CHAPTER II
Redemption
JEHOVAH makes it clear in his Word that his purpose has ever been to magnify his Word, to keep his name before men for their own good, and to manifest his loving-kindness toward the children of men. Let the student always keep these truths in mind in the study of prophecy. Also let him bear in mind that at all times, from Eden till this very hour, there has been and is yet in the universe God's archenemy, who is Satan the Devil, and whose purpose is and always has been to defame God and to bring reproach upon his name and to turn men away from Jehovah God. Keeping these things in mind will enable the student to better understand as he progresses in his studies of divine prophecy.
The fact that God created the perfect man and woman and gave them the power to multiply and fill the earth is at least presumptive proof that Jehovah purposed that in some future day that perfect pair should be surrounded by a multitude of perfect children, all dwelling together upon the earth in happiness and giving glory to the great Almighty Creator. Doubtless he had revealed his purpose to the Logos and Lucifer at the time of the laying of the foundation of the world. (Job 38:7) The rebellious Lucifer attempted to spoil the purpose of Jehovah and to obtain the service and worship of man for himself.
Necessarily the issue at once arose, to wit, Would Jehovah maintain his good name and make good his word, or would he be compelled to destroy his creature for ever and thereby admit that his purpose in
the creation of the earth and man upon it had failed? Satan would reason like this: 'If God does carry out the announced penalty of his law by causing Adam to die, that will be an admission that God can not make a man who will maintain his integrity and his allegiance to Jehovah, and will therefore prove that God's efforts at creation have failed. If God does not kill Adam according to the announced penalty of his law, then God proves himself a liar and no one of his creatures will have confidence in God. In either event God's creatures, losing confidence in him, will turn away from him, and I shall receive the worship of man and probably other creatures [which he so much coveted].'
It was Satan's desire and probably his belief that God would not kill Adam; hence he boldly concocted and told the first lie: "Ye shall not surely die." He not only made God out a liar, but challenged God to carry out the penalty of his law, reasoning that by so doing God would prove his own weakness. Therefore the rebellion of Lucifer and the fall of man at once involved the word and name of the great Creator. What would God do in vindication thereof?
God did pronounce the sentence of death on man, but did not carry it into immediate execution. He expelled Adam from Eden and turned His face away from man. If those conditions should continue for ever, with man completely alienated from God, and man should continue to live, man would therein suffer mental torment. Probably the doctrine of eternal torment originated at that time with Satan, and from the time that Adam was expelled from the presence of God till now Satan has kept that defamatory doctrine alive. If God should have compassion upon Adam and set aside his judgment and ignore it thereafter, what
would be the effect on his creatures? Man would conclude that he could sin again and continue to violate God's law with impunity. The angels of heaven would also conclude that they could do likewise. The fact that God did not put Adam to death immediately was doubtless used by Satan to turn many of the angels of heaven away from Jehovah and to cause them to follow Satan. Satan would therefore prove to himself, and have some tangible evidence for others, that God's not having put man to death made God a liar and destroyed the reason for confidence of his creatures in him. Doubtless this was the reason why many of the angels turned away from Jehovah and followed after Satan.
Men have insisted that God should have forgiven Adam and extended mercy toward him and not enforced the penalty of his law. In support of their conclusion they cite the words of Jesus addressing Peter. Peter asked Jesus how often he should forgive his brother if he sinned against him. Jesus answered: "Until seventy times seven." (Matt. 18:21,22) Those who use this as an argument in support of the contention that God should have forgiven Adam, do not recognize that the relationship between two men who are brothers is very different from that of God toward his perfect creature. The creature Adam was perfect and deliberately violated his Maker's law. The words of Jesus related to brothers, both of whom were imperfect and therefore sinners, and who should have due consideration for the weaknesses of each other. Adam was a perfect man; and his obligation was to obey God's law. The statement of that law was plain and explicit. (Gen. 2:16,17) There was at least an implied covenant on the part of Adam to keep that law, and he was able to do so; therefore the question
of repentance and forgiveness could not be taken into consideration.
Furthermore, if man could sin deliberately and be forgiven, there would be no reason why the angels of heaven also might not sin and be forgiven. The very foundation of God's entire universe would be shaken. With all these questions that are perplexing to the creature the great Creator was in no wise disturbed. God knew from the very beginning what would be the end, and he let Lucifer and his other creatures reason as they might choose and take the course that they might desire. God's wisdom is too great for creatures, even including the enemy Satan. (Ps. 10: 5; Prov. 24:7; Rom. 11:33) God does, however, open his treasure-house of knowledge and gives wisdom to those who love him, and he permits them to see some of the riches thereof. (Ps. 111: 10; 25: 9) In due time Jehovah will prove to all intelligent creation that Satan's logic was entirely false, that his conclusions were wrong, and that all who have followed in his way have been evil. God will prove that He is the only all-wise, just and all-powerful and loving One, that there is no other God besides him, and that those who will have life must obtain it in God's appointed way.
At the same time that God pronounced his sentence of death against Adam, he also pronounced the judgment of death against Satan. He has deferred the execution of the latter even to a day future. Doubtless Lucifer also used this fact to induce the angels of heaven to follow his way, for many of them did so. Therefore it is clear that the issue from then till now is, Who is the great supreme God? That is now the issue that must be determined.
God must be just and must therefore put Adam to death. He had his own good purpose in delaying the
execution of his judgment for nine hundred and more years. That judgment of death has affected all of Adam's offspring. (Rom. 5:12) All being born sinners, all men are entirely helpless to bring about a reconciliation of man to God. If man is ever to be justified and stand right before his Maker, God must provide the way. God alone is wise enough and powerful enough to do it; and, knowing the end from the beginning, he did make provision for man's justification or reconciliation. Paul, having learned wisdom from the Lord, told how God was just and the justifier of man. — Rom. 3: 24,26.
From the very day of the expulsion of Adam from Eden God began to utter prophecy relating to the restitution of man. While God knew the end from the beginning, Satan was not wise enough to know that. In pronouncing the judgment Jehovah foretold of "the seed" that would come in some future day, but not from Adam, which "seed" should be the complete conqueror of Satan and should destroy death and its power. No one was wise enough to know when and how the "seed" and conqueror would come. God made the statement of the fact, and that is all-sufficient. — Gen. 3:15.
COVERING
God prepared the skins of animals, and with these made a covering for Adam and Eve. That was a prophetic act. Necessarily one or more animals must die in order to provide such covering of skins. The covering was provided because of sin. Thus God prophetically indicated that the sin of man could be covered and hid from his sight, but only by and through the death of another. The death of the one furnishing a cover must be a substitute for Adam's
life. That prophetic act of Jehovah pointed to the further fact that he would provide a substitute for man to redeem man; that the Redeemer must become such at a great cost; and that he must be strong and overcome the enemy. From time to time God continued to put things before man which pointed to the future Redeemer. It remained for the latter day, when men are provided with the Bible and have the spirit of the Lord, for them to understand these things by the grace of God. Now, thanks be unto God, the time has come for man to understand and appreciate to at least some degree God's wisdom, love and power.
DEFINITIONS
Jehovah having uttered a prophecy concerning the Redeemer, let us now determine what is meant by the term "redeemer". The meaning of the words "redeem" and "redeemer" must be ascertained from the Scriptures. In the Old Testament two Hebrew words are generally employed to translate the words "redeem" and "redeemer". The word gaal is one of the words mentioned, and means to buy back by the next of kin or the avenger, and to deliver by the payment of a purchase price. (Lev. 25: 25,48; Ex. 6:6) The word padah is also employed, and means to rescue, make free or set free, or deliver. (Deut. 13: 5; Hos. 13:14) Therefore the correct understanding of "redeemer", according to the Scriptures, is that the next of kin or the avenger could pay the purchase price required and thereby make free or deliver the one held in bondage. By that means redemption of the one bound is accomplished.
The Scriptural proof is that when Adam sinned the bondage of death resulted to him, and that therein all men have come under such bondage. (Rom. 5:12;
8: 21) If man is to be delivered from that bondage, it must be done by one who can pay and is willing to pay the price that is required; and that one must be strong and able to resist and overcome the power which has kept man in bondage. The first prophecy uttered indicated that there would be a great conflict in connection with the redemption of man from bondage, and that the Deliverer must be a conqueror. The purpose at this time is to show that God prophesied the coming of such a great Redeemer and Deliverer, or means by which deliverance should be accomplished. The purpose is also to show that this was foretold by prophetic words and prophetic action.
SACRIFICE
Jehovah gave respect to the sacrifice of animals. The offering of animals as sacrifices prophetically pointed to what God would require for the release of man from bondage. Abel and Cain each brought an offering for sacrifice unto the Lord. The sacrifice of Abel was the firstling of his flock, and God had respect to that sacrifice. The act of giving respect to that sacrifice by Jehovah must have prophetically pointed to what would be required for man's release from bondage, because 2500 years thereafter God commanded the Israelites to make a similar sacrifice. (Gen. 4:4; Num. 18:17) The sacrifice of Cain was not acceptable unto the Lord. The reason is now apparent to the careful student, to wit, that Cain's sacrifice was only the fruit of the ground and did not require the giving up of life; whereas the sacrifice that Abel brought required the shedding of blood. "By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain." (Heb. 11: 4) This does not mean that God took pleasure in the slaying of animals. It
does mean that it prophetically pointed forward to the time when God would accept a life as a substitute for that which Adam had forfeited, and that such life would be the price of redemption.
There is no Scriptural evidence that men in early times had any knowledge of the real purpose of sacrifice, but faithful men learned that the sacrifice of life had respect by Jehovah and that this had something to do with man's future blessing. Their faith in God was pleasing to him. By receiving such sacrifice the Lord was making prophecy. Jehovah had no real pleasure or satisfaction in the sacrifice of animals, but such was his method of prophesying concerning his purpose of providing redemption for man. In his due time he would reveal to the faithful ones the meaning thereof, and thereby their faith and confidence in him would be made strong. (Heb. 10:6) That men had such faith in Jehovah God is proven by what followed.
When Noah came out of the ark he slew animals and offered them in sacrifice unto God, and the Lord had respect to such sacrifices. (Gen. 8: 20) That time was far removed from the time of Eden, but undoubtedly the sacrifice offered by Noah was a remembrance of sin and of the necessity for a substitute for the sinners; hence the sacrifice was a prophetic act.
Abraham was justified by faith and he manifested his faith in God by offering up animals in sacrifice. This he did as soon as he reached the land of Canaan. (Gen. 12: 7) It is not to be understood that Abraham knew God's plan of redemption, but he had faith in God that whatever God did was right; and God directed Abraham's action, and his sacrifice of animals unto God was a silent prophecy pointing to something better in the future. Then God subsequently directed Abraham in making a sacrifice that spoke with
prophetic eloquence of the great sacrifice to be made in the future for man's redemption. God commanded Abraham to take his only son Isaac, whom he loved, and offer him for a burnt offering. (Gen. 22:1-18) Abraham proceeded to do as he was commanded; and when he had gone to the very point of slaying his only beloved son, God stayed his hand. Immediately Jehovah provided an animal for sacrifice in the place of Isaac. By the acts there performed a great prophecy had been uttered with just as much force as if the son had been actually killed. Here was not only a prophecy of what God would require as the price for man's redemption, but an interpretation of the meaning of the sacrifice of animals. It showed that the sacrifice of animals was merely a prophetic picture saying in substance that in some future day there must be a sacrifice of life that will furnish the great cost price for the redemption of man, and that that life must be a substitute for Adam and therefore a perfect life.
In that prophetic picture Abraham represented God, while Isaac, Abraham's only son, represented God's only beloved Son Christ Jesus. Offering up his only son was a great cost to Abraham and prophetically said: Jehovah God is the Redeemer of man by reason of the fact that he makes provision for redemption, and that provision is made with great cost to Jehovah. There was nothing in what Abraham did in connection with the sacrifice to interpret the prophetic picture. But today the student of the Scriptures can well see that God did thereby foretell how the Redeemer would be found and provided, and that in order to be the redeemer of man such Redeemer must die sacrificially.
When God was about to deliver his people from the bondage of Egypt, which bondage represented the bondage of mankind to their oppressor, the enemy Satan, he caused the Israelites to offer a male lamb without blemish. Its blood was sprinkled over the doorpost of each residence, and where that blood was sprinkled the firstborns were protected from death. The Passover lamb was sacrificed, and then Moses, as the active deliverer, led the Israelites out of bondage. (Ex. 12:1-51) Primarily the slain lamb stood for Moses, who could not die and still lead the Israelites out; and therefore the lamb prophetically foretold the Greater than Moses and the One whom Moses represented, and that He should die as a sacrifice.
When God gave the Israelites his law at Mount Sinai he provided for the tabernacle and prescribed the ceremonies to be performed in the use thereof. (Ex. 25:1-40) The tenth day of the seventh month of each year was the one day of the year on which the Israelites were to afflict themselves because of their shortcomings and transgressions. That was their annual atonement day. On that day animals must be slain and the priest must take the blood of those animals and carry it into the Most Holy of the tabernacle and sprinkle the blood upon the mercy seat. First the blood of the bullock, and then the blood of the Lord's goat, was thus sprinkled. That ceremony made atonement for the sins of the people for the year. Doubtless that is all the Jews could see about what was done. They could not understand the real meaning of these sacrifices. There again, however, a great prophecy was uttered. That prophecy showed that one must be found to be offered up as a sacrifice for mankind, and how atonement should be accomplished. The court that surrounded the tabernacle
was the place where the animals were slain, and represented the earth where the great sacrifice must be made. The Most Holy represented heaven itself, and there the blood must be sprinkled; saying in effect that the great redemptive price for the release of man must be paid in heaven and that that price must be a life poured out in sacrifice.
Jehovah caused his chosen people by their very course of action to utter prophecy relating to the future. He showed that the Redeemer must also be the Deliverer. Egypt was holding the Israelites in restraint, with Pharaoh as the ruler thereof representing Satan and his organized power holding mankind in restraint. Moses, strong in the Lord and in the power of his might, delivered the Israelites, thereby uttering a prophecy which said: 'The day will come when the Greater than Moses shall rise who will redeem and deliver the human race from the bondage of the enemy.' Likewise David, in rescuing the Israelites from their enemies, representatively prophesied that God would send a Mighty One who would rescue the people and deliver them from their enemies.
Then God caused men who were really devoted to him to speak words of prophecy concerning the Redeemer. It is not to be expected that those men would understand the meaning of the words they uttered concerning the Redeemer, but they spoke or wrote as the power of God moved them.
In his great suffering and tribulation Job represented, among other things, humankind suffering and desiring to be delivered. Job first speaks of the goodness of God and the insignificance of man, and how impossible it is for imperfect man to bring himself into harmony with his Creator. Then he adds: "There is no umpire [mediator] betwixt us that might
lay his hand upon us both." (Job 9: 33, R. V.) This prophecy said in substance: There must be one to go between God and man, which mediator God will provide for the deliverance of man. Then Job gave utterance to these prophetic words: "But I know that my redeemer liveth, and as the Last over my dust will he arise; and though after my skin is struck off this followeth, yet apart from my flesh shall I see God." — Job 19: 25, 26, Rotherham.
Jehovah caused his prophet to utter these words: "I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death." (Hos. 13:14) The word "redeem" in this text means to buy back with a price, and the word "ransom" employed in the same text means to rescue, make free and deliver. The prophecies therefore mean that some day in his appointed way God would buy back the right of man to life, and buy this right with a price, and would rescue, deliver and set men free from the power of death and the grave.
Relating to the same matter God caused his prophet to write: "They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem [deliver and make free] his brother, nor give to God a ransom [provide the covering or redemptive price] for him: . . . that he should still live for ever, and not see corruption." (Ps. 49:6-9) Regardless of all the riches a man might possess, he could not provide the price required to make himself or his brother or the human family free. God must make the provision. Then the prophecy is uttered that God will do that very thing for man. "Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty
shall consume in the grave from their dwelling. But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave: for he shall receive me." — Ps. 49:14,15.
Gradually God, by words and the actions taken by his people under his direction, disclosed his purpose to provide redemption by the sacrifice of a life as a substitute for Adam. Then through his prophets he tells more specifically of his purposes. He foretells the coming of a man entirely pure and free from sin; that he would be offered as a sacrifice and would willingly submit to death; that he would pour out his being in death and in his death would provide the great cost price that would redeem man from death and the grave; that the perfect man would die as though he were a sinner, yet being without sin, and his life would be made an offering for sin; that God would raise him up again, that Jehovah's purpose would prosper in his hand and that he should not only be the Redeemer of man by his own life-blood but be a great Conqueror and triumph over the enemy. Among other things in this wonderful prophecy he uses these words:
"Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his gener-
ation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of ray people was he stricken. And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief; when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied; by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." — Isa. 53:4-12.
The prophetic evidence proves beyond a doubt that from the very moment Lucifer rebelled and man fell God purposed to provide a perfect human being on earth who would prove his complete loyalty and faithfulness to God, maintain his integrity and devotion to Jehovah, be wholly submissive to God's will and willingly die as a substitute for Adam, and thereby provide a covering and a redemptive price for man; and that that Mighty One God would raise up out of death, grant unto him the divine nature and use him to vindicate his own Word and great name.
THE TEST
How shall we know that these prophecies are true? The answer is, Because they completely meet the divinely-provided test. Every prophet that spoke the truth spoke in the name of Jehovah; there-
fore the prophecy is Jehovah's Word. Jehovah provided the test by which the people might know the truth or falsity of such prophecy. All the prophecy herein set forth exactly complies with those requirements; namely, all were spoken in the name of Jehovah, all tend to turn the people to Jehovah and teach them that he is the Almighty God, and many of the prophecies have been fulfilled or are in course of fulfilment, thereby proving that the prophets who spoke were God's prophets and spoke his Word of truth. If some of the prophecies thus spoken have already been fulfilled, then with absolute confidence we may expect the other portions of the prophecy to be fulfilled.
FULFILMENT
Jesus was born exactly at the place foretold by God's prophet. (Mic. 5:2) He was begotten, not by man, but by the power of Jehovah God, and was therefore pure and without defilement. (Matt. 1:18; Heb. 7: 26) He was brought into the world to speak, and did speak, in the name of Jehovah God. (John 6: 38, 57) He was born a Jew under the law, and was therefore raised up from among his brethren, even as Moses had prophesied. (Deut. 18:15,18; Gal. 4:4) When he appeared to begin his work on earth as a man, John the Baptist, one of the greatest of the prophets, pointing toward Jesus, said: "Behold the Lamb of God [Jesus, foretold as the sacrificial or Paschal Lamb], which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) Jesus had come to be offered up as a sacrifice even as the lamb was offered by the Israelites, and the life of Jesus would be poured out for the sin of the world. The prophet of Jehovah had foretold that he would come 'to comfort those
that mourn'. (Isa. 61:1,2) Jesus went about doing good and comforting those who did mourn, healing the sick and opening the eyes of the blind. (Luke 4:18; Matt. 11: 28) All mankind was in bondage to death and in need of life, and Jesus said: "I am come that they might have life." (John 10:10) He further said that he came to give his life a ransom, the purchase price, for man. —Matt. 20: 28; John 6: 51.
Jesus was persecuted and oppressed; he was assaulted and wrongfully charged with crime; he was tried and convicted as though he were a wicked person, and was crucified between two thieves, all of which had been foretold of and concerning him by God's prophet. He was raised from death by the power of Jehovah. (Acts 10: 38-40) He was raised, and ascended into heaven, the great Conqueror over death, and is alive for evermore, and still leads on, the Conqueror over all opposition. (Rev. 1:18; 6:2) As to why his life-blood was poured out in death God's inspired witness testified, to wit: "We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour: that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." — Heb. 2:9.
"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." (1 Tim. 2:5,6) "Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you." — 1 Pet. 1:18-20.
He was offered "to bear the sins of many". 'He hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.' (Heb. 9: 26-28) "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." (Eph. 1:7) "But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; and that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby." —Eph. 2:13-16.
"In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins; and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven." (Col. 1:14, 20) "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." — Acts 4:12.
FALSE PROPHETS
The clergymen or pastors of the various churches of modern times claim to be prophets speaking in the name of God. Before their congregations they sometimes speak of the name of God and of Jesus, and they deny the power thereof. In this they fulfil the prophecy uttered of and concerning them. (Isa. 29: 13; 2 Tim. 3:5) They deny the Bible's testimony of man's creation, his sin and fall; they deny that man needs a redeemer, and deny the blood of Jesus poured out as the purchase price for man's redemption. They
wholly renounce the great ransom sacrifice. Dr. Barnes, bishop of Birmingham, England, is a sample of the many modern clergymen, and from a sermon delivered by him on September 26, 1927, the following is a quotation:
"In this age of social and moral confusion, of intellectual progress and unrest, the turmoil was so great that few landmarks seemed safe, and the religious beliefs and traditions of our forefathers were sharply challenged.
"Were they to cling to the old faith? We would rather say: Welcome new discoveries with an open mind and reverence the great men who made them. But let them remember that, behind all the new knowledge, the fundamental issues of life would remain veiled.
"Today there is, among competent men of science, unanimous agreement that man has been evolved from an ape-like stock. He arose, possibly a million years ago, from a tangle of apes which began to vary in different directions.
"As a result the stories of the creation of Adam and Eve, of their primal innocence and of their fall, have become for us folklore. But by the men who built up Catholic theology they were accepted as solid fact. Man's special creation was one of the primary assumptions of the Catholic system. In it the fall explained the sin.
"Darwin's triumph has destroyed the whole theological scheme. Man is not a being who has fallen from an ideal state of perfect innocence: he is an animal slowly gaining spiritual understanding and, with the gain, rising far above his distant ancestors."
Ask almost any clergyman of the present time concerning the purchase of mankind by the blood of
Jesus, and he will tell you that the blood of Jesus was not shed as a redemptive price. Whether ignorant of the great array of divine prophecy concerning the Redeemer and redemption, or whether these men deliberately misrepresent the truth, does not matter as to the truth or falsity of their words. Put to the divine test, their words are proven false, because (1) they deny the Word of God; (2) their prophecy concerning man's being able to save himself has never come true and never will; and (3) their teachings turn men away from Jehovah God and produce agnostics and infidels. Therefore such men are false prophets and are representatives of their father the Devil, and his bidding they do even as did their counterparts in the days of the Jews. — John 8:42-44.
The sacrifice of animals, offered by the Jews and made to prophetically show God's purpose, the modern clergyman claims to abhor. Human sacrifice for the sin of man is to them even more abhorrent. The real trouble with such clergymen is that they do not wish to acknowledge that man is a sinner and that he is wholly dependent upon God for his redemption, deliverance and restitution to life.
All people know from observation and experience that man is imperfect, subject to sickness, pain and death. They know that no man has ever been able to bring himself up to the point of perfection or to live everlastingly. The greatest desire of all sane persons is that they might have life. They want to know the truth. There is no truth except that which is contained in God's Word or which is fully in harmony with God's Word of truth as set forth in the Bible. Concerning this Jesus said: "Thy word is truth." (John 17:17) To know and follow the truth means to know the way to life.
The great array of prophetic utterances concerning redemption of man, accepted and supported by the fulfilment of that prophecy, is conclusive proof that the prophets of God foretold the truth. These prophecies furnish the foundation for faith and the confidence of all honest persons to go on in the study of prophecy. Let the people therefore disregard the theories advanced by men and devote themselves to an honest and careful study of God's Word of truth. So doing they will learn that Jehovah is the only true God and that he employs the good office of the great Redeemer, the Prophet, Priest and King, to lead men to the way of life. As the honest person pursues these studies it opens to him the great treasure house of knowledge and wisdom leading to boundless blessings. Who then is the great Prophet, Priest and King, who will deliver the people from their bondage and show them the way to life?
