The Revelation of Jesus Christ - The Herald

The eating of the "little book" has been applied by Historical expositors generally to the
study of the Word of God in Luther's day. However, in the light of history unveiling
prophecy, we are now enabled to see that it was not until the present time, the harvest of
the Age, that the mystery of God, the mystery of the Divine Plan of the Ages, began to be
clearly understood. While it is true that Luther and his associates studied very diligently
the Word of God, it is apparent to all Bible students that their understanding of the Divine
Plan was very limited.
Summing up the results of the study of the Word of God up to about 1870, we observe that
one of the most important of these results is that of the discovery of the only way of
salvation (justification) through faith in the merit of Christ's sacrifice. Associated with this,
other precious truths of Scripture were from time to time brought to light. Clearer and
clearer views were gradually discovered concerning the heavenly destiny of the Church,
also some of the features of the earthly, Millennial period--the times of Restitution. The
privileges associated with Christian living, such as that of a union with Christ, by faith in
the many precious promises contained in the Gospels and the Epistles, were more fully
enjoyed.
As already noted the Papacy was clearly recognized to be the Antichrist of Daniel and the
Apocalypse. This latter caused quite a general revival of the Historical school of
Apocalyptic interpretation amongst Protestant expositors. This school began in its initial
stage shortly after St. John received the visions. It is in full harmony with this school that
Mr. Russell and many other expositors of the Apocalypse have written.
Thus it seems proper to apply the symbol of the "eating of the little book," as beginning in
the days of Luther and continuing on to the end of the Age. During the first half of the
nineteenth century considerable progress was made in understanding the "Mystery of
God," the Divine Plan. It was in the middle of this period that the "Miller movement,"
which more especially had to do with the study of the "time" prophecies, occurred. There
were also other noted Bible expositors during this period--some who had very much
clearer views of the "Mystery of God" than did Mr. Miller--and these contributed their
share in the work of making clearer the Divine Plan. This fact has been seen in the Message
to Philadelphia.
Thus the eating of the "little book," while beginning in the days of Luther, did not reach its
complete fulfillment until the present harvest period; indeed it is still in process of
fulfillment. It was about 1868 that a little company of Bible students who were free from
all sectarian restraints, met together in Allegheny, Pennsylvania, from time to time to
search the sacred writings. The ultimate result of these studies was that a clear
understanding of the Divine Plan of the Ages was obtained. These precious truths were,
later on, published in a volume entitled The Divine Plan of the Ages, and from time to time
the details were further elucidated in other volumes. The manner in which this knowledge
was obtained is now a matter of history. We quote the words of one whose ministry of
Divine truth has been a wonderful blessing to the Lord's consecrated: