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when Pilate stated: "'He has done
nothing, you see, that calls for
death. ...' But they all yelled as one
man: 'Away with him!' ... Again Pi–
late addressed them, for he wanted to
relea~e
Jesus; but they roared, 'To
the cross, to the cross with him!' [Pi–
late] spoke to them the third
time.. . . But they shouted him down,
yelling their demand that he should
be crucified, and their shouts carried
the day" (Luke 23:15-23, Moffatt
and Phillips translations).
The God of Israel (YHVH) did
much more than manifest Himself
when He became Jesus Christ-He
unveiled God the Father, His own
Master (Ps. 110:1 ), the most high
God (Gen. 14:18). Everyone who
knew Christ knew the Father (John
14:9).
Something else was a lso revealed.
Something pretty important for us.
Under the Old Covenant, YHVH
promised the obedient an abundant
physicallife. And that's all. But now,
in the "uncomely" form of Jesus
Christ, YHVH d isclosed the
mystery of God
(1
Cor. 2:7). Christ
revealed that human beings can in–
herit eterna! life
( 1
John 1:2; Matt.
25:46). And a quality of eterna! life
beyond the wildest <:treams of any hu–
man mind.
Jesus Christ revealed that we are
literally to become God ourselves
(John 10:34-35). That's right- read it
again-God ourselves! The Eterna!
Creator of the universe- that's Jesus
of Nazareth, our elder brother-has
proclaimed that we are nowjoint-heirs
with Him as begotten sons in God's
family (Rom. 8: 17;
1
John 3: 1-2).
What will we inherit with Christ?
Ch(ist has all things (Eph. 1:22). And
so will we (Heb. 2:8)! All things!
But the people didn ' t get it. They
didn't understand. They were too
steeped in their ways and traditions
to
~ven
recognize their own God
when He carne to them in the flesh.
1!1 fact they killed Him. Here was
God-hating human nature in the raw.
T ht{ human race as a whole mur–
dered the God of Abraham, Isaac and
Jacob, who had sacrificed so much to
share His. eterna! life with all men.
The mangled mass of flesh and mus–
ele which hung there limply on the
stake was all that remained after
30
God had "finally" given mankind the
full revelation of Himself.
Here was the complete presenta–
tion of YHVH-the God of the pa–
triarchs and prophets; here was the
first manifestation of YHVH's Al–
mighty Father-the most high God;
here was the overwhelming disclo–
sure of man's individual purpose in
life-to become God himself. Yet
men mutilated Jesus Christ their
Savior, killed YHVH their Creator,
rejected God their Father.
And, incredibly, man continued to
ask, "Why does God hide Him–
self?"
Chrlst Through the Centurles
Peter, John and the other apostles
were set apart as God's true repre–
sentatives by the enormous power
which passed through them_ to per–
form miraculous healings (Acts 3: 1-
9; 5: 12-16). The religious establish–
ment never doubted the authenticity
of these signs and wonders. But did
they
a~cept
the presence of God? No
sir! They feared for their own posi–
tion-they didn't want to lose their
own followers, their own adulators,
and of course theit own tithe-payers
(Acts 4:16718; 5:17-18).
God was now working through the
New Testament Church. But the re–
ligious leaders, true to form, cared
more for letters and learning (Acts
4:13) than for the overt revelations of
God.
God is revealed in the Bible. (The
Bible is the Word of God-and sois
Christ-John 1: 14.) But what has
man done with it?
He has "interpreted" it- in a myr–
iad of councils, conclaves, confer–
ences and consistories. How? For his
own convenience! No more laws,
sabbaths, holy days, tithing, proph–
ecy, correction. Now even morality is
"out of date." What 's the purpose of
these " Bible interpretations"? Very
simple- to muzzle the Bible and hide
its God!
For 18
1
12 centuries, the true
Church of God was a small, perse–
cuted group of outcasts who met in
prívate houses and hired halls (Rom.
16:5; Col. 4: 15 ; Acts 28:30). It was
not a respected religio-political sys–
tem.
If Jesus Christ began His physical
ministry today, He would be accused
of be<ing "the greatest threat to God,
Christianity and patriotism"! He
would be charged with · treason and
sedition by every country on earth–
and His tria! and execution would be
festively celebrated around the
world.
The Comlng Revelatlon of God
"Ridiculous," Mr. Christian would
say.
"If
God really appeared man–
kind would rejoice-not reject Him."
This namby-pamby hypothesis will
be exposed as a myth. Christ is soon
going to return-and the world won't
like it one bit. Because Christ will not
return as a pleading preacher boy.
He will not make speeches at the
United Nations, He will not appear
on televised press conferences, and
He will surely not lead protest
marches. He won't prove Himself to
scientists. He won't explain His be–
havior to psychologists. And He sure–
ly won't quibble and quarrel with
theologians. No, Christ is going to
rule this world with a rod of iron!
(Rev. 2:27·.)
The book of Revelation tells the
story. Curiously enough, the world
looks on this book as a deliberate ef–
fort by God to hide His mysteries.
Nothing could be further from the
truth. Read the name- Revelation!
These 22 chapters spell out, in excru–
ciating detail, the history of the
world-before it happens. Here God
reveals all-yet man claims it is
"hidden in symbol." (Write for our
free booklet
The Book of Revelation
Unveiled at Last!)
Agnostic Arnold's wish (remem–
ber him?) will soon be granted- God
will soon open Himself for all to see
(Matt. 24:27). But humanity will
respond justas it has always respond–
ed. Man will once again hide from
his Creator. "And the kings of the
earth, and the great men, and the
rich men, and the chief captains, and
the mighty men, and every bondman,
and every free man,
hid themselves
in the dens and in the rocks of the
mountains; and said to the mountains
and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us
from the face of him that sitteth on
the throne, and from the wrath of the
Lamb" (Rev. 6:15-16). Man will yet
hide
from God.
The PLAIN TRUTH March 1979