Is there anything in the Bible that will enable us to determine how long the work of harvesting in the end of the Age will last?
Concerning this matter, no expositor except one has expressed any opinion, as previously stated it has been the thought of many brethren that the Harvest period would cover 40 years. This was Pastor Russell’s thought, and was held by him up to within a short time (in September) before his death, which occurred in October, 1916. His interpretation which was frequently expressed in his writings was that it covered a period of 40 years, beginning in 1874, and ending in 1914. In September, 1916, he still continued believing that the Harvest of the Age began at this date—1874, but the ending was in question.
On this matter he thus expresses himself under the following heading:
"OUR MISTAKE RESPECTING THE HARVEST"
“Our readers will remember that the basis of our expectations respecting the Harvest time was the parallelism between the closing of the Jewish, Age and the closing of this Gospel Age. We found the beginning of the Harvest time clearly marked by the 1335 days of prophecy, and by the fulfillment amongst God's people of the declaration: 'Oh, the blessedness of him that waits and comes to the end of the 1335 days!' (Dan 12: 12.) Surely great blessedness, great enlightenment of the eyes of understanding, great appreciation of our God and His glorious purposes came to the Lord's people at that time' in full agreement with that prophecy! Ever since then a new song has been in the mouths of the Lord's people, as they have learned of His goodness through the Divine Plan of the Ages. We see no reason to question the date, October, 1874, as the beginning of the Harvest time and the parallel to the time when Jesus began His ministry in the Harvest time of the Jewish Age." (R5950 col. 2 par. 8)
He next proceeds to show in what particular matters the mistakes were made. His words are:
"Our mistake was along the very line that we pointed out. Time and again, we reminded our readers that the parallelisms between the Jewish Age and the Gospel Age could not include anything belonging to the New Dispensation. The parallels affected merely the nominal Jewish house and the nominal Christian house here.” (R 5950 col. 2, par. 9)
Let all who are acquainted with Pastor Russell’s writings note these words carefully. Note that in them he states very plainly that the Harvest "parallels affected merely the nominal Jewish house THERE, and the nominal Christian house HERE."
Concerning what features of the parallelisms were referred to in his statement, he said:
"Both [nominal systems] were rejected because of failure to be in the right condition of heart for the truths that were due to them—both were (are) rejected for [a future] destruction. The Jewish system was a Church-State affair, paralleled here by the great Church-State systems of Europe, whose destruction began in 1914." –Z '16-264, col. 2, par. 1.
The important matters to be noted in this utterance bearing on the parallelisms are these:
(1) Both nominal systems were rejected, the Jewish nominal system just prior to the opening of the Christian Age. The beginning of which was at Pentecost, immediately following their rejection in 33 A.D. (See Matt 23:38), and the nominal Christian house (or system) being rejected at the exact the parallel date 1845 years later, viz., 1878 A.D. just prior to the opening of the *New Dispensation (the Millennial age).
*Note: The New Dispensation although chronologically beginning in 1874 A.D. at the completion of the first 6000 years will nevertheless not be fully ushered in, until the completion of the Church, and until the Day of Vengeance, the great time of trouble has accomplished its work in the destruction of the present order of things. Not until then will the mediatorial reign or phase of the kingdom begin and the New Covenant become operative in the world.
(2) The rejection in both instances was on account of rejecting the truths then due (viz., the various prophecies fulfilled, specifically those pertaining to the Lord’s Parousia [presence], at the first and the second advents, the time and the manner of both, the harvest then and now, and the casting off of the nominally professing church both then and now. Both the nominal fleshly house and the nominal spiritual house have stumble over the same things, both completely ignorant of these events. Compare Isa 8:14; Heb 3:5, 6
Truly as the Lord has said, “… I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you.” (Hab1:5) This work incorporates all the various features of the change in the dispensation taking place mentioned above with the additional work here at the end of the age of the rising of the Lord’s great army which will bring about the destruction of all Christendom, great Babylon, both the present social and religious order.
How many professed Christians do you believe would believe, if told that all of Christendom, which would include their very own particular denomination was destine for destruction?
They would refuse to believe it, would they not? How could such a thing be possible?
Continued with next post.
Concerning this matter, no expositor except one has expressed any opinion, as previously stated it has been the thought of many brethren that the Harvest period would cover 40 years. This was Pastor Russell’s thought, and was held by him up to within a short time (in September) before his death, which occurred in October, 1916. His interpretation which was frequently expressed in his writings was that it covered a period of 40 years, beginning in 1874, and ending in 1914. In September, 1916, he still continued believing that the Harvest of the Age began at this date—1874, but the ending was in question.
On this matter he thus expresses himself under the following heading:
"OUR MISTAKE RESPECTING THE HARVEST"
“Our readers will remember that the basis of our expectations respecting the Harvest time was the parallelism between the closing of the Jewish, Age and the closing of this Gospel Age. We found the beginning of the Harvest time clearly marked by the 1335 days of prophecy, and by the fulfillment amongst God's people of the declaration: 'Oh, the blessedness of him that waits and comes to the end of the 1335 days!' (Dan 12: 12.) Surely great blessedness, great enlightenment of the eyes of understanding, great appreciation of our God and His glorious purposes came to the Lord's people at that time' in full agreement with that prophecy! Ever since then a new song has been in the mouths of the Lord's people, as they have learned of His goodness through the Divine Plan of the Ages. We see no reason to question the date, October, 1874, as the beginning of the Harvest time and the parallel to the time when Jesus began His ministry in the Harvest time of the Jewish Age." (R5950 col. 2 par. 8)
He next proceeds to show in what particular matters the mistakes were made. His words are:
"Our mistake was along the very line that we pointed out. Time and again, we reminded our readers that the parallelisms between the Jewish Age and the Gospel Age could not include anything belonging to the New Dispensation. The parallels affected merely the nominal Jewish house and the nominal Christian house here.” (R 5950 col. 2, par. 9)
Let all who are acquainted with Pastor Russell’s writings note these words carefully. Note that in them he states very plainly that the Harvest "parallels affected merely the nominal Jewish house THERE, and the nominal Christian house HERE."
Concerning what features of the parallelisms were referred to in his statement, he said:
"Both [nominal systems] were rejected because of failure to be in the right condition of heart for the truths that were due to them—both were (are) rejected for [a future] destruction. The Jewish system was a Church-State affair, paralleled here by the great Church-State systems of Europe, whose destruction began in 1914." –Z '16-264, col. 2, par. 1.
The important matters to be noted in this utterance bearing on the parallelisms are these:
(1) Both nominal systems were rejected, the Jewish nominal system just prior to the opening of the Christian Age. The beginning of which was at Pentecost, immediately following their rejection in 33 A.D. (See Matt 23:38), and the nominal Christian house (or system) being rejected at the exact the parallel date 1845 years later, viz., 1878 A.D. just prior to the opening of the *New Dispensation (the Millennial age).
*Note: The New Dispensation although chronologically beginning in 1874 A.D. at the completion of the first 6000 years will nevertheless not be fully ushered in, until the completion of the Church, and until the Day of Vengeance, the great time of trouble has accomplished its work in the destruction of the present order of things. Not until then will the mediatorial reign or phase of the kingdom begin and the New Covenant become operative in the world.
(2) The rejection in both instances was on account of rejecting the truths then due (viz., the various prophecies fulfilled, specifically those pertaining to the Lord’s Parousia [presence], at the first and the second advents, the time and the manner of both, the harvest then and now, and the casting off of the nominally professing church both then and now. Both the nominal fleshly house and the nominal spiritual house have stumble over the same things, both completely ignorant of these events. Compare Isa 8:14; Heb 3:5, 6
Truly as the Lord has said, “… I will work a work in your days which you would not believe, though it were told you.” (Hab1:5) This work incorporates all the various features of the change in the dispensation taking place mentioned above with the additional work here at the end of the age of the rising of the Lord’s great army which will bring about the destruction of all Christendom, great Babylon, both the present social and religious order.
How many professed Christians do you believe would believe, if told that all of Christendom, which would include their very own particular denomination was destine for destruction?
They would refuse to believe it, would they not? How could such a thing be possible?
Continued with next post.
