MARY THE FIRST WITNESS The honor of being the first witness to whom our Lord manifested himself after his resurrection came to Mary Magdalene, who at one time was possessed by evil spirits, but who, being freed from their domination became a faithful and loyal follower of Jesus. This was not the Mary, sister of Lazarus and Martha, neither was it Mary the “sinner,” who washed our Lord’s feet with her tears in the Pharisee’s house. She is called Mary…
Golden Text: – “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.” – 1 Cor. 15:20. “MANY INFALLIBLE PROOFS” Then comes in our Golden Text, in which the Apostle reassures us that it is no fable, that Christ arose from the dead, that it was not only necessary to our salvation, but that it is a fact well attested. He proceeds in his argument to show that thus by the resurrection of Christ…
John 20:11-23 Golden Text: – “But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.” – 1 Cor. 15:20. While the death of Christ was the greatest event in history, his resurrection from death readily holds second place. The death of Christ without his resurrection would have left our race just as helpless and hopeless as before. The word death signifies the absence of life just as truly when applied to our Redeemer as…
Revelation Chapter 18 VERSE 24 “And in her was found the blood of prophets and saints, and of all who were slain on the earth.” AND IN HER WAS FOUND: once it is all over, people will probe her ruins — investigate her history and her secrets. THE BLOOD: — the spilled blood, the mis-used life and merit OF PROPHETS: — of Old Testament teachings AND OF SAINTS: — of the Gospel Age faithful AND OF ALL WHO HAVE BEEN…
Revelation Chapter 18 Brother Shallieu gives another unique perspective of Verses 22 and 23 “And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and…
Revelation Chapter 18 It is interesting to note that Isaiah 24 parallels Rev 18:21-24 even as Isaiah 23 paralleled the earlier verses. Rev 18:22, 23 describe desolation. “The sound of harpists, musicians, flutists, and trumpeters shall not be heard in you anymore. No craftsman of any craft shall be found in you anymore, and the sound of a millstone shall not be heard in you anymore.” “The light of a lamp shall not shine in you anymore, and the…
Revelation Chapter 18 PART III (Verses 21-24) Verse 21 seems no longer to be the “voice from heaven,” but a continuation of John’s vision. The third and final section of this chapter shows the final and total destruction of Babylon AFTER the “smoke of her burning” — the SLOW BURN since 1914. There will be NO MOURNING for her after THIS total FINAL destruction. This is the seventh plague, the winepress, the burning her up with fire (Rev 17:16), Armageddon…
Revelation Chapter 18 — THE SAINTS — At this point the “voice from heaven” (Verse 4) — the seventh messenger — turns to the saints to rejoice with them over what is happening. The parallel of Revelation Chapter 18 to Volume 4 (viz., Volume 4 of the “Studies in the Scriptures” series entitled, “The Battle of Armageddon”), is most remarkable. Even in that volume, after having described the economic woes to come on Babylon, Brother Russell turns at the…
It is not supposable that the Apostle John was contradicting the Apostle Paul and the other apostles – all of whom were teachers and who instructed the Church to seek out the Spirit’s choice of pastors, teachers and overseers, and to honor those who thus had the “rule over” the Church and who were to watch for the interests of souls as those who must give an account to the Lord. (Heb 13:17) It was undoubtedly in full accord with…
“You have an unction from the Holy One and you know all things.” “The anointing which you have received of him abides in you, and you need not that any man teaches you: but as the same anointing teaches you of all things and is truth and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, you shall abide in him.” 1 John 2:20,27 These words unction and anointing awaken in intelligent Bible students’ recollections of the holy anointing oil poured upon the heads of each…