 
The 
entire 
structure 
constituted 
a 
grand 
building 
in 
the 
form 
of 
a 
pyramid, 
picturing 
the 
new 
creation 
1n 
the 
likeness 
of 
God. 
St. 
Peter 
speaks 
of 
the 
new 
creation 
as 
living 
st(}nes 
built 
up 
into 
a 
spiritual 
house. 
(1 
Peter 
2:4-9) 
The 
Lord's 
Prophet 
refers 
to 
the 
same 
as 
the 
"jewel 
class," 
constituting 
the 
precious 
jewels 
of 
Jehovah. 
He 
divides 
the 
new 
creation 
into 
twelve 
tribes 
or 
companies, 
and 
then 
selects 
twelve 
of 
the 
most 
precious 
or 
rare 
jewels 
of 
all 
material 
creation 
to 
picture 
the 
respective 
tribes. 
(Rev. 
21: 
19, 
20) 
Another 
of 
his 
prophets 
speaks 
of 
this 
class 
as 
a 
crown 
of 
glory 
in 
the 
hand 
of 
Jehovah, 
a 
r(}yal 
diadem 
in 
the 
hand 
of 
God. 
(Isaiah 
62:3) 
Again, 
this 
class 
is 
pictured 
as 
a 
royal 
priesthood, 
meaning 
that 
they 
shall 
both 
reign 
with 
Christ 
and 
minister 
blessings 
unto 
the 
world. 
They 
were 
pictured 
by 
Melchisedec, 
whose 
priesthood 
had 
neither 
predecessor 
nor 
successor, 
signifying 
that 
the 
new 
creation 
will 
be 
in 
a 
class 
distinctive 
and 
alone 
in 
Jehovah's 
great 
realm. 
Many 
centuries 
ago 
Jehova.h 
made 
another 
picture 
by 
causing 
Abraham 
to 
send 
his 
servant 
into 
a 
distant 
country 
to 
select 
a 
wife 
for 
Isaac. 
When 
Rebecca. 
was 
brought 
to 
Isaac, 
she 
became 
his 
wife, 
thus 
foreshadowiRg 
how 
Jehovah 
scnt 
his 
Spirit 
int(} 
the 
earth 
to 
select 
from 
amongst 
men 
the 
antitypical 
Rebecca 
as 
the 
bride 
for 
the 
anti 
typical 
Isaac. 
The 
Lord 
has 
made 
the 
relationship 
of 
husband 
and 
wife 
picture 
the 
relationship 
between 
Jesus 
and 
his 
bride.-Ephe­ 
sians 
5 
:25-32. 
It 
is 
a 
recognized 
rule 
that 
the 
antitype 
is 
greater 
than 
the 
sum 
total 
of 
all 
the 
types. 
The 
marriage 
of 
Jesus 
and 
his 
bride, 
which 
soon 
will 
be 
completed, 
will 
therefore, 
as 
the 
antitype, 
be 
far 
greater 
than 
all 
the 
marriages 
(}f 
earth. 
Call 
to 
mind 
all 
the 
happiness 
and 
joy 
manifested 
at 
all 
the 
wed­ 
dings 
of 
all 
the 
ages 
that 
have 
occurred 
on 
earth, 
and 
then 
kn(}w 
that 
the 
sum 
total 
of 
these 
marriages 
is 
nothing 
as 
com­ 
pared 
to 
the 
unspeakable 
joy 
that 
will 
pervade 
the 
universe 
on 
the 
festal 
day 
when 
Jesus 
and 
his 
bride 
shall 
be 
made 
one. 
WHO 
WILL 
SHARE 
IN 
THIS 
FAVOR 
The 
elaborate 
program 
arranged 
by 
Jehovah, 
and 
the 
time 
and 
the 
treasure 
consumed 
in 
carrying 
it 
out, 
enable 
us 
to 
grasp 
in 
a 
measure 
the 
great 
imp(}rtance 
of 
this 
w(}rk 
and 
the 
marvelous 
blessings 
that 
shall 
follow 
its 
completion. 
With 
his 
heart 
fired 
with 
a 
burning 
desire 
to 
attain 
unto 
the 
posi­ 
tion 
offered, 
the 
Apostle 
said, 
"That 
I 
may 
know 
him, 
and 
the 
power 
of 
his 
resurrection, 
and 
the 
fellowship 
of 
his 
sufferings, 
and 
-be 
made 
conformable 
to 
his 
death: 
if 
by 
any 
means 
I 
might 
attain 
unto 
the 
.resurrection 
of 
the 
dead. 
. 
. 
. 
. 
This 
one 
thing 
I 
do, 
forgetting 
the 
things 
that 
are 
behind 
and 
reaching 
forth 
uILto 
those 
things 
which 
are 
before 
I 
press 
forward 
along 
the 
mark 
for 
the 
prize." 
(Philippians 
3: 
10-14) 
Those 
who 
attain 
to 
this 
exalted 
position 
will 
be 
they 
who 
love 
the 
Lord 
supremely, 
who 
keep 
his 
eommandmentle 
with 
a 
joy­ 
ful 
heart 
and 
with 
delight 
submit 
to 
his 
holm 
will. 
The 
special 
commandments 
to 
the 
new 
creatioll 
are, 
• 
That 
ye 
love 
one 
another, 
even 
as 
I 
have 
loved 
you"; 
"Thrust 
in 
the 
sickle 
and 
reap"; 
"Be 
thou 
faithful 
unto 
death, 
and 
I 
will 
give 
thee 
the 
crown 
of 
life." 
To 
the 
faithful 
he 
says, 
"He 
that 
reapeth 
receiveth 
wages."--John 
13: 
34, 
:15; 
Revelati(}n 
14: 
15; 
2: 
10; 
John 
4:36. 
It 
follows 
that 
the 
harvest 
work 
is 
(}f 
the 
greatest 
im­ 
portance. 
It 
may 
properly 
be 
divided 
into 
three 
parts: 
(1) 
the 
bride 
making 
herself 
ready 
for 
the 
marriage; 
(2) 
the 
bride 
class 
declaring 
the 
message 
of 
the 
kingdom 
to 
others, 
that 
they 
might 
be 
invited 
to 
the 
marriage 
feast; 
(3) 
the 
gathering 
of 
the 
grapes 
of 
"the 
vine 
of 
the 
earth." 
It 
is 
dilllcult 
to 
see 
how 
the 
bride 
could 
make 
herself 
ready 
if 
she 
failed 
or 
re­ 
fused 
to 
declare 
the 
message 
to 
others; 
and 
particularly 
is 
this 
true 
if 
the 
opportunity 
to 
do 
the 
work 
of 
the 
harvest 
is 
granted 
,and 
she 
fails 
to 
avail 
herself 
of 
such 
opportunity. 
Those 
who 
reap 
reeeive 
the 
wages. 
It 
follows 
that 
those 
who 
fail 
to 
reap 
in 
the 
manner 
prescribed 
could 
not 
expect 
to 
receive 
the 
wage. 
PBRIOD 
OF 
THE 
HARVEST 
It 
is 
important 
for 
us 
to 
know 
when 
the 
harvest 
began 
and 
when 
it 
will 
end. 
We 
feel 
sure 
it 
is 
pleasing 
to 
the 
Lord 
that 
we 
make 
an 
eff'Ort 
to 
know. 
The 
Jewish 
and 
Gospel 
ages 
parallel 
each 
other, 
both 
in 
time 
and 
in 
events. 
Our 
thought 
once 
was 
that 
the 
Jewish 
harvest 
began 
with 
the 
eonsecration 
of 
our 
Lord, 
in 
A. 
D. 
30, 
and 
ended 
with 
the 
destruction 
of 
Jerusalem, 
in 
A. 
D. 
70--a 
period 
of 
forty 
years. 
But, 
as 
p(}inted 
out 
by 
Brother 
RUilSell 
in 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
last 
year 
(page 
264), 
this 
view 
does 
not 
seem 
to 
be 
supported 
by 
the 
Scriptures. 
Jesus 
was 
n(}t 
one 
who 
was 
harvested; 
for 
he 
was 
always 
in 
harmony 
with 
Jehovah. 
During 
the 
three 
and 
a 
half 
years 
of 
his 
ministry 
he 
recognized 
the 
Ia.w 
arrange­ 
ment 
in 
force 
(Matt 
23:1-3}-that 
tliree 
and 
a 
half 
years 
was 
the 
period 
of 
preparation, 
the 
gathering 
of 
the 
loyal 
Jews 
together, 
and 
especially 
of 
preparing 
the 
apostles 
as 
his 
linstruments 
for 
the 
work 
of 
harvest 
that, 
was 
to 
follow. 
The 
heavenly 
garner 
could 
not 
p()SSibly 
be 
opened 
until 
Jesus 
had 
provided 
the 
ransom-price, 
and 
had 
ascended 
on 
high 
and 
presented 
it 
to 
the 
Father.-2 
Tim. 
1: 
10. 
It 
was 
at 
Pentecost 
that 
the 
apostles 
received 
the 
holy 
Spirit. 
Then 
it 
was 
that 
St. 
Peter 
stood 
up 
and 
8poke 
with 
authority 
to 
'the 
Jew8, 
and 
told 
them 
how 
that 
Jesus 
was 
the 
great 
Redeem~r 
whom 
they 
had 
wickedly 
slain, 
but 
whom 
God 
raised 
up. 
"Now 
when 
they 
heard 
tms, 
they 
were 
pricked 
in 
their 
hearts 
and 
said 
unto 
Peter 
and 
to 
the 
rest 
of 
the 
Ap(}stles, 
Men 
and 
brethren, 
what 
shall 
we 
do! 
Then 
Peter 
said 
unto 
them, 
Repent 
and 
be 
baptized, 
everyone 
of 
you, 
(291-292) 
[6148] 
% Vou. XXXVITI BROOKLYN, N. Y., OCTOBER 1, 1917 No. 19 THE CONCLUDING WORK OF THE HARVEST ‘¢And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire, and cried with a loud voice to him that had a sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sickle and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle upon the earth and gathered the vine of the earth and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God.’’—Rev. 14:18, 19. It is the new creation that is gathered into the garner of the Lord. It is the vine of the earth, composed of the tare systems of the earth, that must be gathered for destruction. Such were the words of the Master. For nineteen centuries God has been preparing the new creation. That work is now reaching a climax. Jehovah is a strict economist. He wastes neither time nor effort. The length of time and the expenditure of treasure is evidence all-sufficient of the great importance of the work of completing the new creation. This work has consisted of the purchasing, calling, begetting and transformation of poor, sad, dying human beings into perfect, joyful, spirit beings of superlative beauty and glory, possessing life immortal and powers for usefulness without limitation. Long ago, at great cost to himself—yea, at the cost of the dearest treasure to his own heart--Jehovah provided for the purchase of the entire human race. The purchase-price has been used for those who will compose the new creation, and they have been brought to a knowledge of that fact and joyfully accepted the benefits thereof. PICTURES FORESHADOWING DEVELOPMENT Long, long before the beginning of the actual development of the new creation, God caused many wonderful pictures to be made, foreshadowing the preparation for and the process of bringing to completion the great work in bebalf of the new creation. To Abraham he made a promise concerning the same, designating that class as “the seed” from which shall go forth the blessings to all humankind. Abraham offered up his son in the mountain and received him as from the dead, picturing the death and resurrection of the antitypical Isaac, the Lord Jesus. (Hebrews 11:17-19} For many centuries God’s typical people offered yearly sacrifices foreshadowing the great sin-offering on behalf of the church and the world. David in his experiences typified the church at war, while Solomon pictured the new creation in glory. The sin-offering on behalf of the church being finished, God issued a call for the election of the new creation. Mark, that this call began at Pentecost and not before; there the heavenly way was opened. God designates this class as his elect, as distinguished from the non-elect. Selected from amongst men, favored with a knowledge of his great plan and furnished with the rules governing the election, the calied ones have the assurance that if they conform themselves to these rules they will be elected judges and blessers of mankind, and thereafter forever be the recipients of Jehovah’s favor. Again, Jehovah likens this class unto a glorious temple, of which Solomon’s Temple was a type or picture. The material for Solomon’s Temple was prepared in advance, and when the time came it was put together without noise or confusion. (1 Kings 6:7) So the new creation has been long in the course of preparation. Now it is being put in order and the glorious temple is being erected, without noise or confusion, and without the knowledge of the world. Long centuries ago God caused to be erected in Egypt a mighty pillar of stone, composed of many stones, all dressed and nicely shaped and fitted to the one chief corner stone. The entire structure constituted a grand building in the form a pyramid, picturing the new creation in the likeness of St. Peter speaks of the new creation as living stones built up into a spiritual house. {1 Peter 2:4-9) The Lord’s Prophet refers to the same as the “jewel class,” constituting the precious jewels of Jehovah. He divides the new creation into twelve tribes or companies, and then selects twelve of the most precious or rare jewels of all material creation to picture the respective tribes. (Rev, 21:19, 20) Another of his prophets speaks of this class as a crown of glory in the hand of Jehovah, a royal diadem in the hand of God. (Isaiah 62:3) Again, this class is pictured as a royal priesthood, meaning that they shall both reign with Christ and minister blessings unto the world. They were pictured by Melchisedec, whose priesthood had neither predecessor nor successor, signifying that the new creation will be in a class distinctive and alone in Jehovah’s great realm. Many centuries ago Jehovah made another picture by causing Abraham to send his servant into a distant country to select a wife for Isaac. When Rebecca was brought to (291-292) Isaac, she became his wife, thus foreshadowing how Jehovah sent his Spirit into the earth to select from amongst men the antitypical Rebecca as the bride for the antitypical Isaac. The Lord has made the relationship of husband and wife picture the relationship between Jesus and his bride—Ephesians §:25-32. It is a recognized rule that the antitype is greater than the sum total of all the types. The marriage of Jesus and his bride, which soon will be completed, will therefore, as the antitype, be far greater than all the marriages of earth. Call to mind all the happiness and joy manifested at all the weddings of all the ages that have occurred on earth, and then know that the sum total of these marriages is nothing as compared to the unspeakable joy that will pervade the universe on the festal day when Jesus and his bride shall be made one. WHO WILL SHARE IN THIS FAVOR The elaborate program arranged by Jehovah, and the time and the treasure consumed in carrying it out, enable us to grasp in a measure the great importance of this work and the marvelous blessings that shall follow its completion. With his heart fired with a burning desire to attain unto the position offered, the Apostle said, “That I may know him, and the power of hie resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, and -be made conformable to his death: if by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead... .. This one thing I do, forgetting the things that are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before I press forward along the mark for the prize.’ (Philippians 3:10-14) Those who attain to this exalted position will be they who love the Lord supremely, who keep his commandments with a joyful heart and with delight submit to his holy will, The special commandments to the new creation are, “That ye love one another, even as I have loved you”; “Thrust in the sickle and reap”; “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee the crown of life.’ To the faithful he says, “He that reapeth receiveth wages.”—John 13:34, 35; Revelation 14:15; 2:10; John 4:36. It follows that the harvest work is of the greatest importance. It may properly be divided into three parts: {1) the bride making herself ready for the marriage; (2) the bride elass declaring the message of the kingdom to others, that they might be invited to the marriage feast; (3) the gathering of the grapes of “the vine of the earth.” It is difficult to see how the bride could make herself ready if she failed or refused to declare the message to others; and particularly is this true if the opportunity to do the work of the harvest is granted and she fails to avail herself of such opportunity. Those who reap receive the wages. It follows that those who fail to reap in the manner prescribed could not expect to receive the wage. PERIOD OF THE HARVEST It is important for us to know when the harvest began and when it will end. We feel sure it is pleasing to the Lord that we make an effort to know. The Jewish and Gospel ages parallel each other, both in time and in events. Our thought once was that the Jewish harvest began with the eonsecration of our Lord, in A. D. 30, and ended with the destruction of Jerusalem, in A. D. 70—a, period of forty years. But, as pointed out by Brother Russell in THE WatoH TowER last year (page 264), this view does not seem to be supported by the Scriptures. Jesus was not one who was harvested; for he was always in harmony with Jehovah. During the three and a half years of his ministry he recognized the law arrangement in force (Matt 23:1-3)—that three and a half years was the period of preparation, the gathering of the loyal Jews together, and especially of preparing the apostles as his instruments for the work of harvest that was to follow. The heavenly garner could not possibly be opened until Jesus had provided the ransom-price, and had ascended on high and presented it to the Father——2 Tim. 1:10. It was at Pentecost that the apostles received the holy Spirit. Then it was that St. Peter stood up and spoke with authority to ‘the Jews, and told them how that Jesus was the great Redeemer whom they had wickedly slain, but whom God raised up. “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized, every one of you, [6148]

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