'O GOD SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT'

Revealed-But in God's Due Time

Just as the apostle understood m any prophecies concerning the Messiah only after Jesus' death and resurrection, Christians today understand Bible prophecy in it finest detail only after it has been fulfilled.  (Luke 24:15, 27; Acts 1:15-21; 4:26, 27)  Revelation is a prophetic book, so we should expect to understand it most clearly as the events it describes unfold.  For example, C.T. Russell could not have correctly understood the meaning of  the symbolic scarlet-colored wild beast mentioned at Revelation 17:9-11, since the organization that  the beast represents, namely, the League of Nations, did not even exist until after his death.

When the early Christians learned that believers, that changed led to a new question regarding the need for people of the nations to be circumcised.  This moved the apostles and older men to reexamine the entire issue of circumcision.  The same pattern holds true today.  A brilliant flash of light on one Bible subject sometimes leads God's anointed servants,  "the faithful and discreet slave,"  to reexamine related topics, as the following recent example illustrates. -Matthew 24:45.

In 1971 an explanation of Ezekiel's prophecy was published in the book "The Nations  Shall Know That I am Jehovah"-How?  A chapter of that book briefly discussed Ezekiel's vision of a temple.  (Ezekiel, chapters 40-48) At the time, the focus was on how Ezekiel's temple vision would be fulfilled in the new world. -2 Peter 3:13.

However, two articles published in The Watchtower of December 1, 1972, affected our understanding of Ezekiel's vision.  They discussed the great spiritual temple described by the apostle Paul in Hebrews chapter 10.  The Watchtower explained that the Holy compartment and the inner courtyard of the spiritual temple relate to the condition of the anointed while they are on earth.  When Ezekiel chapters 40 to 48 were reviewed  years later, it was discerned that just as the spiritual temple is operating today, so the temple that Ezekiel saw a vision must also be functioning today.  How so?

In Ezekiel's vision, priests are seen moving about in the courtyards of the temple as they serve the nonpriestly tribes.  These priests clearly represent the "royal priesthood,"  Jehovah's anointed servants.  (1 Peter 2:9) However, they will not be serving in the temple's  earthly courtyard throughout the Thousand Year Reign of Christ.  (Revelation 20:4)  During most of that period, if not all of it, the anointed  will be serving God in the spiritual temple's Most Holy, "heaven itself."  (Hebrews 9:24)  Since priests are seen going to and fro in the courtyards of Ezekiel's temple, that vision must be undergoing fulfillment today, while  some of the anointed are still on the earth.  Accordingly, the March 1, 1999, issue of this magazine reflected an adjusted view on this subject.  Thus, clear down to the end of the 20th century, spiritual light was shed upon Ezekiel's prophecy.

Next time: Be Willing to Adjust Your Viewpoint

Watchtower, 2000

'O GOD SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT'

The Light Gets Progressively Brighter

In modern times the first real glimmer of light began to appear in the last quarter of the 19th century as a group of Christian men and women began an earnest study of the Scriptures.  They developed a practical method for Bible study.  Someone would raise a question; then the group would analyze all related Scripture texts.  When one Bible verse seemed to contradict another, these sincere Christians endeavored to harmonize the two, unlike the religious  leaders of the day, the Bible Students (as Jehovah's Witnesses were then known) were determined to let the Holy Scriptures, not tradition or man-made dogma, be their guide.  After they considered all available Scriptural evidence, they made a record of their conclusions.  In that way their understanding of many basic Bible doctrines was cleared up. 

Outstanding among the Bible Students was Charles Taze Russell.  He wrote a series of six helpful Bible study aids entitled Studies in the Scriptures.  Brother Russell intended to write a seventh  volume, which would explain the Bible books of Ezekiel and Revelation.  "Whenever I find the key,"  he said,  "I will write the seventh volume."  However, he added:  "If  the Lord gives the key to someone else, he can write it.

The foregoing statement by C.T. Russell illustrates an important factor in our ability to understand certain Bible passages-timing.  Brother Russell knew that he could not force the light to shine upon the book of Revelation any more than an anxious hiker can coax the sun to rise before its appointed time.

Next time: Revealed -But in God's Due Time

Watchtower, 2000

'O GOD SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT'

The Light Continues to Shine

After Jesus' death and resurrection, light from God shone more brightly than before.  In a vision given  to Peter, Jehovah revealed that uncircumcised Gentiles could henceforth become followers of Christ.  (Acts 10:9-17) That was a revelation!  Nevertheless, a question later arose:  Did Jehovah require such Gentiles to get circumcised after they became Christians?  That question had not been answered in the vision, and the matter became a subject of heated debate among Christians.  It had to be settled, lest their precious unity be undermined.  In Jerusalem, therefore, "the apostles and the older men gathered together to see about this affair." -Acts 15:1, 2, 6.

How could those present at that meeting determine God's will for believing Gentiles?  Jehovah did not dispatch an angel to preside over the discussions,  not did he favor those present with a vision.  Still, the apostles and older men were not left entirely without direction.  They considered testimony from certain Jewish Christians who had seen how God had begun dealing with people of the nations, pouring out his holy spirit upon uncircumcised Gentiles.  They also searched the Scriptures for guidance.  As a result, the disciple James made a recommendation based on an enlightening scripture.  As they pondered  the evidence, God's will became clear.  Those of the nations did not have to get circumcised in order to enjoy Jehovah's approval.  The apostles and the older men wasted no time in putting  the decision in writing so that fellow Christians could by guided by it. -Acts 15:12-29; 16:4.

Unlike the Jewish religious leaders, who clung to the traditions of their forefathers, most Jewish Christians rejoice when they received this remarkable new  understanding of God's purpose respecting the people of the nations, even though accepting it required a change of viewpoint regarding Gentiles in general.  Jehovah blessed their humble spirit, and "the congregations continued to be made firm in the faith and to increase in number from day to day." -Acts 15:31; 16:5.

Spiritual light continued to shine throughout the first century.  But Jehovah did not reveal every aspect of his purposes to the early Christians.  The apostle Paul told first-century fellow believers:  "At present we see in a hazy outline by means of a metal mirror."  (1 Corinthians 13:12) Such a mirror did not have the best reflective surface.  At first, then, comprehension of spiritual light would be limited .  After the death of the apostles, the light grew dim for awhile, but in recent times Scriptural knowledge has become abundant.  (Daniel 12:4)  How does Jehovah enlighten his people today?  And how should we respond when he broadens our understanding of the Scriptures?

Next time: The Light Gets Progressively Brighter

Watchtower, 2000

'O GOD SEND OUT YOUR LIGHT'

"Send out your light and your truth.  May these themselves lead me." -PSALM 43:3.



JEHOVAH is very considerate in the way he makes his purposes known to  his servants.  Instead of revealing the truth all at once in one blinding flash of light he enlightens us progressively.  Our trek along life's pathway might be compared to a walk that a hiker takes down a long trail.  He starts out early in the morning and sees little.  As the sun begins to rise slowly over the horizon, the hiker is able to distinguish a few features of his surroundings.  The rest he sees in a  hazy outline.  But as the sun continues its ascent, he can see farther and  farther into the distance.  So it is with  the spiritual light that God provides.  He allows  us  to discern a few things at a time.  God's Son, Jesus Christ, provided spiritual enlightenment in a similar manner.  Let us consider how Jehovah enlightened his people in ancient times and how he does so today.

The composers of the 43 Psalm likely were the sons of Korah.  As Levites, they were privileged  to teach God's law to the people.  (Malachi 2:7) Of course, Jehovah was their Grand Instructor, and they looked to him as the Source of all wisdom.  (Isaiah 30:20) "O God, . . .send out your light and your truth,"  the psalmist prayed.  "May these themselves lead me."  (Psalm 43:1, 3) As long as the Israelites were faithful to him, Jehovah taught them his ways.  Centuries later, Jehovah favored them with light and truth of a most remarkable kind.  God did so when he sent his Son to the earth.

As the man Jesus Christ, God's Son was "the light of the world."  (John 8:12)  He taught the people "many things with illustrations" -new things.  (Mark 4:2)  He told Pontius Pilate:  "My kingdom is no part of this world."  (John 18:36)  That was a new idea for a  Roman and surely for nationalistic Jews, for they thought that  the Messiah would bring the Roman Empire to its knees and restore Israel to its former glory.  Jesus was reflecting light from Jehovah, but  his words did not please Jewish rulers, who "loved the glory of men more than even the glory of God."  (John 12:42, 43)  Many of the people chose to cling to their human tradition rather than to accept spiritual light and truth from God. -Psalm 43:3,;  Matthew 13:15.

However, a few honesthearted men and women joyfully embraced the truth that Jesus taught.  They made steady progress in their understanding of God's purposes.  As the end of their Teacher's earthly life drew near, though, they still had much to learn.  Jesus told them: "I have many  things yet to say to you, but you are not able to bear them at present."  (John 16:12) Yes, the disciples would continue to grow in understanding of God's truth.

Next time: The Light Continues to Shine

Watchtower, 2000