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| 1 Alas for Ariel, Ariel, The city against which, David, encamped,–Add ye a year to a year, Let, the festivals, come round; |
Woe to Ariel – Christendom, nominal church. R576:4; D22
A name used for Jerusalem. R1296:3*
Add ye year to year – Although the nominal church has become corrupt, the Lord permits her to continue her existence a few years, that his truly consecrated children may complete their sacrifice and separate from the nominal systems. R576:4
Let them – His truly consecrated children. R576:4
Kill sacrifices – Fulfil their consecration vows. R576:4
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| 2 Yet will I bring Ariel into straits,–And she shall become a bewailing and wailing, Yea she shall become to me a veritable Hearth of God. |
Will distress Ariel – The nominal church. R576:4
And it – Many within her are his own dear children; some of them weak, erring and negligent. The object of this distress is to awaken and liberate them. R576:4
Unto me as Ariel – As Jerusalem which, though often chastised, was dear to Jehovah. R576:4
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| 3 And I will encamp round about against thee,–And lay siege against thee with a fort, And raise against thee siege-works; |
Mount – Camp. R576:5
Forts against thee – Bulwarks to hide myself from thee, the nominal church. R576:5
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| 4 And thou shalt be brought low–Out of the earth, shalt thou speak, And, out of the dust, shalt thou lower thine utterance,–And, as one that hath a familiar spirit, Out of the earth, shall come thy voice, And, out of the dust, thy speech shall chirp; |
Low out of the dust – Once she loudly proclaimed her teachings of eternal torment, but now her voice is low. R576:5
A familiar spirit – Communication with fallen angels. R1643:2
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| 5 Then shall be, as fine dust, the multitude of thy foreigners,–And, as chaff that passeth away, the multitude of tyrants; And it shall come to pass, in a twinkling, suddenly. |
Of thy strangers – Worldly, unregenerated church members, which she considers to be her strength. R576:4
Be like small dust – Completely scattered in the coming storm. R577:1
Of the terrible ones – The tyrants, the clergy. R577:1
Shall be as chaff – Forsake the church as soon as it ceases to be popular and financially successful. R577:1
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| 6 From Yahweh of hosts, shalt thou be visited, With thunder, and with earthquake and a great noise,–hurricane and storm, and flame of fire devouring; |
With thunder – Controversy. R576:6
Infidelity, denial of the ransom, boldly proclaimed in the nominal church, is the most subtle form of controversy. R576:6
With earthquake – Condition of the mass of the nominal church when it fully breaks upon it. R576:6
Great noise – Controversy. R576:6
Devouring fire – The certain destruction that shall surely consume these false systems. R576:6; D528
These are symbolic expressions of the great storm of trouble soon to break on nominal Zion. R576:6
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| 7 And it shall be like the dream of a night vision, With the multitude of all the nations who have been making war against Ariel,–Even with all who have been making war against her, and her stronghold, and who have been laying siege to her; |
Against Ariel – Jerusalem or Zion; the nominal church, within which are God's own dear children in bondage. R576:4, R577:4
And her munition – Her bulwark, stronghold, the Bible. R577:2
The hosts of infidelity are endeavoring to overthrow the nominal church systems and also to demolish the Bible. R577:4
As a dream – Their victory will prove to be but the delusion of a dream. R577:4
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| 8 Yea it shall be, As when the hungry man dreameth, and lo! he is eating, But he awaketh, and his soul, is empty, Or as when the thirsty man dreameth, and lo! he is drinking, But he awaketh, and lo! he is faint, and, his soul, is craving, So, shall it be with the multitude of all the nations, that have come forth to war against Mount Zion. |
Appetite – Thirst. R577:2
Zion – Nominal Christendom. R577:2
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| 9 Stand ye stock still, and stare, Besmear your eyes, and be blind,–They are drunken, but not with wine, They reel, but not with strong drink; |
Cry ye out, and cry – "Turn your eyes away (from the truth) and be blinded." (Leeser) R588:3
The truth is now so clear that only those who deliberately turn away their eyes could be blinded. R588:3
In their darkness they wonder at what they consider the strange course of the Lord's dealings. R588:3
They are drunken – They have partaken of the intoxicating spirit and pleasures of the world. R588:3
The drunkenness referred to is of the spirit and mind. R591:4*
Not with wine – Not with the cup of the Lord. R588:3
Wine symbolizes their consecration. R588:3
But with the intoxication of error, of false doctrine, of human schemes and plans, the spirit of man and the Adversary in contradistinction to the spirit and teachings of the Lord. R3104:2
It is the wine of Churchianity which confuses those who use it and beclouds their minds in respect to the true Christianity. It addles their judgment and brings the people into captivity to false doctrines and false teachers. R2904:5
They stagger – Because of indistinct vision and confusion. R588:3
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| 10 For Yahweh, hath poured out upon you, a spirit of deep sleep, Yea hath tightly shut your eyes–the prophets,–And, your heads–the seers, hath he covered, |
Of deep sleep – Spiritual stupor. R3104:3
"God hath given them the spirit of slumber." (Rom. 11:8) This passage is not a temperance lesson. R3962:3
Asleep to spiritual things, but not to earthly things. R588:6
Closed your eyes – "Lo, the word of the Lord have they rejected, and what wisdom is in them." (Jer. 8:9) C157
The seers – An expounder is a special teacher, or a teacher of teachers--a see-er through whom hidden things may be manifested. R732:6
Hath he covered – A veil is cast over the teachings of the prophets and of Jesus and the apostles. R588:6
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| 11 And so all, vision hath become unto you, as the words of a writing that is sealed, Which is delivered unto one acquainted with writing, saying, Pray thee, read this, And he saith, I cannot, for it, is, sealed; |
The vision of all – The vision of everything. R588:6
The revelation of God's truth through the prophets, Jesus and the apostles. R588:6
Is become unto you – Nominal spiritual Israel in the Harvest of the Gospel age. R1847:2
A book – God's Word, a sealed book, understood and appreciated neither by the learned nor unlearned. CR10:1; R2814:2
That is sealed – None should be satisfied with saying, I don't understand and cannot explain certain parts of God's Word. R1214:5
If we study God's Word faithfully, earnestly asking that his spirit enlighten the eyes of our understanding, we shall learn his language and his Word will no longer be "a sealed book" to us. R1062:6*
Would that more had the spirit of the Ethiopian eunuch (Acts 8:26-40)--a desire to understand the Scriptures and to avail themselves of such humble instruments as the Lord may be pleased to send. R2110:6
"He that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh it shall be opened." (Matt. 7:7) R1150:4
One that is learned – A Doctor of Divinity. R213:1
I cannot – How many of the clergy of all denominations demonstrate that whatever came to them at their ordination has done them no good, but rather harm, in connection with their ability to expound the Word of God. OV160:4
It is sealed – To the teachers of nominal Zion who have studied only at the feet of science and sectarianism and have neglected the school of Christ. R589:1
Very few teachers in the nominal church make any effort to expound the Word of God. R588:6
Because of unwillingness to sacrifice needful time and effort in its careful study. R728:2
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| 12 And then the writing is delivered to one unacquainted with writing, saying, Pray thee, read this, And he saith, I am not acquainted with writing. |
I am not learned – Therefore unable to interpret. R2110:6
The unlearned, accustomed to look to earthly learning for instruction in heavenly things, make no attempt to understand the Bible. R589:1
Many have never learned God's language. Our citizenship is of the heavenly Kingdom, therefore we should be diligent to learn its language. R1062:6*
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| 13 Wherefore My Lord hath said,–Because this people, hath drawn near, with their mouth, And, with their lips, have honoured me, But, their heart, have they moved far from me, And so their reverence of me hath become A commandment of men, in which they have been schooled, |
Forasmuch – Because Christendom has not received the truth in the love of it, therefore God will send them strong delusions that they may believe a lie, because they had no pleasure in the truth. R4070:2
This people – Applicable to typical Israel at the first advent, and consequently to nominal spiritual Israel in the present time. R2813:5
With their mouth – Though the forms of godliness have increased, the real worship and submission to God has ceased. R589:2
With bells chiming out hymns, well-trained choirs singing anthems, gifted orators delivering eloquent dissertations outwardly a wonderful zeal for righteousness. R5630:6
"Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain." (Exo. 20:7) "Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." (2 Tim. 2:19) R1527:6
With their lips – It would be better not to approach the Lord at all than to do so in an improper formalistic manner. R5480:1
Saying "Thy kingdom come" and "Thy will be done" while establishing their own sectarian dominions. R589:2
Heart far from me – Formality of worship and service has taken the place of heart-worship. R589:1
It is not sufficient that we make a profession to be his people, for the "Lord looketh on the heart." (1 Sam. 16:7) R4052:3
"Having a form of godliness but denying the power he (2 Tim. 3:5) R3962:3
Their fear toward me – A false kind of fear; because of substituting the "doctrine of devils" for the precious things of God. R4747:1, R2872:6; HG307:6
The bondage of fear instead of love fails to hold the penitent or draw him near to the Lord. R1402:3
Tormented by the doctrines of fire and brimstone and fear for their friends. HG305:5
The scourge of torment is held to be a necessity to restrain men from vice, inspire them to virtue and morality and secure their admission to heaven when they die. R1122:2
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom in contrast with the fears inspired by superstition, which are the beginning of folly and trouble. R3726:2
There is also a proper kind of fear and a proper kind of dread. The proper fear carries this dread with it--a dread to do anything that would displease the Lord. R4746:3
"Fear not." (Rev. 1:17) We cannot come into close sympathy with our Lord and be taught of him and his plan until we learn this lesson. R3570:1
Error does not have a sanctifying effect. The fear which it produces is unhealthy fear. HG490:4
The Lord would have his people free from this fear, though not free from a proper reverence toward him. R3115:3
Greater knowledge of God and of his character will dispel this kind of fear. R4796:3
Hindering one from coming into the sunshine of his love. First we must see a little of the love of God, then we find the entire plan to be "just like him." R311:5
When his true character is love. R330:5
Through the delusions of Satan the "gospel (?) of damnation" has been substituted for the "gospel of the Kingdom." R2872:6
The oppression of thumbscrew, rack and stake for the correction of heretics was the result of fear, and the fear was the result of misunderstanding God's character. R3051:5
Afraid to believe their own senses in the study of God's Word. R1122:2
Precept of men – Human traditions, false doctrines. R4996:3, R4747:1, R4783:3, R4796:3
The eternal torment doctrine. SM382:1, SM22:T
The eternal torment theory is a man-made, not a Scriptural doctrine. R5149:3, R564:5, R1122:2, R3051:5, R790:1, R904:3, R919:2
As unscriptural as they are contrary to every reasonable conception of the proper exercise of justice, wisdom, love and power. R4783:2
Built upon an unconscious violation of language which makes such words as perish, lost, lose life, destroy, death, etc., mean their very opposite--preserve in torture everlastingly. R3242:5
Ignoring Bible doctrine, but holding firmly to human doctrines respecting eternal torment, natural immortality, etc. D173
In their haste to convert the world, the nominal church has wrested parables and symbols to threaten and frighten people. R564:5, R1122:2
Satan is blinding men with fear--fear that good, reasonable, just thoughts toward God and interpretations of his Word are delusions of the Adversary. R3133:6
Systematic theology, like the Talmud of the Jews, is calculated to a large extent to make void the Word of God. D64; HG716:4
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| 14 Therefore, behold me! Again, dealing wonderfully with this people, doing wonderfully a wonderful thing,–So, shall perish, the wisdom of their wise men, And, the intelligence of their intelligent men, shall vanish! |
A marvellous work – Of overthrowing the present great systems of men. R589:3, R1487:3
The Harvest work and all the attendant features of a change of dispensation. R1487:3, R885:4
Among this people – Clergymen and others. D173, D239, D473
And a wonder – A miracle. R2813:5
The wisdom – Instead of approaching geology and scientific research from the standpoint of faith in the Bible, scientists approach from the reverse standpoint--that the Bible is certainly wrong in some measure, great or small. R3221:1
The cant from the pulpits of sacred phrases that mean nothing. R821:4*, R820:2*
As in disarmament plans which will have the opposite reaction from what is anticipated. R2361:2
Wise men – Statesmen. R1759:4
Modern critics. R1418:3
College professors, Doctors of Divinity, and the best educated pulpiteers of Christendom. R4955:5, R1488:6
Teachers of Evolution. OV86:3; R5062:3, R1784:6, R1792:1; HG492:6
Great financiers, as in the demonetization of silver. D473
A great falling away from faith is in progress among all nationalities--especially among the "wise" and the "learned." R3008:4
A rejection of the Word of God has more attraction for the clergy than for the masses. R3497:4
Shall perish – Their wisdom becomes a trap and a snare unto them. R2492:6
Scientists are still guessing, and still repudiating the guesses of each other. R4285:2
Their failure comes from neglect of the Word of God. R4404:4
The unbelief of the people grows and threatens to become agnosticism, or worse, atheism. R4955:4
"The wise are taken in their own craftiness." (Job 5:13) R4135:6
The wise are being confounded by the power of the truth in the hands of the humblest of God's consecrated children. R1920:4
When the new dispensation is ushered in, they will see the unwisdom of their course. R5186:5
The faith of many shall be overthrown. R3033:5
Ridding themselves of unscriptural traditions, many ministers have become Higher Critics and Evolutionists. They are discarding cardinal truths which their errors obscured. R3335:2
"For this cause God shall send them a strong delusion, that they may believe a lie who believe not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness." (2 Thes. 2:11, 12) R4404:4
Hence the Christian of low degree, through the instructions of the Bible, may know clearly things that the famous and learned in other wisdom cannot know. R4135:6
The heavenly wisdom is hidden from the wise and revealed unto babes. R589:3
Thus we should utterly lose confidence in worldly wisdom and the more firmly rely on the wisdom which cometh from above. R2396:1
God will cause all their plans to wonderfully miscarry and fail. R589:3
Their prudent men – Business men. R1759:4
Wealthy men who have endowed colleges to teach unbelief and Evolution. R5062:3
It is the professors and learned ones who are most blameworthy. These have kept back the truth about "hell." R2598:6
As exhibited at the World's Congress of Religions. D239
Shall be hid – Obscured. R2492:6, R676:5
Not visible. R4144:2
"I thank thee, Father, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent." (Matt. 11:25) R589:3
Only in the light of the Scriptures can the peculiar condition of things now at our doors be understood or appreciated. OV86:3
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| 15 Alas! for them who would fain have been too deep for Yahweh, by giving secret counsel,–and therefore, in the dark, have been their doings, and they have said, Who, can see us? and,–Who, can understand us? |
Woe unto them – The nominal church. Their counsel shall come to naught; their cherished plans shall fail; their pride shall be humbled; but it will be a blessing in disguise to the individuals. R589:4
A time of reckoning, of judgment, is coming. R722:2, R2612:6
Their counsel – Schemes, plans. R589:3
From the LORD – If our plans are not in harmony with God's plans we may deceive men, but cannot deceive God. R589:3
God knows that the controlling principles of sectarianism are earthly and selfish. R589:4
Who seeth us? – "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good." (Prov. 15:3) R722:2
In vain do they hide it and tell the Lord that they are laboring for him. R589:4
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| 16 Your perverseness! As if, like clay, the potter, could be reckoned; For shall, the thing made, say, of him that made it, he made me not? Or hath, the thing fashioned, ever said, of him that fashioned it, He hath no understanding. |
Upside down – Perverting the Lord's plans and doctrines. R589:5
As the potter's clay – As the efforts of the potter's clay to oppose the potter. R589:5
For shall the work – "We are his workmanship." (Eph. 2:10) R589:5
Workmanship--the systems or organizations, not the people. R589:5
He made me not? – Some look to Peter, some to Luther, some to Calvin, Knox and Wesley. R589:5
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| 17 Is it not yet, a very little while, And, Lebanon, shall be turned, into garden land,–And, garden land, for a forest, be reckoned? |
Lebanon – The majesty and dignity of the nominal church. R589:6
A fruitful field – The humble and lowly saints. R589:6
As a forest – Things shall be reversed; the proud cut down and the humble exalted. R589:6
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| 18 Therefore, in that day, shall the deaf hear, the words of a book,–And, out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind, shall see; |
In that day – The Millennial day. D519; R877:4, R1265:4, R2117:1
Surely we are now entering "that day." R536:5
Deaf hear – It will bring blessings to those utterly ignorant of God's Word. R589:6
Blind shall see – The sin-blinded. R1265:4
Blinded by Satan. R1958:4, R2090:6
Because the Lord shall take away the veil of ignorance which now is spread all over the earth. R2330:5
"All flesh shall see it together." (Isa. 40:5) R877:5
With the fall of the great systems (Babylon, confusion), men's eyes will begin to open. SM424:2
As illustrated by the Sabbath-day miracle of healing the blind man at the Pool of Siloam. R1400:6
The Jew first. R1786:4
Out of darkness – Out of the obscurity. R2330:5; SM424:2
With "seven-fold light." (Isa. 30:26) D519
Spiritual light will no longer be confined to the few; it will be universal. R49:4*
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| 19 And again, shall the humbled, in Yahweh, have joy,–And, the needy of mankind, in the Holy One of Israel, exult; |
Meek also shall increase – As we seek to teach the meek, let us see to it that we maintain the meek, childlike spirit, without which we would not have been worthy of the truth either. R957:4
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| 20 For the tyrant, hath vanished, And the scoffer, is no more, Yea cut off, are all who watch for iniquity:– |
The terrible one – Satan. R589:6
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| 21 Who bring a man into condemnation with a rumour, And, for him that decideth in the gate, lay a snare,–And have driven away, for a thing of nought, one who was righteous. |
For a word – Spoken contrary to them. R590:1
In the gate – Publicly. R590:1
The just – The righteous. R590:1
For a thing – As a thing. R590:1
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| 22 Therefore, Thus, saith Yahweh, concerning the house of Jacob, [even he saith it] who redeemed Abraham,–Not now, shall, Jacob, turn pale, And, not now, shall their faces whiten; |
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| 23 For, when he seeth his children, the work of my hands, in his midst, They will hallow my Name,–Yea they will hallow the Holy One of Jacob, And, the God of Israel, will they regard with awe. |
His children – The Christ, the spiritual seed. R590:4
They – Fleshly Israel. R590:4
My name – Jehovah. R590:4
Holy One of Jacob – Christ. R590:4
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| 24 Then will they who erred in spirit, comprehend, And, the murmurers, accept instruction. |
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