Jt:XE I, 1929
rr'he
WATCH TOWER
ever. Those who feast at the Lord's table are well aware that no such dish as eternal torment is served up to them by their gracious, loving' heavenly Father. This food is found only on the Devil's table, and those who are feasting on it and dealing' it ont to others are sitting at the table of devils. Another article of food which is not found on the Lord's table is the doctrine of "trinity". It belittles .Jehovah God by teaching that instead of his being the one and only true God, he must share this honor with two other persons. The teaching" that the wil'ked, l'orrupt governments of earth, filled with oppression, graft and corruption, and that the divided condition of the rrligious denominations of our day, with varied and contradietory creeds and innumerable money-begging schemes, and their modern tendeney to deny that the Bible is inspired and to declare that m~n was not created by an intelligent God but is the l'reature of a blind force called evolution, all these tl'al'hin~~s are found on the table of devils and not on the table of the I,ord. Jehovah Cod l'hose the one nation of Israel. He prepared a spel'ial table for them. He made a special l'ovcnant with them, which covenant he did not make with the other nations of earth. lIe gave them special promises, set a special hope before them, and promised them a spel'ial reward if they would keep their covenant faithfully. TIH'Y were his own peculiar people. The word of God, given to Moses, is: "If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine: and ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel."-Ex. 19: 5,6. All the hopes, promises and blessin~rs mentioned in that covenant were the food on their table. No other nation on earth had any right to eat ther·eof. But this sperial favor of .Jehovah Clod puffed them up, and they felt and claimed to be superior to other people; and in their pride and self-conreit they broke their l'ovenant. As the prophet stated it, they "went a whoring after other gods", and established an "altar to Baal under every green tree". Tlwy deserted .Je hovah God and sat down at the table of devils. Thry worshiIJed Baal, and were served at their table by Baal-zebub the prince of devils, that is, by the Devil himself. Speaking' of their pride and their fall from favor, David says: "Let their table become a snare before them; and that which should have been fO!' their welfare, let it become a trap." Paul quotes this text and applies it to Israel. See Romans 11 : 9. The rich man, who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day (mentioned ill the parable in Luke 16: 19-31), is the nation of Israel seated at the table specially provided by the Lord. The beggar, who was full of sores and lay at the rich
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man's gate, represents those believing Gentiles, lik,~ Naaman the Syrian, the widow of Zarepta, and the Syro-phenieian woman, all of whom begged for crumbs of favor (food, blessings) which were on tlH' rich man's table. When the woman of Canaan begged Jesus for the healing" of her daughter, Jesus said to her: "I am not sent but to the -lost sheep of the housn of Israel." This plainly shows that this blessing or healing belonged especially to Israelites. It was promised to them in their covenant, but their pride and unbelief kept them from enjoying" the blessing. To this woman Jesus said: "It is not meet to take the ehilJren's bread, and to cast it to dogs." (Matt. 15; 26) Now note her answer. She said: "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from theil' masters' table." Here was a Gentile" dog" begging' for a crumb which fell from the table of Israel. Thi" explanation entirely explodes the idea of eternal tal'· ment which has been built up on this parable. At the first advent of the Lord he found the great religious leaders claiming to be worshipers of Jehovah God but really sitting at the table of devils. I II blistering language and with a biting sarcasm Jesus reproved those hypocrites, saying, "Y e are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. "-John 8: 44. In a most beautiful parable beginning in Matthew 22: 2 Jehovah God is pictured as "a certain king, whieh made a marriage for his son, and sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding; and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready". What. does this parable mean? It means that during this Christian era, since the death of Jesus, .Jehovah God has invited IH,OOO persons to be the bride of the Lamh. He has made a covenant with them; given them speeial promises; set before them a special hope; promis(·d them his special care and supervision of their every interest, so that all things shall work together for their good. He has promised them a speeial reward of 'glory, honor and immortality' if they are faithful even unto death. lIe has promised them a share in the first resurrection; that tlH7 :;:hall be like the Lord and see him as he is, and that they shall live and reign with him a thousand years. These promises and hopes and blessings are callc·d their "table". The food on this table is for them and for nobody else. These promises are for an (Met litt Ie flock; they are for the overcomers; they are only for those who are faithful unto death. Speaking of this eleet class, David says: "Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of min', enemies." (Ps. 23: 5) To this special class of faithful ones .J esus made a special promise. He said: "I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my FatlH'r hath appointed unto me; that J-e may eat and drink at lily
