O ESUS' entire career on earth was a striving for

41 ∎ E UT HAL

The Quest for Excellence

high achiever according to Jewish traditions, put it all J excellence, first in Himself and then in those who behind him when Christ cabled, counting it "mere followed Him . No teacher ever required more of His refuse" in his quest for greater excellence . students than did this Master of men . Nor would He In the eyes of God, excellent knowledge is, first of tolerate any mediocrity, in His own life or in the stan- all, true knowledge, or knowledge of that which is true . dard He set for His followers. Everything about Him It is knowledge that speaks to the heart, that speaks of and His had to be the best . It was all excellence . the realities of life and death and salvation . It is knowl- First He was concerned with excellence in knowl- edge that communicates a true estimate of one's worth, edge, that is, excellence of the mind, that proper and a sense of total dependence upon God . knowledge which forms the basis of right living . How How easily in the midst of the struggle we lose this frequently He challenged His audience with : "He that vital sense of dependence . At such times the words of hath ears to hear, let him hear ." Or, in other words, If our great Teacher come to rebuke us : "Without me, ye you want to hear what I am about to say, you will need can do nothing." your minds as well as your ears . If you think you can Jesus' quest for excellence included also an excel- hear Me with your ears open and your mind closed, lence in life and attitude . What man or woman seeking you may as well go home . the heights of Christian achievement would stop with Following close upon this excellence of knowledge excellence in knowledge? Right knowledge must issue was His concern for moral excellence, i .e., excellence of in obedience, an obedience that reaches into every the life and character . Well He knew that knowledge aspect of one's life . In coming or going, in working, in without application could never win the recognition of watching, in speaking, in thinking, in praying, we must God. be like Christ. We must share His aspirations, His We know that Jesus called and used "unlearned" desires, His purity, His aspiration to excellence . Nothing men (Acts 4 :13). But this does not suggest any lack of ordinary will do . intelligence, or any deficiency of general knowledge, or This was Paul's thought as he admonished each can- even any carelessness in the use of opportunity . It didate for the crown : Ordinary running is not enough . merely describes their status as it was judged by certain "Run in such a way that you will get the prize" (I Cor . members of the Jewish hierarchy who considered 9 :24, NIV) . themselves the ultimate in intellectual attainment during The apostle Paul set the standard in masterful lan- their day-a standard which Peter and John looked guage when he wrote in his letter to the Philippians : down upon . So far as these high-up professors of reli- "This is my prayer, that your love may grow ever gion were concerned, the apostles were ignorant no- richer and richer in knowledge and insight of every bodies . kind, and may thus bring you the gift of true discrimi- But their being "unlearned" in the eyes of men was nation . Then on the Day of Christ you will be flawless absolutely no discredit to them so far as God was con- and without blame, reaping the full harvest of right- cerned. "For the Lord seeth not as man seeth"-in the eousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory days of Samuel, in the days of the apostles, or even and praise of God" (Phil . 1 :9-11, NEB). now in our own day . God's call is always to excellence Have we this consistent striving for excellence in all -excellence by His standards, excellence of heart- the varied details of everyday? Is our primary concern which, incidentally, represents the very highest in to excel in obedience, in doing right and being right, human attainment . Even the apostle Paul, already a (Continued on page l9) Megiddo means . . . %eqtdio "a place of troops" (Gesenius' Hebrew Lexicon) ; "a place of God" (Young's Analytical Concordance) . Megiddo was and is a town in Palestine, strategically located, and the scene of frequent warfare . In the spir- itual parallel, it is a place where soldiers engaged in spiritual warfare gather to renew their strength and courage (II Cor . 10 :4-5) . cssaqe Vol . 73, No . 6 June,1986

We believe -in God the Creator of all things, all men, and all life . Editorial THE QUEST FOR EXCELLENCE 2 We believe -in the Bible as containing the genuine revelation of Because God cares about excellence . He wants the best . God and His purposes for men, and as being our Sermon only source of divine knowledge today . A PASSION FOR ETERNITY 4 We believe A passion that can carry us through any storm or difficulty we -in Christ the Son of God and our Perfect Example, may encounter. who was born of a Virgin, ministered among men, was crucified, resurrected, and taken to heaven, and Series who shall shortly return to be king of the whole EVERY DAY, EVERY DAY 10 earth . Article We believe 11 -in life as the gift of God, and in our sacred responsi- TIME AS OPPORTUNITY bility to use it for God and His coming Kingdom . Lines to Live By 14 We believe Articles -in all mankind as providing the nucleus from which 16 a superior, God-honoring people shall be chosen to WALKING CIRCUMSPECTLY receive the blessings of immortal life . HOW IS EVE THE MOTHER OF ALL LIVING? 20 We believe Discussion of Genesis 3 :20 -in ourselves as capable of fulfilling the precepts and principles given us in the Word of God, thus perfect- Meditating on the Word ing that high quality of character which God has RIGHT TO LIVE 22 promised to reward with life everlasting in His heav- On Psalm 90 :12 enly Kingdom on earth . Questions and Answers 24 We believe Concerning : -in the promise of God, that a new age is coming-is Did Jesus Have to Die to Uphold Adamic Condemnation? near-when the earth will be filled with His glory, His people, and His will be done here as it is now Enoch and Elijah Must Die? done in heaven . Letters 26

Finally, Brethren Bible Quotations THE UPSETTING SIN 27 Unidentified quotations are from the King James Version. Other versions are identified as follows : NEB-New English Bible The MEGIDDO MESSAGE is a religious magazine devoted to the cause of Christ, and published NIV-New International Version for the dissemination of Bible truth alone . Official organ of the Megiddo Church . L . T . Nichols, NAS-New American Standard Founder; Newton H . Payne, President and Editor. Ruth E . Sisson, Executive Editor . is available in microfilm from Xerox University Microfilms, 300 N . Zeeb RSV-Revised Standard Version The MEGIDDO MESSAGE Road, Ann Arbor, MI, 48106 . TLB-The Living Bible The MEGIDDO MESSAGE CUSPS 338-120) is published monthly (except July) by the Megiddo TEV-Today's English Version Church, 481 Thurston Road, Rochester, New York 14619 . Second Class postage paid at Roches- JB-The Jerusalem Bible, Reader's Edition ter, New York . SUBSCRIPTION RATE: One year, eleven issues, $2 .00 . POSTMASTER : Send change of Phillips-The New Testament in Modern English address to Megiddo Church, 481 Thurston Road, Rochester, New York 14619-1697 . Berkeley-The Modern Language New Testament Weymouth- The New Testament in Modern Speech Moffatt-The Bible, A New Translation MEGIDDO is a way of believing and living, grounded solidly in the Bible as the reliable Word of our Creator . A total view of life, the world and the universe, it sees all events, men Williams-The New Testament, A translation in the and nations moving together toward one God-ordained climax : the Kingdom of God on Language of the People earth . This has been the plan of God since the beginning . Christ will return visibly, bodily, as King, and the governments of this world will be joined to form a totally new worldwide government . When the task is complete, our earth shall be numbered among the heavenly, About Our Cover glorified worlds and filled with immortal inhabitants . This is the purpose and goal of all Our cover photo is of the Moose River taken near creation . McKeever, New York, by Mr . and Mrs . David Sutton .

∎SERMON

A Passion for Eternity Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:3-10

VERY living person is concerned with the issues goes with grass, as any of us can readily see who have of life and death. In the 40th chapter of Isaiah, survived the changes of a few seasons. the Prophet is pondering these same issues . But to get the full lesson from the grass, I must EThese are the words he was inspired to record for us : comprehend my life as a tiny droplet of the universe's time. That droplet is the moment which belongs to me, A voice says, "Cry!" and my flesh. This is the moment in which I may flour- And I said, "What shall I cry?" ish, and disappear, for all flesh (including my flesh) is as All flesh is grass, grass. But here I'm not inclined to say, "Of course that's and all its beauty is like the flower of the field how my life is . That's just the way it is with flesh ." No, The grass withers, the flower fades, when I apply it to myself, the thought of withering when the breath of the Lord blows upon it, appalls. surely the people is grass. If we view our own lives with this type of honesty, The grass withers, the flower fades ; we must admit that all flesh-including our own-is but the word of our God will stand for ever. grass. And if we do this, we will welcome the thought -Isaiah 40 :6-8 that there is amidst the flux of things that which In this passage is distilled in a simple image a truth endures. Isaiah's preaching, if we really hear it, touches which can never be far from our minds . You are grass: our deepest need. He ministers to the worry that per- your life is a blooming and a fading, a flourishing and a vades all our thoughts . He brings us quickly to his own withering, a birthing and a dying . The thought is never stronghold, "the word of our God," which "endures far from the human mind, though we often try to hide forever." Not everything is fleeting . There is that which it away under a cloak of "busyness." But it is still there . is as enduring as eternity . "The word of our God Whether walking to work, or peeling potatoes, or sit- endures for ever ." Is this just a cover-up for his despair? ting in the living room, or meeting the day's obligations, No, it is a surety that has captured him . He has secured there is always the lurking thought: grass withering, a promise, and it has been guaranteed by God . flowers fading and disappearing. There are times when the reality of the thought gives Imaging the Higher Life us a nagging uneasiness. Sometimes it seems Here is the contrast : the lifetime of a blade of grass, ver- almost to defeat us . At other times we are able almost sus the lifetime of the eternal word of the Lord . A to forget it. moment, compared with eternity . Can you imagine that It is easy to survey the life of a blade of grass, it is so contrast? simple . Of course, we say. It springs up fresh and firm It is easy to measure the life of a blade of grass . Now and green in the springtime, then, if it is not cut off what about eternity? How shall we measure that? sooner, it withers with the winter freeze . That's how it Have you tried to imagine what life on the angelic plane must be, where each new aion brings fresh rap- tures and joys in a cycle that goes on and on and on Note: A Passion for Eternity is available as a complete and on, from glory to glory, with eternal youth, eternal church service on cassette . Price: $3.00 health, eternal life?

4 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986

Have you thought about it today? Have you lifted your mind into those infinite realms, where every pur- suit is purest pleasure, every friendship is heavenly, and What will it be like to have time every relationship an eternal delight? Have you pictured without limit, days without number, a what it will be like to have time without limit, days without number, and a life that you know will never, life that will never, never end? never end? Have you pictured yourself a co-worker with angels, with access to the fathomless reservoirs of the knowl- edge of omniscience? them. All that we have-and our own lives also-are Have you thought about what it will be like to have only loaned to us. Something within us rebels against everyone on earth sharing in your hope, your faith, and this fact, but we know that it is true . We try to subdue your joys? it, still it rises again to haunt us. What is this something Have you imagined what it will be like to have every- within us? It is what the Wise Man calls "eternity in one you meet immortal just like yourself-never our hearts," (Eccl . 3 :11), the desire for something last- tired, never sick, never knowing a physical limitation, ing, the longing to escape non-entity . "He has set eter- never the slightest fear of accident or death? nity in their hearts," and there it is, like a seed within Have you pictured that world with you yourself a us, always seeking to grow, always making us discon- living, essential factor in an eternal, expanding future tented with anything that has an end, always protesting . . . where every task is a challenge, a delight, and an against the temporary, always reminding us that life is opportunity to expand your God-given abilities to ever brief. We are fundamentally dissatisfied with the things new and greater dimensions? that are, because we know they will not last . We do And this is only a beginning . Of whatever you can our best to keep the reality buried a fraction of an inch imagine much, there is infinitely more, for "eye hath below the surface of our consciousness. And whenever not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the it begins to peek up above the surface, we quickly heart of man the things which God hath prepared for shovel a bit more dirt on it. But we cannot destroy it- them that love him" (I Cor . 2 :9). it is always there. And best of all, it is not a fanciful dream or escape And it is good . We need it, for without this ever- from reality . It is all according to God's plan, and it is present consciousness of the brevity of all things here sure and certain . And, once begun, it will be unending . we would not have the motivation to seek the eternal All this is bound up in what God calls "eternity ." things that God has promised . We want what God Can we really believe and anticipate all this, and not offers us because we have a passion for life, a passion have within us a passion for it, a passion for eternity? for eternity.

A Passion Is . . . Infinitizing A passion, according to the dictionary, is an "intense, A thoughtful writer, observing this fact, has said that driving or overmastering feeling or conviction ; ardent the human race has a singular ability to "infinitize ." affection, love ; strong liking or desire for or devotion to Infinitizing is the ability to soar in thought beyond one's some activity, object or concept ." immediate circumstances . This may seem a small thing, A passion is something that is so much a part of us before we think about it ; but it has enormous conse- as to be dominant . Everything that touches it affects us quences. Of course not all imagination is "infinitizing," deeply, because our passions are rooted deep in the but we have the potential, if we use it . serious concerns that govern our lives . Picture two men in a Roman prison . One is a politi- When we talk about a passion, we are talking about cal prisoner, waiting to be executed for his maneuvers something that is as close to us as life itself. Our pas- against the government . The second is the apostle Paul, sions are motivated by our underlying concerns, the a prisoner for the sake of "the gospel ." The place is concerns that make us what we are, that have to do about as inhospitable as can be imagined, comfort-wise with life itself, and its preservation. We cling to what -it is damp, dark, cold, and the men are ill-clothed we feel is life-supporting, whether it be our friends, our and ill-fed . The first prisoner mirrors his surroundings. homes, our possessions, our money, our personality- He is morose, despondent, spending his last hours in the anything that we feel is distinctly our own . deepest depths of human misery . The second is calm, And yet we know that we have no power to hold radiant, expectant, as he uses every extended hour to

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 5

eous forever shall shine like the sun ." And, "When we've been there ten thousand years bright shining as We want what God offers us because the sun, there's no less days to sing God's praise than when we first begun ." we have a passion for life, We need each and every day to reinforce this passion a passion for eternity. within us. We need to stir ourselves with these thoughts, to stimulate our desire for that matchless future. We need each and every day to remind our- selves of the contrast between what we are and what revel in the mental pictures he is creating of the glorious we will be if made like Christ; between a bit of wither- world to come. ing grass and the eternal word of the Lord ; between We are as happy as we choose to be, for our life is, time and eternity . We need each and every day to fundamentally, a life of our mind. In fact, so much does expose ourselves to the eternal, to walk with God, to our attitude of mind determine our character and our tread in heavenly places ; to company with the angels life that what we think about is what we become . "As a and share their glory . man thinketh in his heart, so is he ." Yes, we need a passion for eternity . And think what this "infinitizing," this thinking above and beyond our environment, can do for us. The Forward Thinking capacity to look beyond the moment ; to picture the Our founder, Rev . L. T. Nichols, had this passion . It ideal toward which we strive ; to see life-our own possessed him. He did not waste his thought-time on life-in its total perspective from beginning to end ; to trivial nothings . When not occupied with urgent mat- see the present moment, however "good" or "bad," not ters at hand, his mind was busy companying with the as an end in itself but as a means to the great goal divine, picturing the bright new world that is coming ahead-what can give greater power and force to faith! and what he could be doing to get himself and others Yes, that world to come is worth all our thought- ready for it. This kind of thinking furnished the power power. Our songs picture it vividly : "Where the sun that kept him working, strong in faith and the power of never sets and the leaves never fade"; where "the right- hope, his eye fixed on the glory ahead . Again and again

lives, for life itself, for the vigor of health, the warmth of friendship, and for every gift of happiness and strength . We thank Thee for Thy Word, and the brilliant hope it sets before us. Help us to use all these gifts in ways that honor Thee. May we have a passion for eternity and all the things Thou hast promised; a desire so strong that it will dominate f et Us Pray . . . every aspect of our lives and impel us to make a complete O God our fortress and our strength, our bulwark never surrender of ourselves to nee . May we be so possessed by failing; our helper strong amid the flood of mortal our sublime hope that no experience of the present can dis- ills prevailing: hear us this morning as we come into Thy tress us or cause us to lose our buoyancy, but we will see presence with hearts and minds eager for new impressions everything as preparing us for Thy new world. from Thy Word. We are creatures of a moment; Thou art Lord, we pray not for lighter burdens but for greater from everlasting to everlasting . strength; not for easier disciplines, but for the grace to accept Father, we appreciate the favored place Thou hast granted them and grow under them, until we attain to Thy full men- us in the day of salvation; for the privilege of living so near tal and moral likeness. the glorious climax, when all the things Thou halt spoken We pray Thee to bless all who are making a definite effort will be fulfilled . Help us to live in a constant expectancy, to be part of Thy family . Strengthen the weak, uphold the aware that time as we know it will soon end and Thy glor- suffering, and grant to all of us the steadfastness to keep ious, never-ending Day be ushered in . May we so live that pressing on and on to the end of our day of salvation . And the arrival of that Day be for us a day of joy unspeakable hasten the Day when the kingdoms of this world shall and full of glory . become the Kingdom of Thy Son and He shall reign forever We thank Thee for all Thy bountiful provisions for our and ever . In His worthy name we pray. Amen.

6 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE t986

he pictured it before his mind . He could not speak with his brethren without reminding them of its rapturous delights-and how much more did he remind himself! Would you settle for 70 years when "Oh," he said, and I quote, "this future home in you could have eternity? glory, filled with resplendent beauty; surrounded with bliss, peace and happiness; laden with more than every conceivable comfort, embellished with the beauty of Jehovah-we will look until our eyes glisten in rapture drink of the river of thy pleasures . For with thee is the as we tell of our happy amazement, as we see them fountain of life : in thy light shall we see light.' painted with vermillion, in all the streaming colors of "What a promise! What a thought! What a comfort the mighty rainbow of His righteousness, enveloping us evermore, to think of being permitted to experiepce the in its resplendent light and beauty . 0 the glory! the fulfillment of these wonderful predictions, and that in glory that will surround this blessed throng! the near future, where no sorrow or pain will ever "To enter through the pearly gates into the Elysian come, no trial either great or small ; no sin to cause our fields of bliss, where we can enjoy for evermore the hearts to throb and ache ; no hardships to be endured. fruit of our labor, at home with the blessed throng of "Think of viewing Gabriel some day and listening to immortal ones ; to be at home with such a company of his marvelous voice, joined with all the dear old saints high ones, and to realize that we are indeed a part of of his grand home and planet, to hear them sing the this stately band, will be pleasure far beyond our capac- wondrous song of their redemption, making the grand ity at the present time to fully realize. Nothing short of old shores of Eternity ring with their joyful, melodious experience will ever cause us to think of and fully real- voices until every world born into the celestial family ize this wonderful pleasure. will hear the praise and with hearts filled with peace "As we form a part of this holy throng and begin to and goodwill to all will raise one grand response, 'Alle- realize their nobility of action, their majestic appear- luia! Amen, and Amen!' ance, sublimity of thought, stateliness of being, their "What a time, what a meeting, what a joyful meeting loftiness in every way, our hearts will begin to well up of the faithful that will be! Words cannot tell of that with increased adoration to the High and Lofty One ; it wonderful gathering . And to think it is so nigh at hand, will be spontaneous, will gush forth in tones both loud almost here . and clear, speaking forth a joy no mortal ever knew, as "If we would only let our mind run out and behold the words are repeated so evenly by all, `Holy, holy, this grand river of pleasure and consider that it will be holy, Lord God Almighty! which was and is, and is to an ever-flowing stream, it would seem that we could come. Thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory and not rest until we had secured a true genuine pass to honor and power; for thou halt created all things, and enter Eternity's shores ." for thy pleasure they are and were created.' Do we not need this same passion for eternity? Do "The happy inmates of these celestial worlds have we not also need to let it dominate us, day and night, enjoyed their delightsome home for a long, long time, so that nothing that happens, however good or bad, can and many times have they had their hearts stirred with cause us to forget it? With such a prospect ahead of us, joy at hearing similar grand expressions sounded forth how can we forget it, even for a moment? And how from some world or other, as they repeated the same can we allow ourselves to do anything which might gladsome words we will repeat when our world is born lessen our chances of having a favorable verdict from into their innumerable family of happy ones. the great Judge in that Day of final account? "And as we are busy in performing many wonders The apostle Paul had this same passion for eternity . yet untold, wonders that will so expand our capabilities, "If by any means," he wrote, "I might attain unto the we will become more and more capable of enjoying resurrection of the dead ." Any means, whatever-if ourselves. And as we are used in the unending plan of only he might attain . It was the dominant thought of Jehovah, our hearts will become more and more sensi- his life, wherever he went, whatever he was doing . tive to the feelings of pleasure until we can testify from The apostle Peter shared in this same dominating experience that it is indeed `exceeding abundantly passion . Speaking of our great hope, he said, "Wherein above all that we ask or think .' We will then more fully ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, realize what it is to participate in the fulfillment of ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations : that Psalm 36 :8-9, `They shall be abundantly satisfied with the trial of your faith, being much more precious than the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 7

probably very few would wish to trade a whole normal lifetime for one year, even if it be a fantastic year. It is impossible to separate a passion However, this is, in effect, the proposition that God for eternity from a passion for a sets before us . I am giving you life, He says, and you can have your choice . You can have 70 years of just-as- life fit for eternity. you-please living . No rules, no regulations . Do any- thing, go anywhere, get anything you can get . No inhi- bitions, no restrictions. But at the end of the 70 be found unto praise and honour and glory at the years-maybe less, maybe more-you will die . appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye Or, if you prefer, you can give Me what remains of love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believ- those 70 years and live according to My rules, doing ing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory : just as I tell you to do, and then I will give you an eter- receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of nity in which to enjoy yourself . Which will you your souls" (I Pet . 1 :6-9). choose? The trouble is that eternity is out of sight, and it is so Most people are willing to accept the premise that it easy to let the vision fade . The things at hand seem to would be foolish to settle for one year when 70 years have so much more real worth than things at a dis- are available. But what about settling for 70 years when tance. In the words of the old adage, a bird in the hand you could have eternity? Isn't that even more foolish? is worth two in the bush. This is our instinct, but it And, taking the analogy one step further, for us who may, or may not, be true . It all depends on who or have chosen to forfeit our freedom to do as we please what is in "the bush ." during the 70 years in exchange for eternity-isn't it still more foolish to forfeit also our prospect of the eter- Eternity-in Perspective nal simply because we wanted some petty way of our A Father, wanting to impress this thought on the mind own, some habit, some impulse, some feeling, some of his teenage son, said to him one day, "Son, I have a selfish-satisfaction which we know God forbids-and proposition to make to you . I want to give you a mil- which we would be better off without! lion dollars ." How is it that we fall for these ill-conceived choices? The son laughed. He knew a bit more about his Who is to blame? None other than we ourselves . It is dad's bank account than that! because we forget, because we lose our passion for But the father persisted. "Pretend that I'm a multimil- eternity, because we lose the vision of what is ahead lionaire and that I'm going to give you a million dol- and think only about what we are gaining or losing lars. Are you interested?" during the present moment ; it is because we forget that "Of course," he answered . for every moment we give up doing as we please we "But there are two conditions," the father continued . are gaining endless years in eternity . First of all, you have to agree to spend the whole mil- We cannot have everything . Who has said it? No less lion in one year ." than God Himself. We cannot have everything, only a Well, the son would have preferred to spread it out choice of things . "Choose you this day ." Yes, choose : over a longer period of time, but better a million for the present moment, or eternity. one year than no million at all . "The second condition," the father continued, "is Conditional Promises that at the end of the year, you die in the gas chamber." The passion for eternity is no idle dream, no vain long- "I . . . I beg your pardon?" the son questioned. ing for what might be. It is the promise of God; "Yes," the father affirmed, "at the end of the year but it is a conditional promise . The blessings of eternity you die. There's no way out . Yes, it is a sure thing that are not for everyone ; one does not enter into eternity you'll die at the end of the year . Are you still with just any sort of condition of heart or any sort of interested?" character. And when we look honestly into our own "No way!" was the firm reply . hearts, we realize that as we are, God cannot accept us . "Why not?" He has no tolerance for the self-deceived, the proud, the "Because I'd be spending the whole year thinking petty, the fault-finding, the impatient, the arrogant, about the gas chamber and that would spoil any plea- the self-seeking, the jealous, and a hundred other sure I might get from the money!" evils to which flesh is heir . He is looking for If this offer were put to a cross-section of people, those who will become morally like Himself, who are

8 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986

fit to bear His image. Fitness is the key . with a passion that will feel no sympathy for the suffer- It is impossible to separate a passion for eternal life ing of our own flesh-nature, that will give him no peace from a passion for fitness, for purity of heart, because until he lies dead at our feet . Let there be such a pas- everything that God forbids is morally abhorrent to sion within us that we will cry to the Lord from the Him, and if we have in us any of the qualities that God depths of our heart: abhors, we shall never have Him realize for us our pas- Stir me, 0 stir me, Lord! sion for eternity . I care not how, Before we can stand in His presence and be a But stir my heart in passion for Thyself. member of His Kingdom, we must be fit for it. The Stir me to live, to love, but most passion for eternity, then, becomes a passion for a life • give- fit for eternity. It is an overpowering desire to attain to Give till my smallest sin is sacrificed, the moral likeness of Christ . It is an earnest, passionate Till Thy peace and holiness striving to remake ourselves, in thought and deed, to Pervade the deepest recess His standard of righteousness, with a passion for His • my heart. patience, His self-control, His faith, His long-suffering, Stir me, 0 stir me, Lord! His meekness, His love . To achieve this we must Till all my being develop a transparent honesty in reading and evaluating Is filled with deepest yearnings our own hearts. Our yearning for eternity must be For Thy life; explicit and strong . Till Thy compelling "must" drive me to share, When the desire for life becomes the dominant pas- Till Thy constraining love bring me in prayer sion of our lives, our effort toward righteousness will be O God, to Thee; likewise dominant. Questions like these will be con- Help me believe. stantly on our minds : Is this right? How will this or that Stir me, 0 stir me, Lord! appear on my record? What is the best thing for me to Touch Thou my heart with Thine own holy flame, do with my time? What is my motive in doing this? That! How should I react to that comment, or that criticism? In burning, deep desire What should I let myself think about this? What is the May blaze anew with faith's great quenchless fire! right way for me to feel about that? Is this thought bet- Stir me to give myself and all I have ter spoken, or left unsaid? Is God pleased with my atti- • Thee and so on and on. In humble trust, tude toward this? . . . Then Thou wilt give Thy greatest gift If our passion to be fit for eternity is the overpower- • me. ing desire of our lives, nothing that comes or goes in the course of a day will be able to obliterate it . How else Stir me, 0 stir me, Lord! shall we ever know the reality of the eternal in our- Stir Thou me now- selves? How else can we be sure of receiving the For I can see Thy glorious triumph-day begin to break; approval of the great Judge before whom we shall have The dawn already gilds the eastern sky! to stand, in whose power it will be to determine our Awake! Awake my heart, eternal destiny? Yes, stir-stir ev'ry nerve my heart within; Herein, then, is the challenge to us, to let our love for Till it is free from ev'ry taint of sin ; God and future life be a real thing, with an abhorrence Stir Thou me now- of evil and an intense devotion to good . The night is past, Do we find our goal eluding us, that we are not The King is on His way! reaching it as quickly as we should be? Perhaps it is because we have not enough of the passionate quality Father, we seek Thy help in developing a passion for in us; we are too complacent, too self-satisfied, too eternity, a passion that will carry us through any storm unconcerned, too casual about our pursuit of goodness . or difficulty we may encounter, that will result in our There was nothing casual about Christ's concern for developing a life fit for eternity. goodness. And there was nothing casual about Paul's Help us to realize that our serious problem is not our following of Christ . He was pursuing Him with a pas- mortality but our unrighteousness, and if we will but sion, and everyone who knew him knew it . remove the unrighteousness it will be Thy pleasure to Oh, let us develop this same passion for eternity that lift us to immortality. In the name of our coming King will impel us to a life fit for eternity . Let us pursue it we pray. Amen.

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 9 6very gay, (Svery gay

The Cycle of Peace "BE perfect, be of good we forgive others . The Lord himself with us as we share comfort, be of one mind, live promises to be with us also with others ; He gives himself in peace; and the God of as we are with Him, in the to us as we give ourselves to love and peace shall be with measure that we are one those about us : He projects you" (II Cor . 13 :11). with Him and live in peace himself to us as we project One phrase of the Lord's with others. ourselves into the lives of Prayer is, "Forgive us . . . as These parallels present both those in our sphere of influ- we forgive" (Matt . 6:12). We an overwhelming responsi- ence. He relays His peace to are asking the Lord to for- bility and an unparalleled us as we relay peace to those give us in the measure that privilege. The Lord shares we contact.

Peace: Absence of Friction

The peace of God brings power to heal misun- fouls up, or a fuel pump stops working, or a bear- derstandings . It helps us to go the second mile and ing gets scored, the car becomes a struggling mass to turn the other cheek. of machinery . The temperature shoots up, harsh God's peace does not mean inactivity or indif- noises develop, and forward motion stops . ference . Instead it is related to an efficiency going There is a cruising speed on the highway of holi- at full speed, but with an absence of drag and ness. If every part of our personality is functioning friction. the way it was designed by God, we can "run with The automobile cruising at 55 miles per hour, patience the race that is set before us" (Heb . 12 :1 ). without vibration, strain, or noise, can give one a There is an absence of friction caused by divided feeling of effortlessness . The car is totally engaged loyalties ; we enjoy freedom from strife caused by in complex activities, but its operation is peaceful mixed motives, and we are free from the struggles and smooth . spawned by conflicting purposes . However, smoothness disappears when some- Let us master the art of activity without conflict thing goes wrong. If a valve sticks, or a spark plug and efficiency without friction .

"Everyday with Paul," by Mendell Taylor . Copyright 1978 by Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City; used by permission .

1 0 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986 Time As Opportunity

EE then that ye walk circum- boy on his way to school, there are distinction made by the ancient Greeks. spectly, not as fools, but as wise, many moments when he is impetuous They had two words to designate Sredeeming the time, because the days and impatient . He can hardly wait time, chronos and kairos. Chronos is are evil," said Paul, the apostle of our until he -is a big man, when he really time as measured by the clock or the Lord. will be able to do the things he calendar, whereas kairos is time as There is an element of mystery dreams of doing now . He chafes measured by opportunity. about time, and the more we think under his limitations . He wants to be An example of the use of chronos about it, the more mysterious it ap- big. His burning desire is to grow up is the record of Christ's birth as given pears to be . Time has an elusive qual- in a hurry . Time moves much too in Matt . 2:1 : "Now when Jesus was ity . How easily it slips away from us, slowly for him . Many an older person, born in Bethlehem of Judea in the and we hardly notice it until it is looking upon him, shakes his head days of Herod the king." Again, "The gone . and sighs: "Ah, if he only knew it, he words of Amos, . . . two years before The elusiveness of time may im- is now having the best time of his the earthquake" (Amos 1 :1). The press us as we sit before an open fire . life." But is he really? birth of Jesus is recorded in a specific The stillness of the night is broken by To the young men or women who period of history . Amos heard the the ticking of the clock on the mantel, are ready to leave school and make word of God at a specific time before and it sets loose a train of thought on their own way in the world, as they a definite earthquake . Chronos is what the enigma of time. The tick we hear look to the road ahead, the time- we are concerned with on New Year's reminds us of the present but, even as stretch seems almost unlimited . There or birthdays. On New Year's espe- the tick is recorded, it slips into the is time enough for everything, and cially time seems to go round and past. The action is irreversible ; it is then some. But observe these same round-it is circular. It comes out gone forever and can never be recalled. people twenty or thirty years later, where it went in . This is the sort of Seconds pass into minutes, minutes and we find they view time in an time ancient pagans knew-and into hours, hours into days . One day altogether different perspective . Now, modern pagans : "Let us eat, drink slips into another and, as page after as they have used up half, or more and be merry, for tomorrow we die." page is torn from our calendar, the than half of an ordinary life span, the It tells us to take the round of exist- months pass into years and the years remaining time seems very short and ence that we have and make the most into centuries. It is said, "Time washes it becomes exceedingly precious . of it . Happy New Year; then 365 everything into its gully . We see men Yet not all appreciate the value of days later another Happy New Year, and nations, kingdoms and empires, time. We hear older people speak list- with the same eating, drinking and cultures and civilizations, all swal- lessly of "marking time" or "putting making merry . lowed up inexorably by the stream of in time." Others speak more forth- The second kind of time is kairos, time." rightly of "killing time," and they which is a point of time which has a have high praise for anything that fixed content . The time, the kairos Various Perspectives helps them "pass the time away ." has arrived . D-Day is here . Jesus in What does it all mean? It is a strange preparing for the Last Supper, sends experience to consider how the same Chronos Versus Kairos His disciples into the village with time may mean various things to dif- How then shall we think of time? It instructions for the bringing of a colt. ferent people. To a rapidly growing may be helpful if we keep in mind a The Master said, "My time [my

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 11

kairos] is at hand" (Matt. 26:18). In that we should have grasped it, yet that were under the law, that we the first chapter of Acts, while answer- due to mental blindness or inattention might receive the adoption of sons" ing the disciples' question about the we have failed to do so. If we find (Gal. 4 :4-5). restoration of the kingdom of Israel, our home burned down with insuffi- Through Christ, God carried His Jesus replied, "It is not for you to cient insurance to cover the loss, or if plan to reconcile the world to Himself know the times or the seasons [the the plaintiff in a highway accident, in one step nearer completion . Christ chronos] . which the Father hath put which we are the defendant, gets an did what no other man had done. He in his own power" (Acts 1 :7). And award for one hundred thousand dol- showed the Perfect Example . He never Paul alerted the Roman Christians lars when the limit of our liability transgressed His Father's command with the following words : "And that, policy is only fifty thousand, that once that command was made known knowing the time [kairos], that now it moment of truth could prove a serious to Him. In this act of God time was is high time to awake out of sleep" jolt. Likewise it will be a sad moment redeemed. It was charged with oppor- (Rom. 13 :11). for us if unfaithful servants, when the tunity, giving man spiritual ground The Greeks pictured kairos as a disapproval of the great Judge will for a dynamic faith, a vital hope and youth who is a swift runner . The drive home the truth that our time of heart-warming love which could trans- back of his head is smoothly shaven opportunity, our kairos, has all been form his existence . God has done His whereas the hair in front is long . It spent, with nothing to show for it, part and done it well, and it is for us symbolizes the truth that, if we are and that we have been weighed in the to redeem the time and repay His able to seize the time-charged oppor- balance and found wanting . kindness with our utmost in goodness . tunity, we must be prepared for it as Jesus pictured this sad plight in the In the brief span of 33 years, it comes, and grasp it by the forelock. following graphic words : "There shall Christ's teaching and example affected If we hesitate, the swiftly running be weeping and gnashing of teeth, the lives of people not only in His youth passes us by and we cannot when ye shall see Abraham, and generation but of all subsequent gen- possibly seize him, as his hair is too Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, erations. A nameless writer has de- short in back to lay hold of him . The in the kingdom of God, and you your- scribed the place of Jesus Christ in time-charged opportunity is then no selves thrust out" (Luke 13 :28). And history and His influence upon human longer within our grasp . This ob- this frightful experience can be the living in words which are worthy of servation points up the importance of fate of any one of us. Inattention and repetition: redeeming the time. inaction-plain drifting-is all that it "Nineteen wide centuries have come Chronos also is pictured in human takes to assure it. and gone, and today He is the central form. He, however, is portrayed as an If time is charged with opportunity, figure of the human race and the old man, bowed down by the weight and not merely a succession of empty leader of the column of progress . I am of years, and his face is incredibly moments, it is shameful to waste it ; far within the mark when I say that sad. It symbolizes the mere passage of and sinful to kill it. The Bible places all the armies that ever marched, and time. As no use has been made of the accent upon time as kairos, as a all the navies that were ever built, and time, nothing is left save a legacy of God-given opportunity to use, and all the parliaments that ever sat, and futile regret which is indicated by the not abuse. We are never justified in all the kings that ever reigned, put tragic figure whose spirit has been killing time, no matter how "evil" it together, have not affected the life of broken by the passage of time . The may appear. We are to make the man upon the earth as has that One faithless covenant-makers will be in most of it, "Redeeming the time, Solitary Life." this category when they stand before because the days are evil ." Jesus Christ is the admitted high the Judgment seat of Christ with point in history, for we mark all activ- nothing to show for their life's work . God Is Time-Conscious ities in reference to Him, and we date In the words of the Prophet, their Christ's birth was a decisive moment, all events as coming before His birth doleful lament will be: "The harvest is the kairos, in which God arranged or after. The B . C. and the A . D. on past, the summer is ended, and we are that another step should be taken our calendars pay tribute to the cen- not saved" (Jet . 8 :20). toward the fulfillment of His plan for trality of Jesus Christ . Not only does There is a term sometimes used by the salvation for the human family . He occupy the central place in his- thoughtful persons, "the moment of Paul expresses it : "But when the ful- tory, but He is the Paragon, the truth." The idea projected is that of ness of the time was come, God sent standard of excellence, the source of insight. For a long time a vital fact forth his Son, made of a woman, spiritual life to every God-fearing may have been sufficiently obvious made under the law, to redeem them man and woman in the world today .

1 2 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986

Wherever His redemptive power is upon earth. It brings about a glorious When our own changed lives witness felt, life becomes changed It is but concrete reality-new creation . to the Christ-life within us, we become cleansed and purified by His redeem- Christ as the mid-point in history an influence for good that nothing ing Word, it is renewed and fortified involves all of the event factors in else can equal . for nobler living by following His Christ's birth with its attendant won- Each moment not lived to the footsteps . Through following His ex- ders; His dedicated life with its central glory of God is a moment lost . ample life can be made over so com- purpose, "Lo, I come to do thy Will, Throughout every day of the year, pletely that the New Testament likens O God"; His profound teaching of Christians ought to order their lives it to a new birth . Faith in Jesus Christ righteousness as the only key to salva- by God's time, conscious that "yet a opens the door to purposeful living . tion, and His ultimate position as little while, and he that shall come Whenever that takes place time is King of the whole earth . will come, and will not tarry." We being redeemed . Paul's words in Ephesians 5, as should strive to make the daily record One view of time is that of the phrased in Moffatt's translation, seem of our lives a holy record. With the ancient Persians and the modern evo- to have a special significance for us : standard of good and evil given us by lutionists, who think of time as an "Wake up, 0 sleeper, and rise from Christ no human actions are propor- upward sloping line . Things will finally the dead, so Christ will shine upon tionate. Either our works are right work out, and will graduate into a you. Be strictly careful then about the before God or they are not. There is state of heaven on earth-if we just life you lead; act like sensible men, no halfway ground . And there is no have time enough. This would actu- not like thoughtless ; make the very true greatness where simplicity, good- ally be salvation by historical process, most of your time, for these are evil ness, and truth are absent. or we might say, by evolution . But it days." Kairos is a swift running youth, Time is of the essence, and we is a view that has been discarded by as he hurries past he can be grasped know not what a day may bring serious thinkers today, especially in only by the forelock. If we attempt to forth. What we do during the next the light of a possible atomic holo- grasp him after he has passed we shall twelve months may decide our fate caust and the Bible refutes it . Men have only our pains for our trouble . for eternity . The power of habit is are becoming more wicked ; with the He cannot be caught that way . We tremendous . At some point along spread of Communism nations are are unable to lay hold of opportunity life's way our iniquities shall have becoming less responsible for their from the rear, the hair is too short to become so ingrained that, as the actions; the masses of mankind are grasp. Though we may feel very Ethiopian who cannot change his becoming more pleasure-loving ; and mournful about it, we have, neverthe- skin, or the leopard that cannot change in place of the church converting the less, muffed the opportunity, and are his spots, so it will be too late for us world, the world has converted the left only with futile regrets. Each mo- to change. That point could well be church . Where then is there any ment not lived to the glory of God is reached during this very year . We prospect of heaven on earth as the one moment lost . We cannot retrieve have no assurance of life, only as we result of man's efforts? All the factors it, we cannot draft it to serve us at are sincerely trying to keep God's point in the opposite direction . some other time. "Now is the accepted commandments, and the coming of When we turn to the Bible we dis- time, now is the day of salvation," our Lord, and our calling to account cover that Biblical time can be de- and it may be later than we think . before His Judgment seat, could occur scribed by a straight line. It starts In every home is the kairos, the at any time, so let us redeem the time magnificently with "In the beginning opportunity, of strengthening the spir- lest that Day overtake us with our God . . . " and marches in a vast itual life of every member of the work unfinished. MM sweep to a "new heaven and a new household through family devotions Some year will be the last year, earth wherein dwelleth righteousness ." in the home. Faithful day-by-day alert- Some day will be the last day, It is said, "Primitive Christianity knows ness protects against inheriting a legacy Some hour will be the last hour, nothing of a timeless God." God is of regret when we stand before the Of this allotted time! Judge . When people pray together Christ, with His holy angels the One who is, was, and will be . For Will come in clouds of glory, the followers of the Christ kairos has they are strengthened not merely by And every eye shall see Him, a significance that gives orderly under- the stimulation they receive from each 0 advent hour so nigh. standing to time. Time is not mean- other ; they are fortified by the living Be ye therefore ready! ingless. It is weighted with vital mean- Lord who said, "where two or three If it be at morning or in midnight gloom, ing-salvation. It has a definite and are gathered together in my name, For ye know not the day nor the hour, luminous goal-the Kingdom of God there am I in the midst of them." When the Son of Man shall come.

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 13 So here hath been dawning God expects our best. In Old Testament Another blue day: times, men were instructed to bring a lamb Think, wilt thou let it as an offering. Not just any lamb would do; Slip useless away? no sickly, crippled animal was acceptable. God required the best. Out of Eternity We do not have to bring lambs as offer- This new day was born ; ings today, but we are to give our best: our Into Eternity lives, our service, our talents all belong to Tonight 'twill return. God. Behold it aforetime No eye ever did; So soon it forever From all eyes is hid . Here hath been dawning Integrity means dependability, honesty, up- Another new day: rightness, moral soundness, faithfulness, fear- Think, wilt thou let it lessness, straightforwardness. Slip useless away? Integrity is the first step toward true greatness. A man of integrity will stand firm for what is right. A wise man will have integrity A smile costs nothing but gives much . It because he knows that respect is more enriches those who receive it without important than money. Though the price of making poorer those who give it . It takes integrity is often condemnation and unpopu- but a moment, but the memory of it may larity, a man of integrity will do what is right last a lifetime. no matter what.

14 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986

Highways for Jesus HE who receives a benefit should never forget it; he who bestows should never `Prepare ye the way of the Lord, " is the call remember it. That comes to the Christian, to one and to all, True highways for Jesus,- Prepare ye the way, For Jesus is looking for channels today. He's looking at your life; He's looking at mine, He's longing to make them His highways divine . Yes, high ways for Jesus,- pure paths for our King, I'VE put a seal upon my lips • purify hearts,- to make joy bells to ring . To help me guard with care • wants us to level our mountains of pride, The things I say and swift repeat; • humble our high thoughts o'er which He can't ride . 0 tongue of mine, beware! • bring down our high looks, our selfishness, too, This is the work He will help us to do. • wants our lives altered, the crooked made straight, Root out ev'ry evil before it's too late . Oh, clear the King's highway, be at it today, THE MAN who wastes today lamenting Make highways for Jesus! "Prepare ye the way!" yesterday will waste tomorrow lamenting today.

THE TRUTHS of the Word of God are not meant merely for our entertainment or enlightenment. They are to be applied. We are to be "doers of the Word, Do you have a little worry and not hearers only ." That bosses you around? And will not let you sleep at night, At least not very sound? Well, now's the time to pull it up ; REMEMBER, when you talk you only repeat what Don't let it go to seed, you already know, but if you listen you may learn For that nagging little worry something. Is just an ugly weed.

PoiNts foR the MoNtl7

Week 1: Do not speak unless you are sure you can improve on the silence . Week 2: O God, impress me with the value of time, and to give regulation to all my thoughts and movements. Week 3: Opportunity knocks, but it has never been known to turn the knob and walk in . Week 4: No sin is small. Any size grain of sand in a watch is too big. Week 5: Before we can speak for God, we must learn to listen .

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 15

Walking Circumspectly

N Ephesisans 5 :15-16 the Apostle tells us : "See then The next phrase of Ephesians 5 :15: "not as fools but that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, as wise," is as striking a contrast as light and dark . A Iredeeming the time, because the days are evil ." fool "despises wisdom and instruction" (Prov. 1 :7). The The word "circumspectly" in this text is translated "way of a fool is right in his own eyes" (Prov . 12 :15). from a Greek word akribos which means "exactly, cir- It is an "abomination to fools to depart from evil" cumspectly, diligently, perfectly ." Thayer's Greek-En- (Prov. 13 :19). But the wise man will hear reproof glish Lexicon gives this definition : "to live carefully, (Prov . 17 :10); he will keep the law (Prov . 28 :7); he circumspectly, deviating in no respect from the law of will "lay up knowledge" (Prov. 10 :14); he will fear the duty." This type of living requires light and guidance . Lord and depart from evil (Prov . 14 :16). Perhaps this is why the words of the apostles, prophets, David was wise enough to accept reproof. He could and our Lord are so often compared to a "lamp," a accept it because he loved to walk in the light. When "light," a "guide ." he sinned before God and was reproved by Nathan, he Blindness, when total, is synonymous with darkness . repented immediately . A totally blind person has no perception of light what- There is little contrast between many so-called Chris- soever and cannot tell light from darkness . To walk cir- tians today and the world . I read recently that we have cumspectly, we must not be blind. We must walk with become a people who can no longer blush . Gross sins sufficient light so that we will not stumble . Paul is are yawned at today that would have caused us to warning us that we must not allow our spiritual vision recoil in disgust just a few short years ago . Many feel to be hindered. It is indeed our duty to read and obey no shame of evil--even when caught in the act. all the commands of God . In doing so, our daily walk Yet, we are mortal in every way . As the Psalmist will be straightforward, and we will not grope in wrote, "The days of our years are threescore years and darkness . ten; and if by reason of strength they be fourscore years, The word "circumspect" is a Latin word which liter- yet is their strength labour and sorrow; for it is soon cut ally means "to look around." It is "circum" (around) off, and we fly away . . . . So teach us to number our plus "specere" (to look .) The dictionary gives its mean- days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" (Ps . ing as "carefully attentive to all circumstances that may 90:10, 12) . relate to an action, judgment, conduct, etc ; cautious; Moses realized the brevity of life . He knew that life careful." It is an impossibility to walk in darkness and at best was short and full of troubles . Anyone can count walk circumspectly at the same time. the number of man's allotted days, but those who are When every fiber of our being is attuned to the enlightened by the law of God realize much more . heavenly, our every thought will be brought into captiv- They realize the short length of time they have in which ity to the obedience of Christ ; our every word will be to do the work before them . As James says, this life is edifying; our every action will be to the glory of God . but a "vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then Does this sound like one who is groping and fumbling vanisheth away" (James 4 :14). his way over a path strewn with all manner of evil? No! Cognizant of the fact that our days are swiftly pass- The life that is pleasing to God is one that is upright, ing, we must redeem every precious moment . Thayer's filled with light . Greek-English Lexicon gives this meaning of the word So, we are to walk with all caution, carefully watch- "redeeming" as used in Eph . 5 :16, "to buy up for one's ing our conduct every minute of the Day of Salvation . self, for one's use . . . the meaning seems to be to make Our physical bodies need rest and relaxation, but spir- a wise and sacred use of every opportunity for doing itually we can never relax . good, so that zeal and well-doing are as it were the

1 6 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986

purchase-money by which we make the time our own ." Only by taking advantage of every opportunity that Habits-Seruant comes our way can we be sure of sufficient time in which to work out our salvation . "For bodily exercise or profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that Master which is to come" (I Tim . 4 :8) . UR habits are either the best of servants or the We must be wise, exercising unto godliness if we worst of masters . Habits are either good or bad. expect to accomplish the work. There is so much that TheyO move us along pathways of good or evil . They would lead us astray . Let us not be so smug as shape our personality, mold our character, and in the to think we could not be caught in a snare of evil, for end control our destiny. though the grossest of sins may not tempt us, the The chains of habit are generally too small to be felt "small" subtle sins of our natures can so very easily until they are too strong to be broken . The alcoholic entrap us. did not intend to become a drunkard when he took his Sin is sin : and small or large, it will keep us from first drink ; the prisoner did not intend to become a thief inheriting that most cherished possession-eternal life . when he first stole an apple as a boy and "got away" God is just . He will not-indeed He cannot-overlook with it. But such were not willing to make the neces- one sin. sary sacrifice to free themselves from a bad habit . We must be up and working . Time is running out . Good habits like honesty, truthfulness, perseverance, Let us walk day by day as though we really believe and punctuality, formed early in life determine our what we read and preach . MM character and measure our success in life . MM

The Song o f Your Life YOU have written a song for the world to sing and chosen each note with care ; and ever so perfect its harmonies ring in melody everywhere . r You have written a poem for others to read, and wisely selected each word ; and many the care-laden hearts in need that are cheered when that poem is heard. The song that you wrote for the world to sing, its own inspiration imparts, and the perfect poem continues to bring its courage to wearying hearts. But what of the song of your life, my friend, the song that you live each day? Are its notes as well chosen as those that you penned, and as perfect in every way? You watched the rhyme in each written line you wanted the world to see,- but are you as careful what the design, the style of your life's poem shall be? The song of your life is a work of art not written in letters that dim, but its theme is recorded in somebody's heart like the lines ofa lovely hymn. And someone plays back the record you made, hears over again each word, and ponders each passing chord that you played in the song of life that he heard Make the chords in your life as perfect, my friend, as those you so carefully wrote; for somebody's heart hears the song never penned, and listens intent to each note. -Selected.

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 17

Consideration

F TWO wild mountain goats meet each other in a narrow path on a high precipice aboveI a body of water, what do they do? They cannot turn back, and they cannot pass each other; there is not an inch of spare room . If they butt at each other, both would fall into the water below and be drowned. What then, will they do, do you suppose? What would you do? Well, some inborn instinct has taught the one goat to lie down and let the other pass over him, and then they both get to the end of the day safe and sound . Paul was always meeting goats on the nar- row ledges of rock with the sea below . So are you, and so am I . God ordains our meeting one another in this narrow way, with a pit of destruction right below . Is our spirit of cooperation such that you and I will lie down, so to speak, and let another go over us? The Scriptures teach, again and again that the prize, the glory, the honor, the dominion and the life eternal will be given only to the humble, the meek, the lowly.

« INALLY, let all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, loving as brothers, deeply compassionate, humbleminded, returning no evil for evil . . . . Quite to the contrary youT will be blessing, because you are called for this, so as to inherit a blessing . For, He who wants to enjoy life and to see happy days must silence his tongue from evil and his lips from uttering deceit. He must turn away from vice and do right,- he must search for peace and keep after it. " -I Peter 3 :8-10, Berkeley

1 8 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986

Tired The Quest for Excellence (Continued from page 2) of wherever we are and whomever we are with? Is our first thought always to be and do the very best of which we are capable? Being Patient? The temptation to compromise is always with us, to put off the serious confronting of ourselves as we know-and God knows-we are . How often at the end HAT a possession to acquire! of the day we look back upon a record of which we Millions of dollars cannot fill must humbly say, "this is not my best." theW heart with such satisfaction as can But the standard is fixed, and we must reach it . God will have excellence . be gained by developing this one virtue . His very nature decrees it-His name is "excellent" (Psalm 8 :1); His work is Night may find us tired, but if we can "honourable and glorious" (Ps . 111 :3), His will is "good and acceptable and look back over the day and see that we perfect" (Rom. 12 :2). "Great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee" have taken all patiently-what a com- (Isa. 12 :6). fort! I believe it is safe to say that we Hasn't He every right to ask our best? The Old Testament sacrifices were are not as tired as we would have been to be always and only the best the worshiper could give . Offerings were to had we yielded to impatience. An be the finest of the flock, without defect (Lev . 1 :10), the finest grain, the first impatient spirit places a double strain fruits, the best sheep-always the best belonged to God . on the physical system. our It has been said that God never asks And still today He wants the best . He wants best -in return for us to do anything that does not make which He will give us His best. us better for this life while preparing for Are we ready for this? Have we the steadiness to continue this quest a future life . Effort enlivened by enthu- through all the mundane tasks of every day? Do we keep ourselves wholly siasm will bring patience to perfection . and thoroughly Christian in all our associations with others? Do we excel in Many times we have put forth the patience, humility, kindness, and long-suffering in the hundred details of effort and so been patient . But our every day? effort is too apt to be intermittent Are we continuing our quest for excellence with an attitude that is thor- instead of constant . oughly Christlike as we face the pressures of the home, the office, the shop, We might be patient time after time, or the job? but here comes an exceptionally trying It is not easy, but it must be done circumstance . We lose our grip on our- . Our quest for excellence must be the selves, and patience is gone . It has yet consuming desire of our hearts . In praying, in working, in watching, we must excel. to have its perfect work in us. We may attempt to justify ourselves with the We cannot afford to risk a single unguarded hour . "For at such a time as excuse that such a situation was unusu- ye think not, the Son of man cometh ." MM ally trying . But what of it? The fact remains that our patience was not per- fect; we were defeated where we should have triumphed . If our patience were GREAT GOD, whose voice I hear in the winds, never tried, how could we ever know And whose breath gives life to all the world, hear me! the extent of our achievement? I am small and weak; I need Your strength and wisdom. The command given us in the book Let me walk in Your light, and make my eyes ever behold the beauty of of James is not simply to have patience, Your world. but to "Let patience have her perfect work" (1:4). The requirement is patience May my hands respect the things You have made and may my ears be to perfection . Nothing short of this will sharp to hear Your voice. be acceptable to God . May I be wise to understand Your teachings, to learn what You would teach me.

Give me strength, not to be greater than my brother, but to be greater "IN everything give thanks," I read, than myself. nd this I know is right; May I be always ready to come to You with clean hands and eyes that The sacrifice off praise to God . look straight before me so that when life fades as the sunset, I may Is ever His delight . face You without shame. Amen.

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 1 9

How Is Eve the Mother of All Living?

"A small problem we have at this time is verse 20 of Genesis 3, `And Adam called his wife's name Eve; because she was the mother of all living.' By this we under- stand the man called the woman (the bride, or the church) Eve, because she was the mother of all living. We require your correction in this matter, as it comes up in our discussions concerning life prior to Adam and Eve, etc. " -F. H.

The Bible contains two basic types than literal meaning, such as may sand years of His plan for the earth . of instructive material which we be found in the Psalms, Proverbs, But as they fit into the picture in might call natural and revealed. The Ecclesiastes, or Songs of Solomon) Genesis 2 and 3, we find the narra- "natural" type includes passages that 3) passages containing knowledge tive far more instructive if we see are simple, observable fact, i.e., which cannot be known except by them as representative persons, fig- knowledge which we can acquire divine foresight and foreknowledge ures of those who serve God, both through the use of our five senses . (short- or long-term prophecies) faithful and unfaithful . The meaning of such statements is 4) passages written under the The portion of the Genesis account obvious and can be understood lit- supervision of the Holy Spirit and pertaining to Adam and Eve begins erally . For example, "Joseph lived containing knowledge pertinent to with the picture of the garden of an hundred and ten years" (Gen . our salvation (i.e., passages in the Eden, recorded in Genesis 2 . The 50 :22). Or, "And it came to pass, Epistles of Paul, Peter, or John images are familiar . "The Lord God when Jesus had ended these say- which outline the character God planted a garden eastward in Eden ; ings, the people were astonished at requires) and there he put the man whom he his doctrine : for he taught them as 5) portions of the Bible which had formed . . . to dress it and to one having authority, and not as the employ illustrations from the natu- keep it." scribes" (Matt . 7 :28). ral world to emphasize/illustrate Notice that immediately the man The "revealed" portions of Scrip- points of spiritual insight and teach- (Adam) was given responsibility, ture contain knowledge for which ing (including parables, allegories, something to do . we are directly dependent upon analogies, metaphors, similes, types) As a generous husbandman, God some form of divine revelation . They While Adam and Eve were liter- also provided for the sustenance of disclose knowledge which can orig- ally two human persons, we believe His laborer . "Out of the ground inate only with God or those in- that the account in Genesis, chap- made the Lord God to grow every structed or empowered by Him. ters 2 and 3, belongs to a part of tree that is pleasant to the sight, and Included in this group are : Scripture which is most meaningful good for food ; the tree of life also in 1) passages which are highly sym- when approached as an allegory . the midst of the garden, and the tree bolic and reveal prophetic truths (See the Megiddo Message, Novem- of knowledge of good and evil ." (such as are found in the book of ber, 1984, "Literal vs . Spiritual .") (The identity of these trees tells us Revelation) Adam and Eve, though real per- that the account is definitely not 2) portions of the "wisdom" liter- sons, were not the first persons to literal-whoever saw a literal "tree ature of the Bible which teach spir- live upon the earth but rather the of life" or "tree of knowledge"?) itual truth by use of poetry or liter- first to be called to serve God dur- In this Garden of Eden was law, ary pictures (i.e., passages with more ing the first stage, or first six thou- unequivocally stated : "Of every tree

20 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986 of the garden thou mayest freely the command of the Lord . To make lowbelievers in the category of the eat: but of the tree of the knowledge matters worse-and to be very hu- children born of the union of God of good and evil, thou shalt not eat man-they attempt to conceal them- and His truth . These are his words : of it: for in the day that thou eatest selves from the presence of the "Of his own will begat he us by the thereof thou shalt surely die" (Gen . Lord, when He comes to call them word of truth" (James 1 :18). The 2 :8-17). to account at the end of the "day ." apostle Paul speaks of "Jerusalem, We sense immediately that here To make matters still worse-and which is above, is free, which is the is no ordinary garden. Here is a pic- to be still more human-they refuse mother of us all" (Gal . 4 :26). The ture of mutual obligation and coop- to accept the responsibility for their faithful servants of God, represented eration. God and man are working own misconduct, choosing rather to by the faithful "Eve" in the allegory together toward a specific goal . The blame another. of Genesis, who become fully obe- goal is not stated in Genesis 2 but is But God is not deceived, and in dient to this "wisdom" or "woman," described elsewhere in the Bible as keeping with the fairness of His are in some cases said to have cer- those individuals who will be kings plan to reward "every man accord- tain properties or likeness of that and priests with Christ in the eternal ing as his works shall be," both woman, i.e., the "wisdom," the Kingdom which He will set up . The Adam and Eve receive sentences of "truth" of God-in some instances time period for this selecting process condemnation. they are even said to be that is six days or six thousand years of Although the overall picture in "woman," so completely do they prophetic time . The criteria for se- the allegory is of those who prove become like that wisdom by living lection is obedience. unfaithful, it does not intend to say according to it. In this sense, the The narrative is an allegory, or a that all who serve God disobey and children of "wisdom" or the chil- series of metaphors which combine are subject to the curse . Some of dren begotten by the truth of God, to illustrate a divine truth . Not all of those represented by Adam and Eve i.e., true believers, may be said to be the details in the narrative necessar- prove true and faithful; hence some all children of Eve, or children of ily pertain to the truth being pre- parts of the allegory narrate details divine truth . And these children are sented, but the overall point is con- that apply to a "faithful Adam" and all those who truly "live" in the ful- clusive. a "faithful Eve"-who, instead of lest sense of the word . Only they "The man" placed in this garden being punished, will be richly re- will live eternally. is not an individual but a represen- warded. There is yet another sense in tative person . He represents all those One of these details is the portion which the faithful Eve may be whom God calls to work in His in question, in verse 20 of chapter called the "mother of all living." garden, all to whom He entrusts His 3. Immediately following the account Those who prove faithful during the knowledge and His law . Some of of the curse upon Adam and Eve six thousand year period will be those called obey, some disobey . for their transgression, the author chosen to reign with Christ, and The garden represents the "field turns his attention to the faithful will share with Him the rulership of of the Lord," the time and space side, to the "Eve" who represents the earth during the next period in allotted by God in which His ser- the faithful servants of God during the plan of God, the Millennium vants work . the six thousand year period, who is (Rev. 5 :9-10; 14 :1). Those who In chapter 3, two representative "the mother of all living ." occupy this position will in a direct persons are found in the garden, still How can the faithful of the six sense be the parents of the new gen- illustrating those who covenant to thousand years, those who become eration. They will be responsible for serve God during the first six days kings and priests with Christ and the rulership, guidance, instruction, or six thousand years of the plan . are rewarded with immortality when education, and welfare of the great The picture is true to reality : some- Christ comes, be said to be "the populace of the Kingdom which times these servants are true and mother of all living"? will be developed during that time . obedient; sometimes they are false In other passages, the Bible repre- These will form the "great multi- and disobedient. sents the true knowledge of God as tude which no man could number," In much of chapter 3, they (both a woman having "children ." Jesus seen by the Revelator (7:9). The Adam and Eve) are false and dis- spoke of "wisdom" as being a mother members of this new nation, when obedient . They look upon the for- who is "justified of all her children" fully developed and rewarded with bidden fruit, desire it, and then par- (Luke 7 :35). James used the same (Continued on page 23) take of it in direct disobedience to simile, placing himself and his fel-

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 21

∎ ME

Right to Live

"So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom" -Psalm 90 :12

66 1 N THE MIDST of life we are in death," run the stronger that his awareness of mortality . Constant mor- stately words of the Book of Common Prayer ; bid meditation upon his frailty, the shortness of his days and human experience gives sad confirmation . Death is and his personal insignificance would inhibit all action, life's greatest, in fact its only certainty . As natural as life all progress, all joy in living. Yet the man who refuses and as common, death borders upon our birth, and our to consider it at all, who lives for this life only with no cradle stands in the grave . The natural man is born only thought of the future, does not really love life, At any with the right to die . As the living pass through a peri- instant one of Death's thousand doors may open before lous world, Death walks by their side . In the increased him, and his ambitions and achievements, the hopes perils of our high-speed, mechanized age, he is but a and fears of all the years, add up to exactly nothing . split second from us . Somewhere between these extremes of morbidity The poet Dryden explains the universal fear of this and materialism there must be a desirable mean, some- stark reality in these words : thing more substantial than a human philosophy of life, be it ever so satisfying for the moment . Naturally, we Death itself is nothing, but we fear should expect to find the truths concerning life and To be we know not what, we know not where. death not in human experience but in the Word of Him Fear of the unknown has led to the invention of var- who is the Creator of life, who holds the keys of death ious "escape" theories, based upon the pagan concep- and the grave. tion of the immortality of the soul . "There is no death ; The first part of the immortal psalm from which our what seems so is transition," may be exquisite poetry, text is taken is as profound a meditation on the frailty but at best it is no more than wishful thinking . of man as can be found in all literature . Tradition To those who know and understand the revealed ascribes this psalm to "Moses, the man of God." The ways of God, there is no mystery or uncertainty sur- identity of the human instrument is immaterial; the sub- rounding the death state . We know what and we know lime words are from God, and as such they demand where. "The living know that they shall die : but the our attention, respect and belief. dead know not anything ." "His breath goeth forth, he "For all our days are passed away in thy wrath : we returneth to his earth; in that very day his thoughts per- spend our years as a tale that is told . The days of our ish." "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, years are threescore years and ten; and if by reason of concerning them which are asleep" (Eccl . 9 :5; Ps. strength they be fourscore years, yet is their strength 146 :4; 1 Thess. 4 :13) . The knowledge that death is but labour and sorrow ; for it is soon cut off, and we fly a dreamless sleep takes away the fear of eternal pun- away. ishment and pain. On the other hand, to the normal "So teach us to number our days . . . mind this knowledge makes death a most unattractive It might be argued that our own experience teaches and uninteresting state, a thing to be escaped if at all us as much . "Threescore years and ten." Well, what possible . about it? We knew that already . It is our life span, It is fortunate for man that his interest in life is more or less, and what good can come of numbering

22 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986

our days, of troubling ourselves with dark thoughts of out . . . and I will raise him up at the last day ." At this mortality, when there is nothing we can do about it? point, having fully employed the revealed wisdom, their Or is there? power is gone . The next step is up to Him . Then it is Yes, on second thought, or further reading, we know that the higher wisdom will be applied to unlock the there is something we can do about it . The challenge of tomb. "I will ransom them from the power of the Death can be met. There is a way out . It is not an easy grave; I will redeem them from death" (Hosea 13 :14). way, or a popular way, or an obvious way . It is not the "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of way which worldly philosophers have invented through Christ; that every one may receive the things done in the ages. It is only for those who truly love life, who his body" (II Cor . 5 :10). Then, if one of His sheep, we love it so much and desire so much of it that they are shall be given access to the ultimate wisdom, the goal willing to dedicate every remaining moment of their which has inspired us to apply our hearts to the lesser, precious threescore and ten years to its attainment . For the knowledge of how to change our vile, mortal bodies this short life is not all; it is but a probation, a proving that they may be fashioned like unto His glorious body . ground, to develop a class of men and women worthy "Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is writ- of a more abundant life . And the first step toward that ten, Death is swallowed up in victory . 0 death, where life is the same as the first step toward any desirable is thy sting? 0 grave, where is thy victory?" goal-wisdom . To this end we live, to attain that right to live "Wisdom is the principal thing ." It is the difference eternally . MM between angels and mortal men . It is the difference between the Creator and His creatures . Herbert Spencer once laid down the premise that the only thing which separated man from eternal existence was lack of How Is Eve knowledge . He was right. That knowledge rests with the Eternal and with those to whom He imparts it . the Mother of All Living? Mankind at large could not be trusted with it . That is (Continued from page 21) the ultimate wisdom, the tree of life, which we are seek- immortality, will fill the earth with the glory of God . ing; but it can wait . The wisdom which concerns us At this very special time, those select persons repre- now is that contained in the familiar question, "What sented in Genesis by the faithful "Eve" will be in a very must I do to be saved?" special sense the "mother" of "all living"-the great Wisdom pursued for its own sake is far better than multitude of "children," the new generation, the "nation pleasure sought for the same purpose; but, even so, it is born at once." In fact, all who live at that time will not very satisfying when we get to the end of the way belong either to faithful Eve or to the great populace where "wise men die, likewise the fool and the brutish who will comprise her "children," who will then be in person perish, and leave their wealth to others ." a state of growth and development, on the way to full Solomon is the classical example of this truth. The first maturity . two chapters of Ecclesiastes, so obviously written from The new generation will no doubt receive much guid- the depths of a bitter personal experience, are the auto- ance and direction from the then-glorified saints -that biography of a man who had tried it all, had pursued is why Christ will need associate "kings" (governors) both courses, and found them alike hollow and unsat- and "priests" (teachers, instructors) . Those who prove isfying. Wisdom, he learned, "excelleth folly, as far as faithful among the new generation will owe their life light excelleth darkness," yet it, too, was vanity-for and their knowledge to the faithful "Eve" who instructed him. Why? Because he failed to see or remember that them. MM wisdom is not an end in itself, but a means to an end . Wisdom applied to everyday life and its problems, is what will enable men and women to meet the arrogant challenge of the Last Enemy. Do you ever see the wicked prosper, sometimes even "My sheep hear my voice," said Jesus, "and I know at the expense of the righteous, and wonder why the them, and they follow me : and I give unto them eternal Lord doesn't do something about it? Why doesn't He life; and they shall never perish"(John 10 :27-28). They reward those who fear Him, and judge those who dis- have used this Divine wisdom to transform their lives, regard Him? to become new creatures ; and they have His promise, Be patient; He will . Payday isn't every Friday, but it "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast will come. He will settle His accounts in due time .

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 23

∎ QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

• Did Jesus Have to Die Both statements are unbiblical . There is no indication to Uphold Adamic Condemnation? in Genesis 1, 2, or 3 that Adam, when first created, was immortal by nature . Simply because the law decreed "I would like your opinion on Romans 6 :9-11. It is that he should die if he disobeyed does not suggest that used by the Christadelphians to uphold the idea that he was immortal. Breaking the Sabbath under Moses' law was punishable by death-"he shall die," was the Jesus had to die for himself to uphold the law of Adamic condemnation and thereby display God as a decree-but this did not indicate that those who righteous God for decreeing that all men, including His obeyed the law were immortal. (Were Adam to have lost immortality by eating of son, had to taste ofdeath. " the forbidden fruit, immortality would seem not to be a Before turning to the passage you question, we very secure possession, if it could be so easily and would like to inquire as to the foundation or source of quickly lost!) the idea to be "upheld ." Where does the Bible say that Nor are the results of any one's guilt or goodness Jesus had to "die for himself to uphold the law of inherited. "Every man shall be put to death for his own Adamic condemnation," or that "all men, including His sin" (Deut. 24 :16) is the age-old principle. And Ezekiel Son, had to taste of death" because of a condemnation 18 makes crystal clear that the individual who sins is upon them resulting from Adam's sin? condemned, the individual who does right is com- Then we come to the text in question : Romans 6 :9- mended. The son will not suffer for the sins of the 10. The passage reads: "Knowing that Christ being father, nor can the father benefit by the righteousness of raised from the dead dieth no more ; death hath no the son. more dominion over him. For in that he died, he died What then is Romans 6 :9-10 saying? unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God . Let us study the passage beginning with verse 6 : If we understand correctly, the Christadelphians "Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, claim that death had dominion over Jesus while he was that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth alive, and the only way he could cleanse himself of it we should not serve sin . For he that is dead is freed was by a temporary death, to satisfy the law of Adamic from sin." condemnation . They say that if the death of Jesus had We must realize first that the Bible speaks of more not been inflicted upon him, and he had lived out a than one type of death . Besides physical death, there is righteous life, God would still have let Him die of old- a death which is called "death in sin" (Eph . 2 :1)-the age to fulfill the requirements of Adamic condemnation association with the term "death" is most appropriate before resurrecting Him and giving him a chance . because one who is dead in sin has no conscience for According to this position, nothing short of physical sin, no sensitivity, no awareness ; it is as though he were death can free us from Adamic condemnation . We bear dead in its presence. condemnation as long as we live, or until we die . Then there is another death which is also appropri- An interesting philosophy, but where is the Scripture ately called death, because it involves pain and suffer- to support it? ing. It is the death of our lower nature, called "death to We know the premise is not true ; nowhere does the sin," as in Romans 6 :11, "Likewise reckon ye your- Bible teach that all mankind must suffer physical death selves to be dead indeed unto sin ." It is a death which because Adam transgressed . There are two serious results from crucifying "the flesh, with the affections problems with this position: and lusts" (Gal . 5 :24). 1) It assumes that the human race was immortal This death to sin is the death Paul is referring to in before Adam sinned Romans 6:6 and 7. Our "old man" or lower nature 2) It assumes that the results of one's guilt or good- being "crucified" has no reference to a physical death . ness are hereditary .

24 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986

Likewise, destroying "the body of sin" has no reference Enoch was or to have been taken up as Elijah was, to physical death . But becoming "dead" to all sinful before their deaths. " tendencies, i.e., uninfluenced by them, unmoved by them, unresponsive to them, does have the effect of de- According to those who believe in universal con- stroying the "body of sin," the sinful nature, with the demnation of death for Adam's sin, Enoch and Elijah result that we recognize no more allegiance to sin- must also die . This, however, does not agree with the "henceforth we should not serve sin ." Said another facts as stated in Scripture . Hebrews 11 :5 reads, "By way, becoming dead to sin frees us from sin's dominion . faith Enoch was translated that he should not see Paul seems to link this "death to sin" to the physical death." As phrased in the New English Bible, this text death of Christ because Christ in submitting to physical reads, "By faith Enoch was carried away to another life death completed His own death to sin . Christ was sub- without passing through death." This text would effec- ject to physical death just as we are, not because of tively counter the argument that Enoch died . Adam's condemnation but because He was made mor- Hebrews 9 :27 is often cited to prove that all must tal, like His brethren (Heb. 2 :17-18). Paul says also die physical death : "And as it is appointed unto men that this is a death of Christ in which we must share- once to die, but after this the judgment, so was Christ "Now if we be dead with Christ." The result of this once offered to bear the sins of many." special death is life: "If we be dead with Christ. . . . we There is one problem, however, in taking these shall also live with him." words literally : If all men must die, then all men must The Apostle then tells what liberated Christ from be judged, and the Bible clearly tells of those who will physical death: He was raised. "Knowing that Christ not be judged . "For as many as have sinned without being raised from the dead dieth no more ; death hath law shall also perish without law" (Rom . 2 :12). Again, no more dominion over him ." Christ, having suffered "they [the heathen] shall sleep a perpetual sleep and death and been raised, is no longer subject to its ter- shall not wake, saith the King whose name is the Lord rors-because He was taken to heaven and glorified, of hosts" (Jet . 51 :57). not because the condemnation demanded by Adam's Not all men are accountable to God; again, not all sin had been satisfied . Once His death to sin and sinful men die. tendencies was complete, physical death could have no If we remove Hebrews 9 :27 from the realm of natu- more lasting power over Him because He was then ral death and think instead, in the context of the chap- morally eligible for the crown of life . ter, of the death to sin which has been appointed to all The next verse (10) points up the far-reaching signif- who covenant to serve God, we have a statement which icance of Christ's death to sin: "For in that he died, he is in harmony with Bible teaching : those who establish died unto sin once: but in that he liveth he liveth unto a covenant relationship with God must each die to sin, God." This same death is required of all believers, as and "after this the judgment" - to determine the com- the next verse says : "Likewise reckon ye also yourselves pleteness of that death, as a condition for eligibility for to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through eternal reward. Jesus Christ our Lord" (v. 11). The thought of Christ's role follows on in logical Must all men suffer natural death before receiving sequence: Just as every believer must die to sin, "so was immortality? The answer is no . Jesus said to Martha, Christ once offered to bear the sins of many"-His is a "And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never special ministry in our behalf, to obtain forgiveness for die." And Paul in I Cor. 15 :51, "We shall not all sleep, us, because He is going to return as our Judge and but we shall all be changed." King. Even now He is working in behalf of the Here is a comforting promise to those living just believers, those who are dying to sin, as their mediator, before the second coming of Christ. their intercessor . According to the Lexicon, the word translated "bear" can mean also "to bring, to lead into the presence of, as • Enoch and Elijah Must Die? to a Judge." This definition seems especially appro- "They say that if the death of Jesus had not been priate to Christ, who has indeed gone into the presence inflicted upon him (Jesus), God would still have let him of God, as to a Judge, to intercede for us, to obtain for- die of old-age to fulfill the requirements of giveness for our sins. And "unto them that look for him Adamic condemnation before resurrecting him and shall he appear the second time, without sin, unto giving him eternal life. It would not have been good salvation." MM enough for Him (Christ) to have been translated as

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 25

Set Free Appreciative Happy I have been studying the Bible sub- How thankful I am for the true A happy person is a joy to have jects in your booklets and have a better Word of God and its meaning . God has around for he is not thinking of himself knowledge of what the Scriptures tell not left us in darkness but would have but of others . When we keep our lives me about the man Christ, how He was all come to the light with the promise : in tune with God we will be a happy not God, but man . He that cometh unto me, I will in no person. Prov. 16:20 tells us that "he I was taught early in my Christian wise cast out . that trusteth in the Lord happy is he," life that Christ was really God . But I I am very thankful and appreciative and I Peter 4 :14 tells us that, "If ye be have always had a problem with ac- for all the Megiddo tapes, Bible lessons reproached for the name of Christ cepting this doctrine. Your Bible studies and letters. It gives one much to think happy are ye, for the spirit of glory and set free the doctrine with truth . I about and meditate on his ways. of God resteth upon you, on their part believe He is God's Son, my Redeemer Georgia S. J. he is evil spoken of, but on your part he and Judge, but not God . is glorified ." Oklahoma R. S. Brother Paul's faith and his stirring God Will Strengthen words of determination to press on to the prize that awaited him, "I have We can understand Peter's joy in fought a good fight, I have finished my declaring, "Blessed be the God and course, I have kept the faith" should Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who encourage and give us determination to Everyday Thanksgiving hath begotten us again to a lively hope, do likewise . We are blessed and God has prom- by the ressurection of Jesus Christ from Every day God gives us is sweeter ised protection . By whatever means He the dead. . . . Wherein ye do greatly than the day before. As we see the end accomplishes this wonderful blessing, rejoice" (I Pet. 1 :3-6). of all things coming to a climax before we are very thankful. Our hope projects our minds for- our very eyes we know it won't be long I read an article recently that says, ward to the grand time of blessedness, until God will set up His righteous "Do you know that among our fellow- when the earth will be filled with a Kingdom on earth with Jesus our King men God is trying us out? He is giving righteous people, and praise and thanks- and Lord of all at its head . us the opportunity to walk with one giving shall rise to God from the four Ohio M. W. another and to learn, if we will, how to corners of the earth . Our hope takes live. Our degree of true Christianity can our vision ever forward, through all the be marked and measured by how we trials and problems of life, striving to be treat our fellowmen. This is the Golden purified even as He, Christ, is pure . Rule." Like David of old, let us declare our So we give thanks for our manifold faithfulness and trust in the God of Learn from the blessings, for life, health, food, raiment Israel . "The Lord is my rock and my Experiences of Others and shelter . And as we praise God for fortress, and my high tower ." If we His Truth and His protection and make this great trust ours, if we call Sometimes we have to fail a course promises, let us remember that one of upon the name of the Lord, we know before we learn it. But, if wise enough the finest ways to show our thankful- God will never leave us nor forsake us . we can learn from the experiences of ness is to do good to His people, our He has promised and He will always others and put their experiences to brethren . Let us remember Jesus' words: help and guide us through the darkest good use . "Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one trials . We must remember Jesus' words I was reading about Stephen and of the least of these my brethren, ye spoken to His disciples near unto His how they stoned him to death, and have done it unto me ." darkest hour : "Be of good cheer . Let with his last breath he was begging God This Thanksgiving is to be celebrated not your hearts be troubled ." We can to forgive them. How much he suffered every day of the year that we go forth make the victory ours, even as Jesus and how forgiving he was-even of his to live for God and Truth : that we pay did, by obeying every commandment of enemy. Such an example to follow, and our vows : to be more gentle, kind and God. SUCH faith! I wish I were as strong . true now in the presence of all God will help and strengthen us for Maybe, someday, with God willing and His people. the road ahead. We must watch that with my trying, if only time permits . Iowa W. P . we are close to Him in the Path of Life . Maine R. D. Australia A. B.

26 MEGIDDO MESSAGE/JUNE 1986

∎FINALLY,BRETHREN

The Upsetting Sin How upsettable are you? Have you ever fell the need to wear a label, "Handle with care"?

N HEBREWS 12:1, we find these resolute words, the Lord. "Aunt Lucy," said Mary, "I've been praying "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which for Uncle Joe a lot these days . I've asked the Lord to dothI so easily beset us ." Another translation reads, "Let help him get over his `upsetting' sins ." us fling aside every encumbrance, and the sin that so "You mean `besetting' sins, don't you, dear?" her readily entangles our feet ." Still another, "Let us lay aunt replied . aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely ." "No," said her niece, "I mean `upsetting.' It's upset- And another, "Put away every encumbrance, and the ting him, and you, and everyone else!" sin entangling us ." All of us when we start on the road to life find our- But whatever the exact words, the underlying prob- selves beset with plaguing sins . They are sins to which lem is the same : it is "the sin that doth so easily beset we are prone, which seem to be part of our very being, us." What attracts our attention especially in this state- and for which it is so easy to find an excuse . They are ment is the word "easily"-yes, even "so easily ." We sins which at times we are tempted to believe we can are so easily beset, so easily. never be fully free from . With many it is anger, or its The sign often printed on the carton of certain arti- milder form, impatience . With others it is revenge or a cles being shipped reads : "Handle with care ." Why? spirit to retaliate . With others it is pride; or selfishness ; Because the contents of the carton might be easily or envy, or covetousness. Whatever its nature, we seem damaged with rough handling, so easily . We have all to be born into the world with it, and find we must seen people who could use such a label, printed in the struggle with it our whole life through . front and back : "Handle with care." Perhaps we have Whatever it may be, we are exhorted to "lay it at times felt the need of it ourselves . Yes, we, too, are aside"; subdue it, get rid of it, even crucify it until we so easily beset, so easily. can say with the apostle Paul, "I am crucified with The import of such a sign in connection with aspir- Christ, nevertheless I live" ; and again, "knowing this, ing Christians would be "Handle with care, or you will that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of insult them ." "Handle with care, . . . or you will upset sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not them." Handle with care . . . . or . . . they'll be peeved, serve sin ." or quit, or won't speak to someone, or be out of sorts This is the only way out of the sin which does so for days . easily upset us. Confession alone won't take it away . These "handle-with-care" Christians have an imped- We must actually stop doing the wrong, thinking the iment which is a handicap to Christian living . The wrong, feeling the wrong ; and compel ourselves to do handicap is variously described in the Bible as "the old the unnatural and uneasy . man," the "root of bitterness," being "yet carnal," "the Right now is the time to take the step and tackle our sin which doth so easily beset us ." "upsetting" sins . Right now is the time to "lay aside Little Mary heard the preacher talk about "besetting" every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us" sins and was quite impressed . However, being some- and "run with patience the race" before us (Hebrews what confused, she thought he referred to these vices as 12:1). "upsetting" sins . A few days later she was visiting her It is now or never . MM aunt whose husband was very wayward and far from

JUNE 1986/MEGIDDO MESSAGE 27

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