The Harp of God Part 43

What will be the appearance of each member of the body of Christ? -- 529.

After all the bride cla.s.s is united with the Bridegroom, then what is next to be expected? -- 530.

To whom is granted the honor of presenting the bride before Jehovah? -- 530.

Give a picture based upon the Scriptures of the appearance of the bride with the Bridegroom before the throne of Jehovah. -- 531.

Describe the appearance of the bride cla.s.s. -- 532.

How will that marriage compare with earthly marriages or unions? -- 532.

Why will the members of the body of Christ be a monument to the grace of G.o.d? -- 533.

In vision, how did St. John describe the church cla.s.s this side the vail using the harp of G.o.d? -- 534.

"THEE FOR EVER BLEST"

Thy works all praise Thee: all Thy angels praise: Thy saints adore, and on Thy altars burn The fragrant incense of perpetual love.

They praise Thee now: their hearts, their voices praise, And swell the rapture of the glorious song.

Harp! lift thy voice on high--shout, angels, shout!

And loudest, ye redeemed! glory to G.o.d, And to the Lamb, who bought us with His blood, From every kindred, nation, people, tongue; And washed, and sanctified, and saved our souls; And gave us robes of linen pure, and crowns Of life, and made us kings, and priests to G.o.d.

Shout back to ancient Time! Sing loud, and wave Your palms of triumph! sing, Where is thy sting, O Death? where is thy victory, O Grave?

Thanks be to G.o.d, eternal thanks, who gave Us victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Harp, lift thy voice on high! shout, angels, shout, And loudest, ye redeemed! glory to G.o.d, And to the Lamb--all glory and all praise; All glory and all praise, at morn and even, That come and go eternally; and find Us happy still, and Thee for ever blest.

Glory to G.o.d, and to the Lamb. Amen.

For ever, and for evermore. Amen.

--_Pollok_

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER XI

String 10: _Restoration_

The restoration string of the harp of G.o.d is one that will fill the earth with joyful song. Although every prophet from Samuel to John the Baptist spoke of the coming days of restoration, this wonderful doctrine represented by the tenth string of the harp was for a long time lost to the vision of many who claimed to be Christians, as was also the doctrine of the Abrahamic promise. Hence we see that the eight-string harp sometimes used by the Jews represents the harp of G.o.d minus the strings picturing the Abrahamic promise and restoration. Now these strings or doctrines have been found and appreciated by G.o.d's people; and the harp fully strung yields music of unspeakable sweetness.

[536]Restoration means to restore that which was lost. The first man Adam was made perfect, in the image and likeness of G.o.d, with power and authority to fill the earth with a race of people and to rule the earth as his dominion. By reason of his sin, he brought upon himself the manifestation of divine justice; and being sentenced to death, he lost the right to life, and this right was lost also for his offspring. The first man, Adam, was created a human being, not a spirit being. "The first man is of the earth, earthy." (1 Corinthians 15:47) G.o.d created the earth for man. "G.o.d ... formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited." (Isaiah 45:12,18) The Scriptures conclusively prove that G.o.d's original purpose was that man should have an everlasting home on the earth as long as he obeyed the divine law. Man having disobeyed forfeited his right to live on earth, and Jesus, the perfect man, having by his great sacrifice purchased this right for man, the time must come when man will be restored to that which was lost.

[537]Some noted teachers of the Bible deny the doctrine of restoration.

Let us observe, then, what else must fail if this doctrine fails. If there is to be no restoration of man to his original state, then it must be admitted that the creation of man was and is a failure. Not only would the creation of man result in a failure, but the very purpose for which G.o.d created the earth must fail. This would mean, then, that his word has not and will not accomplish what he said. But G.o.d being all-wise, and having unlimited power, his purposes cannot fail. If we believe the Bible, we will have to believe the doctrine of restoration.

Jehovah has said: "My word that goeth forth out of my mouth ... shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it".--Isaiah 55:11.

[538]If there is to be no restoration of man to his original state and no opportunity for him to be so restored, then the manifestation of divine justice against Adam amounts to nothing more than G.o.d's destroying the work of his own hands and admitting he was and is unable to people the earth with a perfect race. If we believe in his omnipotence, we must believe that he will accomplish his design. Having made the promise at the time of the sentence of man that the great enemy should ultimately perish, we may take this as one truth upon which to hang a hope that something better is to come in the future.

[539]If there is to be no restoration of mankind to original perfection, then G.o.d's promise made to Abraham is meaningless and must fail, because the express purpose of that promise is the blessing of all the families of the earth; and that blessing is life. (Genesis 12:3; 22:18; 28:14; Romans 6:23) Not only did Jehovah make this promise to Abraham, but he bound the promise with his oath; and by these two things (his word and his oath, both of which are unchangeable) it is impossible for the promise to fail; but in due time it must be carried out.--Hebrews 6:17,18.

[540]Beyond question, the Scriptures show that Jesus, who in his prehuman existence was the Logos, left the heavenly courts, his life being transferred from spirit to human plane, took upon him the nature and form of man, and became Jesus for the very purpose of saving the people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21) He came that man might have life.

(John 10:10) He came and gave his life as a ransom, that others might live. (Matthew 20:28) He was rich and for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might become rich. (2 Corinthians 8:9) When he was born as a man, the angels of heaven announced glad tidings of great joy which shall be unto all people, because the purpose of his birth was to redeem mankind and to restore to them that which had been lost. (Luke 2:9-11) If there is to be no restoration of man to his original state, then all these purposes of G.o.d in sending his beloved Son to earth must fail. We know that G.o.d's word cannot fail.

[541]It was the perfect man Adam who had sinned and by his sin lost the right to life and the blessings incident to a perfect human life. The only means provided for satisfying that judgment and releasing mankind was by subst.i.tuting another perfect human life. The subst.i.tution of that one perfect human life for the other is called in the Scriptures the ransom-sacrifice. G.o.d made the specific promise that he would ransom man from the power of the grave, and that he would redeem him from death. (Hosea 13:14) In keeping with this promise, his Word declares that 'Jesus, by the grace of G.o.d, tasted death for every man'. (Hebrews 2:9) "There is one G.o.d, and one mediator between G.o.d and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time."--1 Timothy 2:5,6.

[542]Unless, therefore, mankind has a full and fair opportunity to be restored to the perfect condition enjoyed by father Adam while in Eden, then all of these promises of Jehovah are meaningless and must fail. If they should fail, such would prove that G.o.d is not all-powerful. It would also prove that his promises are not sure; whereas the Scriptures declare: "All the promises of G.o.d, whatever their number, have their confirmation in him; and for this reason through him also our 'Amen'

acknowledges their truth and promotes the glory of G.o.d through our faith. But he who is making us as well as you stedfast through union with the anointed one, and has anointed us, is G.o.d, and he has also set his seal upon us, and has put his spirit into our hearts as a pledge and foretaste of future blessing."--2 Corinthians 1:20-22, _Weymouth_.

[543]Jesus arose from the dead and ascended on high. The fact of his resurrection is a guarantee that all men shall have an opportunity for life. If there is to be no restoration of the human race, then the resurrection of Jesus and the awakening of others from the dead are meaningless and for no purpose. If we believe the Scriptures, we must believe in restoration, because G.o.d "hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in _righteousness_ by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given a.s.surance _unto all men_, in that he hath raised him from the dead". (Acts 17:31) If we do not accept the doctrine of restoration of the human race, then we must ignore the positive words of the Apostle, who wrote: "Now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to G.o.d, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."--1 Corinthians 15:20-26.

[544]"The mystery" is the Christ, the anointed cla.s.s--Jesus the head and his body members--designated in the Scriptures as the seed of Abraham, according to the promise. (Colossians 1:26,27) It is the repeatedly announced purpose of Jehovah that through this seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. (Galatians 3:8,16,27,29) Jehovah has devoted much time and effort to the development of the seed of promise. If, therefore, there is to be no opportunity for full restoration of mankind, then the time and effort spent in developing the seed of Abraham has been wasted, and the promise of blessing through this seed is meaningless and void. If we believe the Scriptures above cited, that G.o.d's word cannot return unto him void, then we must know that his purposes cannot fail.

[545]The Lord Jesus went away to prepare a place for his bride, the church, which is the seed of Abraham through which the promised blessing of mankind must come. He promised to return and receive his bride unto himself. He has come again, as the Scriptural evidence herein cited clearly and conclusively shows. If there is to be no opportunity for the restoration of man to the condition which Adam enjoyed before he sinned, then the second coming of the Lord must fail in one of its primary purposes. That one of the primary purposes of his second coming is the restoration of the human race, is definitely stated by the inspired witness: "G.o.d ... shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you; whom the heaven must receive [retain, hold] until the times of _rest.i.tution_ [restoration] of all things, which G.o.d hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your G.o.d raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pa.s.s, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days."

--Acts 3: 20-24.

[546]Added to this positive statement of the inspired Apostle is the testimony of all the prophets foretelling the time coming for the restoration of the things that were lost through the disobedience of Adam.

[547]Enoch was the first of the holy prophets. (Jude 14,15) Then followed Jacob (Genesis 49:10), Moses (Genesis 3:15; 12:3; 13:15; 18:18; 22:18; Deuteronomy 18:15,19; 30:15), Samuel (1 Samuel 2:6), Job (14:13-15; 33:19-30), David (Psalm 22:27; 30:5; 37:11; 46:10; 67:1-7; 72:3,4,6,10; 86:9; 93:2; 96:11-13; 98:4-9; 104:5), Solomon (Proverbs 2:21; 11:31; Ecclesiastes 1:4), Isaiah (2:2-4; 9:7; 11:4-9; 14:7; 19:22; 25:6-12; 28:17,18; 29:17,18; 33:24), Jeremiah (3:17; 24:7; 31:16,29,34; 32:39,40; 33:8,9; 46:27; 50:4,5), Ezekiel (11:19; 16;55,61-63; 18:2,31,32; 28:26; 34:25-28; 36:26,27,29,30,35; 37:24; 39:29), Daniel (2:44; 7:27), Hosea (2:18,21; 3:5; 13:14), Joel (2:22,32), Amos (9:11,12; Acts 15:14-18), Obadiah (verse 21), Jonah (chapter 4), Micah (4:1-5,8), Nahum (1:15; 2:3-6), Habakkuk (2:14), Zephaniah (2:11; 3:9,13), Haggai (2:7), Zechariah (2:11; 3:10; 8:3,8,12,15,21,22; 9:10,17; 14:9,11,20), Malachi (1:11; 3:11; 4:2), and John the Baptist.

(John 1:29; Matthew 11:9,11) This entire array of holy witnesses, without a single exception, unite in testifying to the coming days of restoration of man.[A]

[Footnote A: See discussion of this in "The Finished Mystery", pages 62-95.]

[548]The reasonable mind cannot conceive that Jehovah would develop a new creation and glorify that creation by committing to the head of it all power in heaven and in earth without a.s.signing the new creation some work to do with reference to man. The very purpose of the glorification of the new creation, the church, is that the members thereof, directed by the head, the Lord Jesus, might judge and bless and restore the families of the earth. There could be no judgment without a trial; and a trial means an opportunity. Jesus plainly said: "In the regeneration when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel". (Matthew 19:28) Here is the positive statement of regeneration. Regeneration means the act of reproducing or giving life anew to a creature.

[549]Again it is written concerning those who partic.i.p.ate in the first resurrection and thereby become members of the royal family of heaven: "Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of G.o.d and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years," which thousand-year reign is for the purpose of restoring mankind.--Revelation 20:6; Acts 17:31.

[550]Again says the Apostle: "Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?" (1 Corinthians 6:2) Again Jesus plainly declared that at his second coming he would sit upon his throne of glory, and before him should be gathered all nations, and he would separate them and reward them according to their obedience to his laws. (Matthew 25:31-46) If the church, Jesus the head and his body members glorified, endowed with power and authority, are not to act as the great deliverer and uplifter of the human race, then why should they be clothed with such power and authority? If there is to be no opportunity for the restoration of mankind, then G.o.d's plan with reference to the new creation and its work must fail. He has positively announced that one of the very purposes for calling and developing the new creation is the blessing of mankind.--Genesis 12:3; Galatians 3:16,27,29.

[551]"I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light unto the gentiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison [the grave, condition of death], and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house." (Isaiah 42:6,7) "Thus saith the Lord, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of salvation have I helped thee; and I will preserve thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages."--Isaiah 49:8.

[552]Thus we see that every purpose of the divine plan points to the restoration of mankind. Every vital doctrine speaks of that coming time for man's blessing. Every other string of the harp of G.o.d harmoniously blends with the music of the tenth string, the restoration of man. It must be admitted by every honest student of the Bible that all the fundamental doctrines point to G.o.d's purpose of offering rest.i.tution blessings to the entire human race, and that the obedient ones will enjoy the blessings upon the earth. And now let us examine some more specific texts further corroborating the already strong proof that rest.i.tution is the great object of the divine plan relative to the human race.

[553]G.o.d made a covenant with the nation of Israel, by which covenant he promised to give life to all who would keep that covenant. (Leviticus 18:5) The Israelites, like others of Adam's offspring, having been born sinners and imperfect, could not keep this covenant; therefore could not get life through it. The specific reasons are: (1) Because the ransom-sacrifice had not yet been given; (2) because of the imperfections of the human race and the imperfections of Moses the mediator of the covenant it yielded life to none of the nation of Israel. (Romans 8:3) There was a two-fold purpose for this law covenant being made. One was, that it might serve as a schoolmaster to lead Israel to Christ (Galatians 3:24); and the other, to foreshadow a better or new law covenant arrangement which G.o.d would make through his beloved Son Christ Jesus. (Hebrews 10:1; 8:5) Christ is the great high priest; and by his fulfilling the divine purposes, he is now the mediator of a better covenant, the new covenant, which G.o.d purposes to make for man's benefit. (Hebrews 8:6; 9:15) When the church is glorified and the kingdom set up, then the blood (merit) of Christ will be applied for the sealing of the new covenant, through which covenant promised blessings are to be extended to the human race.

[554]After these days, then--after the gathering out of the Christ cla.s.s or new creation--this covenant is to be made, as St. Paul states: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel _after those days_, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a G.o.d, and they shall be my people; and they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more."--Hebrews 8:8-12.

[555]Under this new covenant the whole human race shall have the opportunity to come back to G.o.d through Christ the mediator. Mark that it is plainly stated that during the time of restoration 'G.o.d will put his laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts, and will be to them a G.o.d and they shall be to him a people; for he will be merciful to them, and their sins and iniquities he will remember no more'. This could mean nothing less than the taking away of the imperfections of the obedient and restoring them to a righteous condition.

[556]Following the glorification of the church and the making of the new covenant, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, David, Barak, Jepthae, and the prophets (all of whom we term faithful worthies), the Lord has promised shall be brought forth from the tomb, being given a better resurrection.

(Hebrews 11) These shall be princes, rulers, or legal representatives of the Christ, in the earth; and through them the Lord will establish a righteous government in the earth. (Psalm 45:16; Isaiah 32:1) And then "out of Zion [the Christ, invisible to men] shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem"--the headquarters of Christ's visible representatives.

[557]"It shall come to pa.s.s in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains [kingdoms], and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the G.o.d of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

And he shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people; and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more."--Isaiah 2:2-4; Micah 4:1-4.