"The Path of the Just is as the Shining Light,
That Shineth More and More
Unto the Perfect Day."
SERIES 1
A Vindication of the Divine Character and Government: Showing, by a Recognition and Harmonizing of all the Scriptures, that the Permission of Evil, Past and Present, is Educational and Preparatory to the Ushering of Mankind Into THE GOLDEN AGE OF PROPHECY In Which All the Families of the Earth Will Be Blessed with a Full Knowledge of God and a Full Opportunity for Attaining Everlasting Life Through the Redeemer, Who Then Will Be the Great Restorer and Life-Giver.—Acts 3:19-21.
——————
Published By
RAYMOND G. JOLLY
As Executive Trustee of the Laymen's Home Missionary Movement
PHILADELPHIA, PA., U.S.A.
1960
Laymen's Home Missionary Movement
1997
To the King of Kings and Lord of Lords
IN THE INTEREST OF
HIS CONSECRATED SAINTS,
WAITING FOR THE ADOPTION,
— AND OF —
"ALL THAT IN EVERY PLACE CALL UPON THE LORD,"
"THE HOUSEHOLD OF FAITH,"
— AND OF —
THE GROANING CREATION, TRAVAILING AND WAITING FOR
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD,
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED.
_____________
"To make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery which from the
beginning of the world hath been hid in God," "Wherein He hath
abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence, having
made known unto us the mystery of His will, accord-
ing to His good pleasure which He hath pur-
posed in Himself; that in the dispensation
of the fulness of the times He
might gather together in one
all things, under
Christ."
Eph. 3:4, 5, 9; 1:8–10.
_____________
COPYRIGHT 1937
BY PAUL S. L. JOHNSON
PREFACE
In sending this book forth on its errand of blessing God's people, particularly the consecrated, the Editor and Publisher desires to record his thanks to God for the privilege of such a service and his desire to benefit its readers and students through such a ministry; for one of the greatest privileges of God's servants is to honor the Lord through blessing His people. It was of God's favor that the means came to hand to finance the publication of this book; and its power to bless and its need, felt by many, constitute a call to publish it again. Therefore it is now offered anew to God's people with the fervent prayer that it may be richly blessed to its readers.
The setting up of the type anew has allowed the opportunity of making a few slight changes that, desired by the author, could not well be made in the former plates. Such changes were made in order to bring certain thoughts, formerly immaturely seen, into harmony with the author's more mature findings. Most of these changes altered the thought that the ransom was paid at Calvary into the thought that the ransom was laid down, or provided, and deposited at Calvary, which, as is well known, was the author's mature thought on the subject. The few other slight changes serve the same purpose—that of bringing the thought expressed into harmony with the author's more mature views. Some abbreviations not affecting the sense had to be made to keep the pages the same size as before, because linotype here used takes more space than hand type used in the former edition.
The reader is asked to remember, especially in connections that imply time references to events, attainments, works, persons and privileges, e.g., access to the high calling, the reaping work, the tribulation as entirely future, inventions, etc., that such things were set forth as viewed
iii
at the time the book was written. The Editor let such statements, which through the flight of time are now anachronisms, stand as they were written, because he desired to make no avoidable change, because for the most part these remaining in the text serve to show how accurately the author foresaw future events and conditions, and because the foregoing caution will be sufficient to guard against error. A large appendix in three parts has been added beginning on page 351.
The Editor and Publisher prays the Divine blessing on the mission of this book as it begins again its ministry to God's consecrated people and others. And in this prayer he rejoices that the Lord's people everywhere join. Such a prayer implies that those who offer it join in the work of speeding the book on its mission. With these few prefatory words and with the assurance of his Christian love and prayers, he remains,
Yours in fellowship and service,
PAUL S. L. JOHNSON,
Philadelphia, Pa., U. S. A., Sept. 6, 1935.
THE AUTHOR'S FOREWORD.
THE AUTHOR and the publisher desire publicly to acknowledge the favor of God which has permitted them to be identified with the circulation of this volume, and with the results—light, joy, peace, fellowship with God, to many hungry, thirsty, bewildered souls. The first edition in its present form was issued in 1886. Since then, one edition has followed another in rapid succession and in twenty different languages, until now there are nearly five million copies of it in the hands of the people all the world over. We cannot hope that this book has been read by all; but letters continually coming to hand assure us that it is working powerfully in the hearts and minds of people everywhere. Thousands write us that they have been influenced—some who totally disbelieved in the Bible as a
iv
Divine Revelation to mankind. Others write that they have been atheists or approximately so, because they had not previously known the true God and His true Plan of the Ages, and were unable to accept, appreciate or worship the characters usually held before them in the creeds.
For above five years preceding the first publication of this Volume, we had substantially the same matter in print under another name and differently presented. That book was entitled "Food for Thinking Christians." Its style was different in that it first of all attacked the error—demolished it; and then, in its place, erected the fabric of Truth. We finally learned that this was not the best way—that some became alarmed as they saw their errors falling, and failed to read far enough to get a glimpse of the beautiful structure of Truth in place of the demolished errors. The present Volume was written from the reverse standpoint. It presents the Truth, shows its strength and beauty, and then suggests the removal of the error, as not only unnecessary, but absolutely useless and very injurious. Thus the reader of the DIVINE PLAN OF THE AGES at each step finds a strengthening of faith and a greater nearness to the Lord, and therefore a confidence that he is in the right way. After seeing the Truth, the errors are more and more seen to be absurd, worthless, injurious and are gladly abandoned.
The great Adversary, of course, has no love for anything which opens the eyes of God's people, increases their reverence for God's Book, and breaks their reliance upon human creeds. The great Adversary, therefore, as we might have expected, is very much opposed to this book. Few realize Satan's power and cunning; few realize the meaning of the Apostle's words in respect to this Prince of Darkness, who transforms himself into a minister of light, in order to fight the Truth and destroy its influence. Few realize that our wily Adversary seeks to use the best, the
v
most energetic, the most influential of God's people to hinder the shining of the light and to keep the Divine Plan of the Ages away from the people. Few realize that from the time creed-making began, A.D. 325, there was practically no Bible study for 1260 years. Few realize that during that time the creeds were riveted upon the minds of millions, shackling them to horrible errors, and blinding them to the Divine character of Wisdom, Justice, Love, Power. Few realize that since the Reformation—since the Bible began to come back into the hands of the people—well-meaning but deluded reformers have been blinded and handicapped by the errors of the past, and, in turn, have served to keep the people in darkness. Few realize that real Bible study, such as was practised in the early Church in the days of the Apostles, has only now come back to Bible students.
In the earliest editions of this Volume, the title, "MILLENNIAL DAWN," was used; but we found that some were deceived thereby into thinking it a novel. In order that none might be deceived, and none might purchase under such deception, we later adopted the present serial title, "STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES," which nobody can misunderstand. Many queries have come to us as to why this book cannot be found in the book-stores. Our answer is that while the book publishers would be glad to have this book, there are certain religious zealots who will not permit its sale, threatening boycott. At first this seemed like a great disaster, as though the power of the Adversary would be permitted to hinder the dissemination of the Truth. But God graciously overruled the matter, so that today probably no other book has so large a circulation and so steady a circulation as this Volume. Those who, through prejudice, refused to read the book and fought against it, did so because they believed falsehoods, misrepresentations.
Many of these books have been burned by people who never read them, but who were influenced by misrepresentations.
vi
Just so it was during the Dark Ages in respect to the followers of Jesus, who suffered martyrdom. Yes, Jesus Himself suffered at the hands of those who did not understand Him or His teachings, as St. Peter pointedly declares: "And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers" (Acts 3:17); "for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory." (1 Cor. 2:8.) But if the enemies of this book have been bitter, unjust, untruthful, its friends are proportionately warm and zealous. The millions of copies in the hands of the people have nearly all been passed out through the friends of the book, who, from the love of the Truth, have given time and energy for its wide circulation. While we write these lines, we have knowledge of the fact that approximately six hundred Christian people from various walks of life have "left all" earthly business and calling and ambitions that they may glorify the Lord and bless His hungry saints by putting this little Volume into their hands. These include doctors, school teachers, nurses, ministers, barbers, mechanics—people from every walk of life who, touched to the heart themselves with the love of God, desire to bring the blessing to other hearts and heads.
This book is sold at a small price; and these colporteurs who take it around to the public are barely able to make their expenses. They rejoice, however, all the more if sometimes they have privations and are counted worthy to suffer some inconveniences and deprivations for the sake of the Lord, the Truth and the Brethren. The good work goes on, the Message of Life in Christ passes from hand to hand. The present output of this Volume is enormous. May its blessing in future days be proportionately as great as in the past. The author and publisher ask for no more.
With very best wishes to all readers,
Your servant in the Lord,
CHARLES T. RUSSELL,
Brooklyn, N. Y., October 1, 1916.
vii
CONTENTS
_________
STUDY I
EARTH'S NIGHT OF SIN TO TERMINATE IN A MORNING OF JOY
A NIGHT OF WEEPING AND A MORNING OF JOY—TWO METHODS OF SEEKING TRUTH—THE METHOD HEREIN PURSUED—SCOPE OF THE WORK—A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE REVERENT STUDY OF THE SCRIPTURES AND THE DANGEROUS HABIT OF SPECULATION—THE OBJECT OF PROPHECY—THE PRESENT RELIGIOUS CONDITION OF THE WORLD VIEWED FROM TWO STANDPOINTS—EGYPTIAN DARKNESS—A BOW OF PROMISE—THE PATH OF THE JUST PROGRESSIVE—CAUSE OF THE GREAT APOSTASY—THE REFORMATION—THE SAME CAUSE AGAIN HINDERS REAL PROGRESS—PERFECTION OF KNOWLEDGE NOT A THING OF THE PAST, BUT OF THE FUTURE....9
STUDY II
THE EXISTENCE OF A SUPREME INTELLIGENT CREATOR ESTABLISHED
EVIDENCE ASIDE FROM THE BIBLE, EXAMINED IN THE LIGHT OF REASON—AN UNTENABLE THEORY—A REASONABLE THEORY—THE CHARACTER OF GOD DEMONSTRATED—REASONABLE DEDUCTIONS....29
STUDY III
THE BIBLE AS A DIVINE REVELATION VIEWED IN THE LIGHT OF REASON
THE CLAIMS OF THE BIBLE AND ITS SURFACE EVIDENCE OF CREDIBILITY—ITS ANTIQUITY AND PRESERVATION—ITS MORAL INFLUENCE—MOTIVES OF THE WRITERS—GENERAL CHARACTER OF THE WRITINGS—THE BOOKS OF MOSES—THE LAW OF MOSES—PECULIARITIES OF THE GOVERNMENT INSTITUTED BY MOSES—IT WAS NOT A SYSTEM OF PRIESTCRAFT—INSTRUCTIONS TO CIVIL RULERS—RICH AND POOR ON A COMMON LEVEL BEFORE THE LAW—SAFEGUARDS AGAINST TAMPERING WITH THE RIGHTS OF THE PEOPLE—THE PRIESTHOOD NOT A FAVORED CLASS, HOW SUPPORTED, ETC.—OPPRESSION OF FOREIGNERS, WIDOWS, ORPHANS AND SERVANTS GUARDED AGAINST—THE PROPHETS OF THE BIBLE—IS THERE A COMMON BOND OF UNION BETWEEN THE LAW, THE PROPHETS AND THE NEW TESTAMENT WRITERS?—MIRACLES NOT UNREASONABLE—THE REASONABLE CONCLUSION....37
viii
STUDY IV
THE EPOCHS AND DISPENSATIONS MARKED IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DIVINE PLAN
GOD'S PLAN DEFINITE AND SYSTEMATIC—THREE GREAT EPOCHS OF THE WORLD'S HISTORY—THEIR DISTINCTIVE FEATURES—"THE EARTH ABIDETH FOREVER"—THE WORLD TO COME, THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH—SUBDIVISIONS OF THESE GREAT EPOCHS—THE IMPORTANT FEATURES OF GOD'S PLAN THUS BROUGHT TO VIEW—ORDER RECOGNIZED DISCLOSES HARMONY—RIGHTLY DIVIDING THE WORD OF TRUTH....65
STUDY V
"THE MYSTERY HID FROM AGES AND FROM GENERATIONS, BUT NOW MADE MANIFEST TO HIS SAINTS."—COL. 1:26
THE GLIMMERING LIGHT OF THE FIRST PROMISE—THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM HOPE DEFERRED—THE MYSTERY BEGINS TO UNRAVEL AT PENTECOST—WHAT THE MYSTERY IS—WHY SO LONG KEPT A MYSTERY—STILL A MYSTERY TO THE WORLD—IN DUE TIME TO BE MADE MANIFEST TO ALL—WHEN THE MYSTERY WILL BE FINISHED....77
STUDY VI
OUR LORD'S RETURN—ITS OBJECT, THE RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS
OUR LORD'S SECOND ADVENT PERSONAL AND PRE-MILLENNIAL—ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE FIRST ADVENT—THE SELECTION OF THE CHURCH AND THE CONVERSION OF THE WORLD—ELECTION AND FREE GRACE—PRISONERS OF HOPE—PROPHETIC TESTIMONY REGARDING RESTITUTION—OUR LORD'S RETURN MANIFESTLY THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD....89
STUDY VII
THE PERMISSION OF EVIL AND ITS RELATION TO GOD'S PLAN
WHY EVIL WAS PERMITTED—RIGHT AND WRONG AS PRINCIPLES—THE MORAL SENSE—GOD PERMITTED EVIL, AND WILL OVERRULE IT FOR GOOD—GOD NOT THE AUTHOR OF SIN—ADAM'S TRIAL NOT A FARCE—HIS TEMPTATION SEVERE—HE SINNED WILFULLY—THE PENALTY OF SIN NOT UNJUST, NOR TOO SEVERE—THE WISDOM, LOVE AND JUSTICE DISPLAYED IN CONDEMNING ALL IN ADAM—GOD'S LAW UNIVERSAL....117
ix
STUDY VIII
THE DAY OF JUDGMENT
THE GENERAL VIEW OF THE DAY OF JUDGMENT—IS IT SCRIPTURAL?—THE TERMS, JUDGMENT AND DAY, DEFINED—SEVERAL JUDGMENT DAYS REFERRED TO IN THE SCRIPTURES—THE FIRST JUDGMENT DAY AND ITS RESULTS—ANOTHER APPOINTED—THE JUDGE—THE CHARACTER OF THE COMING JUDGMENT—SIMILARITY AND DISSIMILARITY OF THE FIRST AND SECOND JUDGMENTS—THE WORLD'S PRESENT ACCOUNTABILITY—TWO INTERVENING JUDGMENTS AND THEIR OBJECTS—WIDELY DIFFERENT ESTIMATES OF THE COMING JUDGMENT—HOW PROPHETS AND APOSTLES VIEWED IT....137
STUDY IX
RANSOM AND RESTITUTION
THE RESTITUTION GUARANTEED BY THE RANSOM—NOT EVERLASTING LIFE, BUT A TRIAL FOR IT, SECURED BY THE RANSOM—THE CONDITIONS AND ADVANTAGES OF THE TRIAL—CHRIST'S SACRIFICE NECESSARY—HOW THE RACE COULD BE AND WAS REDEEMED BY THE DEATH OF ONE—FAITH AND WORKS STILL NECESSARY—THE WAGES OF WILFUL SIN CERTAIN—WILL THERE BE ROOM ON THE EARTH FOR THE RESURRECTED MILLIONS?—RESTITUTION VERSUS EVOLUTION....149
STUDY X
SPIRITUAL AND HUMAN NATURES SEPARATE AND DISTINCT
COMMON MISAPPREHENSIONS—EARTHLY OR HUMAN AND HEAVENLY OR SPIRITUAL NATURES—EARTHLY GLORY AND HEAVENLY GLORY—BIBLE TESTIMONY REGARDING SPIRIT BEINGS—MORTALITY AND IMMORTALITY—CAN MORTAL BEINGS HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE?—JUSTICE IN THE BESTOWMENT OF FAVORS—A SUPPOSED PRINCIPLE EXAMINED—VARIETY IN PERFECTION—GOD'S SOVEREIGN RIGHTS—GOD'S PROVISION FOR MAN A SATISFYING PORTION—THE ELECTION OF THE BODY OF CHRIST—HOW THEIR CHANGE OF NATURE IS EFFECTED....173
STUDY XI
THE THREE WAYS—THE BROAD WAY, THE NARROW WAY, THE HIGHWAY
THE BROAD ROAD TO DESTRUCTION—THE NARROW WAY TO LIFE—WHAT IS LIFE?—THE DIVINE NATURE—THE RELATIONSHIP OF THE DIVINE AND HUMAN NATURES—THE REWARD AT THE END OF THE NARROW WAY—THE HIGH CALLING LIMITED TO THE GOSPEL AGE—DIFFICULTIES AND DANGERS OF THE NARROW WAY—THE HIGHWAY OF HOLINESS....205
x
STUDY XII
EXPLANATION OF CHART REPRESENTING THE PLAN OF THE AGES
THE AGES—THE HARVESTS—PLANES OF ACTUAL AND RECKONED STANDING—THE COURSE OF OUR LORD JESUS—THE COURSE OF HIS FOLLOWERS—THREE CLASSES IN THE NOMINAL CHURCH—SEPARATION IN THE HARVEST—THE ANOINTED CLASS GLORIFIED—THE GREAT TRIBULATION CLASS—THE TARES BURNED—THE WORLD BLESSED—THE OUTCOME GLORIOUS....219
STUDY XIII
THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD
THE FIRST DOMINION—ITS FORFEITURE—ITS REDEMPTION AND RESTORATION—THE TYPICAL KINGDOM OF GOD—THE USURPER—TWO PHASES OF THE PRESENT DOMINION—THE POWERS THAT BE, ORDAINED OF GOD—NEBUCHADNEZZAR'S VIEW OF THEM—DANIEL'S VIEW AND INTERPRETATION—THE KINGDOMS OF THIS WORLD VIEWED FROM ANOTHER STANDPOINT—THE PROPER RELATIONSHIP OF THE CHURCH TO PRESENT GOVERNMENTS—THE DIVINE RIGHT OF KINGS BRIEFLY EXAMINED—CLAIMS OF CHRISTENDOM FALSE—A BETTER HOPE IN THE FIFTH UNIVERSAL EMPIRE....245
STUDY XIV
THE KINGDOM OF GOD
PROMINENCE OF THE SUBJECT—THE CHARACTER OF THE KINGDOM—THE KINGDOM DURING THE GOSPEL AGE—FALSE VIEWS CORRECTED BY PAUL—RESULTS OF FALSE IDEAS OF THE KINGDOM—TWO PHASES OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD—THE SPIRITUAL PHASE AND ITS WORK—THE EARTHLY PHASE AND ITS WORK—THEIR HARMONIOUS OPERATION—THE GLORY OF THE EARTHLY PHASE—THE GLORY OF THE HEAVENLY PHASE—THE COVENANT ROOT FROM WHICH THESE BRANCHES GROW—THE EARTHLY PHASE OF THE KINGDOM, ISRAELITISH—THE LOST TRIBES—THE HEAVENLY JERUSALEM—ISRAEL A TYPICAL PEOPLE—ISRAEL'S LOSS AND RECOVERY—THE ELECT CLASSES—THE HEIRS OF THE KINGDOM—THE IRON RULE—AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE OBJECT OF THE MILLENNIAL REIGN—THE KINGDOM DELIVERED TO THE FATHER—GOD'S ORIGINAL DESIGN FULLY ACCOMPLISHED....273
xi
STUDY XV
THE DAY OF JEHOVAH
THE "DAY OF JEHOVAH," THE "DAY OF VENGEANCE," THE "DAY OF WRATH"—A TIME OF GREAT TROUBLE—ITS CAUSE—THE BIBLE'S TESTIMONY REGARDING IT—ITS FIRE AND STORM, ITS SHAKING AND MELTING, SHOWN TO BE SYMBOLIC—DAVID'S TESTIMONY—THE REVELATOR'S TESTIMONY—THE PRESENT SITUATION AND THE FUTURE OUTLOOK AS VIEWED BY THE OPPOSING PARTIES, CAPITALISTS AND WAGE-WORKERS—A REMEDY WHICH WILL NOT SUCCEED—THE VEIL LIFTED AND LIGHT ADMITTED JUST IN DUE TIME—THE PROOF OF THIS—THE CONDITION OF THE SAINTS DURING THE TROUBLE, AND THEIR PROPER ATTITUDE TOWARD IT....307
STUDY XVI
CONCLUDING THOUGHTS
OUR DUTY TOWARD THE TRUTH—ITS COST, ITS VALUE, ITS PROFIT....343
xii
