The eternal purpose

Front matter

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HE ERNHL RPOSE

Class ^

Chapter I. Purpose Of The Creator

Confidence and love through knowledge. Pursuit of knowledge is legitimate — indifference is abnormal and perverse. God's design — A family of loving children. Creative days. Seventh day equals whole period of human history — the the time during which the family of God should be developed.

Chapter II. Constitution Of Man

Man is made of the same materials as all animals. ** Breath of lives" is atmospheric air. Became a living soul. All animals are living souls. Something in man's constitution not found in other animals. Attributes of the Creator — spiritual. Three parts — animal, mental, spiritual. Man perfectly free to choose, because he is the image and likeness of the Creator.

Chapter III. Out-working Of The Image And Likeness Of God

IN THE FLESH, WHILE IGNORANT OF

GOOD AND EVIL.

Man's organism perfect for the purpose intended. Adam and Eve did not know good or evil. God-like constitution, unguided by knowledge and love, is self-willed. Whole story of creation and sin not an allegory. The penalty of sin is destruction of life — the grave. Tree of life antidote to disease. Cast out of the garden, Adam and Eve were angry. Law of heredity exhibited in Cain and Abel.

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Effects of sin not eradicated by long line of righteous ancestry. Effects of sin are eradicated by the resurrection in a spiritual body.

CHAPTER IV. antediIvUVian dispensation.

Dispensational truth. Antediluvian dispensation. Preadamiteism. Cain built a city. Rapid increase of human race. Great age of men. No human government. Instruction in righteousness given. Offerings of Cain and Abel. Some were godly — some were ungodly. Earth filled with violence. Arts and sciences. Sons of God — giants — men of renown: Who or what were they? Opinions of post-apostolic fathers. The oldest belief — * 'Angels who kept not their first estate. ' ' Legends of the demigods. Noah perfect in his generation.

CHAPTER V. PATRIARCHAIv DISPENSATION

Human government authorized. Sinful man unable to rule justly. Idolatry and beastliness, early degeneracy. Book of Job. Customs and beliefs. Freak of nature. Inbreeding. Human life shortened. Migration and dispersion. Isolation and inbreeding the cause of physical diversities. The lesson of the age. Circumcision. The close of the age. Enslavement of the Israelites.

Chapter VI. Dispensation Oi^ The Law

Egypt the leading nation. Happenings in Egypt soon known to all other nations. God's purpose was to establish His name in all the earth. Israelites not monotheists at that time. Kingdom of Saul. Smite Amalek. Elohim. Effect on other nations. Zoroaster. Gautama. Confucius. Condition of the Gentiles at the close of Mosaic age. Other matters foretold by the prophets. Kingdom

Contents of God promised. Israelites expected to be rulers over all other nations under the great king. Other lines of prophecy which they overlooked. Divine truths held in unrighteousness. Law does not win the heart. By the law man learns that he is out of harmony with God. Commandments are for the animal man only : not for the spiritual man.

CHAPTER VII. The RbconciIvIation

jesus christ.

God's next step taken to win man'slove. Must reveal His character to men by a man. Christ the manifestor of God. His teachings different from the teachings of the scribes: and were a reproach to priests and elders. They hated Him. Had Him put to death. Who was this Jesus? One archangel only. Michael — who as God. The preexistent Christ. Was made flesh — became a man. Was not ' 'the only begotten Son ' ' until born of a woman. Why His death? Plan founded on the constitution of man. Romantic incident. He died with us and for us, not instead of us. We could not perceive His love if He had not died with us. If we could not perceive His love, we could not know God — so could not become His children. Burden laid on Christ was not removed from men. All that Christ suffered w^as endured for the effect it would have on us.

CHAPTER VIII. The Reconciuation

animal sacrifices.

Idea of sacrifices came down from our first parents. Outward form universally retained, but the spirit of it lost. Heathen idea was substitutional atonement. Hebrew sacrifices were on a different basis. Hebrew idea afterward degraded to leveloftheheathen conception. Reproved by the prophets. A broken spirit and changed heart the only ground of God's favor. True meaning of sacrifice for sin. I\Iortify your members. Hand on head of victim.

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Sacrifice and baptism. Sacrifices that were eaten. Sacrifices the blood of which was presented before the vail, and those of which the blood was presented in the most holy, before the ark. The Lord's goat — the scape goat. Whole burnt offerings. The skin not offered on the altar: neither could honey nor leaven be placed on the altar of God.

CHAPTER IX. The Reconciliation

propitiation.

Greek words express heathen ideas. Heathen sense of words not always the gospel sense. Translation must be "according to the analogy of the faith." Character of the Creator is the foundation on which to find the meaning of revealed truth. Propitiation in the heathen sense; same word in the gospel sense. Heathen sense came down to us through the Romish Church. Not God, but man is to be reconciled. Christ our advocate not to the Father but with the Father. Soul tired of sin. In the name of Jesus Christ. No other name possible. He only can manifest God, for in Him alone dwells the fullness of the deity. Jesus the standard of righteousness. God is propitiated when He sees the likeness of Jesus in the repentant sinner. The meeting place. Redemption. Bought and Price, The Blood. Blood of sprinkling. Portraiture of substitution.

Chapter X. Dispensation 01^ The Kingdom Of God In The Earth

The next step. Whole human race brought into condition that they may know God. Heretofore God has not tried to have all men know the truth. In the time of the kingdom the glory of God shall be known to every human soul. The mountain of the Lord's house. Men of Nineveh and Sodom. Heathen shall confess the glory of the Father. Gates of the city not shut. Spirit and bride say come. Conditions of entering the kingdom. Nicodemus' questions. Wrong idea of the kingdom. Born of water — born of the Spirit. Kingdom not of two parts. No flesh

Contents vii

and blood in the kingdom of God. The Resurrection. Great differencesofindividualsinthe resurrection. Restoration to Hfe of Lazarus. Jesus was raised a spirit being. The Spiritual body. Spirit of the world — Spirit which is of God. Sown in weakness. Enoch translated.

CHAPTER XL

DISPENSATION OF^ THE GOSPElv AGE.

Necessary first to understand the kingdom age in order to understand the gospel age. The real purpose may now be clearly seen. The commission "Make disciples" did not mean convert all the world. Dispensation of the law did not lap over on the dispensation of the gospel. Distinction between the kingdom ageandthegospelagesimpleandplain. A people for His name. Election according to His purpose. The elect chosen as mediators to reconcile men to God. Mountain of the Lord's house. Royal priesthood — sons of God. Serving apprenticeship. Teaching them to observe. Many called — few chosen. Sit on the throne — stand before the throne. The crown — the palm. "Beware, lest another take thy crown." Light-givers — light-reflectors.

CHAPTER XH.

EXACT KNOWLEDGE OF HIS WILL.

Resume of the dispensational ages. Is it possible to know truth from error? Bible answer. Walk in the light. First step of discipleship. Right intention — wrong belief. Gnosis and epignosis. Partial knowledge generates division — exact knowledge generates peace and fellowship. Not caring to know exactly. Deceived deceivers. How to determine between truth and error. Analogy of the faith. Foundation principles; first strata — attributes of God: second strata — constitution of man : third strata — finished completeness of Divine revelation.

CHAPTER Xni.

THE ROYAL PRIESTHOOD.

High priest typified Christ Jesus. Priests (Aaron's sons)

viii Contents typified the royal priesthood. Ceremonies of installation of Aaronic priesthood, typified things essential to the royal priesthood. Sin destroys harmony. Be holy, for God is holy. Definition of terms. Union of faith and love generates devotion. Wrong belief respecting sin and purity affect development of Christian character. A genuine conversion. First blessing — second blessing. Truth the means of sanctification. In this life, no follower of Christ gets beyond being tempted. Perfecting holiness.

CHAPTER XIV.

THK SABBATH OF^ THE LORD.

God ceased (sabbathed) from creative work and began development of human race. Israelites did not cease from their own ways, by perfect trust in God. Sabbath-keeping means undoubting trust in God. A few from Adam to Moses entered into that spiritual rest. Peace of God. Institution of seventh-day sabbath. Fourth commandment. Moral principles of decalogue known to ancients, but not as a covenant. A covenant was first made with the Israelites. Holy convocation. Neglect of sabbath day evidence that Israelites did not care to honor God. Position in the decalogue of fourth commandment. Seventh-day sabbath-keeping. Seventh-day sabbath passed away. My sabbath — your sabbaths. The rest (sabbathing) that remains to the people of God. Every day alike.

CHAPTER XV.

BAPTISM.

Spirit of the world. Spirit which is of God. Fruit of the Spirit. Spiritual gifts. Miracles beginning and ending each dispensational age. Do spiritual gifts continue? Baptism of fire. Heart not purified by fire, but by the word of God. Water baptism. Mosaic types ceased; but human nature not changed. New types in gospel dispensation. Water baptism not of the Mosaic law. Washings of the law, not baptism. John the first to baptize. Baptism appointed by the Lord. Self-baptism not Christian baptism. True meaning disclosed. Symbol of

Contents ix death and resurrection. Not a symbol of purification. Not a ceremony of initiation to churcli membership "Baptize in the name." Ancient superstitions. Not in order to forgiveness of sins. Infant baptism.

CHAPTER XVI.

THE PASSOVER AND THE LORD'S SUPPER.

Old Testament pictures and New Testament declarations together give correct understanding of truth. The Passover. Jesus the Lamb of God. "Eat my flesh" — imitation of Christ's life. "Drink My blood" — receiving the Spirit of Christ. Fruit of His Spirit — manifestation before the world. The Lord's supper — a new ordinance. Received from the Lord. Spiritual meaning of bread — of wine. Eat and drink judgment — not discerning the body. Appointed to meet our needs. When to observe — no law respecting time.

THE ETERNAL PURPOSE.

Chapter I

PURPOSE OI? THE CREATORS

It is not within the scope of the finite mind to know all the motives which determine the Infinite Mind in any action which He may take ; but there are some facts, which, coming within the range of human discernment, become a rightful prize in the treasur^^ of our present knowledge and understanding of His purposes and plans. And these things, when seen, always turn to the consolation and encouragement of the persons discerning them, establishing their confidence and love toward the Creator.

The desire to know the mysteries of our existence is inborn; it is a part of the action of our human constitution. Pursuit of that knowledge, therefore, is the legitimate action of the mind ; and indifference and inattention to the subject is contrary to the normal working of our constitution, and therefore abnormal and perv^erse.

The purpose of the Creator as to the finished condition of man, and the plan he has adopted for the accomplishment of that purpose, constitute what, in the New Testament, is called, * 'The gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.'/

It is indeed, "Glad Tidings of great joy" to all persons who will give to it that reasonable attention, with that integrity of intention which alone is worthy of the intelligent mind acting in harmony with its own constitution.

From the standpoint of human observation, unaided by Divine Revelation, the condition of the human race from the very beginning is in great confusion. It is a fact that disease, pain and anguish of body and mind is the common lot; great expectations end in disappointments and all end in the grave.

Is it any wonder, then, that intellectual beings, such as men, when reasoning only from the seemingly confused condition of human life, should sometimes get bewildered, and conclude that the Creator either was not able to make things better, and therefore not almighty, or, if able, that He is not good, because he has not prevented evil getting into the world? But to look at these things from a deeper reasoning, is it not clear that we must first know the purpose for which we are created, and the ultimate design of our Creator in giving us existence, before we can possibly judge as to the wisdom and goodness of present conditions; even with approximate correctness and the fairness of right reason?

If the Creator makes known to us His purpose, the object he had in view in giving us a being; and also, tells us plainly what He has done and is now doing with us and for us, we may correctly reckon that the present circumstances of our race are a condition in the process by which He will accomplish His ultimate purpose.

That he has made that purpose known, and that it is recorded in the Bible, has been the belief of multitudes of persons during many centuries and we will assume that such a belief is well founded in fact, and is correct ; and while it is not the primary object of this work to prove the authenticity and credibility of the scriptures, a careful and honest review of them, will, doubtless, have that effect.

Let us then turn to the Holy Scriptures, and near the end of the last book is written a vision which the seer, John, had. He says, ''And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them and they shall be His people and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things have passed away. And He that sat upon the throne said. Behold, I make all things new, and He said unto me. Write; for these words are true and faithful. And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end: I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountains of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God and he shall be my son." Rev. 21 : 3-7.

That vision is the picture of a great family: a father surrounded by his children, every one of whom is in perfect accord with the Father; and every one enjoying the fullness of His favor. It declares the purpose which actuated Him in the creation of the human race, namely, the making of a living being that could know Him and understand Him and love Him and harmonize perfectly with Him, in sentiment, intention, action and method, and it sets forth man in his finished condition, the friend, companion and associate of Deity, in the sense that loyal and affectionate children may be the friends and companions of a strong, wise and loving parent.

And here it is proper to say that if the Creator has any other ultimate purpose, respecting the members of the human race, than the formation of such a family, it is not written in the Bible.

It is manifest that the human family has been, from the first, undergoing a system of tutelage. It is as if the Creator has been conducting a great kindergarten in the earth, where He has been preparing the human race for a higher school in another life.

The text-books in use are the book of Nature, Human Experience, and the Bible. The first and third are manifestly composed by the same author; for when correctly read they agree perfectly in their testimony; they corroborate each other; and all three must be studied in conjunction, for attainment of the highest knowledge concerning both God and humanity.

The questions of most absorbing interest to an intelligent man, as he contemplates his situation, are, *'What is this earth and the sun and moon and stars? How came they into existence? And what am I, and how came I into being? And whither do I go?'' These are the questions that the Bible claims to answer fully and satisfactorily.

In all the range of literature there is nothing that bears comparison with the first and second chapters of Genesis, so concise, yet so complete. The story of creation is there told in outline, from beginning to finish, and in the exact order of its progression.

Many have been the attempts to overthrow the testimony of that narrative. Science has been invoked to declare that there was no need of a sentient Creator ; that generation was the self-action of matter ; and that species evolved by unintelligent self-action, from the lower to the higher.

But Science, after much patient investigation, answers back that there can not be found a single case of spontaneous generation of life, either vegetable or animal; nor one instance in which one species has evolved into another, either higher or lower.

It has ever been the unhappy lot of truth to be wounded in the house of its friends ; and the ignorance and careless reading of many who believe in and are even accredited teachers of the people, in respect to the Divine records, have given some occasion for the ridicule and some grounds for the specious arguments, under which the haters of Divine revelation have sought to bury the Bible story.

It is a fact that until quite recently (the last half of the nineteenth century), it was the common opinion of Christian people, that the six creative days of the first chapter of Genesis were of only twenty-four hours each. No reason was ever assigned for that belief excepting that the Bible said, *'In six days the Lord made heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is. ' ' Ex. 20 :1 1 .

As the sciences of astronomy and geology developed and there seemed to be a conflict of statement between the record of Nature and that of Revelation, a more careful reading of both was forced ; for if both were written by the Creator they could not contradict each other.

The results of more careful study have been most happy. Some things claimed by students of nature were found to be only wild guessings; while some things claimed by students of the Bible have been found to be wide apart from the actual Bible statements:

Perhaps there is nothing in which careless reading is more apparent than in the claim that **heaven and earth and the sea and all that in them is" were made in six twenty-four-hour days.

Many able and scholarly men have written showing by the scripture use of the word dayy that the twenty-four-hour doctrine was purely an assumption and contrary to the real teachings of the Bible.

There are many passages in the Scriptures, in which the word day (Heb. Yom) unqestionably stands for a long period of time. In Ps. 98:8 **The day of temptation" means the whole period of Israel's wandering in the wilderness; it was forty years long. "The day of the Lord's wrath" Zeph. 1:18, represents a time of great trouble which shall come upon all the earth. The "Day of salvation," Isa. 49:8, is the long period of time during which the people of God shall be delivered from the dominion and from the consequences of sin, through Christ Jesus. And for a like use of the word day (Heb. Yom) see Isa. 2:12; 3:18; 4:1, 2; 5:30; Joel 1:15; 2:1, 2; 3:18. And other passages are easily found.

From these Scriptures we see that there is nothing in the word day which limits the meaning to one exact measure of time.

Let us now carefully notice it as used in the story of creation and we can not do better in this than to quote Professor Dana in his summing up of the uses of the word day (Yom) in Genesis, first chapter, he says, "First, in verse 5, light in general is called day, the darkness, night. Second, in the same verse, evening and morning make the first day, before the sun appears. Third, in verse 14, day stands for twelve hours, the period of daylight, as dependent on the sun. Fourth, same verse, in the phrase, *days and seasons,' day stands for a period of twenty-four hours. Fifth, at the close of the account, in verse 4 of the second chapter, day means the whole period of creation. These uses are the same that w^e have in our own language."

While then it is plain that the Bible does not affirm, nor even suggest, that the creative days were twenty-four-hour days, that other book of God, the record of nature, seems to positively

Tlie Eternal Purpose affirm that the creative days were six long periods of time, probably of very unequal duration.

It would, indeed, be interesting to know just how long the creative process was in progress, but that knowledge is not essential to us at present; and so far as ''present truth" (2 Pet. 1:12), is concerned, it matters not if the wildest conjectures are believed and millions of years are accounted to the six creative days.

The conclusions to which the ablest students have arrived, comparing the two records, Nature and the Bible, have been tabulated in parallel columns by Professor Dawson, in his book, "The Origin of the World ;" which we here quote :

Biblical Aeons.

The Beginning.

First Day — Earth mantled by the Vaporous Deep — Production of Light.

Second Day — Earth cove-ed by the Waters — lHn-mativ)n of the Atmosphere.

Third Day — Emergence of D:y Land — Introduction of Vegetation

Fourth Day — Completion of the arrangemc.it of tlie Solar System.

Creation of Matter.

Condensation of Planetary Bodies from a nebulous mass — Hypothesis of original incandescence.

Primitive Universal Ocean, and establishment of Atmospheric Equilibrium.

Elevation of the land which furnished the materials of the oldest rocks — Eozoic Period of Geology.

Metamorphism of Eozoic rocks and disturbances preceding t he Cambrian epoch —Present arrangement of vSeasms- Dominion of * 'Existing Causes'* begins.

Fifth Day — Invertebrates and Fishes, and afterwards great Reptiles and Birds created.

Sixth Day — Introduction of Mammals — Creation of Man and Edenic Group of Animals.

Seventh Day — Cessation of Work of Creation — Fall and Redemption of Man.

Eighth Day — New Heavens and Earth to succeed the Human Epoch — * 'The Rest (Sabbath), that remains to the people of God.

Paleozoic Period — Reign of Invertebrates and Fishes.

Mesozoic Period — Reign of Reptiles.

Tertiary Period — Reign of

Mammals.

Post-Tertiary — Existing

Mammals and Man.

Period of Human History.

The seventh day is simply announced ; it has no evening and morning Uke the preceding six days.

The most obvious inference, therefore, is that it is still continuing. Such is the suggestion of the author just quoted ; and it is also the conclusion of many of the ablest scholars.

It is written, "Thus the heavens and the earth were finished and all the host of them, and on the seventh day God ended His work, which he had made, and God blessed the Seventh day and sanctified it."

He * 'sanctified it," that is, He set it apart to the accomplishment of a purpose; but the purpose was not the creating of anything; for the creating and making was finished. And He "blessed it," that is, He decreed that it should be a day of success and satisfaction to himself, a glorious day.

What was the purpose to which he set it apart? Jesus says, ''The Sabbath was made for man/' That is, it is the period of time during which the Creator will, by a system of education, which He will Himself conduct, develop man into a being suited in all respects to Himself, a family of willing, affectionate children, who shall find their joy and satisfaction in Him, their Father and their God.

Beginning then with the history which God has given to us of the creation of mankind, let us follow the story with careful reflection, with humble minds and with honest, reverent hearts, and observe the prominent points and items of the statement believing that, ''The word of the Lord is pure,'' and that it is written for our instruction, that as men of God, we may be thoroughly prepared to tell the story of redeeming love so correctly and so clearly that our work shall abide when tried by the fire.

Chapter II. Constitution Of The Living Being Called Man

''And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness ; and let them have dominon over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle and over the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.'*

*'So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him ; male and female created He them.

''And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." Gen. 1 :26, 27;2:7.

THE BODY.

As to the material of his corporeal organism, man is made of the same elements that compose all things in the earth — "The dust of the ground," and when the body had been composed, God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life."

The words, "breath of life" have been interpreted by some theologians to mean a certain immaterial entity, independent of and superior to the corporeal organism, and they call it "the spiritual nature** of man.

Now without casting any doubt on what may be the true doctrine of man's spiritual nature, it can not be allowed for one moment that these words in any degree refer to it. The statement is plain, and any interpretation like that referred to does unwarranted violence to simple language; it is a gross misconception and inevitably leads to confusion.

The nostrils, into which was put the "breath of life" are the external organs through which atmospheric air enters the lungs, where it feeds and purifies the blood: and without which there is no life in the body; but in the action of inhaling the air, there always is life.

Of the words ''breath of life,'' life is put in the singular number by the translators in the authorized version, but in the original Hebrew it is plural — liveSy and evidently, the plural only, gives the true and simple meaning.

Atmospheric air which we breathe is the breath of all lives, whether animal or vegetable. Nothing does nor can live without it; and nothing is, nor can be without life while breathing it.

The very evident intention of this peculiarly specific statement of God's word is to inform us, and so forewarn us that we may protect ourselves against any delusion such as those cunningly devised fables of heathen origin, which teach that life in the human being, as used in the Scriptures, is of a different nature and from a source different from life in other living creatures in the earth.

And when the atmospheric air, which is the breath of all living things, entered through his nostrils, ''Man became a living soul."

The words "living soul" in the English version, stand for the Hebrew words nephesh khay-yah, which, in Gen. 1:20, are translated ''creature that hath life," and in verses 21 and 24 are rendered "living creature," and in verse 30 "wherein is life."

In each of these cases in chapter 1, the things spoken of are reptiles, fishes, birds and beasts. They are all nephesh khay-yah, that is "living souls," and man became "a living soul" when the breath of lives entered through his nostrils.

So far then, as to his corporeal organism and power of living, simply as a living being, man is not shown, in the Divine record, to be different from all other animals. The material composition is alike in man and the higher orders of beasts; the appetites, sexual relations and laws of reproduction are also substantially alike. Is there then no difference ? Is man only an animal?

Of all reptiles, fishes, birds and beasts, it is said they were made "after their kind," which, unquestionably means that each was a race of living beings (living souls), to itself, not being made in the image and likeness of any already existing living beings in heaven or in earth. But of man it is written, "God said. Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion ' over the fish of the sea and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created He him." Gen. 1 :26, 27.

Evidently, then, man is not simply and only an animaL There is a component in his constitution which belongs not to the reptiles, fishes, birds and beasts. He is made in the image and likeness of God, and that is what differentiates him from other animals. What, then, is that image ? Is it

the; mind^

It is difficult to draw a line between the physical and mental in the animal organism. It would be impossible to show that even the very lowest order of animal life is totally void of mentality; indeed, such is altogether improbable; while the higher orders of animals exhibit such actions that in them mental powers are unquestionable.