Earlier text: HOLD THE LIGHTThe Life of Christ.
By Ellen G. White
From his childhood, Jesus conformed his life strictly to the Jewish laws. He manifested great wisdom in his youth. The grace and power of God were upon him. The word of the Lord, by the mouth of the prophet Isaiah, describes the office and work of Christ, and shows the sheltering care of God over his Son in his mission to earth, that the relentless hatred of men, inspired by Satan, should not be permitted to thwart the design of the great plan of salvation. “Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him. He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench. He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth.” The voice of Christ was not heard in the street, in noisy contention with those who were opposed to his doctrine. Neither was his voice heard in the street, in prayer to his Father, to be heard of men. His voice was not heard in joyful mirth. His voice was not raised to exalt himself, and to gain the applause and flattery of men. When engaged in teaching, he withdrew his disciples away from the noise and confusion of the busy city to some retired place more in harmony with the lessons of humility, piety, and virtue, which he would impress upon their minds. He shunned human praise, and preferred solitude and peaceful retirement to the noise and confusion of mortal life. His voice was often heard in earnest, prevailing intercessions to his Father; yet for these exercises he chose the lonely mountain, and frequently spent whole nights in prayer for strength to sustain him under the temptations he should meet, and to accomplish the important work he came to do for the salvation of man. His petitions were earnest, and mingled with strong cries and tears. And notwithstanding the labor of soul during the night, he ceased not his labor through the day. In the morning he would quietly resume his work of mercy and disinterested benevolence. The life of Christ was in marked contrast to that of the Jews, and for this very reason they wished to destroy him. The chief priests, and scribes, and elders, loved to pray in the most public places; not only in the crowded synagogues, but in the corners of the streets, that they might be seen of men, and praised for their devotion and piety. Their acts of charity were done in the most public manner, and for the purpose of calling the attention of the people to themselves. Their voices were indeed heard in the streets, not only in exalting themselves, but in contention with those who differed with them in doctrine. They were resentful and unforgiving, proud, haughty, and bigoted. The Lord, through his faithful prophet, shows the life of Christ in marked contrast to the hypocritical chief priests, scribes, and Pharisees. The parents of Jesus yearly visited Jerusalem, in accordance with the Jewish law. Their son, Jesus, then twelve years old, accompanied them. In returning to their home, after they had gone a day’s journey, their anxiety was aroused, as they missed Jesus. He had not been seen of them since they left Jerusalem. They supposed he was with the company. Inquiry and search were made among their acquaintances and relatives for their much-loved son; but no trace could be found of him. They hastened back to Jerusalem, their hearts heavy with sorrow. For one day of neglect they lost their son, Jesus, from their company, which cost them three days of anxious search, with sorrowful search to find him again, and to enjoy the peace of mind and consolation of his grace that they lost through vain talking, jesting, joking, and evil speaking, or even neglect of prayer. “And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed; and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them; but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.” The doctors and expounders of the law, always taught the people publicly upon especial occasions. It was upon one of these occasions that Jesus gave manifest proofs of superior wisdom, penetration, and mature judgment. The people were more surprised because the parents of Christ were poor, and he had not received the advantages of education. The question passed from lip to lip, Whence has this youth such wisdom, having never learned? While the parents of Christ were in search of him, they saw large numbers flocking to the temple; and as they entered it, the well-known voice of their son arrested their attention. They could not get sight of him for the crowd; but they knew that they were not mistaken, for no voice was like his, marked with solemn melody. The parents gazed in astonishment at the scene. Their son, in the midst of the grave and learned doctors and scribes, was giving evidence of superior knowledge by his discreet questions and answers. His parents were gratified to see him thus honored. But the mother could not forget the grief and anxiety she had suffered because of his tarry at Jerusalem, and she, in a reproving manner, inquired why he had thus dealt with them, relating her fears and sorrow on his account. Said Jesus, “How is it that ye sought me?” This pointed question was to lead them to see that if they had been mindful of their duty, they would not have left Jerusalem without him. He then adds, “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” While they had been unmindful of the responsible charge intrusted to them, Jesus was engaged in the work of his Father. Mary knew that Christ did not refer to his earthly father, Joseph, but to Jehovah. She laid these things to heart, and profited by them. In returning from Jerusalem with the crowd, talking and visiting engrossed their minds, and Jesus was forgotten for an entire day. His absence was not observed until the close of the day. Joseph and Mary had been honored of God in an especial manner, in being intrusted with the responsible charge of the Saviour. Angels had heralded his birth to the shepherds, and God had directed the course of Joseph, to preserve the life of the infant Saviour. But the confusion of much talk had led to the neglect of their sacred trust, and Jesus was not brought to mind for an entire day by those who should not have forgotten him for a moment. They returned their weary way, sad and fearful, to Jerusalem. They recalled the terrible massacre of innocent children by the cruel Herod in hope of destroying the king of Israel. When their anxiety was relieved by finding Jesus, they did not acknowledge their own neglect of duty, but their words reflected on Christ—“Why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.” Jesus, in most respectful language, inquires, “How is it that ye sought me?” But these words modestly reflect back the censure upon themselves, in reminding them that, if they had not permitted themselves to be engrossed with matters of no special importance, they would not have had the trouble of searching for him. He then justifies his course: “Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business?” While he was engaged in the work he came to the earth to perform, they had neglected the work his Father had especially intrusted to them. They could not fully comprehend the words of Christ; yet Mary, in a great measure, understood their import, and laid them away in her heart to ponder over in the future.19 It was so natural for the parents of Christ to look upon him as their own child, as parents commonly regard their children, that they were in danger of losing the precious blessing which daily attended them in the presence of Jesus, the world’s redeemer. As Christ was daily with them, his life in many respects as other children, it was difficult to keep before them his sacred mission, and the daily blessing of having committed to their charge and parental care, for awhile, the Son of God, whose divinity was veiled with humanity. His tarry in Jerusalem was designed of him as a gentle reminder to them of their duty, lest they should become indifferent in a greater degree, and lose the sense of the high favor God had conferred upon them. Not one act in the life of Christ was unimportant. Every event of his life was for the benefit of his followers in future time. This circumstance of the tarry of Christ in Jerusalem teaches an important lesson to those who should believe on him. Many had come a great distance to keep the passover, instituted that the Hebrews might keep in memory their wonderful deliverance from Egypt. This ordinance was designed to call their minds from their world-loving interests, and from their cares and anxieties in relation to temporal concerns, and to review the works of God. They were to call to mind his miracles, his mercies and loving-kindness, to them, that their love and reverence for him might increase, and lead them to ever look to him, and trust in him in all their trials, and not turn to other gods. The observance of the passover possessed a mournful interest to the Son of God. He saw in the slain lamb a symbol of his own death. The people who celebrated this ordinance were instructed to associate the slaying of the lamb with the future death of the Son of God. The blood, marking the door-posts of their houses, was the symbol of the blood of Christ, which was to be efficacious for the believing sinner, in cleansing him from sin, and sheltering him from the wrath of God which was to come upon the impenitent and unbelieving world, as the wrath of God fell upon the Egyptians. But none could be benefited by this special provision made by God for the salvation of man unless they should perform the work the Lord left them to do. They had a part to act themselves, and by their acts to manifest their faith in the provision made for their salvation. Jesus was acquainted with hearts. He knew that, as the crowd returned in company from Jerusalem, there would be much talking and visiting which would not be seasoned with humility and grace, and the Messiah and his mission would be nearly forgotten. It was his choice to return from Jerusalem with his parents alone; for in being retired, his father and mother would have more time for reflection, and for meditation upon the prophecies which referred to his future sufferings and death. He did not wish that the painful events which they were to experience in his offering up his life for the sins of the world, to be new and unexpected to them. He was separated from them in their return from Jerusalem. After the celebration of the passover, they sought him sorrowing three days. When he should be slain for the sins of the world, he would be separated from them, lost to them, for three days. But after that, he would reveal himself to them, and be found of them, and their faith rely upon him as the redeemer of the fallen race, the advocate with the Father in their behalf. Here is a lesson of instruction to all the followers of Christ. He designed that none of these lessons should be lost, but be written for the benefit of future generations. There is necessity of carefulness of words and actions when Christians are associated together, lest Jesus be forgotten of them, and they pass along careless of the fact that Jesus is not among them. When they are aroused to their condition, they discover that they have journeyed without the presence of Him who could give peace and joy to their hearts, and days are occupied in returning, and searching for him whom they should have retained with them every moment. Jesus will not be found in the company of those who are careless of his presence, and who engage in conversation having no reference to their Redeemer, in whom they profess their hopes of eternal life are centered. Jesus shuns the company of such, so also do the angels who do his commands. These pure and holy spirits cannot remain in the company where Jesus’ presence is not desired and encouraged, and his absence not marked. For this reason, great mourning, grief, and discouragement exist. Through lack of meditation, watchfulness, and prayer, they have lost all that is valuable. The divine rays of light emanating from Jesus are not with them, cheering them with their loving, elevating influence. They are enshrouded in gloom, because their careless, irreverent spirit has separated Jesus from their company, and driven the ministering angels from them. Many who attend meetings of devotion, and have been instructed by the servants of God, and been greatly refreshed and blessed in seeking Jesus, have returned to their homes no better than they left them, because they did not feel the importance of praying and watching thereunto, as they returned to their homes. They frequently feel inclined to complain of others, because they realize their loss. Some murmur against God, and do not reproach themselves as being the cause of their own darkness, and sufferings of mind. These should not reflect upon others. The fault is in themselves. They talked and jested, and visited away the heavenly Guest, and themselves they have only to blame. It is the privilege of all to retain Jesus with them. If they do this, their words must be select, seasoned with grace. The thoughts of their hearts must be disciplined to meditate upon heavenly and divine things. The love of God, manifested toward fallen man in the gift of his beloved Son, amazed the holy angels. “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” The Son was the brightness of the Father’s glory, and the express image of his person. He possessed divine excellence and greatness. He was equal with God. It pleased the Father that in him all fullness should dwell. He “thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Yet he “made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” In Christ were united the human and the divine. His mission was to reconcile God to man, and man to God. His work was to unite the finite with the Infinite. This was the only way in which fallen men could be exalted, through the merits of the blood of Christ, to be partakers of the divine nature. Taking human nature fitted Christ to understand the nature of man’s trials and all the temptations wherewith he is beset. Angels, who were unacquainted with sin, could not sympathize with man in his peculiar trials. Before Christ left Heaven and came into the world to die, he was taller than any of the angels. He was majestic and lovely. But when his ministry commenced, he was but little taller than the common size of men then living upon the earth. Had he come among men with his noble, heavenly form, his outward appearance would have attracted the minds of the people to himself, and he would have been received without the exercise of faith. It was in the order of God that Christ should take upon himself the form and nature of fallen man, that he might be made perfect through suffering, and himself endure the strength of Satan’s fierce temptations, that he might understand how to succor those who should be tempted. The faith of men in Christ as the Messiah was not to rest on the evidences of sight, and they believe on him because of his personal attractions, but because of the excellence of character found in him, which never had been found, neither could be, in another. All who loved virtue, purity, and holiness, would be drawn to Christ, and would see sufficient evidence of his being the Messiah foretold by prophecy that should come. Those who thus trusted in the word of God, would receive the benefits of the teachings of Christ, and finally of his atonement. Christ came to call the attention of all men to his Father, teaching them repentance toward God. His work was to reconcile man to God. Although Christ did not come as he was expected, yet he came just as prophecy had marked out that he would come. Those who wished to believe, had sufficient grounds for their faith by referring to prophecy which predicted the coming of the Just One, and described the manner of his coming. The ancient Jewish church were the highly favored people of God, brought out of Egypt and acknowledged as his own peculiar treasure. The many and exceeding great and precious promises to them as a people, were the hope and confidence of the Jewish church. Herein they trusted, and believed their salvation sure. No other people professed to be governed by the commandments of God. Our Saviour came first to his own people, but they received him not. The self-righteous, unbelieving Jews expected their Saviour and King would come into the world clothed with majesty and power, compelling all Gentiles to yield obedience to him. They did not expect any humiliation and suffering would be manifested in him. They would not receive the meek and lowly Jesus, and acknowledge him to be the Saviour of the world. Had he appeared in splendor, and assumed the authority of the world’s great men, instead of taking the form of a servant, they would have received and worshiped him. Christmas Musings.
By Elmira O. Davis
It is Christmas Eve, grand festal time of earth and Heaven! What thrilling associations cluster around thy hallowed name, Redeemer! By these, our minds are borne back over the stream of time, when, near two thousand years ago, a band of humble, weary travelers, on their way to Judea’s city, at night-fall, seek for rest and shelter at a wayside inn. Of humble mien and lowly garb, they stand. There is no admittance there; the couch of luxury and sumptuous feast were not prepared for such as these. Heart-sick, they turn to a poor stable, and with the patient, toil-worn oxen, share a bed of straw, and find repose the world refused to give. It is often thus in this world’s journeyings; her lowly ones are overlooked, the goal is reached and the prize secured by the lofty and the proud. Why is it thus? my murmuring heart oft questions, why? Peace, troubled soul, be still, and bow in meek submission to his will who holds the balances, who weighs, not pomp and show, but moral worth; not strength of sinew, but the power of living faith; he will not leave his chosen to reproach. Shepherds, while watching with their flocks upon the plains of Bethlehem, are startled from their midnight musings by loud, swelling notes of heavenly music. Lo! a multitude of holy angels suddenly appear to their astonished vision, singing, Glory, glory be to God on high, and on earth, peace, good will to men. The eastern magi, who so long had watched to catch the first faint glimmer of the glorious star of prophecy, behold with joy its earliest beams, and follow its mild radiance till they find the full-orbed Sun of righteousness. In Bethlehem’s manger, nestles now a little form, perfect embodiment of God’s boundless love, combining all the fullness of the Deity with weak and frail humanity. Holy bards and prophets had desired to feast their eyes upon this wondrous light, but, worn with watching long, they fell asleep before the day-star rose. Angels guide the shepherds, and the sages follow Bethlehem’s star, till here they meet and pour their treasures at the Saviour’s feet. The cold, dark stable, all aglow with heavenly light, a fit reception room becomes for guests like these. Now he accepts for us an earthly destiny of toil, of weariness, and pain, to work for us in human guise, and open up for all lost Adam’s race a way to everlasting life. Yes, he has come, the world’s Redeemer. Adam saw the future Conqueror, through the embryo promise, with his foot upon the tyrant’s head. As Abel offers up his typic lamb, he sees the Lamb of God, from earth’s foundation, slain, to take our sins away. Job, too, amid all his trouble, views this hope, an anchor cast within the vail, and cries, “I know that my Redeemer liveth.” Solomon sees his grace and beauty flourish, as the rose of Sharon and the lily of the valley; and, as the apple tree among the trees, is my Beloved among the sons, he chants again in his sweet song. He, chief among ten thousand, is the bright and morning star—the crucified of Calvary, an outcast and alone. His life of sacrifice and toil, we know; and oft his love we prove by rich experience in his grace. But, ah! the world receive him not. With locks all dripping with the midnight dews, he knocks; but no response. Poorer than birds and foxes are, he has not where to lay his aching head. In the worn form of many a humble follower, has he passed in and out among us; but we have not discerned our Lord. In other lands, among other hearts, he seeks the resting place we failed to yield him here. And other hands will bathe his way-worn feet, and pour the sweet perfume upon his head. Shall they receive the benediction he designed for us? “As ye have done unto the least of these, ye have done it unto me.” Let us come up on high and holy ground, and, like the waiting shepherds, listen to those angel melodies, till anthems, loud and full, shall, ringing through the ages, come; and we, breathing their inspiration deep, may help to swell the lofty strain, till Heaven shall echo forth her song of praise and glory to our God, and earth give back the sweet refrain of Peace on earth, good will to men. ELMIRA O. DAVIS. If I believe my senses, I must conclude that the weekly prayer-meetings in very many of our churches are dry-docks into which a certain few church-members are inclosed for weekly repairs. It is all well enough to have an apparatus in the church for the purpose of putting leaky and fractured Christians in working order. Some people cannot mend themselves. But the difficulty with these ship-yard saints is, they are always on the stocks. They talk of “sustaining” the prayer-meeting. I wonder if they ever think how severe a strain the prayer-meeting experiences to sustain them. Every week they float into their places, and then the air is filled with the noise of the calking and hammering on their cadavarous hulks until every sweeter and pleasanter association is drowned or driven away. Then the worst of it is, shutting themselves away from the free tide, they take to grumbling, not only over their own defects, but over the fact that so few crafts come fresh from fruit and spice-bearing lands with tidings of good cheer to encourage them. They break out in stridulous groans over the wrecks about them, and bewail the willfulness of those who are not disposed to seek the quiet and safe harbor where they lie—safe, but useless. It may seem to be an unwarranted mixing of figures to make a ship speak, but a groaning craft is no uncommon conception, while the prophet Isaiah says, “Howl, ye ships of Tarshish!” I tried to get a sensible man of the world to attend one of these gatherings of howling ships. He tried it once, but refused to go a second time. On asking him why, he replied, “These fellows can do me no good—they are always amusing themselves.” An excellent brother of the ship-yard stamp felt moved to start a prayer-meeting in the neighborhood where he lived, on the plea that there were so many perishing ones thereabouts who were unreached by any saving influences. An excellent move was this, but its object was defeated at the outset by turning the affair into a dry-dock for the tinkering of the saints. Obedient to a widely circulated invitation, a considerable number of saints and some sinners convened. The aged apostle, although he had already enjoyed his weekly tinkering at his own church, could not conceive of a prayer-meeting without the usual accompaniments of oakum, pitch, and calking-irons, hammers, and stocks, so he slipped into the dock and shut the water off, and whined over his own decay and his general sinful and hell-deserving condition. He raised a lamentation over the fact that so few cared enough about religion to come to such an inviting (?) place. He was followed by another and another in nearly the same strain, only adding that their chief business in this world was to get to Heaven, and if God had implanted the principle of grace within their hearts, they would get there. At this juncture, a small steam-tug, fresh from work, came near the “dock,” raised his smokestack, and spake. He said all this wailing he had heard proceeded from the devil; that both sinners and saints showed their good sense in staying away from a place where such noise and creaking alone was to be heard. MORAL.—It is not profitable to make a ship-yard of the weekly prayer-meeting. Keep the dry-docks and the tinkering at home. Use the pumps more if the craft leaks when at work, but, anyway, keep the canvas to the breeze, and the paddle-wheels in motion, and make the prayer-meeting a quiet harbor into which the souls of the care-worn and the tossed may be sweetly guided, and the joys and triumphs of religion gloriously displayed.— Christian at Work. Tormented Forever and Ever.
The only remaining texts to be urged in favor of the eternal torment of the wicked, are two passages which are found in the book of Revelation. The first is Rev. 14:11: “And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever; and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name.” It is proper first to inquire of whom this is spoken. The question before us relates to the destiny of all the wicked. No text is therefore conclusive on this question, which speaks of only a certain class, or a limited number, of the wicked; for a particular class might for good reasons be set apart to a certain punishment, and that punishment be exceptional in their cases, and not such as awaits the whole race of the guilty. The passage just quoted speaks not of all the wicked, but only of a limited class—the worshipers of the beast and his image. The beast, according to testimony which no Protestant will be disposed to question, means the papal power; Rev. 13:1–10; and the image is to be formed, near the close of the career of that power. Rev. 13:14–18; 14:1–5. The text, therefore, embraces only comparatively a small portion of the wicked of the human race. The ancient world, with its teeming millions, and the present heathen world, knowing nothing of this power, are alike exempted from the punishment here brought to view. This text might therefore be set aside as inconclusive, since, even if it should be admitted to prove eternal torture for some, it does not for all. But we claim that no text affirms eternal torment for a single conscious intelligence at all in the universe, and hence undertake to show that this passage does not prove it in reference to even the limited class brought to view. The expression, “The smoke of their torment ascendeth up forever and ever,” is the one upon which the doctrine of eternity of suffering is in this case suspended. But the same may be said of this expression that was said last week in reference to the undying worm and the quenchless fire. It was not new in John’s day, but was borrowed from the Old Testament, and was one which was well understood at that time. In Isa. 34:9, 10, the prophet speaking of the land of Idumea says: “And the streams thereof shall be turned into pitch, and the dust thereof into brimstone, and the land thereof shall become burning pitch. It shall not be quenched night nor day: the smoke thereof shall go up forever: from generation to generation it shall lie waste; none shall pass through it forever and ever.” But two applications can be made of this language. Either it refers to the literal land of Edom east and south of Judea, or it is a figure to represent the whole world in the day of final conflagration. In either case it is equally to the point. If the literal land of Idumea is meant, and the language has reference to the desolations which have fallen upon it, then certainly no eternity of duration is implied in the declaration that the smoke thereof shall go up forever. For all the predictions against the land of Idumea have long since been fulfilled, and the judgments have ceased. If it refers to the fires of the last day, when the elements melt with fervent heat, no eternity of duration is even then implied in the expression; for the earth is not to be forever destroyed by the purifying fire of the last day. It is to rise from its ashes, and a new earth come forth purified from all the stains of sin, and free from all the deformity of the curse, to be the everlasting abode of the righteous. Here is an instance in which the word, forever, applied in either of the only two ways possible, must denote a limited period. And here the Septuagint uses aion (aion) the same as is used in Rev. 14:11; and from this passage in Isaiah, the language in Revelation was probably borrowed. That the words aion (aion) and aionios (aionios) sometimes denote a limited period and not invariably one of eternal duration, will appear in the examination of the only remaining text that calls for consideration, namely, Rev. 20:10: “And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever.” The same limitation is apparent in this text that was observed in the preceding. It does not refer to all the wicked, but speaks only of the devil, the beast, and the false prophet. The lake of fire, the place and means of their torment, is again mentioned in verse 14; but there it is the symbol of complete and utter destruction. Death and Hades, it says, were cast into the lake of fire; and after this it is said, “There shall be no more death.” Rev. 21:4. Whatever, then, is cast into the lake of fire, after it has wrought its work of destruction upon them, no longer exists. This is the plain inference from what is here asserted respecting death. Then follows the testimony of verse 15 that “whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire.” And this makes a final disposition of all who are not saved in the kingdom of Heaven. There is nothing in the way of this application, unless the words “forever and ever” denote absolutely an eternity of duration. These words are translated in the New Testament from aion and aionios, respecting which the following facts may be stated. Aion is defined by different lexicographers as follows:— Greenfield: “Duration, finite or infinite, unlimited duration, eternity; a period of duration past or future, time, age, lifetime; the world, universe.” Schrevelius: “An age, a long period of time; indefinite duration; time, whether longer or shorter.” Liddell and Scott: “A space or period of time, especially a lifetime, life, ævum; an age, a generation; long space of time, eternity; in plural, eis tous aionas ton aionon, unto ages of ages, forever and ever, N. T., Gal. 1:5.—3. later, a space of time clearly defined and marked out, an era, age, period of a dispensation: ho aion houtos, this present life, this world.” Parkhurst: “Always being. It denotes duration or continuance of time, but with great variety. I. Both in the singular and the plural it signifies eternity whether past or to come. II. The duration of this world. III. The ages of the world. IV. This present life. V. The world to come. VI. An age, period, or periodical dispensation of divine providence. VII. Aiones seems, in Heb. 11:3, to denote the various revolutions and grand occurrences which have happened to this created system, including also the world itself. Comp. Heb. 1:2, and Macknight on both texts. Aion in the LXX generally answers to the Hebrew holam, which denotes time hidden from man whether indefinite or definite, whether past or future.” Robinson: “Duration, the course or flow of time in various relations as determined by the context, viz. (A) For human life, existence. (B) For time indefinite, a period of the world, the world, in Gr. writers, and also in Sept. and N. Testament. (C) For endless duration, perpetuity, eternity. . . . Sept. mostly for Heb. holam, ‘hidden time,’ duration, eternity.—Hence in N. T. of long-continued time, indefinite duration, in accordance with Greek usage but modified as to construction and extent by the example of the LXX, and the Rabbinic views.” Schleusner gives as the first meaning of aion, “a definite and long-continued time,” i. e., a long-continued but still a definite period of time. Wahl has arranged the definitions of aion thus: “(1) Time, unlimited duration, ævum. (2) The universe, mundus. (3) An age, period of the world,” as the Jewish age, Christian age, &c. This reference to Schleusner and Wahl we find in Stuart on Future Punishment, pp. 91, 93. Holam, the Hebrew word which corresponds to the Greek aion, is applied according to Gesenius to things which endure for a long time, for an indefinite period. It is applied to the Jewish priesthood, to the Mosaic ordinances, to the possession of the land of Canaan, to the hills and mountains, to the earth, to the time of service to be rendered by a slave, and to some other things of a like nature. Stuart, p. 72. Cruden in his Unabridged Concordance, under the word eternal, says:— “The words eternal, everlasting, and forever, are sometimes taken for a long time, and are not always to be understood strictly. Thus, ‘Thou shalt be our guide from this time forth even forever,’ that is, during our whole life. And in many other places of Scripture, and in particular when the word forever is applied to the Jewish rites and privileges, it commonly signifies no more than during the standing of that commonwealth, until the coming of the Messiah.” Dr. Clarke places in our hands a key to the interpretation of the words “forever” and “forever and ever,” which is adapted to every instance of their use. According to his rule they are to be taken to mean as long as a thing, considering the surrounding circumstances, can exist. And he illustrates this in his closing remarks on 2 Kings 5, where, speaking of the curse of the leprosy pronounced upon Gehazi forever, he says:— “Some have thought, because of the prophet’s curse, ‘The leprosy of Naaman shall cleave unto thee and to thy seed forever,’ that there are persons still alive who are this man’s descendants, and afflicted with this horrible disease. Mr. Maundrell, when he was in Judea, made diligent inquiry concerning this, but could not ascertain the truth of the supposition. To me it appears absurd; the denunciation took place in the posterity of Gehazi till it should become extinct; and under the influence of this disorder, this must soon have taken place. The forever implies as long as any of his posterity should remain. This is the import of the word, leolam. It takes in the whole extent or duration of the thing to which it is applied. The forever of Gehazi was till his posterity became extinct.” The word aionios is derived from aion, and its general meaning may be determined from the definition given above to the latter word. That these words are frequently applied to the existence of divine beings, and the future happiness of the saints, is true; and that in these cases they denote eternal duration is equally evident; yet, according to the definition of the words and the rule laid down by Dr. Clarke, that eternal duration could not be made out by the use of these words alone. They denote the aion or continuance of time, the length of that duration being determined by the nature of the objects to which they are applied. When applied to things which we know from other declarations of the Scriptures are to have no end, they signify an eternity of being; but when applied to things which are to end, they are correspondingly limited in their meaning. That the existence of God and the future happiness of the righteous are to be absolutely eternal, we are abundantly assured by scriptures which make no use of the words in question. When applied to them they therefore signify a period of duration which is never to end. Just as plainly are we assured that the existence of the wicked is at last to cease in the second death; and when applied to this, the words aion and aionios must be limited accordingly in their signification. Overlooking this plain principle of interpretation, Prof. Stuart, p. 89, comes to this erroneous conclusion respecting these words, because they are applied alike to the sufferings of the lost and the happiness of the saved, that “we must either admit the endless misery of hell, or give up the endless happiness of Heaven.” We are under no such necessity. The words aion and aionios, according to Dr. Clarke, cover the whole of the existence of the two classes in their respective spheres, and that only. The one is, after a season of suffering and anguish, to come to an end; the other is to go on in bliss to all eternity. So when it is said that the beast and the false prophet, and they who worship the beast and his image, are to be tormented day and night forever and ever, we must understand this expression to cover only the duration of their future existence beyond the grave. If we are anywhere given to understand by other scriptures and by other terms which are more rigid in their meaning, that this is to be eternal, the terms must here be so understood; if not, we have no warrant for so defining them here. That the forever and ever, eis tous aionas ton aionon, of the suffering of the wicked, denotes a period of long duration, there is no question; and it may be much longer than any have been disposed to conceive who deny its eternity; yet it is to come to an end, not by their restoration to God’s favor, but by the extinction of that life which has in it no immortality, and because they have refused to accept of the life freely offered to them which is to continue through ages without end. We have now examined all the more prominent passages which are urged in favor of the eternal suffering of the lost. Though others may by some be brought forward to prove this doctrine, we may safely take the position that if it is not proved by these which we have examined, it cannot be proved by any in all the Bible; for these use the strongest terms and are most explicit in their nature. And of these, how many are there? Five in all. Those who have never before examined this subject, will perhaps be surprised to learn how small is the number of such texts. And should they take into the account every text which has even the slightest semblance of proving the immortality of the lost, it would not be calculated to abate that surprise in any great degree. It now remains that we examine those texts, more in number, and more explicit in statement, which prove that the wicked shall be at last as though they had not been.