Volume 73 Price 3d. Number 26 Warburton, Victoria, Australia, June 30, 1958 Britain recently placed her aircraft industry on display at Farnsworth. Here pictured is her Vickers-Armstrong "Valiant" bomber. THE SHAPE OF TO COME Are We Entering a Millennium of Peace? What the Bible Says About the Future. S the whole world in trouble?" asks VIRGIL C. BECRAFT things begin to come to pass, then look the heading of an article in a recent up, and lift up your heads; for your re- I issue of U.S. News and World Report. demption draweth nigh." In answer the article declares, "Suddenly, this earth. He said there would be "upon All the unrest, suspicion, distress, and the world is out of kilter. It's a time earth distress of nations with perplexity ; the highly explosive international situa- when anything can happen." On the . men's hearts failing them for fear, tions that bring nations to the brink of next two pages, a double spread describ- and for looking after those things which war are soon to be things of the past. ing the dismal outlook presents twenty- are coming on the earth : for the powers Jesus will come to reign as "King of seven trouble spots around the world, of heaven shall be shaken. And then kings, and Lord of lords." Indeed, we with the comment, "Everywhere you shall they see the Son of man coming live at the time when we may expect the look the earth is beset with worry and in a cloud with power and great glory." fulfilment of the prophecy of Daniel, "In strife." (Luke 21: 25-27.) He told His followers the days of these kings shall the God of Such conditions are none other than that when they would see such world ten- heaven set up a kingdom, which shall the fulfilment of Jesus' words describing sions they were to recognize them as signs never be destroyed: and the kingdom the world situation before His return to of His imminent return. "When these shall not be left to other people, but it ( (Registered at the G.P.O.. Melbourne, for transmission by post as a newspaper} shall break in pieces and consume all After this, the Bible says, God will hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have these kingdoms, and it shall stand for "create new heavens and a new earth." entered into the heart of man, the things ever." Dan. 2: 44. Isa. 65: 17. See also Rev. 21: 1. "He which God hath prepared for them that The setting up of the kingdom of Christ will make an utter end: affliction shall not love Him." 1 Cor. 2: 9. will not be accomplished by human legis- rise up the second time." (Nahum 1: 9.) Then this glorious promise will become lation or by a resolution passed at the In that renovated earth, freed from all reality : "Behold, the tabernacle of God United Nations. Contrary to the widely trace of sin, "Death shall be no more, is with men, and He will dwell with them, prevalent conception, there is not going neither shall there be mourning nor cry- and they shall be His people, and God to be a millennium of peace and good will ing nor pain any more, for the former Himself shall be with them, and be their before the advent of Christ. The word things have passed away." Rev. 21: 4, God. And God shall wipe away all tears "millennium" is not found in the Bible at R.S.V. from their eyes; and there shall be no all, although in the Book of Revelation The righteous dead will be raised at the more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, there is reference to a thousand-year first resurrection to receive "a crown of neither shall there be any more pain : for period when Satan will be bound and not righteousness." (2 Tim. 4: 8.) "On the former things are passed away. And permitted to deceive the nations. such," we are told, "the second death He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, Christ's second advent will be the hath no power." (Rev. 20: 6.) They I make all things new. And He said unto consummation of the history of the world reign with Christ as priests of God dur- me, Write : for these words are true and and will bring to realization the brightest ing the thousand years, and at the end faithful." Rev. 21: 3-5. hopes of mankind. Eternal life will then will receive their eternal inheritance when This eternal abode will bring to realiza- be bestowed upon both the righteous liv- "the kingdoms of this world . become tion all the hopes and aspirations of man- ing and the righteous dead who will be the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His kind. You may be there to enjoy it. The raised incorruptible and immortal. 1 Christ; and He shall reign for ever and invitation is given to you personally, Cor. 15: 51-55. ever." Rev. 11 : 15. "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. What will become of the wicked when Peace and security will no longer be And let him that heareth say, Come. And Jesus comes? The Bible says that they subject to the caprice of men and the let him that is athirst come. And who- will be destroyed by "the brightness of domination of Satan. All that will be soever will, let him take the water of life His coming." 2 Thess. 2: 8. past. Of that happy state, we read, "Eye freely." Rev. 22 : 17. The righteous, both those living when Christ comes, and the resurrected dead, will then be "caught up . in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air : and WEIGHED. NOT COUNTED so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thess. 4: 17. They will live and reign The Supreme Importance of Unselfish Love with Christ a thousand years. Rev. 20: 4. ARTHUR L. BIETZ This is the time commonly called "the millennium," because it refers to the HERE is a wall in the lobby of an Whether one believes this or not would period when Satan is bound "that he American hospital which bears make a great deal of difference to his should deceive the nations no more, till T this inscription : "God does not life, for to capture the meaning of these the thousand years should be fulfilled." count your good deeds; He only weighs words and to incorporate them into real- Verse 3. them." The nurses, doctors, and patients ity is to accept the Master's way. The destruction of the wicked at who pause long enough to interrupt their On one side of the ledger we have a Christ's coming, and the removal of all busy schedules and read this simple motto feverish compulsion which may whip a the righteous from the earth, will leave are very often struck by the undisguised person on and on—to organize charities, only Satan and his evil angels. This con- truth which it proclaims. to donate vast sums of money to the stitutes the "binding." under-privileged, even to build institu- In speaking of the wicked, the revelator tions—all of which is beautiful, but not says, "The rest of the dead lived not unless it is inspired by unselfish love. If again until the thousand years were fin- it is done merely to pacify a conscience or ished." Verse 5. Satan will be confined to benefit self-admiration, then it is a puff to this earth, which by then will have of smoke—coming out of nowhere and become "empty," and "waste," and "up- disintegrating into nothingness. side down." Isa. 24: 1. On the other side we have the story of Satan will be released from his "prison" the three mighty soldiers in the service by the resurrection of the wicked, of The Lord Is My Shepherd of King David. The Philistines were be- whom it is said, "The rest of the dead sieging Bethlehem; but when David ex- lived not again until the thousand years Pearl Waggoner Howard pressed the desire for just one drink from were finished." Rev. 20 : 5. Then all the well of Bethlehem, these three men those who have been his followers through The Lord is my Shepherd—He knoweth the way risked their lives, broke through the ranks the ages will again be gathered under I see not, when tears my eyes dim; of the Philistines, and brought their king his malevolent leadership, "the number He promises strength shall be mine as the that for which his heart had longed. It of whom is as the sand of the sea." day. was merely a cup of water—that is all; Verse 8. I have none at all save in Him. but in it was mixed the lifeblood of The Holy City and "the camp of the The Lord is my Shepherd; He makes us friends who were devoted and fearless. saints" which will at that time descend to lie It avails nothing to think of accom- "from God out of heaven" (Rev. 21: 2) Where He in His wisdom sees best. plishment in terms oa _lumbers. As soon will then be surrounded by the originator He promises all of my need to supply, as we begin to count our increase, our of evil and his followers, and fire will In midst of affliction gives rest. talents, our clothes, or even our friends, come down from God out of heaven and we move out of the shadow of unselfish destroy them (Rev.