1917_The_Finished_Mystery_Text

Sword throughout the lengths and breadths ofChristendom.Ezekiel 9:6.Slay utterly old and young, both maids andlittle children, and women: but come not nearany man upon whom is the mark; and beginat My Sanctuary. Then they began at theancient men which were before the house.—Here are depicted the savagery of the revolutionsand the anarchy succeeding the great war.Though they are to be literally martyred, theconsecrated in Present Truth cannot be hurt ofeither slaughter weapon; their hopes and theirtreasures are in Heaven (Matt. 6:20), and noearthly calamity can in any wise work them ill.Symbolically the Sword of the Spirit will do noharm to mature Christians— "men,"— but manyyoung or undeveloped believers, not having theHoly Spirit, regardless of sex, will fall as tares.as will all of the idol worshipers of Christendom.The literal trouble will begin with arevolutionary outburst of anarchy against thechurches and the clergy (1 Pet. 4:17), asresponsible for the trouble because of havingpreached the people into the war, in the face ofinnumerable Scriptures against fighting withcarnal weapons (Matt 5:39, 44; John 18:11; 2Cor. 10:4) and of those teaching Christians tolove one another and to forgive trespasses (Luke6:27-38), personal or national. (Rom. 12:17-21.)The Sword of the Spirit will begin its work withthe sanctuary class, the professing Christians (1Pet. 4:17). It will begin with " the ancient men,"the representatives of the people— the clergy,doctors of divinity, priests, bishops and otherecclesiastics.FM420Ezekiel 9:7.And He said unto them, Defile the house, andfill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. Andthey went forth, and slew in the city.—Typically the house of God was defiled by adead body. The Temple, the Body of Christ, thetrue Church, is defiled by the presence in it of