Pagină:The-higher-powers-part-2.pdf/13

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'Yhen Gou uclivereu the childrNl of Israel from pieces as a potter's vcssel, neyer to be restored; thr the power of Pharaoh, he was simplr tearhing anoth- whole earth will be placed under one government, a er lessor!. Pharaoh pictures the Devil. Pharaoh op- diyine go'ernment, with Jesus as King. This gOYf'rnment will then proceed to demonstrate pressed Gou's chosen peoplc, The Deyil has oppressed all the peoples of earth. God purposps to ddiwr all God's loye hy opening the gran's and bringing forth people from the power of the Deyil anu utterly de- the dead, and teaching them, together with the milstroy the DeyiL IIis 'YoI'd tells us these facts, but lions of li'ing one's ,yho have not yet gone down into God illustrated his purpose when he deliwreu his peo- the tomb, the truth about God's plans and purposes; ple from the proud, haughty and dpfiant Pharaoh and teaching thrlll true instead of false doctrines; making drmmeu the hosts of Pharaoh in the Red Sea. Thi;,; an entirely new code of laws that will not benefit the means that Jl·hoyah will ueliyer everybody from Sa- rich and oppress the poor; rewarding the obedient with hC'alth, strength, liberty, peace anu everlasting tan and his power and destroy Satan, life, right here on the earth. God repeatedJ~- fought the battles of his chosen peoIn giving his only begottell Son to death to be ple, the Israelites, and repeatedly destroyed great numhers of their enemies in sudden and violent man's Redeemer, God YaS making a practical iUu'>deaths. Skeptics, professors and others, guided by tl'ation or demonstration of his love. He was Yerifytheir own human wisdom, see onlr cruelty and in- ing' the fact oft repeated in his 'Vord, that God is justice in this and charlIe God with evil intents anu love. Hence we read that "God so lo'ed the world, purposes. But the great Schoolmaster was only teach- that he' gave his onl.' begotten Son, that whosoever ing a lesson, which these men arc hindered from learn- belieyeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting' by their own human wisdom, their own self-con- ing life". Based on the fact of the death of Jesus, a resurrection of all the dead will be possible. This resceit. urn'ction of the dead will be a most wonderful illusThe enemies of Israel were also God's enemies. His tration of the great loye of God, as wcll as of his Word declares that he will destroy all his enemies in boundless mercy. For a thousanu years God will eOllthe second death. Jehoyah desired to give illustrations tinue to demonstrate his love and mercy by bringing of the fact that he had the power to destroy his eneforth from the tomb all that arc therein, and blessing mies and that he would eventually do it; hence these them wi111 a perfect knowledge of truth, righteonsg'l'eat destructions of life by hailstones, pestilence, and ness and loye. in other ways. It would Sl'em that these lessons, 'when completed, In the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrha and the would hring every person that ever lived into hardeliverance of just Ijot, God gave another illustration mony 'Yith God; but the Bible teaches that some will of his pOWl'r and his purpose to destroy all evil and remain obdurate, selfish and wicked at heart, and all evil-doers and to deli,-er the righteous. that these, at the end of the seven thousand years, In saving the life of Daniel in the lion's den, and will be destroyed in second death. This will be anoththe three Hebrews in thr fiery furnace, God was illus- er act of mercy and loyc on God's part. To let wilful trating his power and uetermination to care for and sinners lin', when they would be a perpetual curse protect his faithful followers at all times, and thus to to themselves and others, is not a part of the divinr wrify his 'Vord. program. God's plan for the rebellious is stated in In the past Jehovah has bern more particularly il- Jeremiah 51: 39, 57, ,yhich reads: "They shall sleep lustrating his power and justice, but the time is soon a perpetual slerp, and not wake." This lJenalty of an eoming when he will giYe illustrations of his love. instantaneous destruction, without any suffering in Brfore that time, howewr, he will give one more il- connection there'Yith, illustrate's God's power, wi<;lustration of his justice. He has justly decreed that clom, justice and love. Those who will be let li,-e yill be the willing and no sinner shall live, but that all wilful and penerse under the seven thousanu years' schooling shall be the obedient, the ones 'Yho havc learned the lessoll'i uttedy uestro~-eu in the second death. Ill' has decreeu properly, and who arc entitled, thercfol'l" to the gift that all eYil in<;titutions shall be destroyeu. In har- of God, which is everlasting life. These 'Yill clearly know abont Gou's plan,; and purmony ,vit h these decrees, he has arranged for "the hattIe of the great day of God ~lmighty", ,yhich lies poses; they will know that he is the only true God; just ahead of us now. This hattle is called "the great they will have ahsolute confidence in him and will day of GOlI's wrath", and is also called "the day of have no confidence in man's wisdom. They will obey vengeance ". In this battle .TehO-ah 'Yill again demon- his law for eYer and do his will for ever. Thus we sec that the great Schoolmaster will take strate to the lleop](' his justice and pO'er, by destroying' evcry man-1Jlade schl'me of sin, injustice and op- snen thousand years to teach the ppople the great l)ression, political, financial and religious. False doc- truth uttered by .Tesus: "This is life eternal, that for eyer disappear; sumptuary laws will tlll'y might know tlll'e the only true Cod, and Jesu" trin(";; for cyer IJe tahooed; the nations 'Yill be dashed in Chri'it, ,diOlll thon hast sent. "--John 17: 3.

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