“A bright cloud overshadowed them.” This phenomenon was awesome in itself, but then a voice thundered out very majestically, “This is my beloved Son, … hear ye him.” This scene was so impressive that Peter referred to it in his epistle but said that despite its awesomeness and positiveness, the “more sure word of prophecy” was superior (2 Pet. 1:16-19). Do we have such a conviction? Is God’s Word more “sure” to us than if we had witnessed the transfiguration and heard the voice coming from the cloud? We should have the same reverence and respect for the Word of God that Peter had—regardless of the degree of our comprehension.

Being familiar with the account of the bright cloud over the nation of Israel and the Tabernacle in the Wilderness of Sinai, the disciples would have had no difficulty realizing that the message, or voice, came from God. Also, “Hear ye him [Jesus]” was almost like a reprimand, for earlier Peter had been arguing with the Master (Matt. 16:22). Now the Father was saying, “This is my Son. I am well pleased with him. You had better listen to him.” In other words, in listening to Christ, we are really listening to God, for the Son is the true and highest representative of the Father.

Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Job considered himself a member of a fallen race. His profound question, “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean?” is often used to show that a ransom to redeem man cannot come from the fallen human race. Therefore, some being from outside the human race had to provide the Ransom for Adam. To think of someone lifting this sin-benighted, diseased earth out of the quagmire of sin would be hopeless if the matter were viewed from the natural standpoint, for the human race is beyond human repair. Only Divinity can provide a solution.

We have found that it was often by bringing us into severe trials, ordeals, putting us under crucial tests, that the Lord develops more and more our faith, our love, our trust, our hope in Him. He would have us learn well our lesson, that without Him we can do nothing, but that with His blessing and favor all things are ours, because we are Christ’s and Christ is God’s. Let us, then, in all the important junctures of life, be sure that we are seeking chiefly the divine will, as expressed in the divine promise, the Oath-Bound Covenant: let us seek it patiently, earnestly, persistently—let us wrestle with the Lord that thereby we may be made the stronger, that when the proper and advantageous experiences have been enjoyed the blessing will come—at the proper moment to do us the most good and in the manner that would be most helpful.

Why were the children of Heth so solicitous to please Abraham by answering his request? (1) This incident took place in Hebron, where Abraham had dwelled and was told that Sodom and Gomorrah would be destroyed and that Sarah would bear a son, Isaac. (2) Abraham lived in Mamre in Hebron at the time he went to rescue Lot (Gen. 13:18; 14:1-16). Hence Abraham was known in the area, and now the children of Heth called him a “mighty prince among us”; that is, they had a healthy respect for Abraham. The ancients viewed Abraham as a mighty warrior. Abraham had accompanied the 318 men who went to rescue Lot. Tradition says that his father, Terah, had been a warrior too.

Samuel continued his last public discourse, which was a review of Israel’s history. When Nahash, the king of the children of Ammon, came against the Israelites, the people said, “Nay; but a king shall reign over us.” Here we get an insight into one of the primary reasons the Israelites audibly expressed their desire to have a king; namely, a king was leading the host that came against them. Perhaps Samuel’s disposition and character were not that of a general, so the people wanted someone who could be out in front leading them in battle. Samuel rebuked the Israelites for desiring a king, for Jehovah was their King. Nevertheless, God acquiesced and set Saul as king over the nation.

God was telling Abraham these things. Abraham could have heard a voice from a cloud or from the air or in his inner ear. Or he could have been in a tent and heard the voice. Whatever the method, Abraham’s audible response was, “O that Ishmael might live!” What does this account tell us about Abraham? He was 99 years old (verse 24). The promise was originally made when he was 75—24 years earlier. He had first thought that his chief servant, Eliezer, would be the heir, but God said the seed would come out of Abraham’s loins. Then he and Sarah thought that perhaps the seed was to come through Abraham but not through Sarah, so 13 years earlier (verse 25) he conceived Ishmael through Hagar the concubine. Abraham’s comment here in verse 18 indicates that he was resigned to Ishmael’s being the seed. He was saying, “I will be satisfied if Ishmael is the seed.” Abraham was not pressing the matter but was simply expressing a spirit of resignation and submission. Subconsciously, too, he was probably thinking of Sarah’s age. It would be a greater miracle for Sarah to bear a child now than for him to sire one, for he had fathered Ishmael when 86 years old. However, Abraham probably felt he, too, could no longer have children; that is, he probably became impotent after having Ishmael. And Sarah was definitely barren. Therefore, the miracle with Abraham and Sarah was twofold. (Many men over 100 had children both before and after Abraham, so impotency seemed to be his situation.)

The King James Version properly has a new paragraph here. Song 3:1,2 and 5:2-6 tell of two bedroom scenes. Chapter 3 gives the Little Flock’s attitude when they are awakened, and Chapter 5 contrasts the Great Company’s attitude when they are awakened. The Pastor’s writings furnish many clues and ideas, which, when collated, result in pictures that are tenfold clearer. Details and other truths are revealed in the collation.

The sons of the prophets who were in a school at Bethel came forth to Elisha and said, “Don’t you know that God will take away Elijah, your master, from off your head today?” How unusual that all the sons of the prophets had been informed of the expectation, as well as Elisha, who said, “Yes, I know it.” The details are not supplied as to how the expectation was known.

What in the antitype indicates that they would be aware of the imminence of the departure of the Elijah class? Current events will become so conspicuous that they will know the time is drawing close for the completion of the Elijah class, the Church, the Little Flock. As Jesus said, “When [you see] these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption [deliverance] draweth nigh” (Luke 21:28).

What does the “red horse” represent? Usually a horse is a doctrine or message that goes through the earth on a mission. Here is where the writings of the Pastor have proven very valuable, for they show that the color red refers to the Ancient Worthies. The red heifer that was slain in connection with the Tabernacle sacrifices is a picture of the Ancient Worthy class (Num. 19:2-10). As further confirmation, the memory or example of the Ancient Worthies is spoken of in the Book of Hebrews as the “ashes of an [red] heifer” (Heb. 9:13). After the flame of a fire goes out, smoke continues to ascend for a while. In the antitype, sometimes the smoke is favorable, and sometimes, as with mystic Babylon, it is the opposite. The figurative smoke of the burning (destruction) of the mother system will forever be a memorial to future generations; that is, what has happened in past history will forever be etched in memory.