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THE
WATCH
TOWER
BROOKI.YN,
N.
Y.
are
assured
that
it
will
be
accepted
by
Justice
and
that
all
mankind
will
come
forth,
will
be
turned
over
to
the
Redeemer,
who
will
then
take
unto
himself
his
great
power
and
will
reign
for
a
thousand
years,
as
the
Mediator
between
God
and
man.
'This
mediation
will
reach
mankind
through
Israel,
with
whom
the
New
Covenant
will
be
inaugurated.
While
waiting
for
the
time
to
come
when
he
shall
give
his
C'arthly
rights
as
a
restitution
blessing
to
mankind,
the
Re
deemer
in
carrying
out
the
Pather's
program
makes
use
of
his
merit
in
the
interest
of
those
whom
the
Pather
draws
and
calls
to
be
the
church
of
the
first-borns.
To
each
called
and
obedient
one
who
turns
from
sin
and
presents
his
body
a
living
sacrifice
to
the
Father,
the
Redeemer,
as
his
Advocate,
imputes
a
sufficiency
of
his
merit
to
make
the
sacrifice
accept
able.
'rhen,
as
soon
as
the
sacrifice
is
accepted
and
completed,
the
imputed
merit
of
Christ
will
be
thereby
freed
and
returned,
so
that
in
the
end
of
the
age,
after
the
church
has
been
assisted
by
the
imputation
of
Christ's
merit,
the
original
amount
in
the
hands
of
Justice
will
be
unimpaired-sufficient
for
the
sins
of
the
whole
world-sufficient
to
give
restitution
blessing
to
Adam
and
all
of
his
posterity
during
the
Millennial
reign
of
Christ.
VOL.
XXXIV
BROOKLYN,
N.
Y.,
SEP'l'ElVIBER
1,
1913
No.
17
SUPERIORITY
OF
THE
ORIGINAL
ABRAHAMIC
COVENANT
The
Scriptures
mention
three
great
covenants,
typified
by
the
three
wives
of
Abraham.
These
covenants
are
represented
in
the
order
of
those
wives.
Sarah
was
the
first
wife
of
Abraham-the
only
acknowledged
wife.
Then
carne
Hagar.
8arah's
maid-servant;
and
later
Keturah.
Sarah
and
Hagar
each
had
one
son,
but
Keturah
had
six.
'The
Scriptures
show
that
Abraham
made
Isaac
his
heir
(Gen.
25:
5),
and
that
through
Isaac
both
Ishmael
and
the
sons
of
Keturah
received
their
portion.
The
fact
that
Ishmael
was
born
before
Isaac
did
not
alter
the
fact
that
Isaac
was
the
heir.
From
the
very
beginning,
the
covenant
which
God
had
in
mind
was
the
one
which
is
in
operation
in
the
church-the
Abrahamic
Promise,
or
Covenant.
St.
Paul
declares
(Gal.
3:8)
that
God
preached
the
Gospel
to
Abraham
in
advance,
saying,
"In
thee
and
in
thy
seed
shall
all
the
families
of
the
earth
be
blessed."
(Gen.
12:3;
28:14)
The
same
Apostle
also
shows
that
the
original
Abrahamic
Covenant
mentions
two
seeds,
represented
in
the
statement,
"I
will
multiply
thy
seed
(1)
as
the
stars
of
heaven,
and
(2)
as
the
sand
which
is
upon
the
sea
shore."
(Gen.
22:17)
As
Abraham
here
typi
fied
God,
the
promise
shows
two
classes
developed
as
God's
children-(l)
Christ
and
the
church,
on
the
spirit
plane;
and
(2)
the
rC'stitution
class
of
mankind,
on
the
human
plane.
St.
Paul
refers
to
these
two
seeds
in
Rom.
4:
16,
17,
the
one
devC'lopf'd
under
faith,
and
the
other
under
law
and
works.
The
first,
the
spiritual
seed,
has
been
in
process
of
development
during
this
Gospel
age.
The
second,
the
seed
according
to
the
flC'sh,
the
restitution
class
(with
the
excep
tion
of
the
ancient
worthies,
developed
previous
to
the
Gospel
age),
will
be
developed
under
the
New
Covenant
and
by
its
Mediator,
according
to
law
and
works,
and
not
by
faith
merely.
The
Law
Covenant,
made
at
Sinai,
was
a
type
of
the
New
CO\'enant,
and
had
for
its
mediator
Moses,
the
man
of
God.
'rhis
covenant
brought
nothing
to
perfection,
however,
for
its
mC'diator,
as
well
as
the
people,
was
imperfect.
St.
Paul
ex
plains
that
Israel,
typified
by
I
shmael,
did
not
receive
the
bless
ing,
but
that
The
Christ
received
it.
Later,
however,
Israel
is
to
receive
a
hlcssing,
as
the
Apostle
points
out;
and
that
hlessing
will
be
broug'ht
by
the
New
Covenant,
after
the
glorification
of
the
church.
The
question
naturally
arises,
If
the
Abrahamic
Cove
nant
contained
the
divine
promise
to
the
full,
both
for
the
church
and
for
the
world,
why
did
God
arrange
for
two
other
,'ovenants;
namely,
the
Law
Covenant,
instituted
at
Mount
Sinai
with
Israel,
and
having
Moses
for
its
mediator,
and
the
New
Covenant,
which
is
to
follow,
and
under
which
the
whole
world
is
to
be
hlessed
~
PURPOSE
OF
THE
ADDED
COVENANTS
\Ve
answer
that
these
two
covenants
were
added
to
further
elucidate
the
divine
purpose,
and
to
help
us
to
appreciate
the
operation
of
divine
love
and
justice.
(1)
The
Law
Covenant
was
added
to
the
Abrahamic
Promise,
or
Covenant,
as
St.
Paul
explains,
to
fill
up
the
time
until
the
promised
seed
should
come,
to
whom
the
cove
llant
applied,
and
this
was
necessary
because
of
sin,
that
the
high
divine
standard
for
the
seed
might
be
shown.
The
Law
Covenant
with
Israel
rendered
this
very
service;
for
it
set
up
the
standard
which
approved
Jesus
and
condemned
all
others.
It
also
helped
to
develop
the
Jewish
nation
toward
God
and
righteousness,
and
to
fit
and
prepare
some
of
them
for
the
glorious
high
calling
of
the
Gospel
age,
which
ultimately
came
to
them,
inviting
them
to
divine
favor
and
joint-heirship
with
Messiah
in
the
Millennial
kingdom.
The
Law
Covenant
also
provided
certain
typical
trans
actions
and
prophecies,
which
have
been
very
beneficial
to
spiritual
Israel
during
this
Gospel
age,
illustrating
to
us
in
these
types
and
shadows
of
the
law,
and
enunciating
to
us
in
the
prophecies
of
the
Old
Testament,
various
matters
apper
taining
to
the
blessing
of
the
church
during
this
age,
and
that
of
the
world
during
the
next
age.
(2)
Through
the
New
Covenant-the
second
addition
to
the
original,
Abrahamic
Covenant-the
world
is
to
get
all
of
its
blessings
and
favors
of
restitution.
'l'his
New
[Law]
Covenant
has
not
yet
been
inaugurated;
for
the
.:vrediator
who
is
to
inaugurate
it,
and
to
cause
its
blessings
to
reach
every
member
of
Adam's
race
during
the
Millennial
age,
has
not
yet
been
completed.
This
New
Covenant
will
be
inaugurated
in
the
end
of
this
Gospel
age,
and
its
work
will
embrace
the
entire
period
of
the
Millennium.
Jesus,
our
Redeemer
and
Head,
is
the
apllointed
:YIeuiator
of
the
New
Covenant
by
virtue
of
the
merit
of
his
own
sacri
fice
at
Calvary.
He
could
have
s('aled
it
mul
l>egun
at
once
its
operation,
had
not
the
Father
"proviued
some
better
thing
for
US"
(the
church,
the
bride
of
Christ,
whom
God
foreknew
as
Jesus'
members),
than
for
the
anclc-nt
worthies.
This
is
the
mystery-that
the
Gospel
age
has
bepn
elevoted
to
the
development
of
the
body
of
the
Medintor.-Bphesians
3:
3-6;
Colossians
1:
27.
THE
CffiLDREN
OF
THE
OATH
The
Scriptures
clearly
show
that
our
Lord
was
the
::\lessiah,
the
long-promised
seed
of
Abraham.
(Luke
1:
:l2,
,>'il,
5:"5,
72-74;
2:11;
John
1:41;
4:25,26)
"Thc
chnrch,
which
is
his
body,"
is
also
developed
under
the
Ol'igin:1l
A
brahamic
Covenant,
which
God
bound
with
an
oath.
St.
Paul
calls
it
"the
hope
set
before
us,
which
we
have
as
an
anchor
of
the
soul,
both
sme
and
steadfast,
and
whi,'h
entereth
into
that
within
the
veil."
(Heb.
6:
13-20)
Again,
he
says
to
the
church,
"Ye,
brethren,
as
Isaac
was,
are
the
children
of
tllf'
promise."
(Gal.
4:28)
The
church
are
the
childrcn
of
the
oath.
Our
begetting
Promise,
through
Christ,
to
the
new
nature,
is
very
different
from
that
by
which
the
.Jews
were
constituted
the
house
of
servants,
and
wholly
different
from
those
promises
by
which
restored
Israel
and
all
the
families
of
the
earth
will
be
brought
to
human
perfection
through
restitution
processes.
as
children
of
the
Keturah,
or
New
Co\'enant.
Since
our
Lord
was
developed
under
the
Abrahamic
Covenant,
the
eJmrch
also
must
be
developed
under
that
covenant;
for
the
spiritnal
seed
cannot
be
the
child
of
two
mothers.
It
is
written,
"In
I
saac
shall
thy
seed
be
called.'
'-Gen.
21:
12.
THE
NEW
COVENANT
EVERLASTING
It
is
very
evident
that
the
world
does
not
enter
into
New
Covenant
relationship
with
God
individually
at
the
heginuing
of
the
Millennial
age,
and
will
do
so
only
at
the
end
of
th:lt
age.
Throughout
that
period,
the
matter
will
be
strictly
and
solely
in
the
hands
of
the
Mediator.
During
that
time
he
will
uplift
mankind,
and
make
them
individually
and
collectively
(as
many
as
are
willing)
worthy
of
God's
everlasting
life
and
blessing.
So
then,
we
see
clearly
that
the
end
of
the
Millennial
age
will
be
the
end
of
the
Mediatorship
of
Christ,
and
will
mean
the
personal
and
individual
New
Covenant
relationship
of
each
one
of
the
world.
There
ii>
another
view,
however,
which
should
have
our
consideration,
and
that
is
this:
The
same
New
Covenant
that
starts
with
the
beginning
of
the
Millennial
age
will
continue
through
all
eternity.
There
is
not
to
be
an
additional
New
Covenant
at
the
end
of
the
thousand
years
of
Christ's
reign.
This
New
Covenant
will
be
operated,
not
directly
between
God
and
man,
but
through
the
Mecliator.
In
this
covenant,
God
agrees
that
he
will
remember
the
sins
and
iniquities
of
the
world
no
more,
that
he
will
have
nothing
against
them,
and
that
they
may
have
his
blessings
the
same
as
though
they
were
personally
received
of
himself.
They
will
be
receiypd
through
their
Representative,
The
Mediator,
The
Christ.
The
whole
world
ouring
the
Millennial
reign
will
be
in
[5300]
(259-260) are assured that it will be accepted by Justice and that all mankind will come forth, will be turned over to the Redeemer, who will then take unto himself his great power and will reign for a thousand years, as the Mediator between God and man. This mediation will reach mankind through Israel, with whom the New Covenant will be inaugurated. While waiting for the time to come when he shall give his earthly rights as a restitution blessing to mankind, the Redeemer in carrying out the Father’s program makes use of his merit in the interest of those whom the Father draws and calls to be the church of the first-borns. To each called THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn, N. Y. and obedient one who turns from sin and presents his body a living sacrifice to the Father, the Redeemer, as his Advocate, imputes a sufficiency of his merit to make the sacrifice acceptable. Then, as soon as the sacrifice is accepted and completed, the imputed merit of Christ will be thereby freed and returned, so that in the end of the age, after the church has been assisted by the imputation of Christ’s merit, the original amount in the hands of Justice will be unimpaired—sufticient for the sins of the whole world—sufficient to give restitution blessing to Adam and all of his posterity during the Millennial reign of Christ. BROOKLYN, N. Y., SEPTEMBER 1, 1913 Vou. XXXIV SUPERIORITY OF THE ORIGINAL ABRAHAMIC COVENANT The Scriptures mention three great covenants, typified by the three wives of Abraham. These covenants are represented in the order of those wives. Sarah was the first wife of Abraham—the only acknowledged wife. Then came Hagar. Sarah’s maid-servant; and later Keturah. Sarah and Hagar each had one son, but Keturah had six. The Scriptures show that Abraham made Isaac his heir (Gen. 25:5), and that through Isaac both Ishmael and the sons of Keturah received their portion. The fact that Ishmael was born before Isaac did not alter the fact that Isaac was the heir. From the very beginning, the covenant which God had in mind was the one which is in operation in the church—the Abrahamic Promise, or Covenant. St. Paul declares (Gal. 3:8) that God preached the Gospel to Abraham in advance, saying, ‘‘In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’? (Gen. 12:3; 28:14) The same Apostle also shows that the original Abrahamic Covenant mentions two seeds, represented in the statement, ‘‘I will multiply thy seed (1) as the stars of heaven, and (2) as the sand which is upon the sea shore.’’ (Gen. 22:17) As Abraham here typified God, the promise shows two classes developed as God’s children—(1) Christ and the church, on the spirit plane; and (2) the restitution class of mankind, on the human plane. St. Paul refers to these two seeds in Rom. 4:16, 17, the one developed under faith, and the other under law and works. The first, the spiritual seed, has been in process of development during this Gospel age. The second, the seed according to the flesh, the restitution class (with the exception of the ancient worthies, developed previous to the Gospel age), will be developed under the New Covenant and by its Mediator, according to law and works, and not by faith merely. The Law Covenant, made at Sinai, was a type of the New Covenant, and had for its mediator Moses, the man of God. This covenant brought nothing to perfection, however, for its mediator, as well as the people, was imperfect. St. Paul explains that Israel, typified by Ishmael, did not receive the blessing, but that The Christ received it. Later, however, Israel is to receive a blessing, as the Apostle points out; and that blessing will be brought by the New Covenant, after the glorification of the church. The question naturally arises, If the Abrahamic Covenant contained the divine promise to the full, both for the church and for the world, why did God arrange for two other eovenants; namely, the Law Covenant, instituted at Mount Sinai with Israel, and having Moses for its mediator, and the New Covenant, which is to follow, and under which the whole world is to be blessed? PURPOSE OF THE ADDED COVENANTS We answer that these two covenants were added to further elucidate the divine purpose, and to help us to appreciate the operation of divine love and justice. (1) The Law Covenant was added to the Abrahamic Promise, or Covenant, as St. Paul explains, to fill up the time until the promised seed should come, to whom the covenant applied, and this was necessary because of sin, that the high divine standard for the seed might be shown. The Law Covenant with Israel rendered this very service; for it set up the standard which approved Jesus and condemned all others. It also helped to develop the Jewish nation toward God and righteousness, and to fit and prepare some of them for the glorious high calling of the Gospel age, which ultimately came to them, inviting them to divine favor and joint-heirship with Messiah in the Millennial kingdom. The Law Covenant also provided certain typical transactions and prophecies, which have been very beneficial to spiritual Israel during this Gospel age, illustrating to us in these types and shadows of the law, and enunciating to us in the prophecies of the Old Testament, various matters appertaining to the blessing of the church during this age, and that of the world during the next age. (2) Through the New Covenant—the second addition to the original, Abrahamie Covenant—the world is to get all of its blessings and favors of restitution. This New [Law] Covenant has not yet been inaugurated; for the Mediator who is to inaugurate it, and to cause its blessings to reach every member of Adam’s race during the Millennial age, has not yet been completed. This New Covenant will be inaugurated in the end of this Gospel age, and its work will embrace the entire period of the Millennium, Jesus, our Redeemer and Head, is the appointed Mediator of the New Covenant by virtue of the merit of his own saerifice at Calvary. He could have scaled it and begun at onee its operation, had not the Father ‘‘provided some better thing for US’’ (the church, the bride of Christ, whom God foreknew as Jesus’ members), than for the ancient worthies. This is the mystery—that the Gospel age has been devoted to the development of the body of the Mediator.—Ephesians 3:3-6; Colossians 1:27. THE CHILDREN OF THE OATH The Scriptures clearly show that our Lord was the Messiah, the long-promised seed of Abraham. (Luke 1:32, 33, 55, 72-74; 2:11; John 1:41; 4:25, 26) ‘‘The church, which is his body,’’ is also developed under the original Abrahamic Covenant, which God bound with an oath. St. Paul calls it ‘‘the hope set before us, which we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and whieh entereth into that within the veil.’’ (Heb. 6:13-20) Again, he says to the church, ‘‘Ye, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of the promise.’’ (Gal. 4:28) The church are the children of the oath. Our begetting Promise, through Christ, to the new nature, is very different from that by which the Jews were constituted the house of servants, and wholly different from those promises by which restored Israel and all the families of the earth will be brought to human perfection through restitution processes, as children of the Keturah, or New Covenant. Since our Lord was developed under the Abrahamie Covenant, the church also must be developed under that covenant; for the spiritual seed cannot be the child of two mothers. It is written, ‘In Isaae shall thy seed be called.’’—Gen. 21:12. THE NEW COVENANT EVERLASTING It is very evident that the world does not enter into New Covenant relationship with God individually at the beginning of the Millennial age, and will do so only at the end of that age. Throughout that period, the matter will be strictly and solely in the hands of the Mediator. During that time he will uplift mankind, and make them individually and collectively (as many as are willing) worthy of God’s everlasting life and blessing. So then, we see clearly that the end of the Millennial age will be the end of the Mediatorship of Christ, and will mean the personal and individual New Covenant relationship of each one of the world. There is another view, however, which should have our consideration, and that is this: The same New Covenant that starts with the beginning of the Millennial age will continue through all eternity. There is not to be an additional New Covenant at the end of the thousand years of Christ’s reign. This New Covenant will be operated, not directly between God and man, but through the Mediator. In this covenant, God agrees that he will remember the sins and iniquities of the world no more, that he will have nothing against them, and that they may have his blessings the same as though they were personally received of himself. They will be received through their Representative, The Mediator, The Christ. The whole world during the Millennial reign will be in [5300]
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