T H E K I N O ’ S B U S I N E S S
April, 1940
122
Around the King s Table E D I T O R I A L
Sometimes earnest Christians develop a morbid desire to see veiled truth. We admit the value of studying the deeper things of prophecy—the number of the beast, the constitution of the ten toes of Daniel’s image, the nations that may be represented in the. great northern confederacy, year-day theories of figur ing times and seasons—-but in so doing it is possible to forget erne’s chief busi ness, which is seeking sinners and help ing saints. Let us search deeply into the Word of truth, but let us also be ware lest we become gazers when work awaits. It is enough to know that “this same Jesus . . . shall so. come in like manner as ye have seen him go.” He has not dissolved into gases or become merely an exalted spirit. The Son of Man Himself, in glorified body, is at the Father’s throne; and He will appear the second time bodily, visibly, person ally, in exactly the same manner as He ascended up from His disciples. The positive identity of the Jesus in the highest heaven with the Jesus who
was rejected, nailed to the cross, and raised from the grave should be our constant comfort. Think of it often and be glad! “The Lord Himself shall de scend from heaven”—“this same Jesus” ! Let no one take away from us the literalness of this- blessed hope. The chariot that took Him up—the Shekinah cloud—will bring Him back, and we shall be caught up with Him, if His we are!—Keith L. Brooks. What Is Left? A recent edition of The American Weekly contained a full-page article— with five grotesque illustrations—en titled “Jonah Not in a Whale But ‘In a Jam.’ ” Taking refuge in another lan guage, the author, George1 Lamsa, writes, " ‘In a great fish’ was, and still is, Aramaic slang for being in a perplex ing dilemma; or, as we would say, ‘in a pretty pickle.’ ” In addition to the above suggestion, the author informs us of several, what he believes to be, impos sible translations in Scripture. In reference to water coming forth from the smitten rock (Num. 20:7-11), we are informed by this writer: “But any schoolboy of today knows that it is a geological impossibility to expect water to gush forth from a stone.” Accepting this as true, the author ap plies the well-known reconstruction theory and concludes that Moses found and removed the covering stone of a lost well. In the passage of Scripture relating the story of Elijah’s being fed [ Continued on Page 149] southward out of his habitation, “to take a spoil” of “the people [Israel] that are gathered out of the nations” (Ezek. 38:12). It is then that “fury" leaps into the face of the God of Is rael (v. 18), and He calls for a sword (v. 21)—the sword of the Antichrist who will ride forth from Egypt (Dan. 11:42-44) at the head of the legions of the “ten kings” (Dan. 7:24; Rev. 17:12, 18) and will cut Gog to pieces upon the mountains of Israel (cf. Ezek. 39). Whether we like the prospect or not, the Antichrist and other godless forces of hell are going to be given dominion over the nations in the last days of “the times of the Gentiles,” and that dominion shall continue until it shall be taken away when the Lion of Judah’s tribe shall roar out of the opened hea vens (Rev. 19:11-21). But the Christian need have no fear. God will remain on His throne, and all these events shall occur within His permissive will only. During it all, He cares for His own! —LOUIS S. BAUMAN,
Back to Jerusalem and Witnessing! “Why stand ye gazing up Into heaven?” (Acts 1:11). The disciples had just seen their Master slowly lifted up out of their midst and carried up into the heavens, with outstretched arms blessing them as He faded out of their sight. Who of us would not have stood and looked into the skies as long as the eye could follow Him? Surely there is nothing wrong in looking up unto Him (cf. Heb. 12:2). But looking, can .become "gazing.” There may be an excess of looking. It may become morbid curiosity. It may mean a prying into that which it is not God’s purpose to reveal. There is a golden mean that is not always easy to observe. Sometimes Christians stand at the graves of loved ones 'who have just been lowered into the ground. They cannot help looking and thinking, nor can they be blamed for returning on later occa sions to weep. The place becomes precious to them. But their sentiment can be overdone. No good is being ac complished, duty Is being neglected, in jury is being wrought to themselves. Sometimes gentle reproof is needed. Our Lord sent interrupting messen gers, not soldiers with rod or sword, but white-clad angels, to suggest that there would be no benefit in further gazing. The curtain had been drawn. They must now get back to the Jerusa lem of practical life. WHEN WILL RUSSIA LOSE? What remains of a world that once had some show of honor, decency, and justice, is very much upset that the little, Christian, peace-loving nation of Finland should fall a prey Into the bloody jaws of the godless, rapacious northern bear. One against sixty did not seem like a fair fight. However, they who know the Word of God should not be disquieted. The prophets long ago said of “Gog” (Rus sia) : “Thou shalt come from thy place out of the north parts, thou, and many people with thee, . . . a great company, and a mighty army” (Ezek. 38:15). This is not exactly the description of a power that a little nation of three million people could defeat. Everywhere, the Scriptures set forth that “the king of the north” is just that—“the KING of the north.” The defeat of this power is not to be accomplished on any European battle field. This king rides to his doom only when, with whetted appetite, he rides
Map Showing Important Features of the Russo-Finnish Treaty Signed at Moscow on March 13, 1940.
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