saw that awful wrath of the sixth seal, he was shown what he is about to describe. Four angels.—The earth number, but still angels from heaven in control of events under God. Holding the four winds.—"Winds" is a symbol of strife, war, revolutions, commotions. Dan. 7:2; Zech. 6:5. When the four winds blow at once, there will be universal strife and confusion, causing the worldwide whirlwind of Armageddon, covering the earth with its slain. Jer. 25:32, 33. The disturbances of the past—the conquering of some one or more powers—have been overruled of God for peace among the nations. So the earth was quieted by the conquering power of Persia, that God's people might build His temple in peace. Zech. 6:5, 8. So the earth was quieted when our Lord first came to earth. Even so God's mighty messengers, who are given special charge among the nations, control the strife of earth till God's work is done, and "the end is come upon the four corners of the land." Eze. 7:2.
How marvelously has strife been stayed in these wonderful years, so pregnant of war and of rumors of war! War, dire, general, and universal, has been predicted for the last fifty years. Preparations for war unprecedented have been carried on during that time, increasing in geometrical progression with the years. Strenuous efforts have been put forth by mighty men for peace, vast sums have been given, government aid secured, international parliaments assembled; but government representatives have returned from peace congresses where they have made eloquent pleas and drawn glowing, roseate pictures of the world's future peace, to face far more extravagant measures by their home government for war. Nations are almost bankrupt under the mighty burden. The back of the people is bent near to breaking with the awful incubus, grim mutterings of sedition are common everywhere, and observing men are looking with apprehension to that time when, to paraphrase Tennyson's line, when "World-wide Demos will rise a demon and shriek, and slake the light with blood." It is true that Andrew Carnegie gave of his uncounted hoard just recently the great sum of ten million dollars for peace; but what is that compared to seven hundred million dollars for Dreadnoughts? Every nation is preparing for war. God said they would, despite the false and universal cry of peace. Nations would beat plowshares into swords, and pruning-hooks into spears; the weak nations would say, I am strong; and finally all, moved by the demons of war, would gather in the last great Armageddon strife for the conquest of the world. Joel 3:9-14; Rev. 16:14, 16.
We see it all but the last; and the only reason why we have not long ago seen it, is that God is staying the winds of strife till His work is done. One soul is worth more than all the sinful kingdoms of earth, and God's closing work is to warn men and save souls, and in the light of His Word there will be no universal war or strife till His work is done.
2. From the sunrising.—Relating to direction as well as to power and glory. Ezekiel says, "And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east." Eze. 43:2. Another speaks: "But unto you that fear My name shall the Sun of Righteousness arise with healing in its wings." Ever7the Gospel has gone westward, until in its closing aspect it will encircle the earth, even as the sun, and return to the place of its starting, but not in a declining day; God's closing work to every tribe and tongue and nation will be like the rising sun in glory and in power till the work closes. See Rev. 14:6, 7; 18:1. It is in power and character an ascending work. Above all the mists and fogs and miasmas of the false pagan philosophies which have originated in a mystical and darkened East will that Gospel shine. The false church will be "filled with customs from the East," and so will bear the false soothsaying message of peace (Isa. 2:6); but God's loyal children will accept the message of light which shines above all these, and preach to every individual heart the only message of peace, God's righteousness in His Gospel. Isa. 57:19-21; Rom. 1:16, 17.
Upon the remainder of this lesson there are four great questions: Who is "the living God"? What is His "seal,"—that which distinguishes Him from other gods which men worship? Who are the sealed? Who is the sealer?
a. The living God is the Creator of the heaven and the earth. "Jehovah is the true God; He is the living God, and an everlasting King. . . . The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, these shall perish from the earth, and from under the heavens. He [the living God, Jehovah] hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and by His understanding hath He stretched out the heavens." Jer. 10:10-12. And so the true and living God in contra-distinction to all false gods is ever characterized as the Creator of the heavens and the earth. See Ps. 96:5; Acts 4:24; 14:15; 17:24-26; 1 Thess. 1:9, et al. Therefore it is not surprising that in the last days of unfaith and infidelity a mighty burden of God's great "everlasting Gospel" to all the world is, "Worship Him that made the heaven and the earth and sea and fountains of waters." Rev. 14:6, 7. God's power to create and re-create by His word is sinful, dying man's only hope. Regeneration is re-creation. As hopeless as the eons of soul transmigration is the evolution of the modern Higher Critics. There is hope for you and me, fellow sinner, in the one fact that God can and will create a new heart, a new disposition, which will delight in righteousness.
b. What is the seal of the living God? It must be that which points out that characteristic so often declared—His creative power. A seal is that which is used to authenticate, stamp, make legal or authoritative. The original word is sphragis, and is defined to mean a seal, a signet-ring, a distinctive mark, a token, a proof, a guarantee. It is used in Rom. 4:11 as a synonym of "sign." Among rulers it is connected with law, and so points out the lawgiver and his authority. So Jezebel stamped the unholy decree of hers with Ahab's name and seal, and made it authoritative. 1 Kings 21:8. So Haman's wicked decree was in the name of the King and sealed with the King's seal. See Esther 3:12; also 8:8. The company that bear God's seal in Revelation 7 bear His name in Rev. 14:1. God's seal must have His name and show Him to be "the living God." It must be made so clear in connection with His law and government that all men may recognize the seal in that law.
Let us examine the eternal law of God, the Decalogue, for His seal. We find His name in the first, second, third, and fifth commandments; He is "Jehovah thy God." It is not found in the sixth to the tenth. But the name alone does not tell us who He is. He might be a god of some of the nations. We must have more than this to meet Jeremiah's definition of "the living God." We do not need to go outside of His great constitution. Both name and authority are given in the fourth commandment. We quote:
Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord [Jehovah] thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy man servant, nor thy maid servant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: for in six days the Lord [Jehovah] made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord [Jehovah] blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
This meets every condition. What is the name?—Jehovah. What is pre-eminently characteristic of Him?—The Maker of all things. What is the extent of His authority?—The heaven and the earth. For this reason God gave in His law His Sabbath, that which forever should make "His wonderful works to be remembered" (Ps. 111:4), and which would forever be a sign between Him and His people, not alone that He is Jehovah their God (Eze. 20:20), but He declares, "Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, that they might know that I am Jehovah that sanctifieth them." Verse 12. There would never have been an idolater in the earth if men had remembered God in His Sabbath, if that distinctive sign of the true God had been written in heart and mind.
Against that Sabbath the devil has gathered his strongest forces throughout the ages. He has so entrenched a rival in the professed Christian church that he has found himself able through the centuries to swing many of God's own people against God's mark of authority and power. He knows the importance of the mighty truth for which that Sabbath day stands—God's creative, regenerating, sanctifying power. Would God that His own people might appreciate it also.
c. Who are the sealed?—Israel. But who are Israel? Not the nominal ones, the nation of the Jews. Baylee well says: "At the time this book [the Revelation] was written, Israel [according to the flesh] was no longer God's people, nor could there have been an elect remnant out of them to be thus sealed. . . . An Israel containing a Christian elect in distinction from the Christian church would be a simple impossibility. . . . We are therefore limited to one conclusion, that Israel here is a symbolical name for the Christian church."—"The Apocalypse," page 192.
Dean Alford, in his comment on this, says of the sealed ones, "They are, primarily, those elect of God who shall be living upon the earth at the time here indicated, viz., that of the coming of the Lord."
The origin and meaning of "Israel" is individual and spiritual, not national. God gave it to Jacob "the supplanter" when by faith he won the victory over his grasping character and left all with God. "Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for thou hast striven with God and with men, and hast prevailed." Gen. 32:28. Of the earthly tribes, Paul declares, "They are not all Israel, that are of Israel." Rom. 9:6. And he elsewhere tells us that all become Israel by being grafted in by faith. Rom. 11:17-20. "And so," that is, "by faith," "all Israel shall be saved," brought in through Christ Jesus into the covenants and the promises and the hope. Rom. 11:26; Eph. 2:12-20. Through Jesus Christ by faith every saved soul becomes one of a true Israel of God.
But what of the tribes named? It is not of earthly tribes and records that God speaks. The records of all His people are on high. Every true Israelite is there recorded in the tribe to which he belongs. The gates to the glorious city, the twelve only entrances, are named after the twelve tribes of Israel. Rev. 21:12. Every overcomer in Christ will enter through some one of those gates, a member of the tribe of that gate. God knows them all. Men may lose count, as they have centuries ago; God never. These twelve names are taken as the names of the twelve divisions among His people, that shall enter the gates of Israel. And the 144,000 represents the last number which Christ will gather at His coming to complete the Israel of God for that earth made new.
Whether, like other numberings in the Bible, it pertains only to men, the women and children being included tho not numbered, we may not know; it is not of major importance. Far more important questions are, Am I one of the Israel of God? Is His seal, designating me a true worshiper of "the living God," stamping me as His "servant," written upon my forehead? Am I one of those sighing and crying because of the sins of God's people, upon whom the heavenly messenger is placing God's mark, while the angels with the slaughter weapons wait? See Eze. 9:1-6. Is Christ mine? Has He washed away my sins? Is He giving me victory by faith?
d. The Sealer.—Do not confound the seal of God with the Sealer. The seal is God's Sabbath, not as a mere day, but a living, mighty experience of relationship between us and the Creator; but that seal is placed upon us by the Holy Spirit. We can not seal ourselves. No church or creed or council or man can absolve us from sin or put upon us God's seal. That is the work of the mighty Spirit of God. Eph. 1:13; 4:30. In placing that seal upon us, there is written in our hearts and minds—our character—for which the forehead stands, the Father's name. We bear His character. Rev. 14:1. There is written upon us the name of Christ, for He cleansed us from sin, and His glorious name as sin's Conqueror is ours. Rev. 3:12. There is also written upon us the name of Israel's city, and the tribe to which we belong, and our own new name, stamped indelibly in character forever. We are "the servants of our God," and the glad keeping of His commandments is the expression of our love. 1 John 5:3.
God is holding the winds till that work is done. For this generation it began, and it is going forward, reaching all the dark corners of the earth like the rising sun. Soon it will close. Are you a part of it? Are you one of Israel? "Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the Sabbath, to observe the Sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant. It is a sign between Me and the children of Israel forever: for in six days Jehovah made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day He rested, and was refreshed." Ex. 31:16, 17. To him who receives God's rest there is resting and refreshment.
The Sealing of God—The Sealed
A Supplementary Prophecy
It is not an infrequent occurrence in the Word of God, especially in its historical and prophetic portions, to find a continuous line carried through in a general way from beginning to the end, and immediately following find some of the later portions retraversed, disclosing new views, new fields, or revealing some additional feature in detail which could not well be considered in the great general view. It is as tho a traveler should take a swift journey from Chicago to New York with a friend, catching occasional glimpses of the cities and general scenery along his route, and then after reaching his destination that friend should return with him to Albany in the night and take a day ride down the wonderful Hudson, giving him entirely new views of that portion of territory covered from Albany to Yonkers.
In fact, the Bible begins that way. In Gen. 1:1 to 2:3 we have a general account of creation and of the first week in connection with this earth's journey in time. Immediately following (Gen. 2:7-25) we have a more detailed account of the work on the sixth day so far as related to the father and mother of the race. We have several instances of such supplementary prophecies in the Revelation,—in chapter 7 in the prophecy of the seven seals, in chapters 10 and 11 in the prophecy of the seven trumpets, in chapters 15 and 16 in the prophecies of the beasts.
In this number we will study the first eight verses of Revelation 7, a vitally important prophecy to the people of God. The very terms "seal of the living God," "servants of our God," the staying of the four winds, the fixing of the seal upon a certain class, should arrest the attention of every thoughtful reader. What does this vision mean which falls under the opening of the sixth seal, between the events of verses 13 and 14 of Revelation 6? Let us first question the source.
The Answer of the Text
1. In what words does John's next vision open?
After this I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that no wind should blow on the earth, or on the sea, or upon any tree.
2. Who next appeared?
And I saw another angel ascend from the sunrising.
1. And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.
2. And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,
3. Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.
4. And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed a hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.
5. Of the tribe of Juda were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Reuben were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Gad were sealed twelve thousand.
6. Of the tribe of Aser were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Naphthalim were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Manasses were sealed twelve thousand.
7. Of the tribe of Simeon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Levi were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Issachar were sealed twelve thousand.
8. Of the tribe of Zabulon were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Joseph were sealed twelve thousand. Of the tribe of Benjamin were sealed twelve thousand.
The Sealing of the 144,000
3. What did he have?
Having the seal of the living God.
4. What and to whom did he cry?
And he cried with a great voice to the four angels to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea, saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we shall have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.
5. How many were sealed?
And I heard the number of them that were sealed, a hundred and forty and four thousand, sealed out of every tribe of the children of Israel.
6. How many were there from each tribe?
Answer: Of the tribes of Judah, Reuben, Gad, Asher, Naphtali, Manasseh, Simeon, Levi, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjamin, twelve thousand each.
Note and Comment
1. After this.—All the ancient Greek copies, Alford tells us, have "after this," not "after these things." John did not see the things described here as taking place after the awful wrath of chapter six; but the meaning is that after he
Hell Gate Rock
'HELL GATE ROCK' was blown to atoms and out of the way, by a touch on an electric button. With as much ease and speed God can blow any hell gate rock out of His way, and your way, and everybody's way.
Give One Cent to God
"Be you ever so poor, old or young, married or single, even if you have only an occasional dime to call your own, give one cent of it to God. Omnipotence will find some way to bless you in your temporal affairs."
Studies on the Sabbath
By R. A. Underwood
VIII. Restoration of the Sabbath
But He answered and said, Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. Matt. 15: 13.
As we have already seen in the study of the Sabbath question, there are what may be called the Sabbath and the Sunday plants.
The first was planted by Christ at creation, and rests upon a divine law. Gen. 2: 1-3; Ex. 20: 8-11; Mark 2: 27, 28; John 1: 1-10. The second was planted by an apostate church, and rests wholly upon tradition and man-made laws, which are designed to root up the Sabbath of God's own planting, and to substitute the Sunday plant of pagan origin in the place of a divine institution. The Sunday plant has the backing of the decrees of a fallen church's councils and State legislations. However, if this Sunday plant is not of God's planting, it must ultimately be rooted up, while the Sabbath plant will abide forever.
Through centuries of darkness and apostasy the Sabbath was nearly lost to sight by the innovations of its rival. This was predicted in prophecy, and the restoration of the Sabbath has also been as clearly foretold.
In history we see from time to time man lapsing into moral degeneracy and forsaking the ways of wisdom. This leads to a crisis. At such epochs men are called to sound the bugle note of reform, and to lead in what is usually an unpopular reform movement, which, in the nature of things, proves a test of character to the generation, who are called to make decisions for the right against the wrong. As examples of this statement, such a crisis came in Noah's time, in Moses' day, at the first advent of Christ, in Luther's day, and not least but last of all reforms, there is to be a "restoration" of the Sabbath of Jehovah in the last days. This last reformation includes all the reforms of the past, and culminates in the rooting up of every plant and seed of error at the second coming of Christ.
To this last reform I call attention by citing a few scriptures which show the work of the hour.
And He shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. Acts 3: 20, 21.
This text shows that Christ's return to this world is to be the climax in the work of restoration that the prophets have foretold. A clear reference to this reform is made by the prophet, and also to the attitude of some in rejecting the counsel of God concerning the claims of the law, in these words:
Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ASK FOR THE OLD PATHS, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Harken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not harken. Therefore hear, ye nations, and know, O congregation, what is among them. Hear, O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of their thoughts, because they have not harkened unto My words, NOR TO MY LAW, but rejected it. Jer. 6: 16-19.
The prophet Ezekiel refers to this Sabbath reform, and the opposition it will meet by some of the priests and people, as follows:
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord. Eze. 13: 4, 5.
Her priests have violated My law, and have profaned Mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and HAVE HID THEIR EYES FROM MY SABBATHS, and I am profaned among them. . . . And her prophets have daubed them with untempered mortar, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, SAYING, THUS SAITH THE LORD GOD, WHEN THE LORD HATH NOT SPOKEN. The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully. And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none. Eze. 22: 26, 28-30.
When the claims of the Lord's Sabbath are brought to our attention it is an easy matter to permit our eyes to be blinded to the truth by our business interests, our social standing in the community, in the church, or in the State. According to this prophecy men will divine excuses for not obeying God, and even declare that there is a "Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken." The Lord has foretold of men's efforts to evade the truth, in these words:
My people hath forgotten Me, . . . and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths, to walk in paths, in a way not cast up. Jer. 18: 15.
The Lord has spoken of another class, and the response they will make to the call of God to restore the Sabbath and to turn their feet away from trampling upon the holy rest day, which has been lightly esteemed and trodden down for many generations:
Thus saith the Lord, Keep ye judgment, and do justice: for My salvation is near to come, and My righteousness to be revealed. BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT DOETH THIS, and THE SON OF MAN THAT LAYETH HOLD ON IT; THAT KEEPETH THE SABBATH FROM POLLUTING IT, and keepeth his hand from doing any evil. Isa. 56: 1, 2.
And they that shall be of thee shall build the old waste places: THOU SHALT RAISE UP THE FOUNDATIONS OF MANY GENERATIONS; and THOU SHALT BE CALLED, THE REPAIRER OF THE BREACH, THE RESTORER OF PATHS TO DWELL IN. IF THOU TURN AWAY THY FOOT FROM THE SABBATH, FROM DOING THY PLEASURE ON MY HOLY DAY; and CALL THE SABBATH A DELIGHT, THE HOLY OF THE LORD, HONORABLE; and shalt honor Him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words: then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. Isa. 58: 12-14.
The Sabbath is to be restored to its honored position in the Decalogue and in the minds and hearts of God's servants. It is to be regarded as the sign of God's creative, sanctifying power.
Moreover also I gave them My Sabbaths, to be a sign between Me and them, THAT THEY MIGHT KNOW THAT I AM THE LORD THAT SANCTIFY THEM. Eze. 20: 12.
When the Sabbath is received as a sign, or seal, of God's authority between Himself and His people, showing that we should "worship Him that made heaven and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters," and that our supreme worship and obedience are to be given to God, then we may expect that Satan will be wroth with the remnant church on earth who receive the law and the Gospel, unchanged, as given in the Bible, regardless of the claims of the man of sin.
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. Rev. 12: 17.
This reformation develops a people of whom it is said, "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14: 12. This work must precede the coming of the King of Righteousness; for John beholds this faith-believing, commandment-keeping people just before he sees Christ coming. "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of Man, having on His head a golden crown, and in His hand a sharp sickle." Rev. 14: 14.
Christ's coming in all His glory insures the establishment of the kingdom of righteousness, where every error is rooted up. The Sabbath and the law of righteousness will be kept in the love of right-doing forever.
Violence shall no more be heard in thy land, wasting nor destruction within thy borders; but thou shalt call thy walls Salvation, and thy gates Praise. The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land forever, the branch of My planting, the work of My hands, that I may be glorified. Isa. 60: 18-21.
For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before Me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and FROM ONE SABBATH TO ANOTHER, SHALL ALL FLESH COME TO WORSHIP BEFORE ME, SAITH THE LORD. Isa. 66: 22, 23.
"Thy people also shall be all righteous." This promise was made by God to man more than three thousand years ago. "As truly as I live, all the earth shall be filled with9the glory of the Lord." Num. 14: 21. Coincident with the fulfilment of this long-looked-for promise and hope, "all flesh" assemble from one Sabbath to another to worship God so long as the name of God and the seed of Christ remain, even throughout eternity.
This is the time when God has put all of Christ's enemies under His feet (1 Cor. 15: 24-28) by the destruction of all who refuse to obey Him. The Sabbath given to man in Eden to be a weekly sign and memorial of the power of God in blessing man, is now universally recognized and kept by all.
Reader, will you be among that happy company? Remember the Lord Jesus Christ has done all that can be done to save you. There is one thing Heaven can not do; namely, it can not force any one to yield obedience. This must come by your choice and complete surrender of all you are and have to Jesus Christ. Make the wise decision for eternity, and make it now.
The Kingdom of Satan
By H. A. St. John
I. First Phase of Satan's Kingdom
IN the Word of God, Satan's kingdom is presented to us, in three distinct phases. Under the third and last, it will come to an utter extinction and annihilation. Said the Lord Jesus, "And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand?" Matt. 12: 26. Jesus recognized the fact of the existence of Satan's kingdom. This first phase of Satan's kingdom will cover a period of about six thousand years, beginning with the fall of man in Paradise, when Satan usurped the dominion given to Adam, introduced sin into the world, and brought death and the curse upon the heavens, earth, and sea, and all that in them is.
But this period of Satan's reign is not one of unmixed evil. At no time during this long period does Satan have his own way completely. The great majority of the human race, sad to say, are led captive by Satan at his will, and do his bidding, are the children of the wicked one, and subjects of his kingdom. But praise be to our God for His infinite love and mercy! He has provided a way, through Jesus, whereby any of the subjects of Satan, if they so choose, may renounce the service and kingdom of Satan, be delivered from their allegiance to the prince of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son. Col. 1: 13.
Even here, and now, we may transfer our citizenship to the kingdom of Christ, and have our names recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life. Satan is bitterly opposed to all loyalty to God, manifested in loving obedience to His holy law; but he is powerless to pluck such out of the loving Father's hands, yet their presence here in his kingdom is a cause of constant irritation, friction, and war.
If Satan could have his way, for which he so desperately struggles, harder and harder, unmixed evil would bear uninterrupted sway everywhere, and all the time.
But this warfare between light and darkness, truth and error, sin and holiness, will continue through the entire period of the first phase of Satan's kingdom. At the end thereof, Jesus will come in power and great glory, and gather out of Satan's kingdom all the good who are so offensive to him, and leave all the evil behind with Satan. All the good are forever delivered from Satan's kingdom and power. And thus will terminate the first phase of Satan's kingdom.
H. A. ST. JOHN.
What It Means
By John N. Quinn
My friend, has it ever occurred to you that the establishment of Sunday sacredness makes void the atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ? Every soul in the world has broken the Sunday, and, admitting its holiness, has thus transgressed the divine law, and atonement is necessary. Atonement involves complete obedience, perfect righteousness. Rom. 5:18, 19. God declares Christ's righteousness for the remission of sins that are past. Rom. 3:23-26. The Sunday-breaker confesses his supposed sin, beseeching God to declare Christ's righteousness for his sin. In order for God to do so, Jesus must have observed Sunday. No one believes that He did, therefore He has no Sunday righteousness to declare for Sunday-breaking. Consequently it is as clear as the sun at midday, that if Sunday became a holy day after the death of the cross, the world is without a Saviour. Christ, by His death, made atonement for all sin; He made no atonement for Sunday work, therefore Sunday work is not sin, and Sunday not a sacred day. Nothing can be added to a will after the death of the testator. Heb. 9:16, 17. Christ sealed the new testament with His blood, crying in His agony, "It is finished." This forever excludes Sunday sacredness; and even had the apostles taught it, every Christian true to the glorious covenant which brings perfection to every believer, must reject it. Gal. 1:8.
How different with the seventh day! True, all have transgressed; but when confession is made, how quickly God declares Christ's seventh-day Sabbath-keeping for the remission of the sinner's Sabbath-breaking! The seventh-day Christian magnifies the atonement, while the Sunday observer makes it void, excluding the blessing which comes only from perfect righteousness.
JOHN N. QUINN.
Our Bible Reading
The Law and the Gospel
1. In view of the judgment what rule of life has God given us?
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. Eccl. 12: 13, 14.
2. Of what is man the sinner and transgressor?
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. 1 John 3: 4.
3. By what, then, is he condemned as a sinner?
What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet. Rom. 7: 7.
4. Being a sinner, to what is he subject?
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Rom. 6: 23.
5. What glad tidings does the Lord bring to the death-doomed?
For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Rom. 1: 16.
6. Through Christ what does He do for the sinner who believes?
Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Rom. 4: 7, 8.
7. What does this faith put upon him in the place of his sins?
Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference. Rom. 3: 22.
8. What bears witness that this righteousness is correct?
But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets. Rom. 3: 21.
9. How will he who has thus tasted of the forgiveness of God regard the law?
For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous. 1 John 5: 3.
God's Holy Hill
By John Francis Olmstead
By John Francis Olmstead
WHO shall ascend into the hill
Of Christ the mighty King,
Or who shall ever, ever stand
Where only angels sing?
He that hath cleansed his character
From every wicked way,
Who hath not lifted up his soul,
Nor doth deceits display.
He shall receive the blessing from
Our God who rules and reigns,
Who blesses us with righteousness,
And cleanses sinful stains.
Can it be true that God will save
A sinner poor like me,
And change my vile and sinful heart
Till I am ever free?
Yes, God will save each trusting soul
Who would His favor win,
Whoe'r will spurn, forsake, and leave
The paths of earthly sin.
Columbus, Ohio.
True Glory
God tells us to "seek for glory," but the field of glory is the field of danger, suffering, and self-effacement. Paul walked to Jerusalem with his eyes open declaring that "bonds and afflictions" awaited him there. Jesus foresaw the cross, but determined to suffer its crucifixion in the midst of the malefactors that others might be blessed. True glory can never be secured at a low price.—Anon.