1917_The_Finished_Mystery_Text

Dan evidently represents a class tampering withdoctrines, resulting in the overthrow of the NewCreature. A study of the history of the tribe ofDan confirms this. Originally Dan was given oneof the choicest parts of Palestine, one of the mostfertile and the most secure. It was completelyembraced by its two brother tribes Ephraim andBenjamin, while on the south-east and south itjoined Judah, and was thus surrounded by thethree most powerful states of the wholeconfederacy. The Danites however failed toconquer the land originally assigned to them(representing the failure of the New Creature togain the victory over the mind of the flesh) andchose another inheritance to the far north (Judges18:131). This selection of the farthest northresembles Satan's similar choice (Isa. 14:13) andsuggests that the Danite New Creatures were ledaway from their original inheritance by ambition.The context shows an unreasonably highvaluation of their own Judgment and a wilfulinterference with the priestly office, and this wemay Judge hasFM134been a frequent offense of those who commit thegreat sin that lies just beyond the sin ofpresumption. (Psa. 19:13; 2 Sam. 6:6, 7.) THETEST IS ON ; take heed! take heed!The half tribe of Ephraim represents the GreatCompany, mainly to be found in the NominalChurch. They are more or less intoxicated witherror (Isa. 28:1, 7), they fear to let go of theiridols of creeds and catechisms (Hos. 4:17), theyare, in a way, half-baked Christians, not whollydevoted to the Lord— "Ephraim is a cake notturned." (Hos. 7:8.) From first to last theprophecy of Hosea is eloquent with Jehovah'spleadings to the Great Company class not to missthe great prize of Immortality.Revelation 7:9After this, I beheld, and lo, a greatmultitude.— When the Apostle tells us in 2John 8, "Look to yourselves that ye lose notthose things which we have wrought, but that ye