The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-09-22

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 will be
abroad In the earth, causing wars to
tease and the knowledge of the Lord
10 fill the whole earth as the waters
cover the great deep isaiah xi, %.
o, House Of Jacob, Comei
We have already noted that this
prophecy belongs to natural Israel and
not to spiritual Israel. AS the first
verse declares, 1t concerns judah and
Jerusalem. BY the time this prophecy
itual Israel will 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 I'M
derstand the Scriptures to teach that
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 1t will be
in the proper condition of heart and
obedience to promptly get the blessing
Mt 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 q 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-
scription of the time of trouble, in
which present institutions win 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 Revela-
ton, applicable also to the time In
which we are living. We will quote
and paraphrase from verse II 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 be exalted in that day. 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 ali
our Colleges seem more and more to
doubt that there is 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
vg;urs theories of man will be tried
and found wanting will demonstrate
most thoroughly that the wisdom from
q. 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 all the cedars
of Lebanon that are high and lifted
up 1.-THE enthusiastically great and
upon all the oaks of Bashan 1.-THE po-
iitically strong; upon all the high
mountains 1.-THE kingdoms of the world j
and upon all the hills that are lifted
up 1.-THE smaller princedoms]; and
upon every high tower and upon every
fenced wall representing human Or
CARNATIONS for strength and protec-
toni and upon all the ships of Tar
shish Tabor organZations] and upon
all desirable prospects and ideals Of
earthly ambition. the arm of the LORD
will be heavy. The result will be that
the loftiness shall be humbled and the
haughtiness shall be made low and the
Lord alone shall be exalted in that
day: and the idols shall be utterly
| 6od LluSL Ue lliSl uIlueF
the new order of things No peace or
blessing will otherwise result.
Hiding In Rocks and Caves.
Those in distress and perplexity will
In that time of trouble flee to the holes
and the rocks and the caves OF earth
for fear. AS Revelation wi, 16) ex-
presses it. they shall call to the rocks.
Fall on us and hide us from the face
of him that stitch upon the throne"
We are not to understand this more
literally than its context. 1t does not
signify that people will be so foolish
as to literally pray for rocks to fall
upon them, when they could more
easily destroy their lives in another
way The thought is the very cun-
trary of this-that they desire protec-
ton. shielding, hiding, covering from
the trouble of the coming day of the
Lord. These shelters of the rocks and
caves of the earth symbolically repre-
sent the attempted protection of hu-
man MISUNDERSTANDING compa-
MES, secret societies, etc. But none
Of these will be able TO protect from
the trouble which is coming-which
will be worldwide and involve every
earthly thing and interest, religious
and secular. financial and political
10 Will fnly nj NIL IN