This afternoon I am to answer questions that have come to me from brethren in the mother church. But as you listen to the answers I want you to consider that we, too, were once in their place; that we also were typical Laodiceans; and that what they are doing now, we likewise were doing then. We, too, were perhaps questioning everything in which we had no part; acting and speaking in the same way as they. What a terrible and unbecoming thing for a Christian to not believe even the Lord's Own sayings to the Laodiceans, yet we, too, thought we had need of nothing, but that all others had need of us.
You know that we were not so open-minded then as we are now. And when our doctrines were questioned we, too, like our brethren, did not honestly and unbiasedly give a fair hearing to the views of others.
When we were in their place we, too, in our lukewarmness zealously defended every doctrine, even
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though we ourselves were not clear in some of them. This we did only because the doctrines which were taught in the church by our own Ministering brethren we, too, presumably believed were correct. And so we, as blindly as they believed one hundred per cent of whatever was taught in the church, not considering that much of it came through uninspired men. Inspired or uninspired did not make any difference to us then, as it makes no difference to them now. We, too, were in a terrible sad deception and right along with them knew not or believed not, that we were wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked, although the Lord Himself said so! Rev. 3:14-18. We continued in that state of mind until the scroll unrolled. Then our eyes were opened: the doctrines and interpretations which did not come through Inspiration we then clearly saw that they were only "devisings of men." Neither did we see beforehand that the Sabbath and the church were turned into institutions for raising goals and for merchandising -- means for dishonoring God and for robbing the poor to feed and clothe those who are keeping the whole church in the terrible Laodicean sad deception.
So looking at it from this angle, we were not much better than the best of the Laodiceans. What makes the difference between us and them is that the light has illuminated our path, but it has not as yet reached them. The credit, then, for what advancement we may have made in this revival and reformation effort is not ours, but God's.
The first question to be answered this afternoon takes us to the eleventh chapter of Daniel, there to
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Identify The King Of The North And The King Of The South
The question is: "Who are the king of the north and the king of the south in our day?" -- As it is our duty to sanctify the Lord God in our hearts, and to be ready to give the right answer at the right time to every man that asks for a reason of the hope that is in us, let us read--
Dan. 11:40-43 -- "And at the time of the end shall the king of the south push at him: and the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots, and with horsemen, and with many ships; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land, and many countries shall be overthrown: but these shall escape out of his hand, even Edom, and Moab, and the chief of the children of Ammon. He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries: and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt: and the Libyans and the Ethiopians shall be at his steps."
The dispute brought to view in this verse, occurring between the kings, is not before the time of end, or in the time of the end, but "at the time of the end." The king of the south you note, is the one to push at the king of the north, and the king of the north is the one to win the war, and to take from the king of the south the glorious land (Palestine) and Egypt besides the countries that are not mentioned by name. These points as we shall now see are sufficient to perfectly identify both kings, the war, and the time it is fought. As the war is to begin at the time of the end, and as the king of the south is the
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loser of the war, the countries that are conquered must therefore be ruled by the king of the north during the time of the end. (For detailed study of Daniel eleven, read Tract No. 12, The World Yesterday, Tomorrow, pp. 57-91.
Since those who asked the questions agree with us that we are now living in the "time of the end," we need not say more concerning that phase of the subject, but we do need to have them tell us which power at this particular time, in the time of the end, has added "the glorious land" (Palestine), Egypt, and other countries to his empire. The answer that anyone can give is that Great Britain took these from Turkey and has virtually ruled them ever since. Plainly then, during the time of the end Great Britain is the king of the north and Turkey is the king of the south. Rightfully so, too, for Mohammedanism originally arose from the south of the Mediterranean and in undated the lands of the north and ruled them to the time of the end. Then the tables turned and the Turkish empire began to shrink while the British began to expand.
Since there is no way of any one dodging the truth of the subject, there is no need of further discussion of it. For detailed study on Daniel eleven read the last part of Tract No. 12. Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow.
Do not expect too much of the Laodiceans, though, for you know that it is just as hard for them to accept Truth as it was for most of us when we were in their place. Why? -- Because for most human beings it is hard to say, "we are wrong." Only a few can shun pride of opinion and admit their errors. It is for this very reason that newly revealed Truth is never popular. When the Truth for today came to us, we believed It not because others did, but because we
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ourselves clearly saw it. Let us thus continue, but let us be patient, tolerant, and charitable with all.
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Our next question to give answer to--
"Is World War II In Daniel's Prophecy?"
Dan. 11:44, 45 -- "But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many. And he shall plant the tabernacles of his palace between the seas in the glorious holy mountain; yet he shall come to his end, and none shall help him."
In this particular war the king of the north goes to destroy many because unpleasant news from out of the east and from out of the north, reach his ears. The king of the south is therefore not involved in it.
Since Hitler and Russia (the powers of the north) started War No. II in Poland, then Japan (the power of the east) joined it, and since Turkey, the king of the south kept out of it, it is very obvious that the war of Dan. 11:44 is World War II into which the tidings here mentioned dragged England (the king of the north). World War II therefore is positively the war predicted in Dan. 11:44, 45, the last war of Daniel eleven. Moreover, the fact that only verse 44 so far has been fulfilled, that the king is yet to come to his end, is proof positive that World War II is yet to be finished, that there is to be no peace now, and no mutual agreement between the nations although the war is supposed to have ceased since Hitler's disappearance.
The statement, "He shall come to his end and none
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shall help him," implies that someone has been helping him, and the world knows that it has been the United States of America. We therefore, find ourselves living in between verses 44, and 45 of Daniel eleven.
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Our next question is,
"When Does The Time Of The End Begin?"
Let us read--
Dan. 11:35 -- "And some of them of understanding shall fall, to try them, and to purge them, and to make them white, even to the time of the end: because it is yet for a time appointed."
Here you note that God's people were to fall, be persecuted, martyred and tried even to the time of the end. They were to go through that ordeal in order to be purged, tried, and made white. Bear in mind that the purging was to continue up "to the time of the end," and that the king of the south was to push against the king of the north "at the time of the end." Now mark that the preposition "to" terminates at the preposition "at," that where the purging ends, the king's pushing begins. These points were brought to light at the beginning of this study.
So far as I am able to find, history teaches that the martyrdom ceased in 1700 A.D. and that the Turkish empire began to shrink in 1699. (See Map No. 10 of Tract 12, The World Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow.) The time of the end, therefore, began at the closing of the seventeenth century, the time martyrdom ceased, and the time the Turkish empire began to disintegrate.
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Moreover, speaking of the tribulation in which millions were martyred, Jesus said: "Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened...." Matt. 24:29. The dark day came in 1780 A.D. And while the Turkish empire kept on shrinking, the British kept on expanding. Here is seen that prophecy perfectly corroborates history. Now learn--
"How To Turn Wasted Time Into Good Use"
You are aware of the fact that we are given a great work and that the time in which to do it is very short; that we should therefore, learn how to turn wasted time into good use. Someone has said that on the average, more than half of mens' life and energy are wasted on useless talking and in policing others. One of our greatest needs therefore, is that we learn to control our tongues and to keep our noses out of other people's business in order to conserve time and energy, peace and integrity.
It is well to remember too, that our tongues are given to us for the purpose of speaking God's Truth and His praise, and our energies to proclaim His Truth and to bless His people. Let us be talking of and working for these heaven born principles. If you accidently happen to see or to hear that someone is doing something that according to your best judgment is not proper for a Christian to do, and if you think you can help him, then do not make of yourself a tale-bearer by telling it to anyone but rather plead with the guilty one.
Do not make yourself a criterion for any either, and do not force your ideas on anyone but on yourselves. It is no one's duty to police another. Understand
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that no one is in debt to bring his life to anyone's standards and maximums. Hear what Inspiration says: "Who are thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand" (Rom. 14:4) but since you are not able to, then why try!
Do not make enemies by your tongues. Make friends. And do not have your feelings on your finger tips. If you do, you yourself will feel the loss of friends, of social joy, and of the opportunity and privilege to win souls to Christ. Do not end the day with no credit to be recorded on your page of Heaven's ledger. Do not misinterpret other peoples' motives either. Try to see and interpret everything in the right way, give everyone a chance. See the good in everyone and close your eyes to all evil.
Let your conversation be on the subject of promoting God's Truth for the day. It will keep you busy talking of something profitable and commendable. Think and study, and when you talk religion, by all means do not become a bore. Go on with your talk only as far as your listeners follow you -- "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Matt. 7:6.
Tongues are hard to control, and ears always anxious to hear. It will therefore be better if you do less visiting. Much visiting is only a waste of time and a temptation to discuss the motes in the eyes of others and to overlook the beam that is in your own eye.
Whenever you are by yourself you can get something
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done. You can then either work or study. But when you get together with others, the chances are that you get nothing done but harm to yourself and to others. Now is the time to study and to learn the Truth for this time, to find out how to give a study and how to answer questions in a simple way, without having to go into a lot of history or biography. And if you are determined to walk with God daily and to study His will concerning your own duties, not the duties of others, you will find plenty to keep you busy and out of mischief.
Remember, too, that you are candidates for the first fruits, to be either one with or one of the 144,000, that you are to be without guile in your mouths (Rev. 14:5).
Measure your words by the golden rule. If you will do to others what you would have them to do to you, you will have less trouble, greater joy in life, many friends all around you, and fair sheaves for the Heavenly Garner.
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