"Let the Revelation speak and tell what is truth. . . . Uplift Jesus as the center of all hope."
(FOR ARTICLE, SEE PAGE 6)
IX. Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA — "brotherly love," a blessed condition; for brotherly kindness is one of the climactic Christian virtues. 2 Peter 1:5-7. Surely, the Philadelphia condition is a desirable one.
The name of the literal city did not, however, mean that to its people; it was built by King Attalus Philadelphus, from whom it was named. It fell into the hands of the Romans in B.C. 133. The city lay about 100 miles due east from Smyrna, about 80 miles a little north of east of Ephesus. Down to the Byzantine age it was a city of strength and importance, and of all the towns of Asia Minor it withstood the Turks the longest. It was taken by Bajazet I in A.D. 1392. It still exists, as Allah Shehr, "city of God," or High-town. It fronts one of the most extensive and beautiful plains in all Asia Minor. Its present population is estimated at 10,000, consisting mostly of Turks. There are five Christian churches in the town, and a score of others too old or too small to use. One of the Turkish mosques is believed to be the church used by the primitive Christians. Ruins are scarce, but in one place there are four strong marble pillars which once supported the dome of a church now fallen. "One solitary pillar of high antiquity has been often noticed, as reminding beholders of the remarkable words in the Apocalyptic message to the Philadelphian church: 'Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out.'"—Arundel.
Philadelphia as a type brings us down to a remarkable and great world-wide movement, dating from about 1830, reaching a climax in 1844, and extending to the end.
The Answer of the Text
[The answers to the questions are from the American Revised Version. Omitting questions, and disregarding sometimes the capital at the beginning and the period at the close of an answer, the text may be read continuously. In notes and comments both versions are used without designation.]
1. In what way does our Lord address Himself to the church in Philadelphia?
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth and none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth.
2. Of what did He assure them?
I know thy works (behold, I have set before thee A DOOR OPENED, which none can shut), that thou hast a little power, and didst keep My word, and didst not deny My name.
3. What did He say of their enemies?
Behold, I give of the synagog of Satan, of them that say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
4. What conduct did the Master approve, and what promise did He give?
Because thou didst keep the word of My patience, I also will KEEP thee from the HOUR OF TRIAL, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
5. What exhortation does our Lord give?
I come quickly: hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown.
6. What is the promise to the overcomer?
He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out thence no more: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God, and Mine own new name.
7. How does our Lord show His regard for all men?
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches.
Note and Comment
1. He that is holy, . . . true.—Not simply that He, our Lord, has a true and holy character, but He is the essentially holy, essentially true One. "There is no unrighteousness in Him." He is the Truth, and the One through whom all truth is given. Surely, then, He can not play His children false. Key of David.—The royal keys of the kingdom, of which God built David a sure house in his Seed Jesus Christ. 2 Sam. 7:16, 25-29. "And the Lord God shall give unto Him [Christ Jesus] the throne of His father David." Luke 1:32, 33. He that openeth, . . . and that shutteth.—The keys of the kingdom are His. He has abdicated to none other. His throne is not vacant. He has no especially appointed vicar or council or body to legislate concerning entrance into that kingdom. His word alone opens, His word alone closes. He appoints men to speak that word with its all-potency; they can go no farther. They are bidden to speak to a rebellious world the conditions on which the Master of the keys opens or closes the door to applicants, but the decision rests with Him. Jer. 1:10. His word is, "Come unto Me;" and He adds to that, "Him that cometh unto Me, I will in no wise cast out." Apostle and preacher may declare the conditions and point the soul to Jesus; but when that soul goes, they may not hinder or obstruct the way to his exercise of faith. Christ has appointed no cordon of ecclesiastical guards, no bodies of men, no earthly vicars, to stay the soul or close the door. Christ has swung it wide open to every hungry, burdened, weary, sin-sick soul; and He shuts it against all the self-sufficient, self-appointed agents of self-salvation. He opens; none can shut; He closes; none can open. He is both Door and Shepherd. Let us go boldly; for He died that we might enter.
2. A door opened.—Not the great general open door of salvation for all, but an opened door which had been closed, which marks a stage in the great progressive Gospel work toward its climax, His coming. What is that opened door? In brief, let us reply what has many times been set forth in detail in this journal:
(a) The typical offerings and priests of the Levitical dispensation in each year's round of service prefigured the offering and the service of our Lord as priest, to take away sin "once for all." He is the Lamb of God who beareth away the sins of the world (John 1:29); the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (1 Peter 1:18, 19; Rev. 13:8), in type in that ancient time, in reality on Calvary.
(b) The ancient typical priests served in an7earthly sanctuary of which the heavenly was the pattern. Ex. 25:40; Heb. 8:5; 9:11-14.
(c) That service in the earthly sanctuary was performed in the Holy Place every day in the year save one, when the high priest entered into the Most Holy Place, before the ark of God, containing the holy law, over which was the mercy-seat, to complete their service by making atonement, by cleansing the sanctuary of all remembrance of sin, and to acquit every soul who had availed himself of God's mercy to the end. This yearly round of service was a complete service, closing with a judgment work. See Leviticus 16; Heb. 9:1-7.
(d) As prefigured in the type, in the fulness of time, our Lord enters upon His closing work in the sanctuary on high. He first ministered in the Holy Place; in the close of His ministry He enters into the Most Holy to cleanse the sanctuary from all remembrance of sin, to acquit His faithful people, to finish the mystery of God, so that when He comes, His own will be raised from the dead and changed to immortality. Heb. 9:8-12; 23-26.
(e) This time of the cleansing of the heavenly sanctuary from the remembrance of sin is revealed in Dan. 8:14, explained in Dan. 9:24-27. The twenty-three hundred typical days, or years, began in B.C. 457, in the restoration under Ezra and Zerubbabel, and ended at the beginning of God's last reformation in A.D. 1844, when the closing work of Christ's antitypical priesthood began before the ark of the covenant, or testament, and the "mystery of God should be finished, as He hath declared to His servants the prophets;" then goes to the world the Gospel message, "The hour of His judgment is come." Rev. 10:6, 7; 14:6, 7.
(f) When about the year 1829 was reached, men began to study the prophetic Word. Scores of books were written on unfolding prophecy in the next thirty years. Hundreds of men in the Old World and the New preached that Christ's coming was at hand. Many, among them William Miller and his associates, looked for that event in 1844, and many others at about that time. It was a mighty, melting message. It united men of all beliefs and races. Thousands of infidels were converted. Property was laid on God's altar; brotherly love prevailed.
But disappointment came, many turned back; some waited. They would not disown the Word. They had made no mistake regarding the time; they did not understand the event. They did not see the work of reformation yet to be wrought on earth, nor the finishing of Christ's work on high before God's holy, immutable law disclosed in the Most Holy Place. Rev. 11:19. To the faithful ones Christ says, "Behold, I have set before thee a door opened." There is still work to do, as will be explained on Revelation 10. As the priest in the earthly sanctuary opened the door on the last day of his ministry into the presence of God's law in the Most Holy Place, so Jesus Christ then entered into the last work of ministry and reform, in which God's law is the center, of which it is the standard. Before the church at this time God set an open door, a new work, a larger ministry. Men may sneer or reject; God has set the door open, and none can shut it. His work must be done. What that work is we will better learn as we pursue our studies.
3. Jews and are not.—We have before learned that the true Jew is a true follower of Christ. See Rom. 2:28, 29. Those who have persecuted the faithful of God are professed Christians who have demonstrated that they are not true. Sometime those scoffed at because of their faith in a coming Christ will be honored and their detractors humbled. See the same thought in Micah 7:15-17.
4. The word of My patience.—So God's children—many of them—did keep His word of patience, of endurance, amid scoffing, scorn, contumely, vilification, detraction, abuse, and calumny. They trusted God. The doctrine of the second coming of Christ is less believed now than then; and he who steadfastly adheres to "the blessed hope" must rely on the Word of God. And he who thus proves faithful will be kept by the power of God in that last awful hour of trial such as God's church has never seen, when all the powers of hell will be united to crush her. Five times that hour is mentioned in the Revelation. We shall study it more fully when we reach the 17th and 18th chapters. But the thing which will keep the child of God then will be God's Word of truth. Ps. 91:4, 9, 10.
5. I come quickly.—The Philadelphia condition reaches to the second coming of Christ. That no man take thy crown.—Eternal characters are written in the Book of Life. To each one belongs the crown fitted to the character, the new name indicative of the character, the inheritance appointed of God. Each soul is called to some one character, name, crown, inheritance. God will give the sufficiency for the victory if we hold fast. If we will not, to some one else will be given the opportunity, and, if faithful, the crown we might have won.
6. A pillar in the temple.—A tower of strength in God's work. In the ancient temple were two pillars: Jachin—"He shall establish;" Boaz—"in it there is strength." 1 Kings 7:21. So God establishes in strength those who overcome. Men may have cast them out of worldly organizations, but none shall cast them out of God's great spiritual temple. Name of thy God, the Father's name, which stands for eternal righteousness. Ex. 34:6, 7. Name . . . New Jerusalem.—"Jerusalem that is above . . . is our mother." Gal. 4:26. The city whose "Builder and Maker is God" (Heb. 11:10); the "continuing city" (Heb. 13:14); not Babylon or Nineveh or Tyre or Hiliopolis, or Athens or Rome or London or New York, is our mother, even tho we were born in one of them. If Christians, we are heaven-born, and shall bear the name of the mother that waits for her children. Mine own new name.—Christ the conqueror's name. The One who conquered sin for us, and conquers sin in us, is our everlasting Father (Isa. 9:6), and we shall bear His name, as one of His earth family; and the Father's name as a member of the heavenly family. Eph. 3:14, 15. Blessed relationship and heritage; who could ask more?
7. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;
8. I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name.
9. Behold, I will make them of the synagog of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.
10. Because thou hast kept the word of My patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
11. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.
13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Sometimes It Takes Many a Tumble to Keep Men Humble
"SOMETIMES it takes many a tumble to keep men humble."
Pride, Envy, and Anger
By Bishop Hall
The proud man hath no God; the envious man hath no neighbor; the angry man hath not himself.
Doing Good Without Delay
By Samuel Johnson
He who waits to do a great deal of good at once, will never do anything.—Samuel Johnson.
Lessons in Liberty
By W. M. Healey
Divine Characters and Principles
LIBERTY is the fundamental principle of God's kingdom, the foundation of His government, which is from "everlasting to everlasting." Ps. 106:48.
Both God the Father and Christ the Son are self-existing, and together possess all the power of the universe.
Isaiah, writing of Christ at the time when He should be brought into this world in human form, says, "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isa. 9:6.
While this scripture attributes all power to Christ, He said of the Father, and taught us to say of Him, "For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever." Matt. 6:13.
Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Rom. 13:1.
Micah says of Christ, "Whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." Micah 5:2.
The Father and the Son have the same glory and power. They are one in every purpose and work.
Christ exercised the creative power in making the worlds. "God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son, whom He hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also He made the worlds." Heb. 1:1, 2.
For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him. Col. 1:16.
All the angels were created by Him, and fashioned according to His will; and to them He gave the liberty to choose whether they would worship Him or not. This wonderful power to choose in the matter of worship was bestowed upon man as well as the angels.
Rebellion against Just Government
There came a time when many angels, led by Lucifer, afterward called Satan, decided to rebel against God, and no longer serve and worship Him. Their work is briefly described in the following language:
How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the North: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the Most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit. Isa. 14:12-15.
Lucifer rebelled against God's government, that he might set up a kingdom of his own, which would be established upon principles opposed to those of God's kingdom. The nature of his dominion may be easily understood by his own nature, his subjects being like him. When Christ was speaking to those who were seeking to take His life because of His religious teaching, He said:
Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. John 8:44.
While the keeping of the law of God was the rule in all His kingdom, the breaking of it was the doctrine taught by Satan. God would uphold the Ten Commandments; Satan would abolish them.
God gave all, the choice of being obedient, or not, to His law; but if disobedient, they would have no place in His kingdom. Christ created all the worlds in the universe, and all were obedient to His law. Where could Satan find territory to set up his new kingdom? He could not create a world, as he did not possess creative power; hence he was not able to provide a place for himself. Having no place to go, he tried to take possession of heaven by force, and compel all to worship him, giving no choice in the matter.
And there was war in heaven: Michael and His angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. Rev. 12:7, 8.
Jesus said, "I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven." Luke 10:18.
There was no continued war, there was no long drawn out battle. When Satan tried to compel those to worship him who did not choose to do so, the mighty Creator arose in power, and Satan was cast out, as it were in a moment, like a lightning flash, and his glory was departed, and darkness followed him.
God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment. 2 Peter 2:4.
Christ was defending the principle of liberty there in heaven, while Satan was the first to endeavor to break it down and compel worship by force. Jesus to-day says, "Whosoever will, let him come." This is the Gospel of salvation, while Satan tries to compel all to worship him.
Satan, being cast from heaven, made his way to this world, where Adam had possession. What could he do? He had tried to use force while in heaven, and had been cast out. He was helpless against Christ, who protected His subjects in their liberty of choice.
Our Bible Reading
The Second Advent
1. What testimony is offered concerning the coming of Christ to this world?
So Christ was ONCE OFFERED to BEAR the SINS of many. Heb. 9:28.
2. In what form did He come?
And the Word was MADE FLESH, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only-begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. John 1:14.
3. Of what was He born?
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, MADE OF A WOMAN, made under the law. Gal. 4:4.
4. How did He leave this world?
And when He had spoken these things, while they beheld, He was taken up; and a CLOUD RECEIVED HIM out of their sight. Acts 1:9.
5. Do the Scriptures say anything regarding His coming again?
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for Him shall HE APPEAR THE SECOND TIME without sin unto salvation. Heb. 9:28.
6. Of what do they positively assure us?
Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? THIS SAME JESUS, which is taken up from you into heaven, SHALL SO COME IN LIKE MANNER as ye have seen Him go into heaven. Acts 1:11.
God's Standards of Conduct and Character
God has a standard of conduct—His holy law. He has a standard of character—Christ Jesus. The law of God was exemplified in Christ.
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. Prov. 18:21.
"A—wholesome tongue"—who knows its worth?
W—ho can its beauty show?
H—ow great its pow'r in this dark earth,
O—ur God would have us know.
L—ong has earth heard the words of death;
E—ach day, from far and near
S—ound curses, oaths (like pois'nous breath),
O—r jest, or wo, or sneer.
M—en scarce have heard Love's living word,
E—ach tongue stills not to hear.
T—here talked a Man in Galilee—
O—f Judah's tribe, and true—
N—ever spake man such purity—
G—racious words, like the dew.
U—nto the thirsty still His voice
E—ver calls—sweet and low:
"I—f any make My Word his choice,
S—urely My life he'll know."
A—wondrous pow'r God gives each tongue:
T—o speak life-words, all pure;
R—evive the heart by anguish wrung;
E—rring souls tell sin's cure;
E—ver bid aching hearts rejoice;
O—r speak the careless word.
F—ill now thy cup—make now thy choice.
L—o, God's voice now is heard
I—n final judgment! Who may bide?
F—or by the words men's hearts are judged:
E—ach tongue is being tried!
Retrospect and Prospect
By Editor
WHAT a year has been 1910! Not so much noted for great things as for indexes of great things—unmistakable manifestations of developed trends in the great political, social, and religious worlds, straws in plenty which show the way the winds are blowing. The merest mention of some of these tendencies will refresh the minds of our readers.
While many sincere souls have been working and pleading for peace and the disarmament of the nations, the preparations for war have gone on apace. There are no indications that the earth hunger and commercial greed of the nations have slackened. Mightier explosives, bigger and more powerful guns, mines, and mortars, still greater and more effective types of battle-ships and various war vessels, are the order of the day; and now the weaker nations are ordering the greater battle-ships. Well said the prophet as he portrayed the war spirit of to-day, "Let the weak say, I am strong." See Joel 3:9-14. From all the world comes the news of the preparation and training for Armageddon. Rev. 16:16. Feverish unrest and anxiety pervade the military departments of all the great and would-be great nations of the earth.
Roman Catholicism
Religiously, the world has not been at peace. The Roman Catholics have had their troubles in France, Spain, Portugal, Italy. They have not been scoring any marked triumphs in these fields. In the Iberian Peninsula they have come out of the conflict at the present writing decidedly second best. Many in both of these countries have grown weary of the intolerable burden of the church, the bearing of which brings no life, and but little hope or gladness; and their resentment has not been shown in Christian ways. But Rome knows how to abide her time; and all who have turned against her will return sooner or later, unless they become truly Christian and learn to know Christ as individuals. The only way to meet effectually Roman Catholicism is to meet it by the Word of God in the heart and life.
The Papacy is finding its strongest support in Protestant lands. The German Kaiser seems almost to go out of his way to express his sentiments in favor of Rome. His antipathy to Socialism drives him to seek the support of Catholics. Rome has scored a seeming triumph, at least, in the great Eucharistic Congress at Montreal, with its magnificent, medieval, ornate display, calculated to impress the beholder who does not study eternal principles, with her power and strength. Many Protestants contributed to the success of the great gathering, and the whole thing assumed somewhat of a civil-ecclesiastical function.
The great meeting of federated Catholic societies in New Orleans, with its great display of military trappings, of high-sounding titles, of tremendous enthusiasm, and official welcome by civil officers, will have its effect. The influence which that body has over the press of the country, and purposes to exercise in still greater measure, is a menace to liberty. Such influences may be behind the appointment of Justice White of Louisiana, a Catholic, as Chief Justice of the Federal Supreme Court. On the whole Catholicism has seemed to be the gainer, while abating not one jot or tittle from her medieval principles or tenets.
Among Protestants
In Protestant bodies Higher Criticism goes on in its destructive course. Having been accredited by the larger part of Protestant teachers in their acceptance of modern theories of evolution and geology, all the rest has logically followed. The books of Moses, inspiration of the Holy Scriptures, the vicarious atonement, the virgin birth, the Deity of Jesus Christ, the resurrection, the second coming, miracles, the re-creation of true Scriptural conversion—all went with the rejection of the story of the creation and fall of Genesis 1-3. Now within the circles dominated by Higher Critics, or rational criticism, we practically have no Bible but that approved by the imperfect human consciousness, subject to constant change, and which assumes to sit upon the personal beliefs and teaching of the Lord Jesus Himself. Thank God, there are still left a few stalwarts who are willing and zealous to defend or proclaim the Old Book. The three numbers—pamphlets—already issued by the Testimony Publishing Company, 808 La Salle Ave., Chicago, filled with testimonies from preachers, teachers, scholars, in favor of the Bible and its teaching, are tokens of encouragement to the Bible lover. There are thousands yet who have not bowed the knee to the Baal of rational criticism.
But there is another sign, indescribably sad, and that is to see so many in the Protestant churches, many of whom profess strongest belief in Jesus as the Christ of God, turning from the standard of the Word, from the power of the Spirit, from the principles which gave Protestantism its life, and turning to the civil power for help, clamoring at legislative halls for laws to enforce religious tenets and church institutions, forgetting that God can care for His own, tho His own be crucified; forgetting that every plant which God has not planted shall be rooted up; forgetting that any custom or tenet or observance of religious bodies which has not enough of Christ in it is worthy to die. Seeking the world and its help, men forget God. Going to the Egypt of infidelity or the Babylon of tradition, is the forsaking of the covenant Jehovah of Israel. Yet our church federations and our recent World's Christian Citizenship Conference in Philadelphia are working for Sunday laws and union of Church and State, the very things which evolved the Dark Ages.
Eastern philosophies and pagan beliefs come to us under the fair names of "Christian," and "Spiritualism," and "Theosophy," and number their converts by the thousands. A strong, vigorous, loyal Protestantism would have saved much of this.
Political World
The greatest disturbers in the political world are concentration of wealth and its control of government and industries, and Socialism. The latter is feared in all the countries of Europe, where it is growing, feeding upon the unrest of the people, and the growing distress of the poor. Millions are well-nigh crushed under the burden of war preparations and extravagant government. America, too, is feeling its influence. The last election showed tremendous growth of the Socialist party.
Socialism is a strong protest against the power of concentrated and dominating wealth in the control of a few men who are as selfish as are the rest of humanity, and no wiser for the general good.
Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey, When wealth accumulates and men decay.
Wealth has formed a new aristocracy, the credentials of which bear the emblem of the dollar. God gives power to get wealth, as He has assured us; but it is His design that it should be used for the amelioration of human needs and woes, and not to oppress, not to arouse class hatred, not to foment revolution.
Socialism promises to be the panacea of all earth's ills; but however benevolent its purposes, like all other human remedies it will fall short, because it can not re-create man, and it is not based on faith in Him who only can save, regenerate, redeem.
We thank God, however, for the good in the hearts of men, mistaken tho they may be. They are salt in the earth which is staying its utter corruption. They are rebukes to those who do wickedly, selfishly.
We thank God for the time of outward peace, for the leashing of the dogs of war. God is using this time to send forth His last threefold message of His "everlasting Gospel." The closed national doors are all swinging open, and soon every people will have heard the message. Thirty years ago the first foreign missionary bearing the great message was sent out; now it has entered forty-three different countries. No other religious denomination maintains missions in more than ten. It must go to all the earth. Soon every land will have had the light. God's great reform message will have done its work. "The commandments of God and the faith of Jesus" will find living witnesses in every land of earth. God's servants will be sealed. The Gospel of the kingdom will then have ceased to witness, and Christ will come. For all these tokens we thank God. Our retrospect confirms our way. Our prospect looks close to the everlasting kingdom, and sees the gray east breaking with the light of the coming of the Sun of Righteousness.
God's Presence in the Desert
"God's presence makes the desert a garden of paradise."
