The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1910-09-23


spears into pruning hooks Nation
shall not lift up sword against nation,
neither shall they learn war any more.
All Christians agree that these words
apply to the Messiah's Kingdom. They
tell us clearly and distinctly Of how
the judgments Of the Lord win be
abroad Tn the earth, causing wars tc
cease and the knowledge Of the Lord
to FIJI the whole earth as the waters
cover the great deep isaiah ID, %.
o, House Of Jacob, Connei
We have already noted that this
prophecy belongs to natural Israel and
not to spiritual Israel. AS the first
verse declares, It concerns Judah and
Jerusalem By the time this prophecy
win have begun. to be fulfilled, spir'
itual. Israel win be beyond the vale.
1t Is in full harmony with this that
we read in the fifth verse, 20 house OF
Jacob, Come We and Let us walk IN the
light Of the Lord" This is particular
ly the time when this message to nat
ural Israel should go forth. We IN
derstand the Scriptures to teach that
during the next few years the Lord
will have special dealings with Israel
In connection with this call He will
point out to them the way Of righteous
ness and the great privileges that are
theirs as a people, because Of Divine
promises to their fathers, Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob, etc. But only those
who respond by turning to the light
of Gods Word to walk In it viii be
in the proper condition Of heart and
obedience to promptly get the blessing
at the beginning of Messiah's reign
Those most prompt to respond will get
the greater blessing.
Verses 6-10 portray some of the rea-
SONS why Gods favor has been with
drawn for a time from natural Israel
aside from the fact that his special
favor was for the time to be given to
Spiritual Israel Then follows a de-
script1on of the time Of trouble, In
which present institutions will sue
cumb, to be followed by Messiah's en-
pire. Let us read some of these verses
and note their applicability to our day
and the correspondence between these
statements and very similar pro-
nouncements In the Book of Reveia-
ton. applicable also to the time In
which we are living. We will quote
and paraphrase from verse IL to the
end Of the chapter.
What the Trouble Will Accomplish.
The lofty looks of man shall be
humbled and the haughtiness of men
shall be bowed down; and the Lord
alone shall beexalted in thatday. Oneof
the greatest obstacles In the pathway
of humanity, hindering approach to
truth and righteousness, is pride. The
Almighty God is not sufficiently rev.
erenced The very learned men Of all
our Colleges seem more and more to
doubt that there is a God and that
the affairs of earth are subject to any
other regulations than those OF chance.
except as the learned can regulate
them The time of trouble when the
various theories Of man will be tried
and found wanting VIII demonstrate
most thoroughly that the wisdom from
above Is neglected In favor of earthly
wisdom The Lord says in another
place, The wisdom of their wise men
shall perish and the understanding of
their prudent men shall disappear.
For the day Of the Lord of Hosts
shall be heavy upon every one that is
proud and lofty, and upon every one
that Is lifted up, and he shall be
brought low, and upon al the cedars
Of Lebanon that are high and lifted
up 1.-THE enthusiastically great and
upon all the oaks Of Bashan 1.-THE po-
itically strongl; upon all the high
1.-THE kingdoms OF the world
and upon all the hills that are lifted
up 1.-THE smaller princedomsl; and
upon every high tower and upon every
fenced wall representing human or
CARNATIONS for strength and protec-
donl and upon all the ships Of Tar
shish Tabor organizationsl and upon
III desirable prospects and ideals of
sarthly ambition. the arm Of the Lord
will be heavy. The result will be that |
he holiness shall be humbled and the |
laughtiness shall be made low and the |
Lord alone shall be exalted In that |
lay; and the idols shall be utterly |
lbohshed- God must be first under
he new order Of things No peace or
blessing VIII otherwise result
. Hiding In Rocks and Caves.
Those in distress and perplexity will
n that time of trouble fee to the holes
md the rocks and the caves of earth
or fear. AS Revelation wi, 10 ex-
'resses It, they shall call to the rocks,
fall on us and hide us from the face
Il him that stitch upon the throne"
We are not to understand this more
literally than fits context 1t does not
igntfy that people will be so foolish
IS 30 literally pray for rocks to fall
lpon them. when they could more
asily destroy their lives In another
way. The thought is the very con-
rary Of this-that they desire protec-
Ion. shielding. hiding. covering from
he trouble of the coming day OF the
ord These shelters of the rocks and
aves Of the earth symbolically repre-
ent the attempted protection Of hu-