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Reconsidering the parallels
- 1. CONSIDERING THE 40 YEAR HARVEST PARALLELS Come Let Us Reason Together
- 2. DATES TO CONSIDER • FIRST ADVENT: AD29, AD33, AD36, AD70 • SECOND ADVENT: 1874, 1878, 1881, 1914 2
- 3. Tying The Dates Together • AD29/1874 40 Year Harvest begins • AD33/1878 • AD36/1881 • AD70/1914 Harvest ends with the completion of the Church. 3
- 4. Understanding The Comparisons AD29/1874 • AD 29: Jesus consecrates and receives God’s holy spirit. He presents himself as king. Those who recognized him as such, followed him. This was his call to all of Israel. • 1874: Jesus returns in spirit. He presents himself as king. Those who recognized him as such, followed him. This was his call to all of Christendom. 4
- 5. Understanding The Comparisons AD33/1878 • AD33: Jesus dies and is resurrected in the spirit . The nominal System (Israel) is judged and the wheat is given 3 1/2 years to separate from the chaff, before favor to that system ends. • 1878: Those dead in Jesus are resurrected in the spirit. The nominal System (Christendom) is judged and the wheat is given 3 1/2 years to separate from the tares, before favor to that system ends. 5
- 6. Understanding The Comparisons AD36/1881 • AD36: The last of the wheat were separated from the chaff, having come out of that nominal system (Israel). The first Gentile (Cornelius), receives the Holy Spirit giving witness to a new dispensation. • 1881: The last of the wheat were separated from the tares, having come out of that nominal system (Christendom). This was the last Gentile to receive the Holy Spirit from the general call, giving witness to a new dispensation. 6
- 7. Understanding The Comparisons AD70/1914 • AD70: The Temple in Jerusalem is destroyed. This is the physical fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy that Israel is desolate, and no longer serves as a sanctuary for the faithful. • 1914: The end of Gentile Times. The Christian kingdoms are destroyed. This is the physical fulfillment of Jesus’ prophecy that Babylon (Christendom) is desolate, and no longer serves as a sanctuary for the faithful. 1874 1878 1881 1914 29 33 36 70 7
- 9. Pastor Russell’s expectations The 40 years from AD29 to AD70 represents Israel's harvest… the reaping of wheat from the chaff. This parallels with the 40 years from 1874 to 1914, representing Christendom’s harvest… the reaping of wheat from the tares. 1874 1914 9 AD29 AD70
- 10. Pastor Russell’s REconsideration Concerning AD29 10
- 11. Pastor Russell’s REconsideration Concerning AD29 38 year Harvest?? 40 year Harvest 11
- 12. Pastor Russell’s REconsideration Concerning AD73 R5951: page 265 1916 • Incidentally we remark that some historians put the end of the Jewish Time of Trouble as April A. D. 73, which would correspond to April 1918. SM287 • It is concerning the Harvest time of this Gospel Age that I address you on this occasion, believing that this entire Harvest period, according to the Scriptures, is to be forty years long, and that we entered it in 1878, and that consequently it will close with 1918. I desire to point out to you that the special trials and difficulties and testing of faith and obedience appropriate to the complete separation of the wheat from the tares is upon Christendom now—has been upon us as a "thief in the night" for some years. 12
- 13. A closer look at 73AD/1918 AD73/1918 • AD73: 3 ½ years after the fall of the Temple in Jerusalem, 15,000 Roman troops breach the walls of Masada, the last Jewish stronghold against Roman invasion. 960 Jews dead. The end of Jewish polity. • 1918: 3 ½ years after WW1 begins, the last battle takes place ending Christendom and its croaking claims of “Divine Right”. The end of the nominal system… Christendom (Babylon). 13
- 14. Pastor Russell’s REconsideration Concerning AD73 1918 73 40 year Harvest 14
- 15. 40 Year Harvest Parallel According to Pastor Russell 1916 AD73AD33 AD36 AD70 40 YEAR HARVEST 1878 1881 1914 1918 15
- 16. Intermission 16
- 17. Defining the HARVEST What do you think? 17
- 18. Defining the Harvest From Scripture Mat_3:12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Rev_14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying out with a loud voice to Him who sat on the cloud, "Put in your sickle and reap, because the hour to reap has come, because the harvest of the earth is ripe." Mat_13:30 'Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn. Joh_4:35 "Do you not say, 'There are yet four months, and then comes the harvest'? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest. 18
- 19. Vol III page 121 THE careful student will have observed that the period designated "The Time of the End" is very appropriately named, since not only does the Gospel age close in it, but in it, also, all prophecies relating to the close of this age terminate, reaching their fulfilments. The same class of readers will have noticed, too, the special importance of the last 40 of those 115 years (1874- 1914), called "The End" or "Harvest." This brief period is the most momentous and eventful period of the entire age; for in it all the fruitage of the age must be gathered and disposed of, and the field, which is the world (Mat_13:38), must be cleared, plowed and prepared for another sowing and reaping time--the Millennial age. The importance of the events of this harvest period can scarcely be overestimated; and yet the world will not be aware of it, until its potent though unrecognized agencies have accomplished their appointed work. Indeed, it is well to remember that this is not a harvesting of the whole world, but of the Christian Church; and it affects not Mohammedans, Brahmins, Buddhists, etc., but only the true Church of Christ, and such as are more or less associated with it--"Christendom." Defining The Harvest 19
- 20. Defining The Harvest • We know that Christendom is the target of this harvest… both the tares being harvested to destruction and the wheat being harvested to the barn or garner. • Matthew 13:24 - 30 • Matthew 13:36 - 40 20
- 21. Defining The Harvest 1000 year KingdomGospel Age 1874 1918 AD29-1918 1874-2874 Saints resurrected in 1878, followed by 40 year harvest ending the age Christendom 4th Universal Empire Christ Reigns 5th Universal Empire 21
- 22. Defining The Harvest R5950 1916: THE HARVEST IS NOT ENDED. At first we were inclined to surmise that the Harvest proper had closed in October, 1914, and that the work since going on was a gleaning work; but the facts seem not to bear this out. The progress of the work and the numbers who are being brought to a knowledge of the Truth and separated to the Lord are far too great to be styled a gleaning. Evidently it is a part of the regular Harvest. …Similarly, we may expect that quite a good many will yet be gathered to the Heavenly Garner, and we know of no time- limit here. Incidentally we remark that some historians put the end of the Jewish Time of Trouble as April A. D. 73, which would correspond to April 1918. 22
- 23. What have we learned about the Harvest? .The Harvest Parallels lead to the destruction of the Nominal System, not to the completion of the Church The harvest goes grandly on, which Pastor Russell references new consecrations as his evidence. Vol II preface 1916 Our mistake was evidently not in respect to the ending of the Times of the Gentiles; we drew a false conclusion, however, not authorized by the Word of the Lord. We saw in the Bible certain parallels between the Jewish Age and the Gospel Age. We should have noted that these parallels follow the nominal systems to destruction in both cases, and do not indicate the time of the glorification of the New Creation. 23
Editor's Notes
- As Pastor Russell began putting the events of Christs return into chronological order, he recognized that we have scriptural documentation from Christ's first advent that parallels with the second advent. These parallels are exact, and in that "exactness" they provided Pastor Russell a chronological expectation of what was yet future to him regarding the harvest period. As we begin this discourse, let’s consider our Pastors long held expectations and teachings.
- Let’s start with Christ's first advent. We will examine the following dates: AD29, AD33, AD36, and AD70. Each of these dates have a corresponding (parallel) date at Christ's 2nd advent. These 2nd advent dates are 1874, 1878, 1881, and 1914. Now let's pair up these dates to their corresponding parallel dates.
- AD29 with1874… the beginning of the harvest, AD33 with1878, AD36 with1881, AD70 with1914… the harvest ends with the completion of the Church. Pastor Russell was certain that these dates parallel exactly. 40 years from start to finish. The 40 years of both advents leading to the completion of the harvest… completion of the Church, that wheat having been gathered into the heavenly garner.
- READ SLIDE. Quotes from Pastor Russell.
- READ SLIDE. R123. As Jesus gave up the Nominal church at the close of his 3-1/2 years ministry because they "knew not the time of their visitation, so here too, at the parallel point of time, 1878, we believe the Nominal church to have been given up, and the "spewing out of His mouth" [`Rev_3:1-22`] to have begun. As the Jewish house was shown some special favor for 3-1/2 years, the latter half of their covenant week so we expect some favor to continue with the Nominal Gospel church for 3-1/2 years, or until the autumn of 1881. As with the Jew, a period of 33 years of trouble followed these 7 years of favor, so we understand there will be upon christendom, so called, a period of 33 years of trouble --making with the preceding 7 years the 40 years of trouble or "Day of wrath" ending with the times of the Gentiles in 1914, when the kingdom of God [soon to be set up or exalted to power] will have broken in pieces and consumed all earthly kingdoms.
- READ SLIDE. Quotes from Pastor Russell
- In the next few pages, we will clarify just exactly what Pastor Russell expected as a result of the Parallels, and which expectations if any, were not realized.
- The 40 year harvest of nominal Israel began in AD33 at Pentecost. Before that there was no garner yet available for the wheat to be gathered. The harvest ended in AD 73, with the final battle of Jewish resistance. The 40 year harvest of nominal Christendom began in 1878. The harvest ended in 1918. Pastor Russell died before he saw the fulfillment of his 1918 date. On that very date, WWI ended. All kings of Christendom were either killed, dethroned or became servants to constitutional governments. Christendom, that Church and State union called the beast, came to a dramatic end.
- The first half of this presentation related to dates and numbers. Shake your heads, pour yourselves some coffee. As we continue this discourse on the harvest, it will be from an approach that is less numerical and more conceptual.
- As we discuss the “harvest”, there are lots of opinions. Before we attempt to define the harvest, lets have a brief discussion regarding the Gospel Age. After all, the harvest is the harvest of the gospel age. But in order to keep our discussion orderly, let’s first define what we mean by the term “Gospel Age.” This term is not found in scripture… in fact it is not found much anywhere except in Br Russell’s writings. Most controversy on this subject comes from the brethren’s differing definitions… Therefore when asked: “Has the Gospel Age Ended” it leads to confusion. If one’s definition of the Gospel Age is the period of time in which there are still some running for the crown, then “NO”, the gospel age has not ended. If one’s definition of Gospel Age is that period of time in which the wheat and tares grew side by side, and that nominal system was used as a golden cup in God’s hand, then “YES” the Gospel Age is ended. Instead of arguing IF it has ended, we should discuss WHAT SPECIFICALLY has ended, and what hasn’t.
- We see here that Br Russell has associated the harvest with the end of the nominal system, where both wheat and tares grew side by side. IF our definition of the GOSPEL AGE is “that nominal system”, then we can say with boldness that the Harvest brought us up to the end of the Gospel Age. But we see too, that Br Russell stated the world would not even be aware of the harvest having come to an end. Churchianity continues to teach it’s error, and the world hasn’t even noticed that it was spewed out from God’s mouth. While we expect the world to be oblivious to Christ’s reign, even brethren have suggested that as long as there are churches teaching error, the nominal system is not destroyed. But let’s remember the exactness of the harvest parallel. Today, Jewish Synagogues continue to teach error along side of churchianity. Would these same brethren refusing to see the destruction of Christendom, also argue that the Jewish nominal system still exists? These continue only as human organizations, void of any special covenant.
- When we see interest in churchianity faltering, it is an expected result, considering the thousands of years in which those claiming the title of “Christian”, having misused the trust given to them by the people. Not to mention the persecution of those who dared to question the Churches authority. God’s wrath targeted that corrupt nominal system. Even now, after the nominal system has been spewed out, the people have little or no interest in churchianity. We don’t expect there will be any future interest until Christ applies his ransom, and the resurrection of ancient worthies bring blessings so grand that they can not be ignored.
- For the purpose of understanding the timing of the Harvest, we show the end of the Gospel Age as 1918. However we recognize that there is a period of time after the destruction of the nominal system but before the completion of the Church, which could still be considered a part of the Gospel Age. We are currently in that period.
- While Pastor Russell seems to equate the date of 1918 as the end of the harvest, he recognizes the NEW consecrations are the focus here. Since the harvest ending in 1918 is in fact the harvest of the wheat and tares, bringing the destruction of that nominal system, these new consecrations… regular since 1881, are replacements for those who have since lost their crowns.
- Read Slide: