Data publicării
15.06.1915
Volumul
36
Numărul
12
Turnul de veghe
Conquest of the Antitypical Canaanites
Revistele originale Turnul de veghe în limba engleză
../literature/watchtower/1915/12/1915-12-2.html
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
BROOKLYN. 
N. 
Y. 
CHRISTIANS 
TO 
BE 
NON-RESISTANT 
In 
the 
present 
age, 
the 
Lord's 
people 
are 
not 
to 
take 
posses­ 
sion 
of 
either 
the 
persons 
or 
the 
property 
of 
others. 
They 
are 
not 
to 
destroy 
life 
under 
any 
circumstances. 
They 
are 
not 
to 
battle 
with 
any 
kind 
of 
carnal 
weapons. 
They 
are 
to 
be 
non­ 
resistant. 
Weare 
not 
of 
those 
who 
would 
defend 
the 
course 
of 
the 
professed 
Christian 
nations 
of 
modern 
times 
along 
these 
lines. 
As 
Christians, 
guided 
by 
our 
Master's 
example 
and 
in­ 
struction, 
we 
should 
seek 
to 
do 
good 
to 
all 
men 
as 
we 
have 
opportunity, 
and 
to 
leave 
them 
in 
peaceable 
possession 
of 
their 
homes, 
their 
property 
and 
their 
liberties. 
There 
is 
a 
great 
difference 
between 
the 
divine 
law 
of 
love, 
which 
is 
the 
motive 
power 
operating 
in 
the 
true 
children 
of 
God 
today, 
and 
the 
law 
of 
selfishness, 
under 
which 
the 
masses 
of 
mankind-including 
the 
vast 
majority 
of 
nominal 
Christendom-still 
operate, 
amI 
will 
continue 
to 
operate 
until 
the 
new 
dispensation 
shall 
be 
fully 
ushered 
in 
by 
divine 
power. 
Nevertheless, 
seeing 
that 
the 
true 
church 
is 
separate 
from 
the 
world 
in 
the 
Lord's 
plan 
and 
his 
dealings, 
we 
can 
look 
with 
comparative 
equanimity 
upon 
the 
overriding 
of 
,Justice 
and 
equity 
hy 
the 
kingdoms 
of 
this 
world, 
and 
may 
reallze 
that 
the 
Lord, 
especially 
at 
the 
present 
time, 
is 
taking 
advantage 
of 
their 
natural 
disposition 
toward 
warfare 
and 
conquest 
and 
empire· 
building. 
He 
will 
cause 
the 
wrath 
of 
man 
thus 
to 
work 
out 
certain 
features 
of 
his 
plan 
which 
will 
prove 
later 
on 
to 
be 
for 
the 
blessing 
of 
the 
whole 
world, 
those 
now 
in 
their 
graves 
as 
well 
as 
those 
yet 
living. 
Not 
being 
able 
to 
see 
behind 
the 
veil 
into 
all 
the 
gracious 
purposes 
of 
our 
Heavenly 
Father, 
and 
not 
being 
wise 
enough 
to 
knvw 
how 
these 
purposes 
could 
be 
carried 
out, 
the 
peoples 
of 
the 
earth 
are 
groping 
on 
in 
darkness, 
thinking 
they 
are 
man­ 
aging 
their 
own 
affairs, 
not 
knowing 
that 
a 
might! 
hand 
i~ 
so 
direetill" 
the 
affairs 
of 
nations 
that 
his 
own 
glonous 
deSigns 
shall 
be"'outworked 
in 
all 
things, 
not 
knowing 
that 
nothing 
can 
thwart 
his 
purposes. 
The 
Lord's 
people 
occupy 
l~rgely 
the 
position 
of 
spectators 
in 
respect 
to 
the 
course 
of 
thiS 
world­ 
its 
policies, 
politics, 
conquests, 
its 
frantic 
efforts 
to 
carry 
out 
its 
selfish 
projects.-J 
ohn 
17: 
16. 
Were 
we 
to 
take 
a 
hand 
in 
the 
lJ,ffairs 
of 
the 
world, 
on 
either 
side 
of 
the 
great 
questions 
with 
which 
they 
are 
grap­ 
pling, 
we 
would 
surely 
be 
working 
contrary 
to 
the 
divine 
pro­ 
gram. 
The 
Lord 
does 
not 
purpose 
to 
give 
the 
victory 
now 
to 
either 
party 
in 
the 
strife. 
We 
are 
to 
be 
separate 
from 
the 
world 
and 
to 
give 
our 
thought 
and 
attention, 
our 
sympathy 
and 
interest 
to 
the 
affairs 
of 
the 
heavenly 
kingdom; 
and 
while 
our 
voices 
if 
ever 
raised 
at 
all 
on 
such 
questions, 
should 
be 
raised 
on 
behalf 
of 
justice, 
mercy 
and 
peace, 
yet 
we 
can 
view 
with 
great 
composure 
whatever 
events 
and 
changes 
may 
take 
place 
in 
the 
world, 
knowing 
that 
our 
Heavenly 
Pather 
has 
all 
power 
to 
overrule 
these 
matters 
to 
his 
own 
praise 
and 
to 
the 
ultimate 
good 
of 
mankind. 
A 
RETROSPECTIVE 
VIEW 
But 
the 
world 
tells 
us 
that 
we 
are 
too 
peaceable. 
They 
say 
that 
mankind 
could 
not 
get 
along 
without 
a 
certain 
amount 
of 
warfare. 
\V 
t 
answer 
that 
no 
one 
can 
understand 
God's 
methods 
except 
as 
he 
is 
guided 
by 
his 
Word, 
by 
the 
Spirit 
of 
the 
truth. 
God's 
dealings 
are 
different 
in 
different 
ages 
and 
for 
different 
purposes. 
These 
seemingly 
conflicting 
pre~enta­ 
tions 
of 
God's 
will 
are 
perfectly 
reasonable 
and 
harmomzable 
from 
the 
proper 
viewpoint. 
Let 
us 
see. 
Back 
in 
Eden, 
the 
sentence, 
"Dying 
thou 
shalt 
die," 
was 
pronounced 
upon 
Adam 
because 
of 
wilful 
disobedi­ 
ence 
to 
the 
divine 
instruction 
that 
a 
violation 
of 
God's 
com­ 
mand 
woul<l 
bring 
death. 
After 
the 
fall, 
mankind 
gradually 
became 
more 
and 
more 
estranged 
from 
the 
Lord. 
Many 
of 
the 
angels, 
who 
then 
had 
access 
to 
earth 
with. 
powers 
of 
materiali­ 
zation 
fell 
from 
their 
holy 
estate. 
Mankilld 
became 
a 
prey 
to 
these 
~ngl'ls 
who 
"lusted 
after 
strange 
flesh." 
(Genesis 
6: 
1-4; 
Jude 
6, 
7; 
2 
Peter 
2:4, 
Diaglott) 
This 
condition 
of 
things 
was 
finally 
overthrown 
by 
the 
great 
deluge 
of 
Noah's 
day. 
But 
in 
time 
the 
world 
again 
became 
very 
sinful. 
Then 
God 
made 
selection 
of 
one 
man 
from 
amongst 
mankind; 
namely, 
Abraham. 
He 
promised 
that 
if 
Abraham 
would 
walk 
in 
his 
ways 
He 
would 
guide 
Abraham's 
affairs 
to 
his 
good 
and 
make 
of 
him 
a 
great 
nation 
and 
would 
bless 
his 
seed. 
And 
so 
we 
have 
Abraham 
Isaac 
and 
Jacob 
as 
God's 
special 
servants. 
The 
descendants 
of 
Jacob, 
God 
took 
into 
covenant 
relationship 
with 
himself 
during 
the 
days 
of 
Moses. 
Under 
Moses 
as 
their 
mediator, 
God 
promised 
to 
be 
their 
God 
and. 
to 
recognize 
them 
as 
his 
people. 
If 
they 
would 
be 
loyal 
to 
him, 
he 
would 
bless 
them. 
If 
they 
should 
be 
disloyal 
to 
him 
and 
go 
over 
to 
the 
idolatry 
of 
the 
neighboring 
nations, 
then 
he 
would 
punish 
them 
for 
their 
sins 
and 
give 
them 
chastisements; 
but 
he 
would 
not 
forsake 
them. 
The 
peoples 
of 
Canaan 
were 
in 
a 
very 
degraded 
condition 
morally. 
They 
had 
progressed 
so 
far 
in 
sin 
that 
it 
was 
no 
longer 
advantageous 
that 
they 
would 
continue 
in 
possession 
of 
Canaan. 
The 
Israelites 
were 
to 
drive 
out 
these 
peoples-and 
they 
were 
to 
be 
destroyed 
when 
necessary. 
1118re 
were 
certain 
nations 
which 
God 
especially 
commanded 
Israel 
to 
utterly 
de­ 
stroy.-Deuteronomy 
20: 
10-18. 
When 
thinking 
of 
this 
command 
of 
God, 
we 
are 
to 
rid 
our 
minds 
of 
the 
superstitions 
of 
the 
past. 
These 
people 
who 
were 
to 
be 
slain 
did 
not 
go 
into 
eternal 
torment, 
but 
into 
death, 
into 
sheol, 
hades, 
the 
tomb. 
This 
would 
be 
an 
unconscious 
sleep. 
Those 
who 
perished 
by 
the 
sword 
are 
still 
asleep; 
they 
are 
not 
in 
pain, 
not 
in 
anguish 
of 
any 
kind. 
They 
are 
merely 
cut 
off 
from 
life 
until 
the 
general 
awakening 
time; 
for 
God 
has 
made 
a 
provision 
whereby 
those 
people 
may 
return 
to 
life, 
may 
be 
called 
forth 
from 
their 
sleep. 
All 
the 
blessings 
of 
everlasting 
life 
God 
has 
maJe 
provision 
for 
through 
Messiah. 
.Mes8iah 
is 
to 
have 
a 
kingdom; 
and 
this 
kingdom 
is 
to 
rule 
the 
world 
in 
righteousness 
(see 
Psalms 
96, 
97, 
and 
72), 
bless­ 
ing 
not 
only 
the 
living, 
but 
also 
those 
who 
have 
fallen 
asleep 
in 
death. 
(Isaiah 
25: 
(i-g 
; 
Hosea 
13: 
14; 
Romans 
14: 
g; 
8: 
20, 
21, 
Diaglott) 
Many 
Scriptures 
declare 
this 
in 
unmistakable 
terms. 
Indeed 
this 
is 
the 
tenor 
of 
the 
entire 
Word 
of 
God. 
The 
divine 
plan 
runs 
like 
a 
golden 
chain 
through 
the 
whole 
Bible, 
both 
Old 
and 
New 
Testaments. 
This 
great 
Messiah, 
who 
is 
yet 
to 
bless 
all 
the 
race 
of 
Adam, 
must 
needs 
be 
their 
Redeemer, 
and 
thus 
the 
owner 
and 
de­ 
liverer 
of 
the 
people, 
as 
the 
Scriptures 
declare. 
Through 
his 
sacrifice 
for 
man 
he 
has 
obtained 
the 
"keys 
of 
hades 
and 
of 
death," 
as 
he 
tells 
us. 
(Revelation 
1: 
18) 
He 
gave 
his 
life 
as 
the 
offset 
to 
Father 
Adam's 
life. 
This 
purchase 
price 
has 
liOt 
as 
yet 
been 
applied 
for 
the 
world 
in 
general, 
but 
will 
be 
ap­ 
plied, 
we 
believe, 
in 
the 
very 
near 
future. 
The 
Millennial 
kingdom 
of 
Christ 
is 
for 
the 
very 
purpose 
of 
giving 
all 
of 
Adam's 
children, 
not 
previously 
enlightened, 
as 
well 
as 
Adam 
himself, 
a 
full 
opportunity 
for 
everlasting 
life, 
after 
having 
had 
experience 
in 
the 
nature 
and 
results 
of 
sin. 
From 
this 
broad 
viewpoint, 
we 
see 
that 
with 
these 
peoples 
of 
ancient 
Palestine-the 
Canaanites, 
the 
Amorites, 
the 
Hit­ 
tites, 
the 
Perizzites, 
the 
Hivites, 
the 
J 
ebusites, 
etc.-it 
was 
a 
blessing 
that 
they 
died 
at 
the 
time 
they 
did. 
Vile 
and 
de­ 
based 
in 
morals, 
they 
were 
no 
benefit 
to 
themselves 
or 
to 
others. 
It 
was 
all 
the 
same 
whether 
they 
died 
by 
some 
kind 
of 
disea~e 
-consumption, 
pneumonia, 
cholera-or 
in 
some 
other 
manner. 
Should 
anyone 
ask, 
Why 
did 
God 
choose 
to 
have 
these 
ancient 
peoples 
die 
in 
battle 
instead 
of 
by 
diseasei 
The 
an­ 
swer 
is 
that 
the 
peoples 
inhabiting 
the 
land 
would 
be 
a 
con­ 
stant 
menace 
to 
the 
morals 
of 
the 
people 
of 
Israel. 
They 
were 
not 
only 
idolatrous, 
but 
practised 
licentious 
rites, 
divina­ 
tion, 
etc. 
Furthermore, 
God 
purposed 
that 
the 
land 
should 
be 
put 
to 
a 
far 
different 
use. 
He 
had 
a 
great 
plan, 
in 
which 
it 
was 
his 
design 
that 
Canaan 
should 
play 
an 
important 
part. 
The 
land 
and 
its 
inhabitants 
were 
to 
be 
typical 
of 
God's 
dealings 
with 
spiritual 
Israel 
in 
the 
Gospel 
age. 
The 
type 
in 
which 
the 
land 
of 
Canaan 
was 
designed 
of 
God 
to 
figure 
could 
not 
be 
carried 
out 
without 
the 
expUlsion 
of 
these 
heathen, 
or 
their 
destruction. 
SPIRITUAL 
ISRAEL 
EXPELLING 
THE 
CANAANITES 
It 
is 
asked 
what 
type 
was 
here 
shown 
f 
We 
believe 
that 
the 
expulsion 
and 
destruction 
of 
these 
sinful 
nations 
by 
Israel 
was 
a 
type 
of 
how 
the 
people 
of 
God 
today, 
spiritual 
Israel, 
are 
to 
take 
possession 
of 
their 
human 
bodies. 
\Ve 
are, 
as 
new 
creatures, 
to 
conquer, 
to 
destroy, 
these 
tendencies 
of 
the 
flesh 
which 
would 
enslave 
us. 
If 
we 
do 
not 
overcome 
and 
destroy 
them, 
they 
will 
overcome 
and 
destroy 
us. 
We 
are 
to 
van­ 
quish 
the 
evil 
propensities, 
evil 
habits, 
vices, 
thoughts, 
desires, 
which 
have 
inhabited 
our 
minds, 
and 
are 
by 
our 
new 
wills 
to 
take 
entire 
control 
and 
fill 
the 
place 
of 
the 
former 
occupants 
with 
holy, 
pure 
thoughts, 
desires, 
ambitions, 
purposes, 
habits. 
These 
human 
bodies 
are 
now 
the 
property 
and 
possession 
of 
the 
spiritual 
Israelites, 
the 
new 
creatures 
in 
Christ. 
There 
is 
to 
be 
no 
peace 
between 
the 
new 
creature 
and 
his 
flesh. 
We 
are 
to 
take 
warning 
from 
natural 
Israel 
in 
this 
respect. 
Fail­ 
ure 
on 
their 
part 
to 
drive 
out 
and 
destroy 
their 
enemies 
com­ 
pletely, 
as 
God 
commanded, 
was 
a 
source 
of 
constant 
trouble 
and 
ensnarement, 
and 
a 
cause 
of 
much 
idolatry 
and 
sin 
to 
Israel. 
And 
their 
experiences 
"were 
written 
for 
our 
admoni­ 
tion." 
Our 
warfare 
against 
spiritual 
foes 
must 
result 
in 
the. 
utter 
destruction 
of 
the 
fleshly 
mind, 
and 
will 
also 
mean 
the 
death 
of 
the 
human 
body. 
This 
warfare 
of 
Israel 
against 
their 
enemies 
may 
also 
be 
a 
picture 
of 
conditions 
in 
the 
Millennium. 
During 
the 
Millen­ 
nial 
age 
the 
world, 
under 
the 
guidance 
of 
Christ 
and 
the 
church, 
will 
be 
brought 
into 
a 
condition 
which 
will 
fit 
them 
to 
have 
possession 
of 
the 
whole 
earth. 
Satan 
will 
be 
bound 
for 
a 
thou­ 
sand 
years. 
Sin 
and 
the 
curse 
of 
Adamic 
death 
now 
resting 
on 
the 
world 
will 
be 
destroyed, 
together 
with 
everything 
con- 
[5706] 
(179--180) CHRISTIANS TO BE NON-RESISTANT In the present age, the Lord’s people are not to take possession of either the persons or the property of others. They are not to destroy life under any circumstances. They are not to battle with any kind of carnal weapons. They are to be nonresistant. We are not of those who would defend the course of the professed Christian nations of modern times along these lines. As Christians, guided by our Master’s example and instruction, we should seek to do good to all men as we have opportunity, and to leave them in peaceable possession of their homes, their property and their liberties. There is a great difference between the divine law of love, which is the motive power operating in the true children of God today, and the law of selfishness, under which the masses of mankind—including the vast majority of nominal Christendom—still operate, and will continue to operate until the new dispensation shall be fully ushered in by divine power. Nevertheless, seeing that the true church is separate from the world in the Lord’s plan and his dealings, we can look with comparative equanimity upon the overriding of justice and equity by the kingdoms of this world, and may realize that the Lord, especially at the present time, is taking advantage of their natural disposition toward warfare and conquest and empire-building. He will cause the wrath of man thus to work out certain features of his plan which will prove later on to be for the blessing of the whole world, those now in their graves as well as those yet living. Not being able to see behind the veil into all the gracious purposes of our Heavenly Father, and not being wise enough to knuw how these purposes could be carried out, the peoples of the earth are groping on in darkness, thinking they are managing their own affairs, not knowing that a mighty hand is so directing the affairs of nations that his own glorious designs shall be outworked in all things, not knowing that nothing can thwart his purposes. The Lord’s people occupy largely the position of spectators in respect to the course of this world— its policies, politics, conquests, its frantic efforts to carry out its selfish projects——John 17:16. Were we to take a hand in the affairs of the world, on either side of the great questions with which they are grappling, we would surely be working contrary to the divine program. The Lord does not purpose to give the victory now to either party in the strife. We are to be separate from the world and to give our thought and attention, our sympathy and interest, to the affairs of the heavenly kingdom; and while our voices, if ever raised at all on such questions, should be raised on behalf of justice, mercy and peace, yet we can view with great composure whatever events and changes may take place in the world, knowing that our Heavenly Father has all power to overrule these matters to his own praise and to the ultimate good of mankind, A RETROSPECTIVE VIEW But the world tells us that we are too peaceable. They say that mankind could not get along without a certain amount of warfare. We answer that no one can understand God’s methods except as he is guided by his Word, by the Spirit of the truth. God’s dealings are different in different ages and for different purposes. These seemingly conflicting presentations of God’s will are perfectly reasonable and harmonizable from the proper viewpoint. Let us see. Back in Eden, the sentence, “Dying thou shalt die,’ was pronounced upon Adam because of wilful disobedience to the divine instruction that a violation of God’s command would bring death. After the fall, mankind gradually became more and more estranged from the Lord. Many of the angels, who then had access to earth with powers of materialization, fell from their holy estate. Mankind became a prey to these angels who “lusted after strange flesh.” (Genesis 6:1-4; Jude 6, 7; 2 Peter 2:4, Diaglott) This condition of things was finally overthrown by the great deluge of Noah’s day. But in time the world again became very sinful. Then God made selection of one man from amongst mankind; namely, Abraham. He promised that if Abraham would walk in his ways, He would guide Abraham’s affairs to his good and make of him a great nation and would bless his seed. And so we have Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God’s special servants. The descendants of Jacob, God took into covenant relationship with himself during the days of Moses. Under Moses as their mediator, God promised to be their God and to recognize them as his people. If they would be loyal to him, he would bless them. If they should be disloyal to him and go over to the idolatry of the neighboring nations, then he would punish them for their sins and give them chastisements; but he would not forsake them. The peoples of Canaan were in a very degraded condition morally. They had progressed so far in sin that it was no THE WATCH TOWER Brooxiyn. N. Y. longer advantageous that they would continue in possession of Canaan. The Israelites were to drive out these peoples—and they were to be destroyed when necessary. There were certain nations which God especially commanded Israel to utterly destroy._-Deuteronomy 20:10-18. _ When thinking of this command of God, we are to rid our minds of the superstitions of the past. These people who were to be slain did not go into eternal torment, but into death, into sheol, hades, the tomb. This would be an unconscious sleep. Those who perished by the sword are still asleep; they are not in pain, not in anguish of any kind. They are merely cut off from life until the general awakening time; for God has made a provision whereby those people may return to life, may be called forth from their sleep. All the blessings of everlasting life God has made provision for through Messiah. Messiah is to have a kingdom; and this kingdom is to rule the world in righteousness (see Psalms 96, 97, and 72), blessing not only the living, but also those who have fallen asleep in death. (Isaiah 25:6-9; Hosea 13:14; Romans 14:9; 8:20, 21, Diaglott) Many Scriptures declare this in unmistakable terms. Indeed this is the tenor of the entire Word of God. The divine plan runs like a golden chain through the whole Bible, both Old and New Testaments. This great Messiah, who is yet to bless all the race of Adam, must needs be their Redeemer, and thus the owner and deliverer of the people, as the Scriptures declare. Through his sacrifice for man he has obtained the “keys of hades and of death,” as he tells us. (Revelation 1:18) He gave his life as the offset to Father Adam’s life. This purchase price has not as yet been applied for the world in general, but will be applied, we believe, in the very near future. The Millennial kingdom of Christ is for the very purpose of giving all of Adam’s children, not previously enlightened, as well as Adam himself, a full opportunity for everlasting life, after having had experience in the nature and results of sin. From this broad viewpoint, we see that with these peoples of ancient Palestine—the Canaanites, the Amorites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, the Jebusites, ete.—it was a blessing that they died at the time they did. Vile and debased in morals, they were no benefit to themselves or to others. It was all the same whether they died by some kind of disease —consumption, pneumonia, cholera—or in some other manner. Should any one ask, Why did God choose to have these ancient peoples die in battle instead of by disease? The answer is that the peoples inhabiting the land would be a constant menace to the morals of the people of Isracl. They were not only idolatrous, but practised licentious rites, divination, etc. Furthermore, God purposed that the land should be put to a far different use. He had a great plan, in which it was his design that Canaan should play an important part. The land and its inhabitants were to be typical of God’s dealings with spiritual Israel in the Gospel age. The type in which the land of Canaan was designed of God to figure could not be carried out without the expulsion of these heathen, or their destruction. SPIRITUAL ISRAEL EXPELLING THE CANAANITES It is asked what type was here shown? We believe that the expulsion and destruction of these sinful nations by Israel was a type of how the people of God today, spiritual Isracl, are to take possession of their human bodies. We are, as new creatures, to conquer, to destroy, these tendencies of the flesh which would enslave us. If we do not overcome and destroy them, they will overcome and destroy us. We are to vanquish the evil propensities, evil habits, vices, thoughts, desires, which have inhabited our minds, and are by our new wills to take entire control and fill the place of the former occupants with holy, pure thoughts, desires, ambitions, purposes, habits. These human bodies are now the property and possession of the spiritual Israelites, the new creatures in Christ. There is fo be no peace between the new creature and his flesh. We are to take warning from natural Israel in this respect. Failure on their part to drive out and destroy their enemies completely, as God commanded, was a source of constant trouble and ensnarement, and a cause of much idolatry and sin to Israel. And their experiences “were written for our admonition.” Our warfare against spiritual foes must result in the utter destruction of the fleshly mind, and will also mean the death of the human body. This warfare of Israel against their enemics may also be a picture of conditions in the Millennium. During the Millennial age the world, under the guidance of Christ and the church, will be brought into a condition which will fit them to have possession of the whole earth. Satan will be bound for a thousand years. Sin and the curse of Adamic death now resting on the world will be destroyed, together with everything con [5706]

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