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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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