Jesus and three of His disciples have been on Mt. Hermon, where He was transfigured before them -- assuming the appearance that He will bear in the coming age. Moses and Elijah have appeared there -- conversing with Him concerning His coming decease at Jerusalem. That sight, and the voice of the Father which spoke out of the overshadowing cloud, had filled the disciples with fear and awe. Thus, they fell on their faces. But Jesus came and touched them, saying: "Arise, and be not afraid". And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only, (Matt. 17:10-13; Lk. 9:11-13).
    As they descended the mountain, the Master charged them, saying: "Tell the vision to no man until the Son of Man be risen again from the dead". Therefore, they kept this saying to themselves -- questioning one another concerning its meaning.
    Puzzled by the appearance of Elijah, they asked the Master, "Why then say the scribes that. Elias must first come"! (comp. Mal. 3:1; 4:5-6; Isa. 40:1-5).

    According to the Scribes, Elijah was to come "like a blast of cleansing and avenging fire. He would be a mighty reformer who would make the world a fit place for the Messiah to enter. He was expected to: restore unity to the family-institution; settle all doubtful points of ritual and ceremony and cleanse the nation of Israel -- bringing back those wrongfully excluded and driving out those wrongfully included.
    Rabbinic tradition was to the point: Elijah would appear three days ahead of the Messiah. On the first day he would cry: "PEACE cometh to the world" On the second day he would cry: "GOOD cometh to the world" And on the third he would cry: "JESHUA (salvation) cometh to the World!
    With a background of such Jewish tradition, is it any wonder that the disciples of Jesus "would begin to wonder: "If Jesus is REALLY the Messiah, then WHAT HAS BECAME OF ELIJAH?" It is to this line of questioning that the Master makes answer.
    They, like the Scribes and Pharisees, have not been able to discern the true significance of prophecy.

    Elijah's coming will, be just as it is written of him in the scriptures. He will first come to restore all things. This will take place BEFORE the coming of Messiah to establish His glorious kingdom. Such a coming is clearly prophesied in the Old Testament.
    But, it is at this point that the Master points out a tragic flaw in the Jewish interpretation of the prophets. They have concerned themselves with the mere "letter" of the Word. And the ways of God are not a always according to "the letter". He has left Himself liberty to move, consistently, in a way that may be quite different from the expectations of finite minds. Some prophecies are fulfilled in a spiritual rather than "literal grammatical" sense. (See Luke l:13-15; John 1:21; Matt. 11:10-14).
    HOW immensely important that WE "HEAR" the spirit of truth!

    The coming of Elijah has taken the covenant-nation by surprise! The people to whom he was sent (Israel) "knew him not"; thus, did not properly respond to his ministry, (Matt. 17:12; Mark 9:13; Matt. 21:23-27; Luke 7:30).
     Elijah had certainly come, but not with an overwhelming display of power. He had followed the path of suffering and sacrifice --- just as Messiah would also do. So, instead of seeking God's will, in response to his method and message, they took him and, arbitrarily, applied their own will to him. They complained of his strictness, despised his message and rejected his baptism. And he was ultimately beheaded, on the whim of a scheming adulteress, (Matt. 14:3, 10).
    There are strong indications that there will be another Elijah through whose ministry the prophecies of the Old Testament will, be completely fulfilled -- who will herald the coming of Messiah from heaven to establish His kingdom on this earth.


    The disciples of Jesus had much to learn. And twentieth century disciples have not yet arrived! The way of divine service is never the way which blasts men out of existence! God woos men to Himself by His sacrificial love.
    It was not yet time to proclaim a "conquering Messiah" Who was about to bring a shattering victory for Israel over her enemies. Such

a message, at that time, could only lead to tragedy. It has been estimated that at least 200,000 Jews had already lost their lives in futile rebellions against their conquerors. And Jesus wants His disciples to know that JUST AS THE HERALD HAS BEEN CRUELLY REJECTED AND SLAIN, so the Messiah Himself will end up ON A CROSS!
    It is not difficult for us to see that the Old Testament clearly foresaw the fact of Messiah's suffering and death before His exaltation and glory, (Psa. 22:6; Isa. 53:2-3; Dan. 9:26; Zech. 13:7). He was truly "set at naught", (Luke 23:11; Phil. 2:7). No disciple of Jesus is prepared for effective witness who has not FIRST learned the necessity of the Cross. Until we are first "taught of God" we are not adequately equipped to teach others. We must permit the program of God to move on according to the way He has ordered it instead of insisting that it go as we think it ought.
    "He that hath ears to hear" OUGHT TO LISTEN!


    Since our area was covered by about 27 inches of snow, and the Postal Service has been terribly irregular, it is just possible that much of our last issue was not delivered. Lest some who are interested missed the announcement of the new lesson materials that will soon be available, I will run it again. It is our expectation to have my "Outline Studies in Galatians"

ready for distribution by the last of March. This will be a verse-by-verse study of Paul's Galatian letter, in sixteen lessons. It will be a book of 140 or more pages, and will sell for $2.00 each.
    Should any of our readers care to invest as much as $10.00 in pre-publication orders (thus, helping to relieve the heavy financial burden of the initial cost of publication), we will allow a 50% discount, and will ship your books POSTAGE PAID before any others are distributed. Fair enough? A hearty THANK YOU, in advance!


Rejoice, ye weary souls of Earth;
   Your Saviour Christ will come
To claim the Kingdoms of the Earth
   And He shall reign alone.

No more will Satan have the power
   To crush the souls of men;
No more will doctrines false be
      spread
And men be steeped in lust & greed,
   When Christ shall come again.

The pain we suffer here below;
   The tears that from our eyes did
      flow;
   will all be washed away
When from the grave our bodies rise
To meet our Saviour in the skies;
Saved by His blood, with Him to
      reign,
   When He shall come again.

O blessed Hope; O joy supreme;
   For every soul He doth redeem.
A crown of glory now awaits;

A home within the Pearly Gates,
   When Christ shall come again,


    No child of God should be amazed when the father of lies brings railing accusations against him. Whoever lives a holy life will be faced by proud and contemptuous foes. They will speak proudly against your faith and sneer at your unshaken confidence in God. Such has

been the way of Satan from the very beginning.
    Pride is the root from which every other corruption of the human heart is derived, (Mark 7:21-23). It gives birth to such things as self-conceit, contempt of God and the disdain of one's fellow-men, (I Sam. 17:23).
    There are times when the people of God tend to be discouraged in the face of constant opposition and merciless criticism; but, remembrance that our Redeemer CARES brings sunshine to our hearts. Our wounded spirits drink of heavenly balm, an in the assurance of faith we are enabled to explain: "Thou shalt hide me: in the secret of Thy presence from the pride of man; thou shalt keep me secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues!" (See Psalm 21:20). The goodness of God is reserved for His saints, and He preserves them because of His goodness, (Psa. 63:19; I Pet. 1:5).
    The very fact that we are IN GOD'S-PRESENCE ought to cheer our hearts, (Psa. 73:25). What can hurt us while He is our hiding place? It is true that reproach is cruel, and the slanderers' tongue more dreadful than the dagger of an assassin. But we should be more concerned with what GOD thinks of us than with what the "strife of tongues" may invent. We may maintain a good conscience while men gossip and slander. Let us remember that God reads the heart -- not the report of the wicked. And the servant is not greater than his Lord. Since He was constantly reproached, we should count it a JOY to bear reproaches "for His sake"!