ClarenceLarkin: Dispensational Truth XVI The Resurrection
Dispensational Truth
XVI
The Resurrection
XVI
The Resurrection
The Scriptures speak of three kinds of resurrection.
I. National.
This refers to Israel. In Hosea 6:1, 2 we read-
"Come and let us return unto the Lord for He hath torn, and He will heal us; He hath smitten, and He will bind us up.
After Two Days
will He revive us; in the third day He will raise us up, and we shall live in His sight."
There are several things in this passage worth noting. First we see from the context that the words of the prophet are addressed exclusively to the Jewish people and to the whole "Twelve Tribes" represented by Ephraim and Judah. Hosea 6:4. And it is the "Whole House of Israel" that says-"Come, and let us return unto the lord." It is the cry of repentance of a "nation" that has been torn and smitten by the Lord, and not the cry of persons "dead in their graves." The "healing" does not refer to a resurrection from "the dead, " and the "binding" means that the whole Twelve Tribes, now scattered, will be, "rebound into one nation" again in their own land.
The expression "Will 'revive' us, " does not mean a resurrection from physical death, for the word "revive" simply means what we mean when we speak of a "Revival of Religion, " which is a "spiritual" and not a physical resurrection.
The remarkable statement in the passage is the "time" of the Revival. It says-"after TWO Days." It is clear that those "two days" are not literal days of 24 hours, for more than 2 such days have gone by and Israel has not yet been revived. They were spoken by the prophet about B.C. 780, or 2700 years ago, and therefore must be interpreted on the scale that one day is with the Lord as a Thousand Years. 2Pet. 3:8.
Israel is now well along in the third Thousand Years of her rejection; and it is to be some time in this third Thousand Years, corresponding to the "Third Day" of Hosea, that Israel is to be revived and restored to her own land. For a full account of this "National Resurrection of Israel" see the Chapter on "The Jews."
II. Spiritual.
Writing to the Ephesians, Paul said-"And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. . . . . and hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Eph. 2:1-3.
"Awake thou that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light." Eph. 5:14.
Writing to the Romans Paul says@'Reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. 6:11.
The Resurrection referred to in these passages is "Spiritual" and is a "present" Resurrection, and is going on continually. Every time a soul is "born again" there is a passing from "death" unto "life, " a "Spiritual resurrection." John 5:24.
III. Material.
This is of the dead body. The spirit of man does not die. it goes back to God who gave it. See the Chapter on "The Spirit World." All that goes into the grave is the body, and all that can come out of the grave is the body
Jesus clearly and distinctly taught a resurrection "from the grave."
"Marvel not at this; for the hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear His voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good unto the 'Resurrection of LIFE, ' and they that have done evil unto the 'Resurrection of DAMNATION."' John 5:28, John 5:29.
Here Jesus teaches the resurrection of both the "Righteous" and the "Wicked." The Apostle Paul taught the same thing.
"And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the Dead, both of the just (justified), and of the Unjust (unjustified)."Acts 24:15.
"For as in Adam all die (physically), even so in Christ shall all be made alive (physically)." 1Cor. 15:22.
That the Apostle means "physical" death, and "physical" resurrection here, is clear, for it is the body, and not the spirit that he is discoursing about, and so the Universalist has no "proof text" here for the doctrine of "Universal Salvation."
These passages clearly teach that there is to be a resurrection of "all the dead, " and if we did not look any further, we would be led to believe that the Righteous and the Wicked are not only to rise, but that they are to rise at the "same time." But when we turn to the Book of Revelation we find that the Righteous are to rise "before" the Wicked, and not simply precede them, but that there is a space of a 1000 years between the two Resurrections. Rev. 20:4, Rev. 20:5.
"And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them."
This refers to the saints of the First Resurrection, who, represented by the "Four and Twenty Elders" of Rev. 4:4, are seen seated on thrones surrounding the Throne of God.
"And I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the Word of God, and which had not worshipped The Beast, neither His Image, neither had received His Mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they LIVED and Reigned With Christ a THOUSAND YEARS."
These are the "Tribulation Saints." John first saw them in their "martyred" condition (as souls), then he saw them rise from the dead (they lived again), and they, with the First Resurrection Saints, reigned with Christ a Thousand Years.
"But the rest of the dead (the wicked), lived not again until the ‘ Thousand Years' were finished."
The rest of the verse-"This is the 'First Resurrection, ' " refers not to the "rest of the dead, " but to those in verse 4, who lived and reigned with Christ for a 1000 years, for
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the First Resurrection, on such the Second Death (the doom of the Wicked, Rev. 20:14, Rev. 20:15), hath no power, but they shall be Priests of God and of Christ, and shall Reign With Him a THOUSAND YEARS." Rev. 20:6.
That the Dead are to rise in different bands or cohorts, with an "interval of time" between, is beautifully brought out in 1Cor. 15:22-24.
"For as in Adam all die (physically), even so in Christ shall all be made alive (physically). But every man in his own order."
The word translated "order" is a military expression, and means a band, cohort, brigade or division of an army. Paul then gives the order
1. "Christ the First Fruits."
2. "Afterward they that Are Christ's At His Coming."
3. "Then cometh The End."
Now we know that between "Christ the First Fruits, " and they that "are Christ's at His Coming, " there has already been nearly 1900 years, and as we have seen there will be 1000 years between the resurrection of those that "are Christ's at His Coming" and the "Wicked dead, )) we see that there is not to be a simultaneous resurrection of the Righteous and the Wicked.
But some one may say what authority have we for thus dividing up Scripture and locating "intervals of time? " We have the authority of Christ Himself. In Luke 4:16-18 we read that He went into the Synagogue on the Sabbath Day, and they handed Him the Book of Isaiah from which to read, and that He turned to Isa. 61:11-2, and read-
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord, "
and there He stopped at a "comma, " as we see by referring to Isa. 61:2, and left unsaid the words, "and the 'Day of Vengeance' of our God."
Why did Christ stop at that comma? Because the time had not come to declare the "Day of Vengeance." That "comma" has been nearly 19 centuries long and will continue until the "Lord Jesus shall be revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking 'vengeance' on them that know not God, and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2Thes. 1:7, 2Thes. 1:8.
But it has been objected that the passage in Rev. 20:4, Rev. 20:5, is the "only" place in the Bible where a "length of time" is given between the resurrection of the Righteous and the Wicked, and that it is not fair to base such an important fact upon a single statement found in. such a symbolic Book. While the Book of Revelation contains many symbols they are explained in the Book, and we must not forget that it is not a mysterious book, for it is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, and is the only book in the Bible that promises a blessing to the reader. Rev. 1:1-3. The Book is to be taken literally.
Suppose that Rev. 20:4-6 is the "only" place in the Bible where a "length of time" is given between the resurrection of the Righteous and the Wicked, that is no reason for questioning its truthfulness. The most marvelous fact in the life of our Lord -"The Virgin Birth, " until it was fulfilled at His birth, rested for centuries on a "single" prophecy in the Old Testament. "Behold a 'virgin' shall conceive and bear a son." Isa. 7:14.
But we do not have to depend on Rev. 20:4-6 to prove that there is to be an "out" Resurrection "from among the dead." There are a number of passages referring to the resurrection of the dead that are unexplainable only on the supposition that there is a "time space" between the resurrection of the Righteous and the Wicked.
In the reply that Jesus made to the Sadducees, in answer to their question as to whose wife the woman would be in the next world, who had had seven husbands in this, He said-
"They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that world (Age), and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in marriage; neither can they die any more (Second Death) ; for they are equal unto the angels; and are the 'Children of God' being the children of THE (out) Resurrection." Luke 20:35) Luke 20:36.
This is a very important statement. The use of the Greek word "Aion, " translated "world, " but which means "Age, " shows that Jesus is speaking of a "class of dead" who are to be raised "before" the next or "Millennial Age, " and that those thus raised can "die no more, " there is no "Second Death" for them. Why? Because they are "equal unto the angels" and are the "Children of God" having been "born again, " and are the "Children of THE Resurrection, the "Out FROM AMONG The Dead or FIRST RESURRECTION " for only the "Children" of the "First Resurrection" shall live again "before" the Millennium."
In Luke 14:14 Jesus speaks of a "special" resurrection, that He calls the Resurrection of the "JUST." This is an "Out Resurrection" from "among the dead, " and is only for the "Justified, " and must refer to the "First" Resurrection.
The writer to the Hebrews (Heb. 11:35) speaks of a "better" Resurrection, and it is a significant fact that the Apostles preached through Jesus the Resurrection "from the dead." Not the Resurrection "of" the dead, that they always believed, but the Resurrection "from among" the dead, that was a "New Doctrine."
There is no question but what Paul believed in the resurrection "of" the dead, and that he expected to rise "some time, " but in his letter to the Philippians (3:11) he expresses the hope that he might "attain unto 'the' resurrection of the dead." Paul must therefore have had in mind some "special" Resurrection. What Paul meant is clear when we turn to 1Thes. 4:15-17, where he speaks of the resurrection of the "dead in Christ" and "translation of the living saints, " at the Second Coming of the Lord, and as Christ is to come back to usher in the Millennium, then that event must "precede" the Millennium and be an "Out Resurrection from among the dead, " for the "rest oi the dead" live not again until the 1000 years "are finished."
But the resurrection of the Righteous and Wicked is not only to be different as to "time" but as to "character." They that have done "good" (the Righteous) shall rise unto the "resurrection of Life, " while they that have done "evil" (the Wicked) shall rise unto the "resurrection of Damnation." John 5:28, John 5:29. And we read in Rev. 20:12-14, that those who are raised at the Second Resurrection or the "Resurrection of Damnation" must appear at the judgment of the "Great White Throne, " and that their names shall "not" be found written in the "Book of Life, " and they shall be cast into the "Lake of Fire" which is the "Second Death."
The "Manner" of the Resurrection.
Some claim that the departure of the soul and spirit from the body is what is meant by the resurrection. But that cannot be so, for as we have seen, the dead are to arise from their "graves, " and only that can come out of the grave that went into it, and that is the "body."
Then there is the "Germ Theory, " that in every human body there is a "living germ" that is ... indestructible, " and though the body turn to dust that "living germ" will exist in the grave until at the Resurrection a new body shall spring from it. This theory explains how the body may be eaten by animals, destroyed by quick lime, blown to atoms, or mutilated by the loss of limbs, etc., and still the "life germ" exist from which shall come the resurrection body.
The advocates of this theory claim that Paul teaches it in 1Cor. 15:35-37, where he compares the resurrection of the body with the plant that comes up from the seed. We know that the seed is different from the plant that bore it, just as the acorn is different from the oak tree, but the plant that springs from the seed will be like the plant that bore it, so the body that comes from the indestructible "life germ" should be alike in kind to the body that produced the "germ."
But while the resurrection body shall be alike in kind, it will be different in character and possess different qualities. This Paul declares when he says that "All 'flesh' is not the same flesh; but there is one kind of flesh of 'men, ' another flesh of 'beast, " another of 'fishes, ’ and another of 'birds.' That is, the flesh of God's creatures is adapted to their "environment." "Fish flesh" cannot fly in the air, nor "Bird flesh" swim in the sea. So there are bodies "terrestrial" and bodies "celestial." The human body as it is now constituted could not exist in Heaven. There must be a change, and this change is brought about by the resurrection. This change Paul portrays. He says-
"So also is the Resurrection of the Dead. It is sown in corruption: it is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in Glory; it is sown in weakness; it is raised in Power; it is sown a Natural body; it is raised a Spiritual body."
This does not mean that it will have no "substance." We cannot conceive of a "body" that is to have the faculties of the "Spirit Body" not having "form" and "substance."
Christ's resurrection body is a "sample" of what ours is to be. While it is true that His body did not see "corruption" and He rose in the "same body" that was laid in the grave; while it was the same in "identity, " it was different in "character."
While the "nail prints" and "spear wound" were visible it could pass through closed doors, and appear and disappear at will. It had "flesh" and "bones, " (Luke 24:39-41), but not "blood, " for "flesh and blood" cannot enter the Kingdom of God, (1Cor. 15:50). for "blood" is that which causes "corruption." To preserve a body it must be drained of blood, or the blood chemically preserved by an embalming fluid. As the sacrifice was to be bled, so Jesus left His blood on the earth.
As our resurrection bodies will have visible "form" and "shape" it and stands to reason that they will have a framework of "flesh" and "bones, " but it will be "flesh" and "bones" adapted to its new environment. We must not forget that Enoch and Elijah went up in their "bodies." Presumably their bodies were "glorified" in the transit, but they were not "disembodied, " and if they have use for a "body" in Heaven, why not we? Is it reasonable to suppose that only those two saints shall be in Heaven in their bodies? Why did Michael the Archangel contend with the Devil over the "body" of Moses, if Moses had no further need of it? Did not he and Elijah have use for their bodies when they appeared on the Mt. of Transfiguration with Jesus? And if they were "the" two men that stood by in "white apparel" when Jesus ascended (Acts 1:9-1 Acts 1:1), and are to be the "Two Witnesses" of Rev. 11:3-5, we see, that as they are the "type" of the Resurrected and Translated Saints, that the Saints at the Rapture will have "bodies" like Moses and Elijah now have.
RevelationCommentary: CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - EPILOGUE
Previous Section: Chapter Twenty-One - New Heavens,
New Earth, New Jerusalem
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - EPILOGUE
Revelation 22:1-2
(1) And he showed me a river of the water of life, clear as crystal, (2) coming from the throne of God and of the Lamb, (3) in the middle of its street. (4) And on either side of the river was the tree of life, (5) bearing twelve kinds of fruit; (6) yielding its fruit every month; and (7) the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.
1. And he showed me a river of the water of life = echoes the promise of Christ to the woman at the well of John 4. Living water has benefits for those that drink it. It quenches thirst.
2. Coming from the throne of God and the Lamb = is the source of the living water. This water supply is supernaturally supplied, which ensures the eternal or continuing nature of not only the supply of water, but the quality as well. The mutual nature of the throne of the Father and the Son should not lead to confusion about the trinity. They both share equally the same essence. However, Christ is the only member of the trinity that localizes with human physicality. God the Father never takes on human form. He can and will make His presence known. We will be very much aware of His presence, but not because He manifests Himself in physical form. That prerogative is uniquely Jesus Christ’s. The throne belongs to the Father, but He shares it with His Son. This is beyond human comprehension, but reality no less.
3. In the middle of its street = at first glance might appear contradictory to the previous idea that the city is a cube. Street is singular, giving the impression that the city has only one street. However, while John does give some information about the city, we certainly must entertain the notion that there is much to the city that he did not communicate. The text does not say "in the middle of its only street." Given the size of the city, there must be many streets. However, whether it’s the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills or Fifth Avenue in Manhattan, all great cities are known for having one great street.
4. And on either side of the river was the tree of life = indicates more than one "tree of life." Since Jesus Christ’s death on the cross is the only means of salvation from sin, "the tree of life" does not grant to those who eat from it eternal life.
Since the only people allowed in the New Jerusalem are those who already have eternal life (Rev 21:27), "the water of life" and "the tree of life" are not sources of eternal life for "those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life." Water and fruit contribute to the quality of life. The river and the tree will contribute to the quality one existence in the eternal city.
5. Bearing twelve kinds of fruit = indicates miraculous production.
6. Yielding its fruit every month = continues the miraculous production of the trees of life. Thought may be that the trees bear a different fruit for each month of the year. Since time will not be indicted by the sun (Rev 22:5) during the eternal kingdom of God, perhaps the trees will indicate the months of the year.
7. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations = echoes Adam’s attempt to cover himself, but failed to remove the curse.
Revelation 22:3-4
(1) And there shall no longer be any curse; and (2) the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and (3) His bond-servants shall serve Him; and (4) they shall see His face, and (5) His name shall be on their foreheads.
1. And there shall no longer be any curse = continues the descriptive benefits of the New Jerusalem. Since "the nations" have the benefit of the healing leaves from "the tree of life," the curse of Adam is finally taken away forever. The curse of Genesis three is removed both from nature and mankind. Nature has returned to full productivity and man is both spiritually and physically satisfied.
2. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it = signals another benefit of the New Jerusalem. Notice that John indicates that this is a future reality. At issue here is whether or not the Lamb is seated on a separate throne. Revelation 3:21 states, "He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." The Lord’s throne relates to the millennial reign on earth. The Father’s throne relates to eternity. Since God the Father does not manifest Himself in human form, Jesus Christ will be the eternal physical manifestation of God to man. We will be aware of the Father’s presence, but His presence will not include sight.
3. His bond-servants shall serve Him = actually focuses on worship. The Greek verb refers to religious conduct. What else the righteous will do during eternity is not indicated, but worship will be primary.
4. They shall see His face = that is the face of the Lord Jesus. His bond-servants shall see His face. The Lord Jesus states in Matthew 18:10, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you, that their angels in heaven continually behold the face of My Father who is in heaven." Since the Father is invisible, the sense of the Lord’s words refers to the presence of God. The angels are continually in the presence of God.
5. His name shall be on their foreheads = is the last descriptive benefit of the citizens of the New Jerusalem. Like the 144,000 who have the seal of the God the Father on their foreheads, the bond-servants of Jesus Christ will be so marked.
Revelation 22:5
(1) And there shall no longer be any night; and (2) they shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them; and (3) they shall reign forever and ever.
1. And there shall no longer be any night = indicates a significant change in the course of human history. The loss of night as a segment of the human timeframe means a change in humanity.
2. They shall not have need of the light of a lamp nor the light of the sun, because the Lord God shall illumine them = explains why there will be no night. There will be no electricity in the New Jerusalem. God will be the light source for the New Jerusalem.
3. They shall reign forever and ever = refers to the bond-servants. That the saints will reign with Christ during His temporal kingdom on earth for a thousand years is clear. However, that they will reign with God for all eternity is less clear. Daniel 7:18 and 27 states that the saints will receive an eternal kingdom. What they will do however is not clear.
Revelation 22:6-7
And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true"; and (2) the Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets, (3) sent His angel to show to His bond-servants the things which must shortly take place. And (4) Behold, I am coming quickly. (5) Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book."
1. And he said to me, "These words are faithful and true" = refers to the complete Revelation. This sentence begins an important conclusion to the book with witnesses to the process.
2. The Lord, the God of the spirits of the prophets = adds support to the claims that Scripture can be trusted, particularly this Revelation.
3. Sent His angel to show to His bond-servants…place = restates the claims of the angel at the beginning of the Revelation that what is written was sent directly from God.
4. Behold, I am coming quickly = cannot be taken in a temporal sense because it has been 2,000 years since these words were given. Jesus will not return quickly, but His return will be quick.
5. Blessed is he who heeds the words of the prophecy of this book = a call to faithfulness regardless of what might happen to the reader. Again, John asserts that this Revelation is prophecy in the same tradition as all other Old and New Testament prophecy.
Revelation 22:8-9
And I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who showed me these things. And he said to me, "Do not do that; I am a fellow servant of yours and of your brethren the prophets and of those who heed the words of this book; worship God."
Restates the claim of John that the Revelation is his writings. John’s reaction to the Revelation is the same as Daniel. Both attempt to worship, but were prevented.
Revelation 22:10
And he said to me, (1) "Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book, (2) for the time is near.
1. Do not seal up the words of the prophecy of this book = contrasts the message of Daniel (Dan 12:4, 9). Daniel sealed his book, but the Revelation is to be unsealed.
2. For the time is near = cannot refer to time, since 2000 years has transpired.
Revelation 22:11
Let the one who does wrong, still do wrong; and let the one who is filthy, still be filthy; and let the one who is righteous, still practice righteousness; and let the one who is holy, still keep himself holy.
This is a very difficult verse to understand. Two exhortations are given to the wicked and two exhortations are given to the righteous. Now it is at once clear that the wicked do not read the Bible for direction or encouragement to sin. Therefore, this text is written for the believer. However, one of the difficulties with this verse is the exhortation to sinners to keep on sinning. This is clearly contradictory to the nature of Scripture and the Lord.
Some attempt solve the problem by placing the timing of this exhortation in the context of the days immediately preceding the return of Jesus Christ in which it will be too late to change once the Lord is seen coming on the clouds. However, it has been two thousand years since these words were spoken. Sinners certainly have had time to repent. Scripture would never counsel a sinner to keep on sinning—never! Therefore, we must look closer at what is stated.
Unlike Daniel 12:9-10, which states what is true about the unbeliever, Revelation 22:11 exhorts the unbeliever to persist in his lifestyle. It is clear that Revelation 22:11 is echoing Daniel 12:10. What Daniel declared would happen is exactly what John encourages to happen. Scripture is not indicating what sinners might do, but what they will do. Not because they are not free to do otherwise, but because once set upon their course even the wrath of God will not change them (Rev 9:20-21; 16:9b, 11).
Revelation 22:12-13
"Behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to render to every man according to what he has done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end."
Some use passages such as this to support a claim that the return of Christ to rapture the church to heaven is imminent (could happen at any moment). A position rendered nonsensical by 2000 years of human history. In what sense can the Lord’s return be termed "a quick coming?" Unless the term quick has changed, it cannot refer to time. It has been 2000 years since the Lord returned to Glory. Quick can refer to the manner of the Lord’s return. In other words, the Lord’s return will happen very quickly. The Lord emphasizes the quickness of His return because the level of suffering the believers will be experiencing during the persecution of Satan/Antichrist against the saints will be unparalleled. Once the Lord sets out to rescue the elect, it will happen very quickly – in the twinkling of any eye!
Revelation 22:14-15
(1) Blessed are those who wash their robes, (2) that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter by the gates into the city. (3) Outside are the dogs and the sorcerers and the immoral persons and the murderers and the idolaters, and everyone who loves and practices lying.
1. Blessed are those who wash their robes = is the last of seven blessings that occur in the Revelation. The reward for "washing their robes" is the same as the reward for "the one who conquers." This categorically proves that "the tree of life" does not grant one eternal life. Rather, the quality of eternal life is the issue. There is the opinion among some that as long as a person is saved that’s all that matters. I beg to differ. There is going to be a qualitative difference between those who were faithful and those who were faithful, but not as faithful as they could have been.
"Those who washed their robes" are those who work at moral conformity to the will of God. The Old Testament is replete with examples of those who need to wash their garments in order to be cleansed before entering before God. Since the person must wash his own garments, this has nothing to do with gaining salvation. Rather, the issue concerns what one does after he has attained salvation. We are not working to gain or keep salvation, but to enjoy it.
2. That they might have the right to the tree of life = is the first of two purpose clauses that explain the purpose of washing one’s robe. The Greek of this clause literally says, "in order that they will have the authority over the tree of life." The second purpose of "washing one’s robes" is to enter the city through the gates.
3. Outside are the dogs…lying = obviously refers to the city. Dogs here refer to male prostitutes or homosexuals.
Revelation 22:16
"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star."
Revelation 22:17
The Spirit and the Bride say, "Come." And let the one who hears say, "Come." And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.
Revelation 22:18-19
I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book; if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.
Revelation 22:20-21
He who testifies to these things says, "Surely I am coming soon." Amen. Come, Lord Jesus! The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen
BiblicalStudies: "How do God's Ten Commandments apply today?"
How do God's Ten Commandments apply today? Many people today feel that God's Ten Commandments are no longer valid because they do not apply to our current society. They look to the Ten Commandments as being outdated and full of inflammatory language which doesn't sit well with our politically-correct viewpoint. The Ten Commandments are also considered by many people to have been abolished by Jesus when He made a new covenant between God and man with His death and resurrection. The problem in thinking that Jesus came to abolish the Ten Commandments is that Jesus never claimed to have abolished the Ten Commandments. Instead, in Matthew 5:17-18 Jesus says, "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished." In this verse, Jesus gives a clear indication that the Ten Commandments are still to be followed and adhered to even in our generation and every generation to come until the day that Jesus returns. So what does all this mean to us and how do God's Ten Commandments apply today? God's Ten Commandments are still valid because Jesus declared them to be. We are still called by God to honor the Ten Commandments and obey what they call us to do. Jesus also told us that obeying the Law or the Ten Commandments is not just a superficial act, but one that carries the essence of the law into our thoughts and hearts. Jesus proclaimed that if we think something that is contrary to one of the Ten Commandments, we are to view it in the same light as if we had physically carried out the act. For instance, if we think to ourselves it is okay to slander or gossip about our neighbors, we are in essence breaking the ninth Commandment, "Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor." If we are married and one day we see a handsome man or a pretty woman walking down the street and we lust in our hearts for them, we are breaking the seventh of God's Ten Commandments, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." As Christians, we should not think that since Paul tells us "we are set free from the law" the Ten Commandments no longer apply to us. Paul is telling us that because we are now in a relationship with Christ, we are forgiven of our indiscretions when it comes to following the Ten Commandments. We are still called throughout the New Testament to obey God's Ten Commandments. The Ten Commandments also apply to non-believers because in the end, they will be judged by the essence of the law and the Ten Commandments. This means that if they are guilty of breaking even one of the Ten Commandments, be it a lack of respect or reverence for God or some indiscretion between non-believers, it will be as if they were guilty of breaking all the commandments. God's Ten Commandments are still the standard by which we should strive to live our lives. They are not some outdated laws that were only to be used by Moses. God meant the Ten Commandments to be permanent guidelines that we are still to follow in order to have a more meaningful relationship with God and each other.
The 10 Commandments - God's Revelation in the Old Testament The 10 Commandments are found in the Bible's Old Testament at Exodus, Chapter 20. They were given directly by God to the people of Israel at Mount Sinai after He had delivered them from slavery in Egypt:
The 10 Commandments - Christ's Summation in the New Testament
About 1,400 years later, the 10 Commandments were summed up in the New Testament at Matthew 22, when Jesus was confronted by the religious "experts" of the day:
10 Commandments: The Origin of God's Law
The 10 Commandments are first recorded in the book of Exodus. They were given by God at Mt. Sinai following the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt. The 10 Commandments were moral statutes given by God, through Moses, so that the Israelites could enjoy fruitful and holy lives. The Commandments were significant in that they formed the basis of Jewish life, law and faith. Inscribed on stone tablets, the 10 Commandments were initially broken by Moses in anger over the flagrant sins of the Israelites. They were then re-inscribed and kept in the Ark of the Covenant at the command of God. Four of the Commandments deal primarily with man's relationship with God and the other six deal primarily with man's relationship with one another.
10 Commandments: God's Standard of Holiness
The 10 Commandments were also known as the Law. For ancient Israel, breaking the Law was a serious offense. To deviate by any degree from the 10 Commandments was to sin and fall short of God's standard of holiness. Knowing that it was impossible for any human being to perfectly follow the Law, a sacrificial system mediated by the Levitical priesthood was established. Through this system, God permitted ancient Israel to make reparations for the sins they committed. As an example, an appropriate sacrifice would involve the slaughtering of a young lamb that is found to be without any blemish. The sacrifices continued endlessly, as did the sins. This system of blood sacrifice was not meant to be barbaric, but rather, symbolic of the gravity of sin. The annual Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur is a day of atonement that is set aside for the reparation of sins. Although God gave the 10 Commandments to the Israelites, they do not apply to Jews alone. The 10 Commandments reflect God's standard of holiness for everyone. Since God is the universal authority of moral conduct, all of humanity is subject to His standards. According to the Bible, no one is exempt from God's Law. Some say that the 10 Commandments do not apply to them, since they did not grow up with "religion." However, the scriptures reveal that the requirements of the Law are written on our hearts (Romans 2:25), and thus, our conscience ultimately confirms our guilt. Wait a minute. Since most of us, to some degree, have tried to live good lives, contributing positive things to our families and communities, how can God fault us if we have tried our best? Based on God's standard of holiness, "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). In addition, God is not only concerned with our actions, but also the condition of our hearts. In the New Testament, Jesus referred to the Law when He emphasized that hatred is tantamount to murder and lust is tantamount to adultery. We have all had these thoughts. Indeed, we have all sinned according to God's standard.
10 Commandments: Revealing Our Need for a Savior
After reviewing the 10 Commandments, some argue that God is unjust for imposing a standard upon humanity that He knows we can't fulfill. Doesn't it seem awfully cruel for a loving God to condemn man for the evil that is inherently part of the human condition? The response to this perplexing question lies in Jesus Christ. In fact, Jesus came to earth in order to reconcile this dilemma. Like the perfect lambs that were constantly sacrificed for the sins of Israel, Jesus was perfect and without blemish, because he was sinless. Like the lambs, He was sacrificed for the reparation of sins. Unlike the lambs, however, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ redeemed the sins of all humanity for all time. Unlike the lambs, Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead and conquered the power of sin for all humanity for all time. The Bible tells us why Christ had to become a sacrifice: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16).
10 Commandments: Love Without Condemnation
For many, the 10 Commandments are symbols of condemnation that point to our faults and mistakes. Some feel so guilty that they believe God will never accept them. Others simply choose to reject God because His Law is impossible to obey. Ironically, the 10 Commandments were never given by God to condemn humanity, but rather, they were given to convict humanity. The 10 Commandments act as a mirror to "reflect" the condition of our souls. When we examine our life in light of the 10 Commandments, we realize our shortcomings and our need for redemption. Jesus Christ is our redeemer. Therefore, God gave the 10 Commandments not to condemn humanity, but to show us His love for us. For, "While we were still sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).
Christianity: Christianity Through the Ages " Pre-Christian History"(Chapter 2)
Christianity Through the Ages by Kenneth Scott Latourette
Chapter 2: Pre-Christian History
Christianity in the History of Religion
Compared with the thousands of years in which human life has been on this planet, Christianity is a recent development. When contrasted with the much longer time that life has been present, the course of Christianity thus far is but a brief moment. Here are profound questions into which, if he is wise, the historian, as historian, does not enter. He simply notes them. If he is a Christian the historian must believe that God has always been active and has been pursuing His purpose of creating sons and not robots. In doing so, God must have been following the procedure which was eventually manifested in the incarnation. Paul declared that "when the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." He viewed the people of Israel and God’s covenant with them as a preparation for the incarnation, the cross, and the resurrection. But, when seen against the background of the entire record of mankind, the appearance of Israel was only slightly earlier than that of Christianity. Paul seems to have taken account of that fact where he says that what could be known about God was plain to men, because God had shown it to them. "For the invisible things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are seen, namely, His eternal power and Godhead." Presumably God had always been seeking men, but without violating the degree of freedom of will which He had deliberately given them. As Paul is quoted as saying in his address to the students and scholars at Athens, God made of one blood all nations of men, that they should seek Him in the hope that they might feel after Him and find Him.
Certainly, so far as archeology has been able to trace the beginnings of culture, from the first, men have struggled to understand themselves and the world in which they live and have been aware, even if dimly, of a power or powers outside themselves which they have either revered or feared and have endeavored to find ways of propitiating and of bringing to their assistance.
In the history of religion which has engaged the interest of scholars, especially in the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries, thousands have sought to trace the inception and the development of religion and to describe the myriad forms which religion has taken, both earlier and in the contemporary scene. We need not here go extensively into that history. We must, however, note that what are usually called the high religions made their appearance within about twenty-five hundred years -- most of them within fifteen hundred years. The twenty-five centuries are roughly between 1800 B.C. and A.D. 700. These centuries saw the beginnings of Hinduism, Judaism, Greek philosophy, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam. The fifteen hundred years from 850 B.C. to A.D. 650 spanned the birth of the last five and striking developments in the first three.
Basic Questions
Five questions emerge as this long history is faced. (1) What is the reason for this presence of religion as a continuing accompaniment of human history? (2) Is advance seen in the history of religion? (3) Which if any-of the high religions most nearly approaches the truth with which religion is concerned? (4) Is religion to continue, or is it a passing phase in mankind’s long pilgrimage? (5) If religion is to continue, what form or forms will it take? The historian as historian should not venture on definitive answers to any of these questions. His craft enables him to contribute data to some of them. Even he who approaches them as a Christian must recognize that full agreement is not found among those who share his faith. Indeed, on some issues profound disagreement has existed and still exists.
Possible Answers
As to the first question, many see in the presence of religion as a continuing feature of human experience the efforts of men to give meaning to the unknown of which they are more or less aware as impinging on them. Through religion, so this answer would have it, men have been seeking to promote their own welfare and the welfare of their group by propitiating such elements in the Unknown as seem to them hostile and by enlisting in their behalf potentially friendly elements. Others see in the varied forms of religion man’s search for the answers to the Unknown or partially Known which they believe or at least hope exists and in which is the solution of the riddle of their existence and of the world about them. They perceive in these answers gropings which at best result in only partial apprehension of the truth and suggest that progress towards the truth, if truth there be, is in sharing the insights emerging from these quests. Their attitude is akin to that of the scientists who probe through their respective disciplines into aspects of man’s environment, but with a difference: the scientists are confident that, if they are persistent and employ the right methods, they can enlarge man’s knowledge of what they believe is an orderly universe and open the dangerous possibility to the utilization of the universe by men. The possibility is dangerous because, as in nuclear power, men may employ their knowledge in such fashion that it will harm them and even destroy them. But the possibility is there, so they are assured, that through knowledge man’s welfare can be advanced.
Christians may give and indeed have given quite different answers to the question. On the one hand, some have said that aside from the development which issued in the incarnation all the groping is an expression of man’s sin. For example, Paul declared that although men knew God through what, it could be clearly seen, He had created, they "glorified Him not as God, neither were thankful, but became vain in their imaginations . . . professing themselves to be wise, they became as fools, and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things." On the other hand, and in seeming contradiction to this position, Paul is quoted as having said that the search for God is of His appointment, and as declaring that God had made of one blood all nations of men and had allotted periods and the boundaries of their habitation, that they should seek Him in the hope of finding Him. Again, Paul is reported to have said that God is "not far from every one of us." Related to both views is the conviction that God has always been seeking to make Himself known to men but has respected man’s freedom. Man has responded by seeking God but, because of his sin, has reached distorted or completely false views. Christians agree that God did not cease His efforts, and among the people of Israel a few were sufficiently responsive to enable God through them to prepare the way for the incarnation and so reveal Himself fully to man and to act once and for all time for man’s redemption and salvation.
The answer to the second question, that of advance in man’s religious quest, must depend on the criteria which are judged valid for measuring advance. Unquestionably in the "higher" religions profound and at times sophisticated thought has been displayed; in it many sincere and deeply religious souls have been nourished and to it they have contributed. If dependable criteria are to be found in what Christians believe to be God’s act in the incarnation, the answer must be ambiguous. All religions, even the most "primitive," have elements which are in accord with the incarnation. But all display features, including fundamental features, which sharply contradict the incarnation and all that the incarnation entails.
In seeking an answer to the third question, many would say that all religions, especially the "high" ones, have striking likenesses. These are seen, so it is declared, in their ethical teachings. Numbers of those who take that view have advocated syncretism, a religion which would combine the insights of all and a joint search for the ultimate truth, if there be ultimate truth, and which would avail itself of all that man has thus far found in his age-long quest. This answer has appealed to many men of goodwill, particularly in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, especially to those in the Western world who have come out of a Christian heritage.
Any answer, if it be well informed, must recognize in each of the "high" religions basic convictions that are in fundamental contradiction to the essence of the Christian faith. Judaism, in which Christianity has its historic roots and to which it is deeply indebted, cannot accept what is at the very heart of the Christian faith, that in Jesus of Nazareth God became flesh and fulfilled the Jewish hope. The most that one of Jewish faith can do -- and some have gladly done it -- is to say that Jesus was the greatest in the long succession of Jewish prophets. None can acknowledge that Jesus was the Messiah without becoming a Christian. Islam, possessing much in apparent accord with Christianity, including a belief in one God and the ascription to God of many characteristics wholeheartedly accepted by the Christian, emphatically insists that God cannot have a son, and that the gulf between God and man cannot be bridged. Thus it denies the central conviction of Christianity, that in Christ, by His initiative, God has bridged the gulf to make Christ "the first born among many brethren." Or, as one early Christian, Athanasius, declared, "God became man that man might become God." Moreover, central in Islam is the conviction, embodied in its daily reiterated proclamation, that Mohammed is the prophet of God. Then, too, Mohammed taught that Christ was not crucified, thus denying another essential tenet of Christianity.
Zoroastrianism, while recognizing the conflict between good and evil discerned also by Christians, cannot admit, without being untrue to itself, that in Christ, God, Who is supreme, revealed His love, and that in the incarnation, the crucifixion, and the resurrection He triumphed over evil.
Hinduism’s basic tenet is that many roads exist by which men have pursued and still pursue their quest for the truth and that none has universal validity. In contrast, as the root and source of Christianity is the conviction that Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life" -- that in Christ God has revealed Himself and acted for man’s salvation in such fashion that no other revelation or act is needed.
Basic in the Buddha’s teaching and fundamental in Buddhism is the conviction that life is not worth living and is so inescapably linked with suffering that salvation consists in a self-discipline which ends in nirvana, the dissolution of the entity called I, and so in releasing the soul from the endless succession of births and rebirths which to the Buddha was axiomatic. Later forms of Buddhism modified this conviction, spoke of a heaven of happiness and postponed indefinitely the entrance to nirvana, but they could not negate nirvana without being false to the teaching of the founder. In contrast, Christianity, while acknowledging the presence of suffering, declares that life can be infinitely worth living and opens the way to eternal life in fellowship with God Who so loved the world that He gave Himself in Christ.
Confucianism stresses ethics, human relations, and the competence of reason, but its dominant attitude has made for agnosticism. Here is striking contrast to Christianity’s belief in God’s action in creation, in history, and in revelation and the incarnation.
Attempts at combining these various approaches have been many but have never had enduring vitality. Essays at syncretism which down-graded the uniqueness of the central core of Christianity --the incarnation, the crucifixion, and the resurrection -- and the work of the Holy Spirit, while numerous and recurring, either have been passing phenomena or have failed to enlist large numbers. Such were the Ebionism and the Gnosticism of which we are to say more in another chapter and, latterly, Unitarian humanism and the Brahmo Samaj.
The question of the persistence of religion entails prophecy. On this, if he is wise, the historian does not venture. He can simply point to trends. As we shall see in due course, the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have witnessed a growth of atheistic Communism and of a secularism which is less overtly hostile but is eroding the foundations of all religions. Yet they have also seen revivals in some of the non-Christian religions and a spread of Christianity in geographic extent and in depth of rootage unparalleled in its history or in the history of any other religion.
Similarly, so far as the historian can detect from the mounting trends in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, here lies the answer to the question of what form or forms, if it persists, religion will take. Zoroastrianism has long been dwindling, is confined to small remnants, and is making no gains. Judaism is making few converts, is ethnic as has always been the case, and is suffering from mounting secularism. Except in some portions of Africa south of the Sahara, for at least five centuries Islam has made no significant geographic gains. In the past two centuries Islam has given birth to few new movements. It owes its persistence partly to its association with nationalism, mainly, as at its outset, Arab ethnicism, but, as well, to other nationalisms and to cultural lag. Hinduism, while vigorous, has lost ground in lands in South-east Asia and Indonesia where it was once influential and is confined almost entirely to India. Buddhism has been waning for over a thousand years; such revivals as it is displaying are associated chiefly with Singhalese and Burman nationalism, and nationalism has been stimulated mainly by resistance to the Occident. The acids of modernity, represented strikingly in Communism, have so weakened Confucianism that only attenuated remnants survive. So far as can be discerned from the history of the past four centuries, the future of religion appears to depend primarily on Christianity. Here many declare the outcome to be ambiguous. On the one hand is the fading of that faith among millions whose ancestors professed it. On the other hand are striking evidences of vitality in the emergence of new movements and, as we have suggested, in geographic spread and in depth of rootage among more peoples than ever before.
The Pre-Christian Religion of Israel
Christianity emerged from the religion of Israel. Or rather, it has as its background a persistent strain in that religion. To that strain Christians have looked back, and rightly, as the preparation in history for their faith.
As we have suggested, only a minority among the people of Israel were loyal to the covenant which, they were taught God had made with Abraham and their ancestors. That minority treasured the writings in which were recorded the teachings of the law-givers, the visions of the prophets, regarded as the authentic spokesmen of God (and again, a minority of those who claimed the role of prophet), and the poetry and hymns that had arisen from their faith.
These writings, Christians have believed and continue to believe, foretold Christ and His work. The Psalms, the anthology of the hymns of Israel, are still used by Christians. Yet one of the early Christians declared that the prophets were inquiring and searching diligently into what the Spirit of Christ was seeking to make known through them: presumably they did not see it clearly nor understand it fully. One of the greatest of the prophets confessed that God was saying: "My thoughts are not your thoughts; neither are your ways my ways. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts."
The prophets and the writers of the Psalms were clear that God was continuing to work in the universe and in all history. They declared that He had created the universe. They said that the heavens proclaimed His glory and that the earth is His. They perceived Him in the thunder storm. They saw Him making grass grow and giving the beasts and the birds their food. They praised Him for providing plentiful harvests. They saw His acts in making wars cease. They believed that He was interested in all nations, judged some, and called others to do His will. They regarded Him as reigning in all the earth. They held Him to be an enemy to injustice and to the oppression of the poor and humble by the rich and mighty. They were convinced that His compassion is over all that He has made. They held that His love is steadfast and that every individual can call on Him with the assurance that He will hear. They believed that He knows each man better than a man knows himself. They were conscious that their sin was against Him but that He would forgive if they repented and that He would heal their iniquities. They struggled with the problem of evil and suffering. Why is it that the righteous are afflicted? Why do men and women go astray? They wrestled in agony over the spectacle of a mighty, aggressive nation over-running the weak and the innocent. Yet they continued to trust in God when they could not understand. The prophets were well aware that only a minority would heed them and that the majority would hear but would not understand. But they were convinced that in His own way and His own time God would triumph.
The Global Scene on the Eve of The Coming of Christ
As we have said, Christ was born in the Roman Empire. Much in that empire facilitated the spread of religion and favored the triumph of one faith. Roman rule brought political unity to the lands bordering on the Mediterranean Sea. At the outset Rome was a city-state. The empire which it governed was made up chiefly of city-states and embraced some of the oldest of civilized peoples. It included the Nile Valley, Palestine, the western edge of the Tigris -- Euphrates Valley, what was later called Asia Minor, Greece, and Italy, all of them with civilizations hundreds of years old. Its rule made possible commerce throughout its domains. With commerce went an interchange of ideas and the possibility of a cultural unity. Greek was a kind of lingua franca, especially in the cities and among the educated. In the western part of the Empire Latin was coming into wide use.
Religiously the Empire was pluralistic and marked by a search for a faith which would be satisfying intellectually and ethically and would give assurance of immortality. Official cults continued from the days before the formation of the Empire. They were maintained partly because of their utility in preserving traditional ways of life and partly for the purpose of enlisting the support of the gods for the state and for the inherited civilization. To them was added the cult of the Emperor, chiefly as a means of promoting loyalty to the Empire. Philosophies of Greek origin attracted the intelligentsia and many, not among the educated, who sought answers to the riddle of life. Prominent among the philosophies were Platonism, Stoicism, and Epicureanism, and there were in addition the Peripatetics (carrying on the Aristotelean tradition), the Pythagoreans, and the Cynics. Neoplatonism would later seek to combine several of these systems. Common to many of them and to Greek thought was a dualism which regarded matter, including flesh, as evil and sought to emancipate the human soul from it and so to achieve immortality. Mystery religions were widespread and popular. They were largely of Eastern origin -- Egyptian, Syrian, Anatolian, and Persian. Since their rites were secret we know them very imperfectly. They borrowed extensively from one another, for the general temper of the age was syncretistic; in the search for truth the assumption was that no one religion or philosophy had all the truth but hopefully each had some of it. Every mystery religion centered in a savior-god who was supposed to have been slain by his enemies and to have risen from the dead. The adherents of each were believed to share symbolically in the death and resurrection of the god and thus to obtain immortality. Some of the mysteries were built around Dionysus, others about Orpheus, and still others about Attis and the Great Mother who had loved him, mourned his death, and effected his resurrection. Some had Adonis, some Osiris, and some Mithra as their center adherents but also created fellowships among those initiated into them. Akin to the mysteries was Hermeticism, which sought emancipation of the spirit from matter. Hermeticism was potent in Gnosticism, a religious strain which took many forms and which was greatly to influence Christianity and threaten it by absorbing it into a syncretism congenial to the age. Judaism was widespread and attracted many by its monotheism and its ethical idealism.
From our mention of the Roman Empire we must immediately go on to note that the Roman domains included only a fraction of civilized mankind and an even smaller proportion of the human race outside the "higher" cultures.
Directly to the east was the Persian Empire. Under the Arsacids, a Parthian dynasty, it embraced most of the Tigris-Euphrates Valley with its early seats of civilized mankind as well as what we now call Iran. In chronic wars it kept Rome out of Mesopotamia. Later, as we are to see, the Sassanian ruling line engaged in wars with Rome which brought both régimes to the edge of exhaustion and so prepared the way for the Arab invasion and the spread of Islam. Zoroastrianism was the official religion under both the Arsacids and the Sassanians and offered more resistance to a new religion than did the state cults of the Roman Empire.
East and south of Persia was India. Although never fully united under one political structure, India was the seat of ancient civilizations and culturally did not rank behind either the Mediterranean world or Persia. For many centuries Hinduism had been strong. Buddhism, older by about five centuries than Christianity, was flourishing and had not yet reached its apex. Jainism, another offshoot of Hinduism but with far fewer adherents, was also part of the Indian religious scene.
Still farther east was China. About the time that Rome was rising to prominence China was being brought under one ruling family, known in history as the Ch’in Dynasty. The Ch’in Dynasty was short-lived, but it was followed by the Han Dynasty, which with a brief interruption was in power from 206 B.C. to A.D. 214. Although exact statistics cannot be obtained, whether for the Roman Empire or for China, nor are acceptable criteria possible for measuring the relative worth of cultures, under the Han China occupied as many square miles of land territory as did Rome, its population was probably about the same as that of Rome, and its civilization compared favorably in many ways with that of the Mediterranean world. Presumably it was as wealthy as the latter. Under the Han Confucianism had the support of the state. Other religions were present, notably two of indigenous origin, Taoism and Mohism. By the end of the Han, Buddhism had been introduced, but it did not win an extensive following until later.
Of the four high civilizations -- Rome, Persia, India, and China --the first afforded the most opportunity for the spread of a new religion. Its state-supported cults could command less respect from men seeking the answers to the riddle of the universe and of human existence than could those of the others. The religious ferment seen in the Mediterranean world when Christ was born was probably no greater than that in the other three areas of high civilization, but the stories of the gods worshipped in the temples maintained by the government had to be allegorized if the thoughtful and morally sensitive were to believe them. Nor were they undergirded as effectively by philosophy as were the popular cults in the other three realms. As we shall see, Christianity did not win the professed allegiance of the Roman Empire without severe persecution, but conditions more nearly facilitated its spread than had it come to its birth in Persia, India, or China.
Although when Christianity appeared the total population of the planet was only a fraction of that of the twentieth century, most of the earth’s surface was quite outside the Mediterranean world, Persia, India, and China. Here, too, men had been groping for the knowledge of the unseen forces which they believed surrounded them and had sought ways of enlisting their support. As the event proved, their cults were less resistant to "high" religions, including Christianity, than were these religions to Christianity. But for several centuries Christianity had little contact with them.
This was the setting in which Christianity was born. It came at a time and in a region which was best prepared to receive it. But, seemingly weak as it was at the outset, it was threatened by the environment which was part of that region’s heritage. Again and again it was apparently about to be denatured and deprived of its very essence.
Here are questions to which the historian, even when he thinks of himself as a Christian, is aware that he does not have the answers. He may agree with Paul that "when the time had fully come, God sent forth His Son." He may see, as we have suggested, that by the long preparation through Israel and the religious hunger in the Roman Empire conditions were more favorable for the reception of the Gospel than they had ever been or than they were in any other segment of mankind. But he must ask: Why did God wait so long? Could He not, even when respecting man’s freedom of will, have earlier accomplished the incarnation? What was the fate of the millions who had died before the coming of Christ? If God’s love is from everlasting to everlasting, why did He permit these millions to live and die with only such glimpses of Him as could be obtained through the orderly processes of nature? Why did He witness the groping of men for the light -- the grace and truth brought in the incarnation -- without more clearly revealing Himself? We must recognize the sincerity of the founders of the "higher" religions and of many among the "lower" or "primitive" religions. We may believe that God was always seeking to reveal Himself to men, but because He had created man in His own likeness and so had given him a degree of freedom, limited but still authentic, He could not do so until He found in the succession of the prophets and seers of Israel men sufficiently responsive to Him to prepare the way for His act in the incarnation. But could He allow the millions who had died before the coming of Christ or who lived after that coming to pass through the gate of death into darkness without the opportunity to learn of His love? Here are questions with which Christians as well as critics have continued to wrestle. To us this side the gate of death and with no clear knowledge of what transpires in that "borne from which no traveler returns" the only honest reply can be that we do not know. The historian as historian has no answer. As a Christian he must believe that God’s love will not be defeated. But how and in what fashion God’s love will triumph he cannot know. He can simply trust, with the early Christians, that it is the purpose of God to sum up all things in Christ, both in heaven and on earth. In many radiant lives known to him who even now are bearing what Paul called the fruits of the Spirit, in thousands of whom he has read who across the centuries have displayed those fruits, and in the many millions who, passing, have left behind them no written records but presumably have also been characterized by these fruits, the historian sees the beginnings of the fulfillment of that purpose. Here is what the Christian regards as a guarantee or pledge of the realization of the final triumph of God through Christ, not only in history, but also in the entire cosmos.
ClarenceLarkin: Dispensational Truth XV Spiritism
Dispensational Truth
XV
Spiritism
XV
Spiritism
Spiritualism, or "SPIRITISM" as it should more properly be called, is an attempt to hold communication with the "spirits" of the departed dead. It has another name, "IMMORTALISM, " and its investigations are carried on in these days under the title of "PSYCHICAL RESEARCH." The Biblical name for it is "DEMONISM."
It is forbidden in the Scriptures. "The soul that turneth after such as have 'FAMILIAR SPIRITS, ' and after 'Wizards, ' to go a whoring after them, I will even set my face against that soul, and will CUT HIM OFF FROM AMONG HIS PEOPLE." Lev. 20:6.
"A man or woman that hath a 'FAMILIAR SPIRIT, ' or that is a 'Wizard, ' shall surely be put to death; they shall STONE THEM WITH STONES." Lev. 20:27.
"There shall not be found among you any one *** that useth 'Divination, ' * * * or a
'Witch, ’ * * *or a consulter with 'Familiar Spirits, ' or a 'Wizard."' Deut. 18:10-11. "When they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have 'FAMILIAR SPIRITS' and unto the 'Wizards, ' that chirp and that mutter; should not a people seek unto their God on behalf of the living, should they seek unto the dead? " Isa. 8:19 R. V.
The "Familiar Spirits" of the Old Testament are the same as the "Demons" and "Seducing Spirits" of the New Testament.
Of the revival of "Spirtism" in these days we have been fully warned in the New Testament. The Apostle Paul, writing to Timothy, says-
"Now the Spirit (Holy Spirit) speaketh expressly, that in the 'LATTER TIMES' (the last days of this Dispensation) some shall depart from the Faith (that is, give up the Christian Faith) giving heed to 'SEDUCING SPIRITS, ' and 'DOCTRINES OF DEVILS' (Demons): * * * forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats." 1Tim. 4:1-3.
The phrase "forbidding to marry" does not refer to "celibacy, " but to the abrogation of the marriage relation, the practice of "FREE LOVE" and the doctrine of "AFIFINITIES, " which Spiritism leads to. The phrase "Abstain From Meats" is not a reference to fasting, but the requirement of a "vegetable diet." It is a well known fact that a "vegetable diet" renders the body more susceptible to spiritual forces than a meat diet.
The close connection of this warning of the Apostle with the words-"Refuse profane and 'OLD WIVES' FABLES, ' in verse seven, is doubtless a reference to some of the "ISMS" of these last days. For "Christian Science" is but an "OLD WIFE'S" Fable, for Mrs. Eddy was an "Old Wife" in the sense that she had been many times married.
It 's an indisputable fact that most of the "Witches" and "Mediums" of Scripture, and these "Latter Days, " were and are women. It was through Eve and not Adam that Satan sought to destroy the race. The reason may be that the nervous and impressionable character of women is better adapted to demon influence.
We are also told in Rev. 9:1-3, of an invasion of "Infernal Cherubim" or "Locusts" from the "Bottomless Pit" in the "Last Days." And we are told that "Three Unclean Spirits, " or "Spirits of Demons" are to gather the Kings of the' Earth for the great Battle of Armageddon. Rev. 16:13-15. And we read in Rev. 18:2, that the restored and rebuilt City of Babylon, shall, before its destruction, "become the HABITATION OF DEVILS, and the HOLD OF EVERY FOUL SPIRIT, and a cage of every UNCLEAN AND HATEFUL BIRD.
The revival of "Spiritism" then is one of the "Signs of the Times, " and should be a warning to every true child of God of the approaching end of the Age. But alas! because of the absence of warning from the pulpit, thousands of God's Children are entering these "Perilous Times " unprepared to meet the subtile attack of "Spiritism" because they have not been taught the doctrine of
DEMONOLOGY.
The authorized English version of the New Testament is less clear in its presentation of "Demonology" than is the original Greek, because it translates "diabolus, " "daimonion, " and "daimon, " by the same word-"Devil." The word "diabolus" (Devil), meaning "slanderer" or "false accuser, " is only used in the New Testament in the singular, and appears 35 times. the words "daimonion" and "daimon" are used in the New Testament both in the singular and plural, but never interchangeably with "diabolus, " and should be translated "demon, " or "evil" or "unclean spirit." The word "daimonion" occurs 56 times, and "daimon" 5 times.
There is but one Devil (Satan), but multitudes of "demons, " and Beelzebub (Satan) is the "Prince of the Demons." Matt. 12:24-26. Satan has not the power of omnipresence, and so many things attributed to him should be attributed to demons. On important occasions, as the Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness, Satan himself is the agent. The "Demons" belong to the "Powers of Darkness." They are not few in number, but are a great "Martialed Host, " veterans in the service of Satan. Their central camp or abode, is the "Bottomless Pit" from which they sally forth" at the command of their leader. Rev. 9:1-3. They are not angels. Angels have bodies. But the fact that demons can enter in, and take possession of, and control human beings and animals (swine), is proof that thev are "Disembodied Spirits." They are supposed by many to be the "spirits" of the inhabitants of the "Pre-Adamite Earth, " whose sin caused its wreck, and whose bodies were destroyed in the catastrophe that overwhelmed it, and their desire and purpose in entering human bodies is to re-embody themselves again on the earth where they once lived. That the "Demons" have a personality is clear from the fact that Jesus conversed with them, asked them questions, and received answers. Luke 8:26-28. They are possessed of more than ordinary intelligence. They know that Jesus is the "Son of God, " and that they are finally to be confined in a place of "Torment." Matt. 8:29.
THE POWER OF DEMONS OVER THE HUMAN BODY
They can cause DUMBNESS (Matt. 9:32-33), and BLINDNESS (Matt. 12:22), and INSANITY (Luke 8:26-28), and the SUICIDAL MANIA (Mark 9:22), and PERSONAL INJURIES (Mark 9:18), and impart SUPERNATURAL STRENGTH (Luke 8:29), and inflict PHYSICAL DEFECTS AND DEFORMITIES. Luke 13:11-13. Once they have got control over a human body they can come and go at will. Luke 11:24-26.
The Devilish character of "Demons" is seen in the use they make of their victims. They use them as "instruments of unrighteousness, " (Rom. 6:13), for the proclamation of the "DOCTRINES OF DEVILS, " (1Tim. 4:1), and the teaching of "DAMNABLE HERESIES." 2Pet. 2:1. The effect of such use of the victim is not only unmoral, it is IMMORAL. It leads to vicious and inhuman conduct. The conduct of "demonized" men and women seems to indicate that the "Demon" takes possession of them for the purpose of physical sensual gratification, thus letting us into the secret of the cause of the wreck of the Pre-Adamite Earth, the SIN OF SENSUALITY. This accounts for the desire of the victim to live in a state of nudity; to have lustful and licentious thoughts. In these days of increasing tendency to yield to "Seducing Spirits" it may account for the immodesty of fashionable attire, and the craze of dancing. The purpose of the "Demon" is often to alienate husband and wife, and break up homes by preaching the doctrine of "FREE LOVE." In short, the "Demon, " for personal gratification, has the power, once he is in control of his victim, to derange both mind and body, and wreck the victim's health, and if deliverance is not obtained by turning to Christ, who alone has power to cast out the Demon, the victim will be lost soul and body.
Demon-possession must not be confounded with diseases, such as "Epilepsy, " which causes the victim to fall in convulsions, foam at the mouth and gnash the teeth, for the Scriptures make a clear distinction between them.
"And His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought unto Him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were POSSESSED WITH DEVILS (Demons-"daimonizomai, " demonized or demon possessed), and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and He healed them." Matt. 4:24.
In 1Cor. 10:20-21 we read-
"But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they SACRIFICE TO DEVILS (Demons), and not to God; ani I would not that ye should have FELLOWSHIP WITH DEVILS (Demons). Ye cannot drink the 'Cup of the Lord' (Communion Cup), and the 'Cup OF DEVILS'; ye cannot be partakers of the 'Lord's Table, ' and of the TABLE OF DEVILS (Demons)"
This passage proves that behind all heathen worship there is the "Spirit of Demonism, " or "DEVIL WORSHIP, " and accounts for the "wild orgies" and voluptuous and licentious mode of worship of the heathen.
That the "Demons" have the power of "DIVINATION" is clearly revealed in the New Testament.
"And it came to pass, as we went to prayer, a certain damsel POSSESSED WITH A SPIRIT OF DIVINATION met us, which brought her masters much gain by SOOTHSAYING. The same followed Paul and us, and cried, saying, These men are the servants of the 'Most High God, ' which shew unto us the Way of Salvation. And this did she many days. But Paul, being grieved, turned and said to the 'SPIRIT’ (the Evil Spirit, or Demon), I command thee in the name of JESUS CHRIST to come out of her. And he came out the same hour." Acts 16:16-18.
It is clear from the context that this young woman was a MEDIUM, and that she performed her work through the instrumentality of an "Evil Spirit" or "Demon." This reveals the source of information of modern "Mediums." The information they furnish is given, not by the person they profess to call up, but by an "Evil Spirit" or "Demon, " who, for the purpose impersonates the person called for.
If there ever was an exception to this method of communication between this and the world of departed spirits, it was the case of Samuel, recorded in 1Sam. 28:6-8. There is a diversity of opinion as to whether Samuel really appeared, or was impersonated by an "Evil Spirit." But the account is so circumstantial, and the evident and undisguised surprise of the Witch of Endor at the appearance of Samuel, whom she doubtless had known, and the conversation between Saul and Samuel without the aid of the Witch as a MEDIUM, seems conclusive evidence that Samuel did really appear. But the Witch did not bring him up. God sent him as a rebuke to Saul. Thus the exception proves the rule.
Some claim that because Samuel said-"Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me, " that it was not Samuel that appeared, but an "Evil Spirit, " for Saul and his sons would not go to the same place in the other world as Samuel. But we must not forget from our study of the chapter on the "Spirit World, " that "Paradise" and "Hell" were at that time both in the heart of the earth, from which Samuel came up, but were separated by a "Great Gulf." So the words "Tomorrow shalt thou and thy sons be with me, " meant that they should be with Samuel in the "Underworld, " but in separate compartments, separated by a "Great Gulf." And the fact that we are told that Saul's death was partly caused by his asking counsel of a "Familiar Spirit" (1Chron. 10:13), reveals God's displeasure with those who resort to Spiritism.
The account of the Transfiguration, in which Moses and Elijah appeared on the Mount with Jesus, and in the presence of Peter, James and John (Matt. 17:1-3), is used by Spiritualists to prove that our departed ones can come back again to the earth. But we must not forget that Moses and Elijah were not in the state of the dead. Moses had been resurrected, and Elijah had never died, and the Transfiguration scene is a foreview of the condition of the dead after the FIRST RESURRECTION, when those who are with Christ shall return to the region of the air to reign with Christ over the earth. In that day the saints will have communication with the earth, but not in this Dispensation.
The story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-21) reveals the fact that communication with the spirits of our departed dead, is not only unnecessary, but is not permitted. It is not necessary, for we have Moses and the Prophets, that is, the Holy Scriptures, to give us all we need to know of the state of the dead. And it is not permitted, or Lazarus, or the rich man himself, would have been allowed to return to the earth and warn his brethren. The inevitable conclusion to be drawn from this story is, that the spirit of a good man MAY not, and the spirit of a bad man CANNOT return to this earth. If this be true then Spiritism is a fraud, and is one of the devices of Satan in these latter days to lead astray the unwary. Those who dabble in Spiritism are in great danger of having their "understanding darkened" (Eph. 4:17-19) and come under the power and control of Demons.
The Apostle John says-"Believe not every spirit, but TRY THE SPIRITS whether they are of God, because many false prophets are gone out into the world." 1John 4:1. The test is-"Every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ IS COME IN THE FLESH is not of God." 1John 4:3. Ask the "spirit" that comes to you personally seeking entrance, or speaks to you through a "Medium, " if Jesus Christ IS COME IN THE FLESH, that is, was born of the Virgin, and is the "SON OF GOD " and if it says-YES ! that is the Holy Spirit, for no man can say that Jesus is the LORD, but by the Holy Spirit. 1Cor. 12:3. But if the "Spirit" gets angry, and denies the Deity of the Lord Jesus, and the authority of the Word of God, then it is clear that the "spirit" is an "Evil Spirit" or "Demon." The Holy Spirit will not teach anything contrary to the Scriptures, so a person to be able to "TEST THE SPIRITS" must be thoroughly conversant with the Word of God.
Another of the "Signs of the Times" is the revival of what is called the
"GIFT OF TONGUES, "
in which the recipient claims that he is taken possession of by the "Spirit of God" and empowered to speak in an "unknown" or "foreign tongue." But the conduct of those thus possessed, in which they fall to the ground and writhe in contortions, causing disarrangement of the clothing and disgraceful scenes, is more a characteristic of "demon possession, " than a work of the Holy Spirit, for the Holy Spirit does not lend Himself to such vile impersonations.
From what has been said we see that we are living in "Perilous Times, " and that all about us are "Seducing Spirits, " and that they will become more active as the Dispensation draws to its close, and that we must exert the greatest care lest we be led astray by them.
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