1917_The_Finished_Mystery_Text

FM484Ezekiel 24:18.So I spake unto the people in the morning:and at even my wife died; and I did in themorning as I was commanded.— He continuedhis addresses and writings to the Lord's people;his wife became to him as one dead; and hecontinued uninterruptedly in the work of theministry.Ezekiel 24:19.And the people said unto me, Wilt thou nottell us what these things are to us, that thoudoest so?— Why was Pastor Russell caused byhis Father to endure the fiery trials andecclesiastical falsehoods in connection with thisincident of his life?THE CHURCHES TO CEASE TO BEEzekiel 24:20, 21.Then I answered them, The word of the Lordcame unto me, saying, Speak unto the houseof Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; Behold, Iwill profane My Sanctuary, the excellency ofyour strength, the desire of your eyes, andthat which your soul pitieth; and your sonsand your daughters whom ye have left shallfall by the sword.— God gives the reason. Itwas as a picture or parable of what is to happento Christendom. Until 1878 the nominal churchhad been in a sense God's sanctuary or Temple;but He was from then on, culminating in 1918, toremove it with a stroke or plague of erroneousdoctrines and deeds Divinely permitted. TheChurch was the strength of Christendom, thatabout which its life centered, and around whichits institutions were built. It was the desire of theeyes of the people, that which all Christiansloved. Nevertheless, God was to make manifestthe profanation which ecclesiasticism had madeof the Christian Church, and to cause the churchorganizations to become to Him as one dead, anunclean thing, not to be touched, or mourned.And the "children of the church" shall perish bythe sword of war, revolution and anarchy, and by