AMBASSADOR COLLEGELESSON 8

Section 1

CORRESPONDENCE COURSE

"This Is GOD Speaking ..."!

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You and your family are seated around the diningtable. Your RADIO is tuned in to your regular enter­tainment program.

Suddenly a great Voice thunders forth from yourradio, "This is GOD SPEAKING. I interrupt yourprogram to bring you a STARTLING DECLA­RATION OF WORLD-SHAKING MAGNI-

UDE! I come to announce the imminent arrival(}f--a-.-TERRIBLY~DESTRUCTIVE- WORLD­WIDE UPHEAVAL of nature-OF EARTH! OfSKY ! Yes, even of the WATERS! A disruption ofall nature. Imagination defying. And it is at yourvery door! QUICK and determined ACTIONMUST BE TAKEN if you are TO ESCAPEl

"It is TIME YOU WAKE UP to the fact thatyou and your nation-the nations of the world andtheir leaders - have sinned. You have GONEAGAINST MY COMMANDMENTS AND DI­RECTIVES - DISOBEYED the ways to right andgracious living. You have added your wrong wayof life to the wrong ways of all those who havelived before you so that YOU - man - have nowarrived at the point of stockpiling great atomic sup­plies, stored nerve gasses and deadly germs, and allsorts of other oblivion-producing devices. Havethem POISED TO DESTROY ALL MANKIND.NOVI I MUST INTERVENE at once!

"At the peril of losing your life, listen attentively-very, very attentively! My great final interventionis poised and beginning to occur-NOTE THEUNUSUAL MOVEMENTS of EARTH, SKY,

.....,and WATER AROUND YOU!"I am A FAIR GOD. I am here giving you per-

sonally every warning-every opportunity-to re­pent, mend your own individual ways in the shorttime still available. So that you may escape that

which is to fall upon those who do not heed. IGIVE YOU now a CLEAR WARNING PIC­TURE of the TERRIBLE DISRUPTION JUSTAHEAD which will denude the earth of much­very much-life. It MUST then BE YOUR SWIFTCHOICE whether or not you, yourself, wish totake DETERMI:SED ACTION toward true active RE­PENTANCE and TURN TO ME AND LIVE!!"

HOW God is Warning!Yes, GOD IS SPEAKING! Speaking CLEARLY

and unmistakably! Speaking to be heard above allthe strife and hubbub of this end time man-madeturmoil. Speaking BY PRELIMINARY OUT­BURSTS OF NATURE AROUND US-prelimi­nary QUAKES, tidal WAVES, DISTURBANCESIN the HEAVENS. God is warning us BYPROPHECY, and, through smaller disturbances innature, He is giving us examples NOW of the direthings just ahead for the heedless!

How else is God "speaking"? Understand clearly.God's warning words have been RECORDED­IN a book. That book is the HOLY BIBLE. Thereis no other book like it, for no other book recordsthe words of God verbatim! WHEN you STUDYthe BIBLE-its examples, its prophecies-you AREREALLY LETTING GOD SPEAK TO YOU.How you regard the Bible is exactly how youwould regard God were He to personally speak toyou! Do you FEAR and TREMBLE before andRESPECT the Holy BIBLE, the only record ofGOD'S own words?

The FINAL BOOK OF your BIBLE-the Bookof Revelation-is FULL and RUNNING OVERWITH DIRE END EVENTS AND THEWARNING W AYMARKS WHICH PRECEDE

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HUMAN NATURE Iluesn't Wantto OBEY GOIJ!

THEM. Listen! God warns, "Behold, I comequickly: blessed is he that keepeth [in mind, andacts on] the sayings of the prophecy of this book"(Rev. 22:7)' By the events and prophecies givenin this lesson, BE ALERTED to study harder in thedays ahead so you may learn how you may escapethe prophesied evils to fall on this sinful world!

In THESE LESSONS you have SAVINGKNOWLEDGE BEFORE YOU. But saving knowl­edge can become DANGEROUS knowledge if it isrejected, "Because thou hast rejected knowledge[saving knowledge], I will also reject thee," Godwarns (Hosea 4: 6).

WHY DOESN'T MAN JUST NATURALLYOBEY GOD? What is it that makes man resentfultoward law and authority over his life? Why doesa man just naturally dislike authoritative, command­ing tones from superiors, orders from officers, lawsfrom government?

Above all, why is it that all people, everywhere,seem to feel such a resentment toward the lawsof God?

The Apostle Paul saki of God's ten command­ments, which the Bible says we must obey, "Thelaw is Holy, and the commandment Holy, and just,and good" (Rom. 7: 1 a). Paul agreed that the Chris­tian must obey the ten commandments of God. Butthen Paul, almost seeming to contradict himself,says, "But what I hate [the SINFUL, harmful actswhich God's law forbids, and which were hurtingPaul), that do I" (Verse 15, last six words). Pauleven though knowing and preaching God's Lawwas Holy, just and good, realized there was an evil,DO\VNWARD PULL OF THE FLESHLYNATURE, "For I delight in the law of God afterthe inward man, But I see another law in my mem­bers, warring against the law of my mind, andBRINGING me INTO CAPTIVITY TO the law

AG~ 2 "THIS IS GOO

AMBASSADOR COLLEGE1Ja,U

CORRESPONDENCE COURSE

LESSON 8 - Section 1

Herbert W. Armstrong, PMblisher lind editO'rDr. C. Paul Meredith, JirectO'r

Sent FREE to all who request it, as the Lord provides.Address all communications to the eduO'r,

Box 111, Pasdena, Califrwma© 1962, 1963 Ambassador College 363

Printed in U.S.A.

NOTICE: Be sure to notify us immediately of anychange in your address. IMPOR.TANTI

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EAKING ••• II I LESSON 8 _ SECTION

of SIN which is in my members!" (Rom. 7:22, 23')As a result of this perverse pull of human nature

against God's righteous and Holy law - the law~pointing out the best way for Paul, he became thor-oughly disgusted with himself-realizing the fullevil and the TERRIBLE CONSEQUENCES ofbreaking God's law. He cried out, "0 WRETCHEDMAN that I am" (verse 24).

Why does man's mind always work this way?Why does man want to disobey God? God an­swers, "The heart [the NATURAL CARNALMIND WE ARE ALL GIVEN AT BIRTH] isdeceitful above all things, and DESPERATELYWICKED, and who can know it?" (Jer. 17:9.)

There's the reason!Man's INBORN NATURE, his NATURAL MIND was

MADE, for a great purpose, to be HOSTILE TOGOD. Paul said, "Because the carnal mind is EN­MITY AGAINST GOD, for it is not subject tothe law of God, neither indeed can be!" (Rom. 8:7,)

MAN'S OWN NATUREEnslaves Him!

Notice it! God said, "neither indeed can be!"Some might even feel they want to, in some way,"serve God" or "live for the Lord" or "do right!"But, like many, they somehow feel they "can't"~overcome this or that problem!

Why?Because they are HELD CAPTIVES-SLA VES

BY their OWN NATUREl They are trying toaccomplish it without the great help they so des­perately need. "WHO SHALL DELIVER me?"cried Paul (Rom. 7:24). Peter wrote, "While theypromise them liberty, they themselves [false teach­ers and ministers] are the servants of corruption, forof whom a man is overcome, of the same is hebrought in bondage (II Pet. 2: 19)' Yes, the un­changed of mankind are real slaves, captives, inbondage to SIN!

Paul revealed sin actually rules over the carnalmind without the Power of God's Spirit. "Know yenot, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants toobey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whetherof sin unto death or of obedience unto righteous­ness?" (Rom. 6: 16.) He had already said, "Let notsin therefore reign [rule, command] in your mortalbody, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof"(Rom. 6: 12).

Yes, sin, that natural result of human nature whichjust naturally seems rebellious to God-results in~everything wrong, evil, disappointing, frustrating,and hopeless! Is there no way out? Understand.

Paul asked, "Who shall deliver me?" (Rom. 7: 24)and then answers triumphantly, "I thank God [as

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SSON 8 - SECTION I "TH IS IS GOD

YOU AND I SHOULD THANK GOD} throughJesus Christ our Lord.

God said, through Paul, "For the wages of sin isdeath, but the gift of God is eternal life throughJesus Christ OGR LORD" (Rom. 6:23).

HE IS THE WAY OUT! HE IS MAN'SONLY HOPE today! Even as world leaders, states­men, generals of the Army tell us, "It must be ofthe spirit if we are to save the flesh!" Man's naturemust be changed!

Only through the living GOD, and His directmind in us, to change, alter, renew and MAKEDIFFERENT OUR natural, CARNAL MINDS(Phil. 2: 5), can we find the way out of all humanfailures, frustrations and woes!

BUT }\1AN WILL NOT, VOLUNTARILY,SEEK HIS CREATOR. GOD SAYS SO! HOWwill GOD SOLVE this PROBLEM?

BY ALLOWING MAN, THROUGH bitterDISAPPOINTMENT, FRUSTRATION-the ter­rible MOUNTAIN OF SEEMINGLY INEX­TRICABLE PROBLEMS of the world today­TO LEARN finally FROM EXPERIENCE thatMAN'S WAYS, APART FROM GOD, are UT­TERLY WRONG! GOD WILL USE COMPUL­SION-and YET WILL ALLOW MAN to MAKEhis OWN CHOICE! He will BRING MAN,

.. THROUGH CIRCUMSTANCES, TO theI PLACE he is FINALLY WILLING TO SEEK

GOD!WHEN MANKIND has FINALLY LOST

CONFIDENCE IN HIMSELF-totally and COM­PLETELY-he WILL TURN TO HIS MAKERIN UNCONDITIONAL SURRENDER! THEN,AND ONLY THEN, will man HAVE TRUEFREEDOM! Freedom from the greatest enemy ofall-death! Freedom from all the depravity, sickness,perverseness, and the useless wars our own carnalnatures have brought upon us!

GOD Must Liberate ManThe Apostle Paul said the EXPERIENCE OF

the ANCIENT ISRAELITES has DEEP SIGNI­FICANCE FOR US TODAY! (I Cor. 10: II.)

He was citing directly THE FAMOUS EXO­DUS OUT OF EGYPT. God always uses physicalEGYPT as a TYPE OF SIN! PHARAOH was adirect TYPE OF SATAN the Devil, the authorand originator of all sin! Ancient Israel typifies, andshows us by a remarkable example, how human na­ture is to be changed by delivering this world's man­kind captive slaves-human beings held captive bySatan and this sin-filled world-by truly settingthem free from sin, and starting them on a life ofovercoming and a life of change!

Pharaoh, a type of Satan, held the ISRAELITES

(TYPICAL OF MAN WITH HIS HUMANNATURE TODAY) IN BONDAGE!

(II Peter 2: 19)'MANKIND TODAY is IN the SAME IDEN­

TICAL KIND OF BONDAGE - captive TOhis OWN NATURE which automatically rebelsagainst God and His righteous laws!

But HOW did GOD RELEASE the ANCIENTISRAELITE CAPTIVES? How did He effect sucha dramatic change in their lives? GOD STRUCKAT the FALSE GODS AROUND THEM! Theancient Egyptians worshipped the pagan ideas ofmany gods, of the gods of the Nile, of flies, of frogs.They thought there to be the gods of sun, moonand stars-of the wind, earth, rain. The true God,the CREATOR, the One who made all force, en­ergy and all matter-STRUCK OUT AT theEgyptian NATION, and directly at Pharaoh him­self, BY USING THE VERY FORCES OF NA­TURE-LASHING OUT AT the objects of paganEgyptian worship! Remember, these captive Israel­ites did not know the true God! They were help­less slaves-having known only their own immediateenvironment!

They had been born into an Egyptian world.It was Egyptian SOCIETY, GOVERNMENT,PHILOSOPHY AND RELIGION. When theysaid, "Well, here's the way I look at it...." theywere speaking only from their heredity and en­vironment as a captive subject of Egyptian culture!

But GOD was GOING TO DESTROY THEIRPAGAN SUPERSTITIONS, their false gods!

It was ONLY IN THIS WAY, by letting themsee clearly the abysmal failures of that society, then,that he COULD MAKE the ISRAELITESTRULY WILLING - even more than willing­ANXIOUSLY EAGER and exuberantly zealousTO LEAVE the DEPRAVITY of Egypt, the typeof sin, and Pharaoh, the type of Satan-and, eventhough the way looked hard, to head toward thewilderness-and the promised land!

TIME AFTER TIME, GOD SENT His MES­SENGERS TO CRY OUT to Pharaoh and his gov­ernment to "LET MY PEOPLE GO!" RELEASETHEM FROM THE SIN THAT HOLDS THEMBONDAGE!

EACH TIME, THE CREATOR INTER­VENED IN NATURE! He CAUSED PLAGUEAFTER PLAGUE-EACH one INCREASINGLYmore SEVERE, TO STRIKE out WITH TERRI­FYING VIOLENCE at the VERY ROOT andCORE OF ALL THAT HELD THEM CAP­TIVE-the very bowels of the EARTH, the forcesof WIND and WATER were SHAKEN!

The very word "EXODUS" MEANS to "DE­PART FROM!" GOD WANTED His PEOPLE

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TO WILLINGLY and JOYOUSLY DEPARTFROM EGYPT, a type of SIN! MAKE ANEXODUS FROM SIN /

But notice it! It was not anything THE PEOPLEaccomplished. They COULDN'T have done it BYTHEMSELVES. THEY WERE SLAVES! ItTOOK the TREMENDOUS SUPERNATURALPOWER OF ALMIGHTY GOD TO ACCOM­PLISH it!

IT WAS THE DISRUPTIONS IN NATURE,the exposing of the false gods of society THATLOOSED the HOLD of sin (Pharaoh as a type ofthe Devil and Egypt as a type of sin) from the cap­tive Israelites. Later, you will see their release fromsin was only the beginning. It was the first step­but it was a step in the right direction at last!

Final Important InstructionsNow we are ready for the actual lesson.Is your Bible in front of you? If not, don't read

another word.STOP RIGHT HERE! Go and GET YOUR BIBLE.

Also several sheets of paper, and a pencil or pen, soyou can MAKE NOTES to help you rememberwhat you learn.

Got them? That's fine! Now we are ready tobegin this lesson. REMEMBER-yOU must open yourBible to every passage we give you in this lesson.You must READ, and re-read, and actually studyEVERY PASSAGE IN YOUR BIBLE. This is aBible STl:DY course-a study of the Bible, not just astudy of these words we have sent you. Our wordsare intended to show you where to look in yourBible-to help you to know how to study the Bible.

Now, with your Bible, a good DICTIONARY,and your note paper and pencil or pen on a desk ortable before you, here is the method of study: Writedown, neatly, on your note paper, the caption,"Lesson 8, Section I," and underscore it. WRITEDOvVN the lesson heading and question sectionheading. Then, underneath, number each question,and write down the answer to each, in your ownhandwriting. As an EXAMPLE, for the question

EAKING ..• 1/ I LESSON 8 - SECTION

section, this is what you will write on your notepaper: Coming Proclaimed by Prophets of Old.Then write:

1. Amos 3:7 - "Surely the Lord God will donothing but He revealeth His secret unto His serv­ants the prophets."

Also write in any other thoughts you want toremember. Study and understand this question.

Keep these lessons and your own notes andanswers fastened in the binder. DO NOT SENDUS YOUR ANSWERS TO THESE REGULARLESSONS. Keep them for reference.

By writing down all these answers, and by writ­ing down all the words of every Bible passage thatanswers a question, you will find you will REMEM­BER what you have learned. It takes a little moretime, but you will really LEARN your lessons thatway, and remember them.

Yet some ask, "Is this \VRITING really NECES­SARY?" YES! EXTREMELY so! Why?

YOU CAN QUICKLY REVIEW YOUR LES­SONS. Also, it will aid you greatly in explainingthe Bible to others.

WE ARE GIVIKG YOU THE BRIEF, COM­PREHENSIVE, TRUE OUTLINE OF THEBIBLE. We know of no other place where youcan obtain it! You will want to refer to these les­sons AKD THE EXPLANATION OF THEM IN YOUR OW:'"

WORDS time after time in future years as you applythem to clear up related points in the Bible.

And remember, you are to spend at least a halfhour every day studying YOUR BIBLE with thisCorrespondence Course. TESTS WILL BE SENTafter each group of four lessons.

Now READ THE LARGE TYPE WORDS INTHIS FINAL INSTRUCTION SECTION rightdown to the end of this section-pay no attention tothe small type. AND SUDDENLY-YOU HAVEA FLASH REVIEW OF ALL THE IMPOR­TANT POINTS! These serve as an INDEX, too.Simple and effective. All the material in the Lessonsis written this way. USE THE LARGE WORDSFOR THIS PURPOSE!

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HOW GOD RELEASES HISPEOPLE!

There is truly STRIKING SIMILARITY be­tween THE WAY GOD INTERVENED FORHIS CHOSEN IN ANCIENT EGYPT AND theWAY HE is even NOW BEGINNING TO IN­TERVENE FOR MAN IN THIS AGE!

GOD is about THROUGH with WAITING.He said through Paul, "And the times of this igno-

ranee God winked at [pagan idolatry, enslavementto the world and the society around us]: but NOWCOMMANDETH ALL men everywhere TO RE­PENT /" (Acts 17:30.)

Let's UNDERSTAND the WAY GOD AC­COMPLISHED HIS PURPOSE THEN SO weMAY BETTER UNDERSTAND HOW HE isACCOMPLISHING IT NOW/

1. Did GOD DECLARE His INTENT TOBRING the ANCIENT ISRAELITES OUT OFBONDAGE? Ex. 3:10. How were the Israelite

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SON 8 - SECTION I "THIS IS GOD S

slaves being treated by the Egyptians? Ex. 3:7.2. DID GOD HAVE MOSES WARN PHARAOH

OF WHAT HE WOULD DO IF PHARAOH DIDN'T OBEY GOD?Ex. 4: 23·

3. In their first meeting with Pharaoh, what didMoses and Aaron do? Ex. 5: I-4. Did they speak toPharaoh' What was the Egyptian king's reaction?Verse 4. Pharaoh wasn't impressed.

4. At their next meeting with Pharaoh, did Godeven perform miracles to impress Pharaoh? Ex. 7:9.But these did not cause Pharaoh to let Israel go,did they? Verse 14.

5. When Pharaoh still RESISTED, what was theFIRST PLAGUE that came upon the Egyptians?Ex. 7: 20, 2 I. Had the Egyptians shed the bloodof Israelite infants? Ex. I: 22. How were the maleIsraelite infants slain? Then was GOD JUST inturning the Nile River into blood, as a punishmentupon the Egyptians? How long did the plague lastbefore fresh water cleared up the streams of thedecaying blood? Ex. 7:24, 25.

This record was written on papyrus. It wastranslated by A. H. Gardiner (1909) under thetitle: "Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage from abeiratic papyrus in Leiden." It is commonly referredto as the "Papyrus Ipuwer"-because Ipuwer wasan EGYPTIAN EYE-WITNESS TO THEPLAGUE. The papyrus records: "The river isblood" and "Plague is throughout the land. Bloodis everywhere." It also states: "Men shrink fromtasting; human beings thirst after water."

6. Will God PUNISH OUR WORLD with aSIMILAR PLAGUE OF BLOOD as He oncepunished the Egyptians? Rev. 16:3-4 and 8:8-9.

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Why will God send this kind of plague? Rev.16:5-7. What will the wicked do to merit such apunishment? Is God just?

7. What second, more troublesome plague didthe Eternal punish the Egyptians with? Ex. 8: I- I5.Did they learn their lesson? Ex. 8: I;. Did theyrecognize the authority of God?

C02YIMENT: Notice that in Ex. 8: 15, Pharaohhardened his own heart-that is, he stiffened up inhis resistance to God. Physical circumstances causedhim to be self-assured. When the Scripture men-tions that God hardened Pharaoh's heart, it meansthat God brought about circumstances that madePharaoh convince himself that he could persist inhis self-willed, stubborn way. God mercifullyGAVE PHARAOH EVERY CHANCE to changehis attitude. God always made circumstances easyfor Pharaoh to repent by removing the plagues aftera period of time. Instead of repenting, Pharaoh re-belled. The unappreciative heart of the king ofEgypt became hard THROUGH GOD'S MERCY on theEgyptians.

8. What was the third, still more troublesomeplague? Ex. 8: 16-19. Notice that some translationsrender this plague properly "gnats" rather than"lice." DID THIS WARNING TURN THEEGYPTIANS?

9. What was the next plague God put on Pharaohand the Egyptians? Ex. 8: 2 I. What did God alwayswant from these plagues? Verse 20. What happenedto Pharaoh's attitude when he was afflicted? Verses25 to 28. But when this plague, by God's mercy,was removed what happened? Verse p.

Sin's Hold On Man Great1. The Egyptians HAD BY NOW MANY DIS­

TINCT WARNINGS, including several plagues.FOLLOWING THIS, GOD BEGAN TOPROVE He MEANT BUSINESS in trying toget Pharaoh to release man-the Israelites-so theycould follow God. What plague did God sendnext? Ex. 9: 1-7. Define the word "murrain" fromyour own dictionary.

COMME~T: The statement in verse 6 that "allthe cattle of Egypt died" means all of those ANI­MALS which SUFFERED from murrain.

2. As neither the king nor any of the Egyptianspaid special attention to these PLAGUES OF WARNING-plagues which should have made the Egyptiansglad to let their Hebrew slaves go (Ex. 9: 17)­what was God's next act? Ex. 9:9, I I.

COl\lMENT: Note that among our seven lastplagues are to be BOILS, abscesses and ulcers pro-

ducing excruciatmg pain (Rev. 16: I I). Theseplagues are to be just retribution for physical suf­fering which the modern oppressors will inflictupon their slaves.

3. When the Egyptians still remained basicallyunchanged, GOD WARNED THEM OF ANOTHERPLAGl:E. GOD EXERCISED THE GREATEST OF PATIENCE!Did some of the Egyptians heed the WARNING? Ex.9: 20-2 I. What was the nature of this terrifyingplague? Ex. 9: 18, 23-26. Was this the worst ELEC­TRICAL STORM ever to strike Egypt up to thattime? Verses 18 and 24. What were the results ofthis destructive plague? Verse 25.

4. Will plagues of similar nature strike terrorinto rebellious humanity in the NEAR FUTURE?Rev. 16:21 and 8:7.

COMMENT: The same papyrus which records theplague of blood also records the catastrophic ruinbrought upon Egypt by these plagues! It reads:"TREES are DESTROYED" and "NO FRUITS,

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no herbs are found" and "GRAIN has PERISHEDon every side."

God Frees Israel- the AncientEXODUS!!

1. What fault in Pharaoh's character did Godcall to his attention before sending the next plague?Ex. 10:3. Contrast the king's character with that ofMoses. Num, 12: 3.

2. As a result of Pharaoh's continued rebellion,what do we find the next plague to be? Ex. 10:3, 4,14· What does Psalm 105: 34, 35 say about thisplague?COMME~-T: Observe that in the future-during

the terrible "Day of the Lord"-God will again senda plague, not of literal locusts, but of symbolic ones-far more devastating. Rev. 9:3, 4. (Review this inour free booklet "The Book of Revelation Unveiledat Last!")

3. A strange phenomenon occurred at the nextplague. What was it? Ex. 10;21-29. Will God onceagain send a similar plague to punish the wickedin the "DAY OF THE LORD"? Rev. 16: 10. Noticehow much worse the future plague will be!

COMMENT: This DARKNESS had a supernaturalorigin.

This frightening wonder was recorded by theEgyptians themselves in a shrine of black granitefound at el-Arish on the eastern border of Egypt.It reads: "The land was in great affliction. Evil fellon this earth ... there was such a TEMPESTthat neither men nor gods could see the faces ofthose beside them." (From F. L. Griffith's "TheAntiquities of Tel-el-Yabudiy eb and MiscellaneousWork in Lower Egypt in 1887-88.")

4. As a final punishment-when warning afterwarning went unheeded-what FINAL CATAS­TROPHE TUMBLED PHARAOH AND EGYPTfrom their haughty height? Ex. 12: 29-3 I. TheEXODUS OF ISRAEL immediately followed.

COMMENT: Indeed the ANCIENT ISRAELITESin Egypt-Gad's type for sin-FOUND THEM­SELVES IN A WICKED, GOD-DEFYING, SIN­FUL, "WORLDLY" SYSTEM. (The systemSUCH AS MAN FINDS HIMSELF born intoTODAY-yes, in finding himself born into "thispresent evil world." Gal. 1 =4-)

A system of worshipping FALSE GODS, ofpracticing licentious SEXUAL ACTS, CONTIN­UAL WARS, and other destructive practices. Asystem which brought them into sinful BOND­AGE FROM WHICH they, OF THEMSELVES,COULD NOT ESCAPE. Caught in the toils ofan ancient and entrenched system-just as is the

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present world today-which would not let them go.BUT GOD began to SUPERNATURALLY

INTERVENE in their behalf-to disrupt and weak-en the hold of the system upon them THROUGHbringing about UPHEAVALS OF NATURE uponit-and in so doing revealed to the ancient IsraelitesHis might and right to be worshipped as the oneand only true God. And they, BECAUSE OFTHIS great display, became FREED. Freed SOthey COULD BE LED BY GOD TO a MUCHHAPPIER PLACE! -a literal delightsome land(known as Palestine today) just flowing withall good things - "A LAND OF MILK ANDHONEY" (Ex. 3:8, 17; 13:5; Num. 13:27; 14:8)­where they could happily serve God (Ex. 8: I,

20; 10: 3).

All Must Exodus to GodGenesis is the very first book of the Bible. And

at once, the very next book is EXODUS-one wholebook of the Bible! In Genesis man is created byGod-genesis means creation. And then, at once, inthe very next book of the Bible-EXODUS-Godillustrates to man he must come out of his old un­happy state. The very WORD "EXODUS"MEANS "TO COME OUT OF....."!!

GOD, at once, after creating man, CALLS ONMAN TO PARTAKE IN AN EXODUS-COMEOUT OF his DISAGREEABLE WRONG WAYS,AND JOYOUSLY SERVE HIS CREATOR­God! To wicked, sinful Egypt-the type of ourworld today-GOD SAYS TIME AND AGAIN,"LET MY PEOPLE GO THAT THEY MAYSERVE ME." (Study also Ex. 7: 16; 9: I, 13; 10:3.)

EVERYONE MUST WILLINGLY AGREETO AN EXODUS FROM his OLD DISAGREE­ABLE LIFE OF SERVING SELF - self service.Look at the 6,000 year fruit of man's self servicetoday!-enough time in which to convince anyone.Man teetering on the brink of self-annihilation.

Yes, the TIME has come-is NOW AT HAND,at this present end of this age-when man MUSTSURRENDER his OWN ATTEMPT AT DI­RECtION OF SELF and BE LED BY GOD ONAN "EXODUS" FROM THIS WAY of life TOa "PROMISED LAND"-a PROMISED CONDI­TION-OF JOYOUSLY SERVING GOD-andhappily FOR ALL ETERNITY 1 In that delight­some state God promises us we will have no moresorrow, heartache, or tears! (Rev. 21:4.) A graciousGod it is who wants all to share in this marvelousopportunity!-a God who would "have all men tobe saved" (I Tim. 2:4). Most will be, it surelyappears.

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Yes, Time Now At Hand forNew Exodus

Upheavals INCREASING Rapidly!

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1. Is THIS WORLD not, AT THIS VERYMOMENT, IN the CONDITION CHRIST SAIDIT WOULD BE AT the AGE-END, just beforethe final great catastrophic events are to occurj>

Mat. 24: 3-8; Luke 21:7- 11• Are not fals~ mi~sters

(those who preach a false way to salvation In the

~name of Christ)-WARS, FAMINE, PESTILENCEan6 EARTHQUAKES becoming INCREASING-LY MORE AND MORE COMMON?

COMMENT: Look around the world about you.

ON 8 - SECTION 1

We have seen the astonishing picture of the typeof earth God caused this earth to become in theOld Testament times. This in order to loosen thehold of that world's society on the Israelites so thatthey could follow God in an Exodus from Pha.rao?'sland of Egypt (sin) and serve God. From this PIC­

ture and from the sure word of prophecy let uslearn what THIS EARTH of our time is even nowmore and more becoming. And how, VERYSOON it is once again TO CRESCENDO INTOFULL'BLOOM OF VIOLENCE, only this timeFAR GREATER, in order TO LOOSEN theSPIRITUALLY DISOBEDIENT FROM theCLUTCH OF THEIR SINFUL, INBORN, DES­PERATELY WICKED (Jer. 17:9) NATURES.SO they MAYBE LED BY GOD ON an "EXO­DUS" TO ETERNAL LIFE.

Weare right now in the dangerous end of thisage! When already desperately wicked man (Jer.17:9) has sunk on down even "worse and worse" inthese "last PERILOUS TIMES" (II Tim. 3: 13, I).The process of loosening the hold of man's desper­ately wicked nature upon man to the extent thatman may follow God is not going to be easy, It

. will be difficult!The STAGE IS SET!! Stupendous upheavals

which will loosen the grip of man's nature uponman so that he may follow God are already be­ginning to occur!

Let us UNDERSTAND what these world-widepotentially TREMENDOUSLY DANGEROUSDISRUPTIONS, in which WE FIND OUR­SELVES more and more rapidly and INCREAS­INGLY INVOLVED, are to terrifyingly developinto. AND let us realize fully by God's sure wordof prophecy HO W SHORT the REMAININGTIME we, personally, HAVE in which TO PRE­PARE in order TO AVOID THEM! God givesus the warning-IT'S UP TO US TO USE THISTIME!

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1, Shortly preceding a coming period of greatreligious persecution (Rev. 6:9), what do we find

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They certainly are!2. Aren't these kinds of days closely knit by

Christ with His statement that THESE "are the[ONLY the] BEGINNING OF SORROWS"?Mat. 24: 8. And His statement that unless these daysbe shortened there would be no one saved alive?Mat. 24: 22. Sorrows to begin and rapidly worsen,

COMMENT: Today famine, disease, pestilence,earthquakes and other disruptions of nature ARETAKING INCREASINGLY RAPID TOLL OFHUMAN LIFE! And there is world-wide TALKEVERYWHERE today OF world SELF-ANNI­HILATION!

3. Does not Revelation chapter 6 speak of thesesame conditions, but under different titles, as the"white horsc"-verse 2, and the "red horse't-cverse4, and the "black horse"-verse 5, and the "palehorse"-verse 8? Do not they also verify the factthat CONDITIONS throughout the world are TODETERIORATE TERRIBLY in these end daysin which we now find ourselves?

COMMENT: These FOUR HORSEMEN repre­sent the four world conditions-all increasingly bad,at the end of this age. The WHITE HORSE rep­resents the increasing number preaching a falseChrist-false ways to "salvation." The RED HORSE-the increasing tempo of the ravages of wars. THEBLACK-increasing famine. THE PALE-diseaserampaging. Famine and pestilence due much to greatclimatic disturbances,

(Send for NIr. Armstrong's FREE BOOKLE!"The Book of Revelation Unveiled At Last!" It WIll

explain, in detail, these four horsemen. Send too forthe free booklet, "The Key to the Book of Revela­tion." It will also be of aid for this lesson, For exam­ple: to locate at which time the false prophets-thefalse ministers-are to abound the most, one shouldlook at the summary on its page I I.)

4. What terrible thing is to happen in this areaof time to one fourth of the earth's population as aresult of these four catastrophes? Rev. 6:8. What aterrible picture! Note also that beasts will multiplybecause of world depopulation from these catastro-phes. And that they too will have their part indestroying man!

COMMENT: ONE FOURTH OF MANKINDOF the WHOLE EARTH TO DIE IN a PERIODof time DESCRIBED AS ONLY the BEGIN-)9ING OF SORROWS! Ponder this carefully-it'sin your Bible!!

C ti itv _ Giant Ouakes-ap IVMovement of Heavens

PA S 1

GE 8 "THIS IS GOD

is to occur to the MODERN-day descendants ofancient ISRAEL?-are TWO THIRDS of these toBE DESTROYED BY INVASION? Ezek. 5: 1-4,12. And will not the relatively few of the modern­day Israelites REMAINING to BE SCATTERED?Verse 2, and verse 12-last nineteen words.

COMMENT: Remember, the ancient Israelites hadgone into captivity long before this prophecy wasgiven. It is for today!

COMMENT: The descendants of ancient Israel-thepeople of the United States, Britain, and other spe­cific democracies of northwestern Europe are soonto go INTO CAPTIVITY TO A EUROPEANUNION OF NATIONS. Two-thirds of these mod­ern-day Israelites will die of pestilence-famine-war(Ezek. 5: 12). And the remaining one-third will bescattered and decimated-a sword will be drawn outafter them (verse 12). Until THERE WILL FI­NALLY BE ONLY ONE-TENTH of the present­day Israel LEFT ALIVE other prophecies show!

Realize fully the magnitude of these end events.No one can escape them without Divine help! Theseare God's words-not man's. Ponder them well!These days are almost upon us!

2. Immediately after the RELIGIOUS PERSE­CUTION-"TRIBULATION" (Mat. 24:9, 29; Rev.6:9) will there be a GREAT EARTHQUAKE toaid free man from his nature? Rev. 6: 12. (Notethat this is the 6th seal which follows the 5th sealof verse 9.)

3. And then what will happen-a TERRIFICDISPLAY OF PO WER OF GOD by the spectac­ular movement of both heaven and earth FOR ALLMANKIND TO SEE? Rev. 6: 14. Will they not

PEAKING ••• II ! LESSON 8 _ SECTION

be allowed to SEE the actual VERY THRONEOF GOD?!!! Verse 16.

4. Will these divine manifestations in the heavens~call to the mind of man that there is a Divine heav-enly Creator and Ruler to whom man may appealfor aid? Rev. 6: 16.

5. The desperately wicked nature of man (Jer.17:9) is very tenacious and particularly reluctantto release man so that man may follow God. Butwill some of the LESS RELUCTANT natures, ATTHIS POINT, BEGIN TO WEAKEN-as did thesinful shackling to slavery Pharaoh - when Godbegins to show His power through the earth's nat­ural forces around man? Isa. 2: 19. Will they notbegin to have a healthy respect-a "fear" of theLord-a respect for His ability to accomplish greatthings in their behalf? Same verse.

6. Won't they then CEASE TO HAVE CON­FIDENCE IN SELF-in desperately wicked, andweak, man? Isa. 2:22. And cease to have confidencein man's gold and silver? Verse 20.

COMMENT: Then such WILL TURN TO AL­MIGHTY GOD AND SURRENDER TO HIM.

7. And simultaneously, won't the very powers ofthe heavens be shaken-producing a CHAOS INTHE HEAVENS? Rev. 6: 12, 13. And Mat. 24:29-it describes the same event. What is to happen tothe SUN at that time? Rev. 6: 12. And to the~MOON? Same verse. And to the STARS? Verse13. Tremendous!

COMMENT: God will direct that the very lawsnow keeping the heavens in order will be suspendedso as to cause the CRASHING OF THE STARRYHEAVENS EARTHWARD.

I

SPIRITUAL EXOWHO will be THE FIRST, BY GREAT DIS­

RUPTIONS, TO BE FREED from the enslavingpull of this world's gods and society to which they,by nature, are so strongly attached?-freed SO thatthey MAY SERVE GOD? Let us see.

1. Will further disruptions of the earth bestopped for a brief period? Rev. 7: 1-2. Why?-notethe word "seal" in verse 3. What will these peoplehave become because of going through these previ­ous disruptions of nature?-NOTE THE WORDS"SER V ANTS OF GOD" in the same verse. Howmany people are there to be in this group-craa.ooo?Verse 4.

When transformed will they be allowed thehonor of following Christ, the Lamb, whereverHe goes? Rev. 14:I, 3, 4- GREAT REWARDSFOR BEING AMONG the FIRST groups-the

JUS of 144,000"firstfruits"-TO TURN TO GOD early!

COMMENT: (Note the interesting DUALITY:Here is a group of 144,000 people who will be freedfrom the enslaving sinful pull to this world's godsand society as they see these crumbling and crash­ing about them. Freed so they may surrender tobecome Spiritual "Servants of God." This groupwill be the Spiritual counterpart of what Godwanted physically of ancient Israel when He com­manded Pharaoh-representative of the desperatelywicked enslaving society and "world" of PHAR­AOH and the Devil-to "Let My people go, thatthey may serve Me." Ex. 8: I; 7: 16; 9: r ; 10:3. And ~then poured our disruptions until they were freedto follow God in an actual earthly Exodus to a mar- .velous "land of milk and honey" where they couldjoyously serve God. Ex. 3:8; 13:5; Num. 14:8.)

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LES S E 9

SPIRITUAL EXODUS Leads ToHappiness and Safety

1. What people will these 144,000 be? Rev. 7:4.Note the word "Israel."

COMMENT: These will be some of the modern­day descendants of ancient Israel. These are theywhose natures, under stress, will not have been asadverse as others to letting them go on a spiritual"Exodus" so they may serve God.

CoMMENT: MAN finds himself with a DESPER­ATELY WICKED NATURE (ler. 17:9) whichreflects back upon himself - BRINGS BACKUPON HIMSELF - all sorts of THINGS HE justbasically DOES NOT LIKE: for "the works ofthe flesh [with which we are born} are ... unclean-ness hatred, variance [discord} ... wrath [vio-lence} strife [rebellion} ... envyings, murders[of which war, world-wide or local, is a form} ..."(Gal. 5:19-21); and many other evil "kick-back"traits. War begets war. Hate breeds hate. STRIFEbrings ever increasing strife. And so it goes! By allthese, man is HELPLESSLY CREATING FORHIMSELF SURROUNDINGS he WOULD LIKEto HAVE MUCH DIFFERENT!.. Man - mankind - COMPLETELY FRUS­TRATED lr'rHIMSELF TOATTAIN-HAPPI­NESS WILL, AS a LAST RESORT, TURN TOa SOURCE OUTSIDE HIMSELF FOR AID. Turnto GOD! The only source he has any right orreason to believe might help him. Yes-but turnonly as a LAST RESORT, FOR "the CARNALMIND [of man} is ENMITY AGAINST GOD"(Rom. 8:7).

Man comes to find himself AT THIS POINTWHERE, in COMPLETE and ABJECT SUR­RENDER TO GOD, HE SAYS, "Here, 0 MightyGod, YOU TAKE ME. I CAN DO NOTHINGTO BRING complete, absolute and LASTINGHAPPINESS TO MYSELF. If You can bring meto this, I will do anything You say forever. But onething and one thing only I request in return-andthat is that I be granted complete joy and happinessforever. No heartache, sorrow or tear."

And sure enough, BY THIS ONE GREAT DE­CISION man was destined for, MAN WILL FINDHIS SOUGHT FOR GOAL! ! Find it in his result­ing completely changed attitude: of complete aspossible human obedience to God, and of complete

. faith in God's sure promise fulfillment. He will real-ize his goal fully IN BEING MIRACULOUSLYTRANSFORMED INTO a SPIRIT BEING atChrist's coming and in then losing himself in hisensuing wonderful absorbing service to God for

SON 8 - SECTION 1 "THIS IS GOD

PEAKING ••• " I PAG

all eternity. "They [the transformed will} serveHim ... and GOD shall WIPE AWAY ALLTEARS from their eyes" (Rev. 7: 17). Yes, Godwill fulfill His promise to bring ETERNAL JOYto those surrendering themselves to become Hisservants!! Read too Rev. 21:4 for more on thiswonderful state those who are transformed will findthemselves in. Lightly, easily and joyfully servingGod for all eternity.

Yes, the future is to be an UNBELIEVEABLYMARVELOUS LIFE for those who, having theright attitude of surrendered obedience, are trans­formed as servants of God. For "Eye hath not seen,nor ear heard, NEITHER HAVE ENTEREDINTO THE HEART [the mind} OF MAN, theTHINGS WHICH GOD HATH PREPARED forthem that love Him" (I Cor. 2:9). Prepared forthose who surrender into His loving hands. It isjust impossible for man to conceive the imagination­defying SCINTILLATING FUTURE that Godhas ahead for those who surrender themselves intoHis hands!!

Now note again (Rev. 7:3) THE words,"SEALED ... servants of ... God." These are someof mankind who will make this decision. They arethose who will HAVE DONE LIFE'S GREAT­EST THING. MADE the DECISION which ALLare BORN TO MAKE. Will have made the greatdecision of one's lifetime. The -decision TO SUR­RENDER themselves COMPLETELY INTOGOD'S LOVING HANDS, promising to OBEYHim TO the UTMOST and to BE His JOYFUL,obedient SERVANTS for ALL ETERNITY.THEY will HAVE the RIGHT SPIRIT - theRIGHT SEAL IN their MINDS-the seal of PRO­TECTION. They will be protected FROM PHYS­ICAL VIOLENCE. Saved for service. BE TRANS­FORMED to SERVE CHRIST joyfully for alleternity, beginning AT His COMING (I Thes.4: 16, 17; II Tim. 4:8; I Pet. 5:4).

Note that GOD even HOLDS OFF the DAN­GEROUS "FOUR WINDS of the earth" (Rev.7: I) FROM THESE who have made this greatdecision until they are sealed and thereby pro­tected from these "winds."

Revealed---the WonderfulFuture for All Mankind!

1. But AFTER THE 144,000 are SEALEDFROM HARM, what happens next in time order?Rev. 7:9. Are these people of all nations?

CoMMENT: Notice especially Verses 13 and 14.John, having seen the vision, asks: "What are thesepeople ... ?" He was puzzled by them. He did notknow from where they came. So the angel answers:

PA 1

GE 10 "THIS IS GOD S

"These are they which came out of great tribula­tion ..."-and have been forgiven their sins throughthe shed blood of Christ. They are seen clothed inwhite robes, symbolizing purity and righteousness-obedience to God's laws-unspotted by the waysand customs of the world.

This GREAT MULTITUDE OF PEOPLE-OFALL NATIONS-have come out of great tribula­tion. They had heard of the truth, they had heardof Christ, but they had not obeyed Him: But now-as they see God intervening through terriblesupernatural signs in the heavens and on earth-theybegin to fear God. They begin to SURRENDERTO God's will, to ask Christ's blood to cleanse themfrom all their past sin. Think of it-thousands uponthousands, even millions begin to surrender to GODas a result of His intervention in nature.

Notice, too, that these uncounted multitudes arePICTURED as though they are IN the VERYPRESENCE OF GOD. God sees them, not anylonger in mortal flesh, but AS SPIRIT-BORNSONS OF GOD who NEITHER THIRST,HUNGER, nor SORROW ANY MORE! Rev.

PEAKING ... /I! LESSON 8 - SECTION

7: 15- 17. THAT IS what GOD reveals as HisGOAL FOR MAN-SUPREME HAPPINESS!

2. WHEN ALL those who are IMMEDIATE- ~LY WILLING to repent have SURRENDEREDTO GOD, THEN what further terrifying eventswill God send on the earth to bring these stubborn,unrepentant human beings to their senses so theymay turn to Him? Rev. 7: I coupled with 8:7-12.-Will the PERILOUS, DESTRUCTIVE "FOURWINDS," restrained until after that time, "BLOW"ON the EARTH, SEA, and TREES? Same verses.

COMMENT: Today, GOD is first SPEAKINGTO MAN BY His TRUE MINISTERS. SOONHe will speak to man BY STUPENDOUS WON­DERS IN the HEAVENS which man can see. ButSTILL there are MANY who will NOT REPENT.THEN GOD will SPEAK to man THROUGHsupernatural ACTS that MAN CAN FEEL!

God continues to reveal, in order, the terrifyingevents just ahead, in the various of the [ollo-uiingchapters of the Book of Revelation.

WHY are there some who continually hesitate,who PUT OFF SALVATION?

e

Nothing GainGod was compelled to pour out ever increasingly

stronger and stronger disruptions on the ancientEgyptian society and "world" in the past, in orderthat man could make an exodus-come out of sin(Egypt)-and serve God physically in the PromisedLand.

Today, God reveals He will again be compelledto pour out ONLY ever increasingly STRONGERAND STRONGER DISRUPTIONS. This time inorder THAT MAN may again BE FREED FROMTHIS SYSTEM OF LIFE and be completely sur­rendered and willingly led in an exodus to apromised transformed spiritual state. In which statehe may serve God joyously for all eternity l!

TODAY, RIGHT NOW, there are SOME whoare truly FREED from their worldly system of lifeand turned to God BY DISRUPTIONS INTHEIR DAILY LIVES. Not great numbers, butsome. THEY FEEL strongly the NEED of APOWER FAR GREATER than they TO LEADthem. AND THEY SURRENDER FULLY NOWto God and come under the protection of God.YOU COULD BECOME ONE OF THESE!

PEOPLE VARY IN the TIME OF TURNINGTO GOD. For we have just studied, on the otherhand, where the 144,000 whom God will choose(Rev. 7: 3,4) will have to live through an extremelydecimating captivity (Ezek. 5: 12); and live througha great religious persecution (Rev. 6:9)' And will

d By Ilelaylhave to experience the terrors and dangers whichaccompany the shakings of the heavens and earth(Rev. 6: 12-16), before they are able to turn to God.The "GREAT MULTITUDE" of Revelation 7:9will have to GO THROUGH MORE DISRUP­TIONS than either of the other just mentionedgroups. Note that NOTHING is GAINED BYDEL AY-ONLY INCREASED TROUBLE lies inthat direction! It is much better to turn at once,while there is still time to avoid the things ahead.

(To be continued in next Lesson)

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- CORRESPONDENCE COURSE HAS NO§ WmON PRICE§ So many ask: "Hnw can ynu publish a Correspondence Course~ without tuition ~rke?";; The answer IS simple. The GOSPEL must go 10 the whole§======= world, and it must go FREE. It must not be sold like merchandise.

"Freely ye have received," Jesus said 10 His disciples whom Hewas sending to proclaim the Gospel, "freely GIVE." Withoutmoney and without price, is God's way. We proclaim a FREE

~ ~Lf~tSSA'B'6iif~gi.iEb~a~m'Ucb~W~~'kb~~lE ~ol'JR1~~We have been called of God 10 conduct this work. It is nOI our

work, bUI God's. We have set out 10 conduct God's work God'sway. We rely, in FAITH, upon God's promises to supply everyneed.

God's way is the way nf LOVE-and that is the way of g;~;ng.not getting. God expects every true child nf His to GIVE of tithesand offerings that His work may go FREE-that His true ministersmay GIVE the precious Gospel 10 others. We simply TRUST GOD10 Jay it on the minds and hearts of His people to give of theirtithes and offerings thae we may be enabled 10 GIVE the goodthings of God's Word 10 the hundreds of thousands who hear theMessage over the air. and the scores of thousands who read The

failed us. We must not fail HIM!

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