SALVATION

CHAPTER IV

THE RANSOM

JEHOVAH GOD is the Savior of men, and he has provided and revealed to man the sure foundation for hope of salvation: "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ." (1 Corinthians 3:11) "This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." — Acts 4:11,12.

Why did God lay the foundation for salvation of sinful men? For the vindication of his holy name. The challenge of Satan put God's name at issue. Imperfect men, when relieved from inherited disability, and who then prove their integrity toward God, are a vindication of the name of Jehovah and a complete refutation and disproval of Satan's challenge. The judgment entered against Adam was just. It must stand forever. Adam's offspring are sinners by reason of inherited sin. God could consistently permit another to purchase the offspring of Adam; and those men who would exercise faith in God and in the purchaser and render themselves in obedience and who would then maintain their integrity toward God would be a vindication of God's name. God exercised mercy towards sinful man

by laying the foundation for man's salvation. How is the foundation for man's salvation laid? It was laid by permitting the man Jesus to bring the required price for the purchase of mankind, that is, the descendants of Adam, and pay over that purchase price for the relief or release of such offspring of Adam from bondage.

What price is required for the purchase of mankind? The life of a perfect human creature. God's law requires a life for a life. (Deuteronomy 19: 21) Adam was a perfect man when he willfully and deliberately sinned in violation of God's law, and the law of God required the forfeiture in death of that perfect human life. (Genesis 2:17) Nothing less and nothing more could be required to purchase the offspring of Adam, but only a perfect life. The life of an angel could not furnish the perfect price, because an angel is greater than man. Because all of Adam's offspring are by inheritance imperfect, no one thereof could bring the required purchase price. (Psalm 49:7) All men, being imperfect, could live only a short space of time and then die and remain dead forever, unless God makes provision for such to have life. What has been done for man's relief from death and for his salvation to life?

The answer to the foregoing question is found in the scripture, to wit: "But 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." (Hebrews 2:9) Since Jesus always does the will of God, it must have been understood between God and his beloved

Son that Jesus should become a man, "lower than the angels," and suffer death, thereby proving his faithfulness unto God even to an ignominious death, and by his death also providing the required purchase price for man's salvation from death. The original name of the Son was Logos, and from the beginning the Logos was with God and, by God's direction, carried into operation God's purpose. He was the spokesman of Jehovah God. He was a spirit. By the miraculous power of Almighty God a virgin conceived and gave birth to the man-child Jesus. (Matthew 1:18-23) It is written that from the beginning the Son was "the Word", or Logos, "with God," and by him were all things created. — John 1:1-3, Diaglott.

The time came to begin laying the foundation for man's salvation and God caused the Logos to become a man. "And the Logos became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, a glory as of an Only-begotten from a Father, full of favor and truth." (John 1:14, Diaglott) "But when the completion of the time arrived, God sent forth his son, having been produced from a woman, born under law." (Galatians 4:4, Diaglott) "And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him." — Luke 2:40.

When the man Jesus was thirty years of age he presented himself unto God in full and complete consecration or agreement to do the will of God, and this was symbolized by his immersion in the Jordan river. (Luke 3: 21-23; Psalm 40:7,8; Matthew 3:16,17) Jesus was then a perfect man possessing all the qualifications req-

uisite to the furnishing of the purchase price of sinful man. Was there an agreement between Jesus and his Father, Jehovah God, that he, Jesus, the man, should die? The answer is written: "As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep." "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father." — John 10:15,17,18.

From the beginning, it clearly appears, it was agreed between the Father and the Son that Jesus should become a man, suffer contradiction and indignities and reproach upon his name, prove his integrity toward God, die as a sinner, and, proving his faithfulness, then be resurrected out of death and take life again, which would mean that by his death Jesus did not forfeit his life or the right thereto, as Adam had forfeited life. Jesus laid down his life and received life again in full accord with the commandment he had received from Jehovah God, and which commandment Jesus fully agreed to obey. Carrying out that agreement, God raised Jesus out of death and gave him life as a spirit.  — 1 Peter 3:18; Acts 3:26; 1 Corinthians 15: 3,4, 20.

Jesus, not having forfeited his right to human life, still possessed that right to human life when he was raised from the dead; and that right to human life constitutes the purchase price for sinful man. When God raised Jesus

from the dead he clothed Jesus with all power in heaven and in earth; that is to say, God made Jesus Christ his Executive Officer, fully equipped with all necessary power and authority to carry into operation the purpose of Jehovah, both in heaven and in earth. (Matthew 28:18; Philippians 2: 9-11) When Jesus Christ was exalted to heaven he presented to God in heaven the value of his human life; and that asset, which was exactly equal to what Adam had forfeited, was received by Jehovah God as the offering of Jesus for sin, that is to say, as the purchase price offered and presented by Jesus in behalf of sinful men. This God caused to be shown in type or picture in the sacrifice performed at the tabernacle in the wilderness. (See Leviticus chapter 16.) On the typical atonement day the picture was made in this manner:

A bullock without spot or blemish, which represented the man Jesus, was brought into the court of the tabernacle and slain there, which court of the tabernacle pictured the earth. The blood of the bullock, representing the lifeblood of Jesus, which lifeblood was poured out as an offering for sin (Isaiah 53:10), was then carried by the typical priest into the Most Holy of the tabernacle and thereafter sprinkled upon the mercy seat. (Leviticus 16:14) The Most Holy of the tabernacle pictured heaven itself, where Jesus Christ appeared, presented and offered the asset or valuable thing, his right to human life, as the purchase price for the offspring of Adam. (Hebrews 9:3-25) The sacrifice offered at the tabernacle in the wilderness once each year on the typical atonement day foreshadowed or

pictured the work of Jesus in offering himself, that is, his human life, as the purchase price for man. Concerning the type, or picture, and the reality, it is written: "Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God. But into the second [the holiest of all, or Most Holy, picturing heaven] went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people." "It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us. Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; for then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared, to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself ." — Hebrews 9:6,7,23-26.

Thus it is seen that Christ Jesus, God's great High Priest, the spirit creature, when he appeared in heaven, presented and offered unto Jehovah the asset he possessed, to wit, his right to human life, as the purchase price for man, which offering was accepted by Jehovah, and Christ Jesus became the owner of all of Adam's offspring that willingly comply with the rules of Jehovah governing salvation. Thus God laid the foundation in Christ Jesus for the salvation of

man, and there is no other possible means of salvation.

The lifeblood of the man Jesus is the ransom price for man. As God declares in his law: "The life of the flesh is in the blood: . . . the blood of it is for the life thereof." (Leviticus 17:11,14) So the lifeblood of the man Jesus is the asset, the valuable thing, by which he ransomed sinful men. The English words ransom, redeem, redeemed and redemption are often used in the Bible, but do not always mean the same thing exactly. That part of the Bible written by the inspired followers of Christ Jesus and which for long has been commonly called "the New Testament" is translated from the Greek into the English, and in our Authorized Version of the Bible different Greek works are translated ransom. While comparatively few persons read the Greek, it will be profitable to here call attention to the different Greek words used in translating ransom, and these words appearing herein in English will enable all students to get an understanding. A well-known authority is Parkhurst. Parkhurst's Greek and English Lexicon says concerning "ransom": "Anti´lytron is from anti [meaning] in return, or correspondency; and lytron, a ransom. — A ransom, price of redemption, or rather a correspondent ransom. 'It properly signifies a price by which captives are redeemed from the enemy; and that kind of exchange in which the life of one is redeemed by the life of another.' [Hyperius] So Aristotle uses the verb antilytro´o for redeeming life by life."

The word anti´lytron appears only once in the Scriptures, and that in the following text, to wit: "Who gave himself a ransom in behalf of all [whom God wills to be saved (verse 4)], the testimony in its own seasons; for which I was appointed a herald and an apostle." (1 Timothy 2:4-7, Emphatic Diaglott) According to Parkhurst: "Who gave himself a correspondent ransom."

This text does not say or mean that Adam was or is ransomed, but does mean that the human perfection once possessed by the perfect man Adam (and which human perfection carried with it the right to life, which life and right thereto were forfeited by the willful disobedience of Adam) is purchased or bought back or ransomed for Adam's offspring, who were prevented from receiving that life and right thereto by reason of Adam's sin. The offspring of Adam who accept God's provision for their purchase, and who comply with God's fixed rules concerning the same, are privileged to receive the benefit of the ransom price. By his own lifeblood Jesus ransomed or purchased life and the right to human life for those of Adam's offspring that are saved. The clear meaning of the Scripture is this, to wit: That God desires all men to be saved and to come to an accurate knowledge of the truth who comply with his fixed and unchangeable provisions. "For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; who will have all men to be saved [by availing themselves of the ransom price, because God is impartial], and [then] to come unto [an accurate] knowledge of the truth

[in order that they might continue to walk in the right way]. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all [who will be saved], to be testified in due time." (1 Timothy 2: 3-6, A.V.) It is this gracious provision that God has made for the salvation of men, concerning which the apostle then adds: "Whereunto I am ordained a preacher, and an apostle."

The man Jesus, by the will of God his Father, turned his perfection and right to life as such a man into a thing of value with sufficient purchasing power to purchase or buy back all the rights which Adam forfeited for himself and which his offspring lost by reason of Adam's sin. That does not mean that Adam was purchased, but that every right that Adam once possessed was purchased. It was not the will of God to send Jesus to the earth to give his life a ransom price and that in so doing Jesus should for ever go out of existence in the place or stead of Adam, in order that Adam and his offspring might exist forever; but that the man Jesus might lay down his life as a man and thereafter take life again, as Jesus said: "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. . . . This commandment have I received of my Father." (John 10:17,18) Life or existence Jesus did take again, not as a man, but as a spirit. At the same time he still held the right to life as a man because he had not forfeited that right. God raised Jesus out of death a spirit; and, Jesus still possessing that right to life as a man, that asset

or thing of value he paid over to Jehovah Cod as the price required, and thereby became the owner of Adam's offspring who had not willfully sinned as did Adam, and who should in due time avail themselves of the value of that ransom price. Jesus then could release or deliver Adam's offspring from the bondage of sin and death which had come upon them by reason of Adam's sin, by which the right to life had been denied Adam's offspring. That means that the ransom sacrifice would inure to the benefit of the worthy ones of Adam's offspring; and by "worthy ones" meaning those who would follow God's rules.

For instance, Abel was a worthy one and had God's approval, but could not receive life or the right thereto until the ransom or purchase price was paid over and accepted by Jehovah. Being murdered a long time before the ransom price was paid, he must await God's due time to be awakened out of death and receive the full and complete benefit of the ransom price. When Jesus Christ paid over the value of his perfect human life he then by right of purchase became the owner of obedient mankind. He did not become a substitute for Adam in death, but he became the purchaser of Adam's offspring by paying over a thing exactly similar to that which Adam forfeited; therefore the life of the man Jesus, which he gave up, is a price exactly corresponding to the life of perfect Adam. Jesus purchased for Adam's worthy offspring the right to life, and it is his privilege to minister life according to the will of God; as it is written: 'Life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' (Romans 6: 23) Who is to determine what

ones of Adam's offspring are worthy? The Lord Jesus Christ, who acts with full authority from Jehovah God. Christ Jesus is "the Everlasting Father", or "Life-giver". (Isaiah 9:6) As a father he has power and authority to bring creatures into life who have died and to give life to as many as he will according to the pleasure of Jehovah God. Such rescued life Jesus Christ could rightfully bestow on those only, and no others than the ones for whom Adam had lost the right to life; and since Adam lost the right to life for all mankind, He can bestow life on only such of Adam's race as meet the required rules made by Jehovah.

"FOR ALL"

Does not the ransom price of Jesus result to the everlasting benefit of all? Does not the scripture at 1 Timothy 2: 6 above quoted prove that Jesus gave his life a ransom for all? and is not that a guarantee that all of the human race must have the full benefit of the ransom sacrifice or ransom price? No; such a conclusion is not correct. Some of the human race, the offspring of Adam, are willfully wicked, and such are not benefited by the ransom. If they comply with God's rules concerning the ransom they might become righteous, and then they would receive the benefit of the ransom price. Concerning this Jesus said: "As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."  — John 17: 2, 3.

Those persons who refuse to know God and Christ Jesus cannot receive life. Many persons to whom the truth is presented and who are shown God's provision for life and salvation spurn such truth and say, in substance: "I am not at all interested. I am satisfied with what I have." There is no reason to expect Adam to receive life, because he was a willful and deliberate sinner; nor is there any reason to expect any of Adam's offspring to receive life who willfully refuse to hear of God's provision for life. To give Adam the benefit of the ransom sacrifice would mean that God would thereby show that his judgment against Adam was not just; whereas the Scriptures plainly say: 'Justice is the foundation of God's throne.' (Psalm 89:14) To give Adam's offspring the benefit of the ransom sacrifice, which offspring spurn God's provision, is wholly inconsistent with God's purpose expressed in the Scriptures. The text at 1 Timothy two above quoted shows that "God is no respecter of persons" (Acts 10: 34), and hence the ransom is for the benefit of all who conform themselves to God's will or law; and because there is only one Almighty God, whose name is Jehovah, there is one mediator between God and men and that One is the man Jesus, who gave his life a ransom for all, meaning, of course, as stated, all who God wills shall be saved and who comply with the requirements that God has laid down. There is no authority to say that the ransom sacrifice automatically operates for the benefit of all.

The English words buy, bought, purchase and redeem are translated from the Greek agorazo

(derived from the word agora, meaning "the town square" or "market", and ageiro, meaning "gather", as to the town square or market place). Thus agorazo literally means to go to market and hence to purchase and redeem that which is sold. As an example: Slaves were bought and sold at the market place; concerning which the word agorazo properly is applied. Note here an example of the use of the word, to wit: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field." — Matthew 13:44.

Many who have tried to interpret the Scriptures have said that the word field, used in the foregoing text, symbolizes the entire human race, the wicked and all others. Certainly that is wrong. Mark this: the scripture says "the kingdom of heaven is like", and so on. It is the kingdom of heaven which is bought, and certainly the entire human race is not the kingdom of heaven. Nor is the kingdom of heaven hidden within the folds of the sinful human family. The kingdom of heaven is the hidden treasure, and it is that which is bought. It is the treasure within God's universal organization, which is holy and in no wise sinful. The "kingdom of heaven" is the hidden mystery. (Ephesians 1: 20-23; 5: 32) "Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints." (Colossians 1: 26) Christ Jesus, by rendering himself in full obedience to his Father's will, became the heir of all things, including the hidden mystery, the kingdom of heaven.

(Hebrews 1:2; Romans 8:16,17) God made known to Jesus his purpose to have a capital organization, to wit, his government, "the kingdom of heaven," which for ages was a mystery and which mystery was hidden from all others of God's creation until God's due time to reveal it. When Jesus learned of this, he sold his all to become the heir thereof and the head of the kingdom. It was not his human life as the ransom for humanity that bought that estate of the kingdom of heaven; it was his surrender of everything, including human life, to maintain his integrity and faithfulness to God under the greatest pressure even unto an ignominious death; which he did for that field and its hidden treasure. The suffering of Jesus had nothing to do with the purchase price of mankind, but it was by his suffering that he learned obedience and proved his integrity and faithfulness and became the heir of eternal salvation and of the kingdom. — Hebrews 5: 8, 9.

The same Greek word, agorazo, is translated "bought" in the following text: "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchantman, seeking goodly pearls; who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it." (Matthew 13:45,46) This has the same meaning as the parable stated in the preceding verses forty-three and forty-four. Those two parables include the body members of the body of Christ, because they form a part of the kingdom of heaven. If the purchase or buying that is mentioned in the foregoing text concerning the kingdom of heaven referred to the ransom price the body members would have

no part therein, because they do not have any part in the purchase of the human race. That the body members of Christ have a part in the kingdom is true beyond any doubt. (Romans 8:16,17; Revelation 1:6; 20:4) Those who faithfully follow Christ Jesus and become a part of the kingdom of heaven are first bought by the precious blood of Christ Jesus before they can start on their way to be made a part of the kingdom. (1 Peter 1:18,19) "What! know ye not that your body is the temple of the holy [spirit] which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price; therefore glorify God in your body, ..." (1 Corinthians 6:19, 20; the remaining words in that twentieth verse are spurious. See Diaglott.) This text refers only to the anointed Christians as the ones that are bought. This text could not be construed to mean that it drags along with those purchased every member of the human family, wicked and otherwise, and that these are automatically bought. Would a slave be bought and be given his freedom who refused to obey his master? Note that the agreement with Joseph in Egypt by the people was this: that the people first came to Joseph and asked to be bought before Joseph would buy them for Pharaoh. This is a picture of the purchase and redemption of those of the human race who come to Christ Jesus to be bought. (Genesis 47:19-23) Those who become members of the body of Christ first come to Christ Jesus and agree to do whatsoever is his and the Father's will. Then his purchase price applies to them, and they become his and no longer belong to

themselves. They are his bond servants or bond slaves, thereafter obligated to do his will and obey his commandments. They were not purchased against their will, but because they desired to be purchased. God's rule is the same at all times.

Whether the person is called by the Lord and granted life in the spirit or whether his hope of life is on the earth, the course of procedure concerning his purchase is exactly the same. The following text is directed to those of the little flock: "For he that is called in the Lord, being a [man's] servant, is the Lord's freeman; likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant [that is, the bond servant or slave of Christ]. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men." (1 Corinthians 7:22,23) These were not called until they first surrendered themselves in consecration to do God's will, and then the purchase or ransom price operated toward them and they were bought and the Lord became their owner. Being accepted in the Lord, such became his bond servants because they have willingly and voluntarily agreed to be bought on the Lord's terms. They have sold themselves to the King. — 1 Kings 21: 20, 25.

Those who are wicked are not purchased: "But there were false prophets [in Israel] also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you [who are Christians], who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction." (2 Peter 2:1) Such were first bought, but afterwards became wicked, denying the Lord and the value of his

blood by which they were bought; and for such there is no salvation, as is plainly stated in the Scriptures. (See Hebrews 6:4-10; 10:26-29.)

The Scriptures refer to mature and faithful Christians as "elders", who are bought and redeemed: "And they [the twenty-four elders named as members of the body of Christ] sung a new song, saying, Thou [Christ Jesus] art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood, out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation." — Revelation 5:9.

This scripture could have no application to the wicked, because they are not redeemed unto God. The language of this text shows conclusively that none are automatically redeemed, because the elders were redeemed, as stated, "out of every kindred."

The members of the body of Christ are the ones ransomed and redeemed, as stated, in the following text: "And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders; and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb." — Revelation 14: 3,4.

The fact that these were "redeemed from among men" shows that all men were not automatically redeemed. The members of the body

of Christ, here mentioned, first consecrated themselves by agreeing to do God's will, and hence asked to be bought. The purpose and provision of God is for the redemption of men without discrimination, but all who are redeemed must first have faith in God and in Christ Jesus, and then fully consecrate themselves to do God's will. This rule of God applies to all. Furthermore, these members of the body of Christ are "the first-fruits" unto God and Christ; which proves that, there will be others who will see the privilege of being bought and who will avail themselves of that privilege by willingly exercising faith in God and in Christ by fully consecrating themselves to do God's will.

"EXAGORAZO"

Another Greek word, exagorazo, and which is stronger and more emphatic than agorazo, means "to buy or redeem from; to buy up entirely; to get the whole, all; to ransom; to rescue, and to release". It is applied both to the redeeming of creatures and to buying back time as to creatures. Note Galatians 3:13,14: "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree; that the blessing of Abraham [as to Abraham's seed] might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the spirit through faith."

Disobedient and unwilling Jews were not redeemed from the curse of the law, neither are the unwilling Gentiles redeemed from the curse or bondage of sin. This text says: "That we

might receive the promise of the spirit through faith"; which shows that they that are Christians willingly believe on and follow Christ Jesus. All others of the Jews remain under the curse of the law. Again, it is written: "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." (Galatians 4:4,5) According to this text only those of the Jews who 'received the adoption of sons' are those who were redeemed. This is fully supported by the scripture, to wit: "He [Jesus] came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." — John 1:11-13.

It follows that those who did not believe were not bought, and those who did believe and devoted themselves to Christ were "bought up entirely". That same Greek word, as applied to buying back of time, is used in the following text: "Redeeming the time, because the days are evil." — Ephesians 5: 16.

The Greek verb lyo, which means simply "to loosen", is the base or root of the Greek words rendered "redeemed" in the following texts: "But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed [lytro´o] Israel; and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done." (Luke 24:21) "Forasmuch as ye [elect] know that ye were not redeemed [(Greek) lytro´o] 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." — 1 Peter 1:18,19.

This last scripture is addressed only to those who had fled from Satan's organization and devoted themselves to God by and through Christ Jesus. The Greek word lytrosis, which means to ransom or "redemption" by paying over a price, is used in the following text, to wit: "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed [literally: wrought redemption for] his people." (Luke 1: 68) None except those who have become the Lord's are included. Again in Luke 2: 36-38 mention is made only of those who "looked for redemption" through the One whom Jehovah had promised. In Hebrews 9:12 it is written: "By his own [Christ's] blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us." Here the apostle is not classifying himself with the entire human race, but speaking of "us" (9:24), who have fled to Christ and joyfully consecrated ourselves to do God's will.

Apolytrosis, meaning "to loosen away from", particularly the act of loosening; "the redemption; a releasing on payment of a ransom price; a ransoming," is translated "redemption" and "deliverance", as used in the following text: "And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption [(Diaglott) deliverance] draweth nigh." (Luke 21:28) The redemption here is such a deliverance as was experienced by the

Israelites when they were delivered from Egypt (Exodus 6:6; 15:13; Psalm 106:9-11); also such as the faithful followers of Christ Jesus being released from Satan's organization, that is, Babylon. After 1918 the faithful remnant of the seed of the Lord's organization were released or delivered from Satan's organization by the exercise of the Lord's power. (Psalm 107:2,3; Isaiah 52:9-11; Jeremiah 31:10-12) "Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ, unto all and upon all them that believe; for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus." (Romans 3:22-24) Here again the redemption applies only to them that have faith and believe, which results in justification to such believers. Such are set free or loosened from bondage, and this applies to none other.

In the following text the same Greek word is translated "redemption": "Not only they [the people of good will, the Lord's 'other sheep'], but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." (Romans 8: 23) In this text it is "our body", of which Christ Jesus is the Head, that is, The Christ, including Christ Jesus, the Head, and 144,000 body members, that experiences redemption or deliverance. The visible manifestation of this redemption is by the deliverance of the faithful on earth from the bondage of Satan's organization, where they had been captives and prisoners down to 1918,

at which time the Lord came to his temple and gathered the faithful into it. Again those only who are in Christ Jesus are considered in the following text: "But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." (1 Corinthians 1: 30) Certainly this does not apply to those who spurn God's provision through Christ Jesus.

At Ephesians 1: 7,14 the same word is used: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." "Which is the earnest of our inheritance, until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." At verse fourteen the words "purchased possession" here translate the one Greek word peripoiesis, the same as used at 1 Peter 2:9, which describes the "people for God's own possession". (A.R.V.) The "purchased possession" here mentioned is the body of Christ, and none other. At Ephesians 1:7,14 "redemption" is limited to those who apply to God for the blood of Christ as the only means of salvation, and who receive the forgiveness of sins and then receive "the earnest" (a hand payment, to bind the bargain) of the spirit. When Satan's organization is destroyed such "purchased possession" experience complete deliverance.

Again, at Colossians 1:14: "In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins." The "redemption" here mentioned is not applied automatically to anyone, but only to those who first voluntarily seek and ask for

such. It is broad enough to cover all persons that do come to God desiring salvation.

At Hebrews 11:35 the same Greek word is rendered "deliverance", and according to Young, "redemption." "Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection." The faithful ones of old refused to accept any redemption that purchased deliverance from torture and at the price of a compromise with the Devil's agents or organization. When those faithful ones are raised from the dead they will gladly and with intelligence accept redemption through Christ Jesus. They exhibited faith in God and in his promise to send them the Messiah, and they maintained their integrity.

The Greek lytron, which means "something to loosen with", that is, a redemption "price", is translated "ransom" in the following text, to wit: "And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant; even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20: 27, 28) The word lytron here is followed by the preposition anti, meaning instead of, corresponding to, or in behalf of, and the last more correctly translates the same. This is the very reverse of the compound word anti-lytron at 1 Timothy 2:6. At Matthew 20:28 the anti could not mean "exactly corresponding" in price, because the lifeblood of Jesus was not exactly corresponding to the "many", but was "in behalf of" the many. God's law as stated at Deuteronomy 19: 21 shows that the life that buys must

be the price exactly corresponding to that which was forfeited; and hence the life of Jesus roust be equivalent to what Jesus ransoms for the many.

The same matter is correctly stated at Mark 10:44,45: "And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for [lytron anti] many." Jesus gave his life a ransom in behalf of many, and he bought for such the full and complete life, with the right thereto, for as many as comply with God's fixed rules relating to salvation. Certainly Jesus did not come to save and to give his life for the willfully wicked. It is true, as written at Romans 5: 8,10, that Christ died for us while we were enemies. "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." "For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." The persons referred to in the word "we" in these texts do not include everyone, but only those who are "called to be saints". —Romans 1: 7.

The epistle of 1 Timothy is addressed to Timothy, who was commissioned and sent forth to instruct those persons who had already made a consecration to do the will of God, which includes, of course, those taken out of the world for Jehovah's name. The sum of the inspired statement of the apostle is this: God is no respecter of persons, but it is his will that 'all men might be saved, and come to a knowledge of the truth, for there is one God and one mediator be-

tween God and men, and that one is Christ Jesus, who gave himself a ransom in behalf of all'; meaning, of course, all of those who seek the Lord. The meaning here manifestly is that Christ Jesus is the Mediator of all who have first entered into a covenant to do the will of God. From all the foregoing Scripture texts it is seen that the ransom sacrifice of Jesus does not automatically affect every man, whether he wishes it or not, but only those receive the resulting benefits therefrom who first seek the way of righteousness and believe on God, that He is the Almighty and that the blood of Christ Jesus is the means of salvation, and who then voluntarily agree to do the will of God. Without Christ Jesus, the Mediator, no man could be reconciled to God. Jesus has bought the race with his own blood, and he relieves from the disability of sin only those who are willing to be delivered and saved.

God has shown his mercy to sinful men, the offspring of Adam, and such is the result of his loving-kindness. Therefore says the scripture: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) Only those who believe in him are rescued from perishing: "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (Verse 17) This manifestation of God's mercy is that men "might be saved", and not that they must be saved whether they desire, believe or do otherwise.

Without the ransom sacrifice no man could be saved, because he is a sinner by inheritance from Adam and upon all sinners the "wrath of God", that is, God's just condemnation, falls because of imperfection resulting from sin. God cannot approve an imperfect thing. Not by the exercise of justice, but by the exercise of his loving-kindness God provides that Jesus may buy men and that, when men exercise faith in God and in Christ, such will have the benefit of being released from the bondage of sin and given an individual opportunity to prove their integrity toward God and, so doing, receive salvation to life by and through Jesus Christ. But certainly those who fail or refuse to believe could not have salvation. If they could, then it would mean that the conditions of belief are of no effect. Therefore says the scripture plainly: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." — John 3: 35, 36.

There is no way for man to escape the just punishment of everlasting death except by and through the merit of Christ Jesus applied to and received by him. The doctrine, therefore, of 'a ransom for all regardless of belief is entirely without Scriptural authority.

The ransom price is the valuable thing or price provided for the purchase of mankind, and which price exactly corresponds to that which the perfect man Adam forfeited for himself and lost to all of his offspring.

The sin offering is the presentation of and the paying over to Jehovah God of that asset, valuable thing or purchase price. Jesus died on the earth. His lifeblood was poured out as the ransom price. God raised Jesus out of death a spirit and exalted him to heaven, fully clothed with all power and authority to carry out God's purpose. Christ Jesus, the Divine, in heaven, presented to Jehovah God the valuable asset, to wit, his right to human life, as an offering for sin. Such is the sin offering. The act of ransoming includes both the providing of the purchase price and the presentation and paying over of that purchase price. The entire work of providing the valuable asset and paying it over is performed by Christ Jesus according to the will and command of God. It therefore follows that Christ Jesus alone and separate and apart from the members of his body performed the act of ransoming mankind.

The prophetic picture made on the typical atonement day in the sacrifices performed at the tabernacle in the wilderness fully supports the foregoing conclusion. The bullock, which was a type of the man Jesus, was brought into the court of the tabernacle and was slain there, which pictures the earth where Jesus was slain. Israel's high priest, in the type, took the blood of the bullock and carried it into the "holiest of all", corresponding with heaven, and there sprinkled the blood, which pictured the life of the slain man, Christ Jesus. In fulfillment of that part of the picture Christ Jesus, the great High Priest, ascended into heaven itself and presented and paid over the valuable asset, to

wit, his right to human life, to God. In the type the blood was sprinkled on the mercy seat by the priest seven times. "Seven," being a symbol of completeness in heaven, shows that the blood was sprinkled in heaven in completeness by the Lord himself, that is, that Christ Jesus fully and completely paid over the purchase price for the human race. (See Leviticus chapter 16.) The high priest in the type went alone into the Most Holy, and no one was permitted to be there with him.

Note now the text: "But into the second [holiest of all], the high-priest alone, once annually,

not without blood, which he offers on behalf of himself, and the sins of ignorance of the people." (Hebrews 9:7, Diaglott) "And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household [the priestly anointed class in the type], and for all the congregation of Israel." (Leviticus 16:17) Likewise in the antitype Christ Jesus, the great High Priest, presented the value of his human life, the purchase price, in behalf of the royal house, which God selects, and also for the sins of the people. — Hebrews 9:17, 24.

It has been repeatedly said that the church, that is, the glorified members of the body of Christ, by reason of their sacrifice, have a part in the sin offering; and in support of that theory the following scripture is offered: "Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat." — Leviticus 16:15.

Neither the foregoing nor any other scripture sustains the conclusion that the body members of Christ have any part in the sin offering. It is the lifeblood of the man Jesus alone that is the valuable thing, the purchase price, and which price is presented and paid over as a sin offering. What, then, will be asked, does the sacrifice of the Lord's goat and the sprinkling of its blood, as shown in the type, mean, if not sprinkled in behalf of mankind as a part of the

sin offering? It is true that the blood of the Lord's goat was taken into the Holy the same as that of the bullock. In the type the goat did not sacrifice itself, but the sacrifice was done by the high priest. In the antitype no man sacrifices himself, but the Lord Jesus, the great High Priest, does the sacrificing. The meaning of the sacrifice and sprinkling the blood of the Lord's goat manifestly is this: That everyone of the humankind that is called to the "high calling" must bear the reproaches that fall upon Christ Jesus and must therefore suffer with him and die with him as a condition precedent to reigning with him in heaven. In support of this are the inspired words of the apostle: "Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church." (Colossians 1: 24) "It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us." (2 Timothy 2:11,12) "For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." (1 Peter 2: 21) In the type the Lord's goat pictured those who are begotten of the spirit and who therefore as human creatures must die and must be faithful unto death, that they may participate with Christ Jesus in his kingdom, enjoying the highest element of life and reigning with him: "Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto

death, and I will give thee a crown of life." (Revelation 2:10) "And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years." —Revelation 20:4.

The following cannot be successfully contradicted, to wit: That God has provided salvation by and through his Son, Christ Jesus; that the lifeblood of the man Jesus poured out at Calvary is the purchase price of sinful man, which price purchased all the right that Adam lost for his offspring; that such purchase price was presented in heaven and paid over to God as a sin offering in behalf of as many as do believe on the Lord Jesus Christ; that such was done and performed by Christ Jesus in obedience to God's will; that Christ Jesus, having paid over the ransom price, is the owner of all men, and all receive the benefit thereof who believe and obey; that life everlasting is the gift of Jehovah God through Jesus Christ our Lord, because salvation belongs to Jehovah and Christ Jesus is his means of administering the same; that there is no other means of gaining life; and that no man can gain life or receive life everlasting unless he believes God and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and asks for salvation by making an unconditional agreement to do the will of God.

That class of religionists known as the "higher critics" do not believe the Scriptural doctrine concerning the ransom sacrifice. They do condescend to say that Jesus was a great and good man, but that his death upon the tree means nothing more than the death of any other man so far as the purchasing of the human race is concerned. Being willingly ignorant of God's provisions for man's salvation, those "higher

critics" are wise in their own conceits and blind to the truth. (Romans 11:25; 12:16) "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him." (Proverbs 26:12) The man who desires salvation to life must learn of God's provision for salvation, because there is no other way to be saved.

Jehovah's revealed purpose is first to ransom and deliver the church, that is to say, those who constitute the members of the body of Christ, which selected ones shall reign with Christ in his kingdom. Second, after the selection of the elect ones is completed to the required number, then follows the work of the Lord in gathering and delivering his "other sheep", and which latter work is now in progress. Long before the coming of Christ Jesus to earth as a man God, by the mouth of his holy prophets, told of His provision for the salvation of humankind that would believe and obey him. This matter is of such vital importance to those who believe that it appears well to here consider somewhat in detail the prophetic scriptures written before the ransom price was actually provided, and which part of the Holy Scriptures have been long designated "The Old Testament".

The English word "ransom" (translated from the French) is from the Latin word "redemptio" (French: rançon). Thus the two words ransom and redeem are related one to the other, and such is also true in the Holy Scriptures. Because the English word ransom is used in our studies, the definition of ransom as given by Webster, the lexicographer, is here set out, to wit: "Ransom," as a noun, means "act of ran-

soming; a redeeming or releasing of a captive by payment of a consideration. The money, price, or consideration paid or demanded for the redemption of a captured person or persons; a payment that releases from captivity, a penalty, or a forfeit. One who or that which ransoms or redeems". As a verb: "To redeem from captivity, slavery, punishment, or the like, by paying a price; to buy out of bondage. To deliver, as from sin, its penalty, or the like; to be the redeemer of."

The word redeem is defined: "To regain possession of by payment of a stipulated price; to repurchase. To ransom, liberate, or rescue from captivity or bondage, or from any obligation or liability to suffer or to be forfeited, by paying a price or ransom. To recover or regain, as pledged or mortgaged property, by the requisite fulfillment of some obligation, as by the payment of what may be due. To rescue; deliver; reclaim."

In the original of the Holy Scriptures various Hebrew words are translated by the words "ransom", "redeem," "redeemed," "deliver," and like words above used. For instance, the Hebrew words khopher and pidhion are translated "ransom". The Hebrew words gaal and pahdah are translated "to ransom" and "to redeem". There must be some simple root-meaning of each Hebrew word, making it fitting and usable in all the various connections; that is to say, that of freeing or delivering. Examples are given herein.

The Hebrew word gaal, translated "redeemed", is first used in the Scriptures at Genesis 48:16 in connection with Jacob: "the angel which re-

deemed me." The Lord gave command to Moses: "Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, ... I will redeem you [not with sacrifices, but] with a stretched out arm." (Exodus 6:6) After crossing the Red sea Moses said to Jehovah: "Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed." (Exodus 15:13) In the following texts the same Hebrew word is translated "redeemed": "Remember thy congregation, which thou hast purchased of old; the rod of thine inheritance, which thou hast redeemed; this mount Zion, wherein thou hast dwelt." (Psalm 74:2) "Thou hast with thine arm [not by sacrifice] redeemed thy people, the sons of Jacob and Joseph." (Psalm 77:15) The prophetic words in the Psalm next quoted are concerning Jesus our Redeemer, to wit: "Draw nigh unto my soul, and redeem it; deliver me, because of mine enemies." (Psalm 69:18) Jesus is Jehovah's duly commissioned King, concerning whom it is written: "Give the king [Christ Jesus] thy judgments, 0 God, and thy righteousness unto the king's [Jehovah, the King of Eternity's] son." "He shall spare the poor and needy, and shall save the souls of the needy. He shall redeem their soul from deceit and violence; and precious shall their blood be in his sight." (Psalm 72:1,13,14) Likewise the same word appears in the following texts: "Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies." (Psalm 103:1,4) "Let the redeemed of the Lord [the remnant from Satan's organization] say so, whom he hath redeemed

from the hand of the enemy." (Psalm 107: 2, 3) "Hear the word of the Lord, 0 ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel [spiritual Israel, in the year 1.918] will gather him [His favored and faithful ones in 1919 and onward], and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock. For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he. Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord." — Jeremiah 31:10-12.

"Jacob" symbolically stands for God's anointed people on the earth, to whom the Lord Jehovah says: "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, 0 Jacob, and he that formed thee, 0 Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. Ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen; that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he."  —Isaiah 43:1,10.

Among other scriptures in which the Hebrew word gaal is translated "redeemed" is the following: "Sing, O ye heavens; for the Lord hath done it; shout, ye lower parts of the earth; break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein; for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob [God's elect people], and glorified himself in Israel. Thus saith the Lord, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself." (Isaiah 44:23,24) Likewise in the sixth verse: "Thus saith the Lord,

the King of Israel, and his redeemer the Lord of hosts; I am the first, and I am the last; and beside me there is no God." (Isaiah 44: 6) It was in the year 1919 that the Lord delivered the antitypical "Jacob" class, his faithful remnant, from Satan's organization, and brought them into the kingdom, gathering them into the temple.

A similar use of the word "redeemed" appears in the following text: "Loose thyself from the bands of thy neck, 0 captive daughter of Zion. For thus saith the Lord, Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall be redeemed without money." (Isaiah 52:2,3) Note that these were redeemed without a purchase price. The remnant have now been delivered or redeemed from Satan's organization and will be completely free therefrom when the Lord at Armageddon destroys everything pertaining to Satan's organization, and then all who survive shall see the salvation of Jehovah in behalf of his people. God's anointed remnant have been free from Satan's organization since recognizing that Jehovah and Christ are the only "higher powers". They are still surrounded and opposed by Satan's organization, however, and will be completely delivered therefrom at Armageddon. Isaiah 52:9,10: "Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations; and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God."

Again the remnant is shown as redeemed and delivered in the following text: "Go ye forth of

Babylon, flee ye from the Chaldeans, with a voice of singing declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth; say ye, The Lord hath redeemed his servant Jacob." — Isaiah 48: 20.

The faithful are shown as redeemed in the following text: "For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come." (Isaiah 63: 4) That does not refer to the purchase price, but refers to the deliverance of God's people at the time he executes his wrath upon the enemy.

In the following text a contrast is shown between those who, once enlightened, became unfaithful and who are designated under the symbol of "Ephraim", and those who remain faithful and true to the Lord and who are born in Zion, hence are the children of Zion, God's organization, to wit: "The iniquity of Ephraim is bound up; his sin is hid. The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him [meaning the unfaithful who form the 'evil servant' class]: he is an unwise son [once enlightened and who then takes a wrong course]; for he should not stay long in the place of the breaking forth of children [that is, other children of Zion, beginning in the year 1918 at the coming of the Lord Jesus to the temple, when he began to gather them into his temple]. I will ransom [(Hebrew) pahdah: release] them [the faithful who are born in Zion] from the power of the grave: I will redeem them [the children of Zion born from and after 1918] from death: 0 death, I will be thy plagues; 0 grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes." (Hosea 13:12-14) Instead of this text's

referring to the ransom of Adam's offspring by the precious blood of Jesus, it applies to the "new creation". (2 Corinthians 5:17, Diaglott) In confirmation of this conclusion that the ones here redeemed are the faithful ones brought into God's organization, the apostle quotes from this very text, to wit: "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?" (1 Corinthians 15:55) These anointed ones of God were redeemed from death at the time they were justified by Jehovah, following their consecration. The redemption here prophesied by Hosea, however, takes place after the spirit-begotten ones have proved their faithfulness and maintained their integrity toward God and arc brought into the temple.

This text could not be properly applied to the purchase of the entire human race by the shed blood of Christ Jesus, since we see that the language of the text refers only to those who have been justified and begotten of the spirit. (John 3: 3, 5) The redeemed ones are delivered into the kingdom by being brought into the temple. In 1918 or thereabout Satan attempted to destroy all the consecrated. The "Ephraim" class fell away and became the "evil servant" (Matthew 24:48-51), and God did not permit that class to stay long in Zion; and as to these faithful ones, these were ransomed or delivered from the power of the adversary, who hoped to put them in the grave and destroy them in death. The year 1914 marked the time when Christ Jesus took his power to reign and was sent forth by Jehovah to reign. The war began in heaven and also in the earth. (Revelation 12: 7-12) That

marked "the beginning of sorrows" upon the earth (Matthew 24:7,8), and from then until 1919 God's spirit-begotten ones were in much distress; and in the year 1919 the Lord redeemed and delivered the faithful ones from Satan's organization and thus prevented the enemy from overwhelming them. Note further this text that confirms that conclusion: "Be in pain, and labour, to bring forth, O daughter of Zion, like a woman in travail; for now shalt thou go forth out of the city, and thou shalt dwell in the field, and thou shalt go even to Babylon; there shalt thou be delivered; there the Lord shall redeem thee from the hand of thine enemies." — Micah 4:10.

By his prophet Jehovah tells of a "highway", called "the way of holiness", over which the cleansed of the Lord must walk. (Isaiah 35:8-10) Prior to the coming of the Lord to the temple in 1918 the faithful were compelled to mingle with Satan's organization and the faithful believed that the rulers of this wicked world constituted the "higher powers" (Romans 13:1). When the Lord revealed to his faithful ones his capital organization and their relation thereto, then they discerned the true meaning of the "highway" and they immediately began their march thereupon. All the righteous must go thereupon. The remnant must take the lead upon the highway and teach others who are seeking the way to righteousness, that they may know the way to come to God and to Christ Jesus. The "unclean" are not permitted to enter that highway. Who shall go thereupon and go over the highway? The "redeemed" of the Lord; as it is writ-

ten: "No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon, it shall not be found there; but the redeemed shall walk there." — Isaiah 35:9.

The text last above quoted discloses the persons who are redeemed. In the following texts it appears that it is God's consecrated and devoted ones who are redeemed and that Jehovah God is the redeemer of those who are faithful to him, and that he is not the redeemer of the unbeliever or wicked ones. In support hereof note the following texts: Isaiah 41:14; Isaiah 43:14; Isaiah 44:6,24; Isaiah 47:4; Isaiah 48:17, 20; Isaiah 49: 7, 26; Isaiah 63:16; Jeremiah 50:33, 34.

Jehovah God is the Redeemer of Zion: "For thy Maker is thine husband; The Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." — Isaiah 54: 5, 8.

The redeemed are brought fully into God's capital organization: "And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 59: 20; 60:16) Job pictures or represents those only who are wholly devoted to God, and as such he uses these words: "For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth." (Job 19:25) This text shows that the redemption or deliverance takes place in the latter days when Jehovah delivers his anointed people from Satan's wicked

organization, particularly the religious element, which Satan uses to oppose, reproach and persecute them. "For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee." — Proverbs 23:11.

In all the foregoing texts quoted or cited there is no direct mention made of a redemption- or redemptive money price or payment. The clear meaning given to all of such texts is that of liberation, freeing, rescuing, delivering from the hand of the enemy, that is, Satan's organization, including his agents that oppose and persecute God's anointed people. None of the enemy organization are ever redeemed, but, on the contrary, the redemption is always spoken of as from the enemy. It is Jehovah, acting by and through his Chief Executive Officer, Christ Jesus, that accomplishes such liberation, rescuing or deliverance from the enemy. The same Hebrew word gaal is translated "redeem" and "redeemed", and used in connection with a purchase price, in the following texts: "If thy brother be waxen poor, and hath sold away some of his possession, and if any of his kin come to redeem it, then shall he redeem that which his brother sold. And if the man have none to redeem it, and himself be able to redeem it [(margin) his hand hath attained and found sufficiency]; then let him count the years of the sale thereof, and restore the overplus unto the man to whom he sold it, that he may return unto his possession. . . . And if it be not redeemed within the space of a full year, then the house that is in the walled city shall be established for ever to him that bought it, throughout his genera-

tions: it shall not go out in the jubilee. . . . And if a man purchase of the Levites [(margin) one of the Levites redeem them], then the house that was sold, and the city of his possession, shall go out in the year of jubilee: for the houses of the cities of the Levites are their possession among the children of Israel. . . . After that he is sold he may be redeemed again; one of his brethren may redeem him: either his uncle, or his uncle's son, may redeem him, or any that is nigh of kin unto him of his family may redeem him; or, if he be able, he may redeem himself. And he shall reckon with him that bought him from the year that he was sold to him unto the year of jubilee; and the price of his sale shall be according unto the number of years; according to the time of an hired servant shall it be with him." (Leviticus 25:25-50) In the following texts, note that the redeemer was required to add one-fifth extra to the price at which the priests valued the thing to be redeemed. — Leviticus 27:13,15,19, 20, 27, 28, 31, 33.

In the foregoing texts the use of the Hebrew word gaal is like that in the book of Ruth, which according to Young's translation reads as follows: "And Naomi said to her daughter-in-law: 'Blessed is he [Boaz] of Jehovah, who hath not forsaken His kindness with the living and with the dead'; and Naomi saith to her [Ruth]: 'The man is a relation of ours; he is of our redeemers.'" (Ruth 2:20) In the following texts the word "kinsman", as it appears in the Authorized Version of the Bible, is from the same Hebrew word gaal, which, according to Young, is in each instance rendered "redeemer". In reading the

Authorized Version substitute the word redeemer for kinsman, wherever it occurs in these texts, to wit: Ruth 3: 9,12,13; Ruth 4:1, 3, 4, 6, 8,14. A similar transaction is described at Jeremiah 32:7-9, wherein the word is similarly used. In the fulfillment of the picture made by Ruth and Boaz, the class represented by Ruth is the remnant of Jehovah brought to the Lord, after his coming to the temple, by Christ Jesus, the Greater Boaz, who applies his ransom merit from and after the year 1922, purchasing them that they might be justified and accepted as a part of his royal organization; which are then brought into his fold and made members of the "body of Christ".

CITIES OF REFUGE

The same Hebrew word gaal is used in connection with the cities of refuge and the avenging of the blood of the slain one. In such case something is required to be paid over that is equal to what was lost, that is to say, a life for a life, the same rule that was applied in Deuteronomy 19:21, wherein it is written: "And thine eye shall not pity; but life shall go for life, eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot." Referring to the cities of refuge, one who slays a murderer is called "the revenger [or redeemer] of blood". In the texts following, the Authorized Version renders the Hebrew word gaal "avenger" or "revenger", and Young translates the same Hebrew word "redeemer", to wit: Numbers 35:12,19, 21, 24, 25, 27. That redeeming of the blood, in each case, does not refer to the blood-bought redemption at Calvary, but to

the paying in kind, that is, a retribution paid out to the death-dealing enemies of the Lord at the battle of Armageddon, and which is paid by the antitypical Revenger or Redeemer, Christ Jesus, as an offset to the blood that was spilled by the enemies of the Lord. Otherwise stated, the Revenger or Redeemer, Christ Jesus, squares the account with the enemies of the Lord at the battle of Armageddon.

One who had unawares, unwittingly and without enmity or malice slain another might escape the blood-avenger or redeemer by fleeing to and remaining in the city of refuge until the death of the sin-atoning high priest; that is, antitypically he must flee to God's organization under Christ and there remain under the sin-atoning blood of Christ Jesus, trusting in that shed blood as a means of protection and salvation. Those who in the present time have unwittingly done violence to God's law and against his people may gain redemption from destruction by and through the redeeming blood of the great High Priest, Christ Jesus. In this picture the destruction of the enemy of God at Armageddon is foreshadowed as a redemptive price for those slain by the wicked. Christ Jesus, the great High Priest and Executive Officer of Jehovah, with the value of his sacrifice, provides redemption for those who flee to him for refuge, and he is the Executioner of those who remain in the enemy camp and who because of their wickedness suffer destruction in order to offset the wickedness done by them to the Lord and his people. In both cases there is a freeing or de-

livering by means of a meeting or squaring the obligation, that is, meeting the penalty for sin.

The redemptive price provided at Calvary was for those who exercised faith in and obedience to the commands of the Lord. The redemption at Armageddon punishes the deserving ones, that is, the ones who have caused damage intentionally or otherwise. Those who have thus damaged or committed violence against God's little ones are indebted or obligated on account of their wickedness, and such are bound to pay and they pay at Armageddon with their lives. They cannot pay the debt to the damaged one, because that one is dead, but they must pay to the dead one's next nearest of kin in flesh and blood. As he who causes the death of the slain one is a debtor, so death must be meted out to that slayer by the slain one's nearest of kin, "the redeemer," and the redeemer removes the debt by exacting the life of the slayer. Note now God's words concerning "Christendom" and all the nations that have willfully violated the everlasting covenant. The account must be squared with all of these, and therefore the Lord says: "The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled; for the Lord hath spoken this word. The earth mourneth, and fadeth away; the world languisheth, and fadeth away; the haughty people of the earth do languish. The earth also is denied under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant." — Isaiah 24: 3-5.

In the case of the unwitting slayer, life is not exacted of him, but in the type he is covered and

shielded by the high priest, and in the antitype by the great High Priest, Christ Jesus, who makes atonement for those who flee to Christ. In the type the malicious, willful and deliberate slayer could in no wise have satisfaction met or accepted for his life by any other means, but his life must be taken by the avenger or redeemer. This is done upon the wicked by the great Redeemer at Armageddon. This well pictures and foretells the fact that the sacrificed life of the man Jesus does not stand as an atonement for or ransom for the willfully wicked who spurn God and his provisions for salvation. Such as die at Armageddon under such conditions of willful wickedness certainly will never have a redemption. (Numbers 35:30-33) All the Scripture texts wherein the Hebrew word gaal is used prove that in no case are the wicked redeemed, but that only the Lord's poor and needy are redeemed. By "poor and needy" is meant those who come to a realization of their own utter inability to save themselves and who desire to be saved, who exercise faith in God and in Christ Jesus, and apply to Christ Jesus to be saved or redeemed. All those who are wicked and refuse to accept God's provision for salvation abide under the condemnation resulting from Adam's sin: "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." — Psalm 9:17.

TO COVER

The Hebrew word khopher is also translated "ransom". It is derived from the Hebrew khaphar, which means "to cover". It first appears in the Bible at Genesis 6:14, wherein

God said to Noah: "Make thee an ark of gopher wood: rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch [khopher]," This same word describes the cover charge or covering price concerning the owner of a death-dealing ox in the following text, to wit: "But if the ox were wont to push with his horn in time past, and it hath been testified to his owner, and he hath not kept him in, but that he hath killed a man or a woman; the ox shall be stoned, and his owner also shall be put to death [for willful negligence in not responding to the notice given]. If there be laid on him [the owner] a sum of money [khopher; a price to cover the damage; according to Young: an atonement], then he shall give, for the ransom of his life, whatsoever is laid upon him." — Exodus 21:29, 30.

As it appears that the payment of a money ransom was allowed only because the owner of the ox was not the deliberate and direct slayer of the one who was killed, but had been indirectly the cause of death by reason of his negligence, a cover charge or atonement money was taken.

After the census of the Israelites was taken, a ransom was to be paid, as stated in the following text: "When thou takest the sum [census] of the children of Israel, after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom [(Hebrew) khopher] for his soul unto the Lord, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them when thou numberest them. This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty

gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the Lord." — Exodus 30:12,13.

Certainly the ransom named in this text was not a "corresponding price". The Septuagint renders the Hebrew by the Greek word lytron, which is translated into the English "ransom". This shows that the English word "ransom" in itself does not at all times mean "an exact corresponding price". Not all ransoms are a corresponding price; but that of Christ Jesus, that is, his own precious blood, was and had to be a corresponding price because such was required to purchase for Adam's offspring that which Adam had lost for them.

In the following text in which the word "ransom" appears the translation is from the Hebrew khopher and has often been improperly applied to mankind in general, to wit: "If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness; then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom [an atonement (Young)]. He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light." — Job 33: 23, 24, 28.

In this prophetic picture Job represents the faithful followers of Christ Jesus, and the covering ransom is found in the advocacy of Christ Jesus, who is called in this scripture the Messenger or Interpreter. In the year 1918 the antitypical Job class, the faithful followers of Christ Jesus whom Job represented, were in great distress because of oppression heaped upon them by the enemy. In that year the Lord Jesus came

to the temple of Jehovah God. The holy spirit that had been the guide of God's people, having performed its functions, was taken away, and the Lord Jesus himself, being present, represented his people and advocated in their behalf before Jehovah God, that is, in behalf of those who had fallen into distress because of their failure to properly use their lips in proclaiming the truth. That class is pictured in the prophecy of Isaiah, wherein they cried unto the Lord and the Lord heard them and relieved them. (Isaiah 6:6,7; 12:1) The faithful who thus cried unto the Lord are the ones who found a covering ransom in the advocacy of Christ Jesus. Certainly this did not apply to the "evil servant" class. Only the faithful remnant were spared from going down into the pit, because for them there was a covering. This text has heretofore been applied as a "restitution" text, that is, to the 'people that will be restored in the days of Christ's reign'. But the application in this manner is not correct. It was the faithful who found an atonement or deliverance by and through their Advocate, Christ Jesus,

EXCLUDED

That there are those who are excluded from the beneficial results of the ransom is fully shown from the following scriptures. It appears from the context that the unransomed cases appear before and down to the time of Armageddon, and not beyond Armageddon and during the thousand-year reign of the King, Christ Jesus. The provision in relation to the city of refuge is in point of proof, showing that God

foretold by this prophetic picture that there are those for whom satisfaction or atonement cannot be made. The text in point reads: "Moreover, ye shall take no satisfaction [atonement (according to Young's translation)] for the life of a murderer, which is guilty of death; but he shall be surely put to death. And ye shall take no satisfaction [atonement] for him that is fled to the city of his refuge, that he should come again to dwell in the land until the death of the priest."  —Numbers 35: 31, 32.

Not even the atonement of the great High Priest, Christ Jesus, could cover the malicious, willful and deliberate man-slayer. Also those receiving the sin-atoning merit of the great High Priest before Armageddon and who get out from under the covering thereof could not hope for any chance of salvation during or after Armageddon, and during the reign of Christ. The prophet Samuel applies this same rule, as noted in 1 Samuel 12: 3, margin: "Behold, here I am: witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed: whose ox have I taken? or whose ass have I taken? or whom have I defrauded? whom have I oppressed? or of whose hand have I received any bribe [(margin) ransom] to blind mine eyes therewith? and I will restore it you." Thus it is seen that some are completely excluded from the benefit of the ransom sacrifice.

God's servant Elihu, in the picture relative to Job, spoke with authority announcing God's fixed rule, when he said: "But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee. Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke:

then a great ransom [atonement (Young)] cannot deliver thee." (Job 36:17,18) Men of great wealth, either of money or of position, influence and honor amongst men, such as the exalted clergy or their rich "principal of the flock", think themselves especially favored of God and Christ and rely for safety upon their own wealth, honor and position. But what is the end thereof, according to the Scriptures? "They that trust in their wealth, and boast themselves in the multitude of their riches; none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom [atonement (Young)] for him; (for the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever;) that he should still live for ever, and not see corruption." (Psalm 49:6-9) Such men die like brute beasts, because they have no standing above the beast: "Man that is in honour, and understandeth not, is like the beasts that perish." — Psalm 49: 20.

In the following texts the word for "envy" (Strong's) is translated in the Authorized Version "jealousy". "For jealousy [envy] is the rage of a man; therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He [Christ Jesus, the great High Priest] will not regard any ransom [atonement]; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts [from human priests or clergy or intermediary, whether paid for 'purgatory' prayers or otherwise]." — Proverbs 6: 34, 35.

Nor can such provide for or purchase their life by throwing their gold into the streets. Their deliverance cannot be bought by themselves in any manner. Man's riches cannot ransom him: "There is that maketh himself rich, yet hath

nothing: there is that maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches. The ransom [which the guilty would pay] of a man's life are his riches [which Jehovah rebukes]: but the poor [of the Lord, who are poor in their own estimation, relying solely upon the Lord] heareth not rebuke." — Proverbs 13: 7, 8.

The wicked become the ransom for the righteous in certain conditions. And how? "The wicked shall be a ransom [atonement (Young)] for the righteous, and the transgressor for the upright." (Proverbs 21:18) This scripture applies at Armageddon. In the expression of Jehovah God's wrath through Christ Jesus at that time the wicked and willful transgressors must be put to death as the price of freedom for the righteous and upright, to the end that the righteous and the upright may be delivered from the abuse and oppression by the wicked and willful transgressors. By the death of the willfully wicked transgressors they ransom the righteous. The reason is, because the wicked and transgressors will not submit to any other arrangement for the freedom of the righteous and the Lord enforces this remedy against them. In support of this, note Isaiah 43:1, 3,4: "But now thus saith the Lord that created thee, 0 Jacob, and he that formed thee, 0 Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom [atonement], Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men [the wicked

men] for thee, and people [the transgressors] for thy life."

The religious Israelites conspired together to kill Jeremiah, God's faithful servant and prophet. Likewise the present-day religionists and their allies conspire together to kill Jehovah's witnesses, of whom the prophet Jeremiah was a type, example or pattern. At the direction of the Lord, God's prophet records the purpose of Jehovah concerning such: "For they [the religious conspirators] have digged a pit to take me [God's anointed], and hid snares [traps laid by the clergy and their religious allies against Jehovah's witnesses] for my feet [the 'feet' of Christ Jesus, the last members on earth]. Yet, Lord, thou knowest all their counsel against me to slay me: forgive not their iniquity [thou dost not cover over their iniquity (Young)], neither blot out their sin from thy sight; but let them be overthrown [at Armageddon] before thee: deal thus with them in the time of thine anger." (Jeremiah 18: 22, 23) This shows that such conspirators do not have the benefit of the ransom sacrifice at Armageddon or thereafter.

The sons of Eli, the high priest of Israel at Shiloh, were wicked; and those wicked sons pictured "the man of sin", made up of the "evil servant", the religious persecutors of God's people, and allies, and concerning such it is written: "For 1 have told him that I will judge his house for ever for the iniquity which he knoweth; because his sons made themselves vile, and he restrained them not. And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli, that the iniquity of Eli's house shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offer-

ing for ever." (1 Samuel 3:13,14) What befell Shiloh pictures what shall shortly come to pass upon the religionists of "Christendom", and this is shown by Jeremiah 7:14: "Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name, wherein ye trust, and unto the place which I gave to you and to your fathers, as I have done to Shiloh."

The Scriptures written under inspiration by the apostles fully corroborate this conclusion, that there is no ransom for those who are knowingly wicked and who purposely persecute others because of the faithfulness of such others in their devotion and service to the Lord. (Hebrews 6:4-6) "For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries. He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses; of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the spirit of grace?" — Hebrews 10:26-29.

FIRSTBORN

The Hebrew word pahdah is rendered "ransom". It means "to let go; to let loose; to ransom". This word is used at Exodus 13:13,15, and is rendered in the Authorized Version of the Bible "redeem", and according to Young is translated "ransom". To Moses Jehovah said:

"And every firstling of an ass thou dost ransom with a lamb; and if thou dost not ransom it, then thou hast beheaded it; and every first-born of man among thy sons thou dost ransom. Yea, it cometh to pass when Pharaoh hath been pained to send us away, that Jehovah doth slay every first-born in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of man even unto the first-born of beast; therefore I am sacrificing to Jehovah all opening a womb who are males, and every firstborn of my sons I ransom." (Young's translation) This shows that the original firstborn of Israel in Egypt were ransomed from death at the hand of God's destroying angel although a "correspondent price" was not given.

Referring again to the man who owned an ox that killed a man and against whom the obligation rested as the owner, it is written: "If there be laid on him [that is, the owner of the ox] a sum of money [as a penalty], then he shall give, for the ransom of his life, whatsoever is laid upon him." (Exodus 21:30) In such a case his ransom is from the penalty of death; that is to say, he paid a sum of money instead of paying by his life.

There is nothing in the typical picture that foreshadows or foretells that Jehovah provides a ransom or redemption for all human creatures down to and including the wicked individuals; and therefore the conclusion must be that during the thousand-year reign of Christ the willfully wicked will not be brought back from death. Note that before the coming of Jesus the "ransom" or "redemption" spoken of in the Scriptures applied as follows: To Israel (Jacob) as

shown at Deuteronomy 7: 8; 13: 5; 21: 8; Psalm 25:22; 1 Chronicles 17:21; applied to "thine inheritance" (Deuteronomy 9:26); applied to David, out of adversity and distress (2 Samuel 4:9; 1 Kings 1:29); applied to "my soul" (Psalm 49:15); to "his soul" (repentant ones) (Job 33:27,28); to Christ Jesus (Psalm 69:18-20); to the remnant, already justified by faith through the ransom price of Christ Jesus, and now needing deliverance from the strong enemy (Jeremiah 15:21), which latter text reads: "And I will deliver thee [the remnant, represented in Jeremiah] out of the hand of the wicked, and I will redeem [have ransomed (Young)] thee out of the hand of the terrible." — Jeremiah 15: 21.

The following texts apply exclusively to those who have previously been bought with the precious blood of Christ Jesus but now have the promise of deliverance from the enemy: Isaiah 35:10; Isaiah 51:11; Isaiah 1:27; Jeremiah 31:11,12; Hosea 13:14. "I will hiss for them, and gather them [to the temple, that is, Zion]; for I have redeemed them [from Babylon, Satan's organization]: and they shall increase as they have increased." — Zechariah 10: 8.

BRINGING BACK

It has been held by many that the Scriptures guarantee that "all must come back from the dead" at Christ's return and during his thousand-year rule. (Studies in the Scriptures, Volume Five, pages 478-486) That conclusion does not appear to have support in reason or in the Scriptures. No one will receive the benefit of the

ransom sacrifice or ransom price that has been paid unless he willingly avails himself of that privilege. It appears, then, that God would bring back from death only those who could and possibly would avail themselves of the ransom when coming to a knowledge of the truth, because the ransom is available only for such, and not those who have no desire to be reformed or saved. The gift of God is not forced upon unwilling creatures.

Let it be fixed in mind that in the redemption of mankind by the blood of Christ Jesus the attribute of justice is not involved. If the divine rule of justice alone is invoked and applied, then the entire human race must perish because of sin and imperfection. It is the attribute of love that is involved. Mercy is the result of the exercise of God's loving-kindness. From the viewpoint of justice God is under no obligation whatsoever to ransom sinful men, nor is God obligated to extend his mercy to every creature regardless of whether that creature desires and seeks mercy. With the two sons of Isaac God made a prophetic picture showing his foreknowledge of the class of persons who seek the way of righteousness and life, and also of that class that takes exactly the opposite course. It is written:

"As it is written: Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated." (Romans 9:13) "Jacob" here represents that class that seek the Lord and find him and faithfully serve him; and such God loves. "Esau" represents the unfaithful class, who do not regard God's gracious provision for mankind. God foreknew those two

classes, and he so foretold the same, because he foreknows everything: "Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world." (Acts 35:18) Surely God foreknew those human creatures who shall spurn his proffered blessings of life, and he foreknew the class that would gladly accept his gracious provision. It follows, then, that those who have no desire to know God and Christ Jesus, and no desire to receive God's blessings through Christ Jesus, on such He will not have mercy, and God will not force his mercy upon them. Could it be argued that justice toward all would require God to force his mercy upon all, even though he knows in advance that such persons would reject his loving-kindness? Certainly not. Justice is righteousness, and injustice is unrighteousness. The argument advanced by the inspired Word of God is: "What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy." (Romans 9:14-16) This statement is made in connection with the challenge of the Devil made to Jehovah God, and thus God discloses His purpose to extend his mercy toward those who hear the testimony and prove their integrity toward Jehovah. To hold that because God is just he is under obligation to extend mercy to everyone is entirely inconsistent and wrong. To hold that because of justice God is bound to give every creature the benefit of salvation by the ransom sacrifice is wrong, and

wholly unsupported either by reason or by the Scriptures. To hold that God is obligated to save all men in order to fully prove his supremacy is entirely wrong and unsupported by any authority.

The challenge of the Devil raised the question of God's ability to put any man on earth who willingly would remain faithful and true to God when he was subjected to the test imposed by the Devil. Concerning that challenge all the evidence abundantly shows that God has proved Satan a liar and has proved his own supremacy beyond any question of doubt, in this, that many men up to the present time have maintained their integrity toward God. At Armageddon God will completely wipe out everything that Satan has brought forward in opposition to God, and therefore will completely establish His own supremacy. Whosoever, therefore, willingly avails himself of God's gracious gift will be blessed with life, and he will have an opportunity of proving that Satan's wicked challenge is a defamation of God's name and His word, and that Satan is a liar and God is true. Men have gotten themselves into great difficulty concerning the ransom by proceeding upon the theory that the question of justice is involved.

When God sentenced Adam to death justice required the forfeiture of Adam's life. When Adam went down into the dust from which he came justice was completely satisfied. Justice has been satisfied at all times since, so far as Adam was concerned, Adam's offspring justly came under condemnation by inheritance, but, not being under direct judgment themselves,

God could consistently extend his mercy toward them. It was not a question of satisfying justice by the death of another perfect man, and the death of Jesus was not for the purpose of satisfying justice. If Jehovah would accept the perfect life of Christ Jesus in satisfaction of justice, that would mean that either the judgment against Adam was not satisfied or else the life-blood of Jesus poured out was a double satisfaction; which would be entirely inconsistent and impossible with Jehovah God.

Viewing the matter now from the point of love: God unselfishly provided, and, without a doubt, Jesus agreed with Jehovah, that he should become a man, and that he should lay down his life and that perfect human life laid down would be equivalent to what Adam's offspring would have been entitled to and would have received from their father Adam. When that equivalent, to wit, the perfect human life of Jesus and the right thereto, is presented to Jehovah God in heaven, it constitutes and constituted the purchase price of all the rights which Adam's offspring had lost by reason of Adam's sin. Therefore Christ Jesus' receiving life as a spirit creature and paying over his right to life as a human creature made him by right of purchase the owner of every one of Adam's offspring that would comply with God's requirements, to wit: have faith in God and in Christ Jesus, and meet the rules subsequently made to govern all who take that step of faith. The ransom sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ is a price exactly corresponding to what Adam lost; but it is not a substitute for Adam, nor was it given

for the purpose of satisfying justice, but was given as a purchase price. Jehovah God makes Jesus "the Everlasting Father", that is to say, the one who administers life everlasting. But upon what condition? That men comply with God's requirements. (Isaiah 9:6) Hence it is written that life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord'. (Romans 6:23) A gift cannot become operative except by the meeting of the minds of the giver and the receiver. Otherwise stated, the offer must be made, and the one to whom it is offered must willingly accept that offer. It follows, then, that the man to whom the offer is made available and who refuses or fails to accept that offer, the gift does not operate toward him. Consequently the ransom sacrifice inures to the benefit of only those who ask for and willingly receive its benefits.

As stated in the Scriptures, all men have come under condemnation, which must result ultimately in death unless provision is made for redemption. (Romans 5:12) God has graciously provided and placed before mankind the way of escape from death and hence the way to obtain life everlasting. Men must choose either to remain under condemnation that justly rests upon them or to avail themselves of the loving-kindness and mercy of God and seek and willingly accept God's gracious provision of salvation by which man obtains life. The way of escape from death and the way to everlasting life are by and through Christ Jesus. God laid him as the foundation, and there is no other way and no other name whereby man receives life. Only those who believe that God has made such provision and

that Christ Jesus is the means of salvation can possibly be saved. During the centuries past many have been brought face to face with God's provision for life and have willfully and deliberately spurned the same. They have died in their sins, that condemnation abiding upon them. It is not reasonably possible that God will bring them back and give them another chance to reject his gracious offer of life.

What is here said is not in the least contrary to or out of harmony with the Scriptural declaration uttered by John the Baptist concerning Jesus, to wit: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29) This emphatic declaration cannot be construed to mean that Jesus removes the sin of all those of the world who refuse to avail themselves of the opportunity but who willingly choose the way of wickedness, which means absolute death. In times past there have been many, and there are yet many of such. The words of Jesus are emphatic, to wit: "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." — John 3:17,18.

When Jesus was on the earth he vigorously condemned the Pharisees and their religious allies, telling them that they were the offspring of the Devil and worthy of death. To hold that the ransom sacrifice would apply to such opposers of the Lord and his kingdom would be to deny the sincerity and truth of Jesus' condemna-

tion of such wicked ones. The loving-kindness and mercy of Jehovah is extended to all men who willingly and voluntarily believe God and faithfully serve him and his beloved Son, Christ Jesus: "Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the loving-kindness of the Lord." — Psalm 107:43.

There is a class of clergymen throughout "Christendom", wise in their own conceit, who adopt the words of the bishop of Birmingham, who says: "The story of the sin and fall of Adam, and redemption by Christ Jesus, is folklore." Those men are known as "higher critics" and deny that there is any value in the shed blood of Jesus. They have an opportunity to know of God's provision of salvation, and willfully and deliberately shun the same and lead others into the same error. Those higher critics pose before the people as preachers of righteousness. They call themselves "doctors of divinity", "clergymen," "bishops," and other high-sounding titles. They are religionists and leaders in religious organizations. They have substituted the doctrines of men for the Word of God, and thus they have made the Word of God of none effect. (Matthew 15: 6-9) The people must choose either to follow these human leaders of man-made organizations or else to accept the Word of Jehovah God and the Lord Jesus Christ. To follow religionists who thus deny God's Word, therefore, means that all who do, remain under the condemnation that came upon them by inheritance, and are subjects of God's wrath. To disregard these worldly-wise men and give full heed to the Word and admoni-

tion of Jehovah and his Son, Christ Jesus, means to find life. The scripture upon this point is emphatic: "he that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3: 36) All by inheritance being under condemnation, and God having provided the one way to get out, there is no other way, and therefore Jesus says: 'This is life eternal, to know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.' (John 17:3) Surely, then, everyone who has a desire for life will eagerly seek to know what God requires of man in order to receive life everlasting.