The Harp of God Part 10

[153]When these wise men came into the presence of Herod, he was troubled, because he feared the new king would interfere with his reign; and he "gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people [the seed of Satan and also his representatives--John 8:44] together and demanded of them where Christ should be born"--in other words he demanded to know where the babe Jesus could be found. Then Herod, in furtherance of the conspiracy, privately consulted with these wise men.

We now see Herod manifesting one of the characteristics of Satan, viz., deception, in this, that he pretended to desire himself to find the babe Jesus, that he might go and worship him; whereas all the facts and circ.u.mstances show that his real purpose was that he might find the babe in order to destroy him. "Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was."

[154]We cannot for a moment believe that the heavenly Father would use a wicked one like Herod and aid him in carrying out his wicked purpose by having a star to direct these three wise men to the place of Jesus'

birth, in view of the fact that the king had demanded that they should return and report to him, and when it was King Herod's purpose to destroy the babe. The fact is that the devil and his instruments, Herod and others, would have succeeded in this wicked conspiracy and have caused the death of the babe Jesus had not G.o.d intervened to save the child.

[155]The wise men reaching Bethlehem found the babe and brought their presents and worshiped. Without a doubt it was their intention to return and report to Herod. And the result of such a return would have been the death of the child. But G.o.d here intervened and warned them in a dream.

These wise magicians relied upon dreams. "Being warned of G.o.d in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way." Satan again was thwarted in his wicked purpose.

[156]The real intent of Herod in sending these wise men is disclosed by what subsequently happened. "Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men." (Matthew 2:16) Determined not to be thwarted in his purpose, Satan and his instrument Herod were willing to destroy all the babes in and about Bethlehem, with the hope of destroying the one that was to be the King and Savior of the world. Jehovah saved the babe Jesus from this slaughter by directing his mother and Joseph to take the young child and flee into Egypt, which they did.--Matthew 2:13.

[157]We would not be justified, then, in presuming that G.o.d was using these devil worshipers, the "wise men"--"Magians," Magicians--for the purpose of being his witnesses to the birth of his beloved Son. But on the contrary, the facts show that it pleased him to reveal this great truth to the shepherds and to use them as his witnesses.--Luke 2:8-18.

[158]There is nothing whatsoever in the account of this experience of the wise men to indicate that their mission was in any wise beneficial to mankind; but the most charitable view we can take of it is that they were dupes of a deep-laid plot by Satan, the arch conspirator, to destroy the seed of promise; and that Jehovah let the conspiracy proceed to the point where it would fully demonstrate the wickedness on the part of Satan and his instrument, and then demonstrated his great protecting power. Without a doubt Satan has attempted to deceive and has deceived mult.i.tudes of honest people into believing that these wise men were the witnesses of the Lord, and hid from their minds the fact that they in truth and in fact represented Satan.

[159]All the wicked persecution that came upon the Lord Jesus afterward, and upon his followers to this day, has been because of the influence of Satan the devil. And yet at all times the Lord has protected his own at the very critical moment, just as promised: "The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear [reverence] him, and delivereth them".--Psalm 34:7.

HOW UNDEFILED?

[160]St. Paul says: "As by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death pa.s.sed upon all men, for that all have sinned".

(Romans 5:12) "There is none that doeth good, no, not one." (Psalm 14:3) These Scriptures being true, and since Jesus was born of a woman, was he not born like other children? And if so, was he not a sinner like others?

[161]Jesus was not a sinner. He was born pure, holy, sinless, without spot or blemish. He was not begotten and born like other children. While he was born of the woman Mary, Joseph was not his father. Joseph was espoused to Mary, Jesus' mother, and before they were married she was found to be with child. (Matthew 1:18) Mary was a virgin, yet she was about to give birth and did give birth to the babe Jesus. (Matthew 1:20,23) The holy child that was born of the virgin Mary was and is the Son of G.o.d.--Luke 1:35.

[162]The words translated in our Bibles _Holy Ghost_ should be properly translated _holy spirit_. The holy spirit is the invisible power, energy and influence of Jehovah. G.o.d is holy; therefore his power, energy, and influence are holy. Father means life-giver. Jehovah is the Father of Jesus because he gave life to Jesus; hence Jesus is called the Son of G.o.d. The spirit, energy, or influence of Jehovah operating upon earthly substance produced earthly creatures. (Genesis 2:7; 1 Corinthians 15:47) The same holy power, energy, and influence begat the child Jesus, who was born of his mother Mary. Therefore the life of Jesus was without sin or imperfection. The germ of life of him who was born Jesus was transferred from the spirit plane or nature to the human plane or nature.

[163]Jesus was our Lord's human name. It implied his humiliation and lowly estate, in comparison with the glory which he had with the Father before the world was. (John 17:5) He existed long before he became a human being. His prehuman name was the _Logos_, which is translated in our common version Bible "the Word". The word _Logos_ is therefore one of the t.i.tles of Jesus and should not be translated at all. It means the spokesman, active agent, or messenger, of Jehovah. St. John, writing concerning the Logos, who later became Jesus, says: "In the beginning [which means the beginning of G.o.d's creative activity] was the Logos, and the Logos was with G.o.d [the G.o.d, Jehovah], and the Logos was a G.o.d [a mighty one]. The same was in the beginning with G.o.d [the G.o.d, Jehovah]. All things were made by him [the Logos]; and without him [the Logos] was not anything made that was made"--he was the active agent of Jehovah in making all things,--John 1:1-3.

[164]The beginning here referred to could not mean the beginning of G.o.d the Father, because he is from everlasting to everlasting and never had a beginning. (Psalm 41:13; 90:2) The _work_ of Jehovah, however, had a beginning, and his creative work is clearly what is here meant. The Logos was the first and only direct creation of Jehovah; and thereafter G.o.d's creation was performed through his Logos. This is the thought expressed by the apostle Paul, who says of Jesus: "He is the image of the invisible G.o.d, the firstborn of every creature; for by him were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or princ.i.p.alities, or powers; all things were created by him and for him, and he is before all things and by him all things consist."--Colossians 1:15-17.

[165]As further evidence of Jesus' prehuman existence, we have his own words: "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me". (John 6:38) "I proceeded forth and came from G.o.d; neither came I of myself, but he sent me." (John 8:42) Again: "Before Abraham was, I am". (John 8:58) Again: "I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father". (John 16:28) "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." (John 17:5) Again Jesus said: "I am the beginning of the creation of G.o.d".

(Revelation 3:14) Furthermore, the apostle Paul under inspiration states: "G.o.d ... hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds".

(Hebrews 1:1,2) And again he states: "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich". (2 Corinthians 8:9) He was in the form of G.o.d before he became a man. "Who, though being in G.o.d's form, yet did not meditate a usurpation to be like G.o.d, but divested himself, taking a bondman's form, having been made in the likeness of men."--Philippians 2:6,7, _Diaglott_.

[166]Some have earnestly believed that Jesus was G.o.d himself. But such a conclusion is not warranted by the Scriptures. John said: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand". (John 3:35) Again Jesus said: "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth the Son honoreth the Father which hath sent him.... For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself." (John 5:22, 23, 26) Again Jesus said: "It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me." (John 8: 17, 18) Thus Jesus definitely fixes the fact that he and the Father are separate and distinct beings.

[167]Again Jesus said: "My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." (John 10:29,30) It may be asked, Does this not prove that they were one being? Our answer is that it does not; but that it does show, in connection with the other Scriptures quoted, that Jesus and the Father, Jehovah, are one in spirit, one in purpose, one in harmonious action; just as Jesus subsequently prayed to the Father that the church, his followers, might be made one with him, when he said: "Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one." (John 17:20-22) Thus Jesus definitely shows what is meant by being one with the Father.

[168]Again Jesus prayed to the Father, saying: "Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour. Father, glorify thy name. Then came there a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again." (John 12:27,28) Jesus could not have been praying to himself here, but he was praying to Jehovah G.o.d, from whom he came.

[169]That the Father is greater than the Son, Christ Jesus, he shows when he says: "I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I."--John 14:28.

[170]Many others have believed that Jesus, while on the earth, was still a spirit being and that his flesh was merely a covering or house in which that spirit being resided. Otherwise stated, that he was merely an incarnated creature and not wholly a man. The incarnation theory is that a spirit being inhabits for a time the human body, or a human body is created for the express purpose of that spirit being's occupying it for a time. The incarnation of Jesus is Scripturally erroneous. Indeed, if he had been merely an incarnated being, he could never have redeemed mankind. It is not disputed that he could have appeared as a human being; and such is attested to in the instances given in Genesis 18:1,2 and 19:1.

[171]Some insist that Jesus when on earth was both G.o.d and man in completeness. This theory is wrong, however. We should never formulate a theory concerning G.o.d's plan in direct contradiction to his plain Word.

We should have faith in G.o.d and in his Word. Faith means to have a knowledge of his Word and then to rely upon that Word confidently. The Bible is the revealed Word of G.o.d, given to man for his instruction; and where plain statements of the Bible are given, we should take them at their face value. Following this course, we find that the plan of G.o.d everywhere appears harmonious and beautiful.

[172]The adversary takes advantage of an honest desire on the part of some and leads them into error. Every conscientious and reverential mind desires to honor G.o.d. For fear they might dishonor him, they are easily led into failure to give proper consideration to plain statements of the Bible. Some have been induced to believe that should they say that Jesus when on earth was a man and not G.o.d, such would be a dishonor to G.o.d.

We should not permit ourselves to be beguiled or misled by sophistry or theories, but should follow the plain teachings of the Bible and then reach a conclusion in the light of that revealed Word after a full examination.

[173]The record concerning Jesus' prehuman existence, his being begotten and his birth, entirely disproves the theory that he was incarnated. The Scriptures above cited plainly show that he was begotten in the womb of a woman, Mary, by the holy spirit, the power, energy or influence of Jehovah; that thereafter he was born in the same general manner that other children are born of a woman (Luke 2:9-11); that he grew to manhood's estate and increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with G.o.d and man. (Luke 2:40,52) None of these things would have been necessary were he merely an incarnated being, a spirit being inhabiting a body of flesh. He worked at the carpenter's trade until he was thirty years of age, at which time he began his ministry. At that time he went to John to be baptized in the Jordan. (Luke 3:21-23) Immediately following that he spent forty days and nights in the wilderness, fasting and studying Jehovah's plan. (Luke 4:1-14) If he were G.o.d incarnate, this experience in the wilderness would seem wholly unnecessary.

[174]Jesus was not an angel or spirit being, because we have the positive statement of the Apostle to the effect that, "We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels". (Hebrews 2:9) And again: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise partook of the same". (Hebrews 2:14) Furthermore, he was at one time rich in heavenly power and glory and became poor for the sake of mankind by taking upon himself the nature of man. (2 Corinthians 8:9) He was made in the nature and likeness of man. (Philippians 2:8) The Apostle, writing under inspiration, speaks of Jesus as the man: "For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead.... The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from heaven."--1 Corinthians 15:21,47; see also 1 Timothy 2:5,6.

[175]Had Jesus been merely an incarnated being it would not have been necessary for him to be born as a babe and grow to manhood's estate.

While he was born of a woman, yet he was without sin, because from his Father, Jehovah; for he was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners" (Hebrews 7:26); "and he was manifested to take away our sins, and in him is no sin", (1 John 3:5) He was without spot or blemish; therefore perfect and holy.--1 Peter 1:19; Hebrews 9:14.

[176]G.o.d says to us: "Come now, and let us reason together, ... though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool". (Isaiah 1:18) We should reason upon G.o.d's plan as revealed in the Bible, because he thus invites us to do. When we see the reason why Jesus was made a man, why it was necessary for him to be a perfect man while on earth, then we are glad and give praise to G.o.d. Had he not become a man, there would have been no hope for any of the human race to get life through Christ Jesus; and the Apostle declares that there is no other name given under heaven whereby mankind can live.--Acts 4:12.

In what peculiar manner has Jehovah used men and women in the Bible?

Give some examples. -- 102.

What was typified by Hagar? -- 102.

What was the purpose of the law covenant G.o.d made with Israel? -- 102.

Give the name of Abraham's third wife; and what did she typify? -- 102.

Give the apostle Paul's statement as to what the wives of Abraham typified. -- 103.

What did Isaac typify or picture? -- 103.

What const.i.tutes the seed of Abraham, according to the promise? -- 103.

Quote the words of St. Paul concerning the seed of Abraham. -- 103.

What is first necessary relative to the seed before the people can be blessed? -- 104.

What was the expectation of the Jews concerning this seed? -- 105.

Give the names of Isaac's two sons; and what was Isaac's age when they were born? -- 105.

After the birth of his sons, where did Isaac go to reside? and while there, what did G.o.d say to him? -- 106.

Which of Isaac's sons became successor to the promise? and why? -- 106.

What really determined who would be the successor to the father's estate? -- 107.

Did the Lord indicate that there should be any exception to this rule relative to Jacob and Esau? -- 107.

How did the Lord indicate this to Rebekah the mother? -- 107.

How did Esau occupy his time generally? -- 108.

What different disposition did Jacob possess? -- 108.