THE EPIPHANY MESSENGER

AUTHOR'S FOREWORD 

GOD HAS been pleased to reveal every detail in the outworking of His plan beforehand by prophecy and type (Amos 3:7). Evidently, there should be in these two forms more details revealed as to the more than as to the less important seasons of His plan. Judging from the standpoint of this rule, the three most important seasons of His plan's elective periods are the Jewish Harvest, the Parousia and the Epiphany; for decidedly more prophetical and typical Scriptures focus their light on each one of these three periods than upon any other elective periods of God's counsel. When we consider the immense amount of prophecy and type that focused their light upon the person, character and offices of our Lord while He was in the flesh, upon the office and works of the Apostles and upon the condition and doings of God's nominal people of the Jewish Harvest, we will readily recognize it as one of the most important seasons in God's plan. Again, when we consider the immense number of prophetical and typical details relating to our Lord's, Bro. Russell's and certain of his supporters' Parousiac ministries, to their opponents' activities and to Satan's empire in its preparation for overthrow, we must conclude that the Parousia is one of the most important periods of God's plan. And, finally, when we consider the immense number of prophecies and types that relate to the actual overthrow of Satan's empire by the World War, World Revolution, World Anarchy and by the last phase of Jacob's Trouble, all four of these phases being mingled with famine and pestilence, Israel's large scale return to Palestine and conversion to Christ, the development of two new elect classes of God's people as such, the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies, as the Court of the Epiphany Tabernacle, and the formation of the Epiphany Camp, consisting of the loyal justified and the converted loyal Jews, we should conclude that it is one of the three main seasons of God's plan. When, in addition to these considerations, we keep in mind that the Gospel Age is repeated in three miniatures during the

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Epiphany and hence all types and prophecies that refer to the Jewish and Gospel Harvests and the Interim (the time between them) have three small applications in the Epiphany, and when we further consider that, in addition, several types and prophecies forecast the Epiphany messenger's experiences and acts, and that those that type and prophesy the work and experiences of the 49 star members, their associates and their opponents, have the three miniature applications to him, his associates and opponents, it becomes again manifest that the Epiphany is one of the three most important periods of all elective seasons of the Divine Plan of the Ages. 

This book contains an exposition of some of the main prophecies and types that point out the Epiphany messenger in his experiences and works as the Divinely chosen teacher and executive, under the Lord Jesus as Head, as to Epiphany conditions and matters. Having been written by himself, it is autobiographical of him in his office work and experience. But it is autobiographical in a limited sense, i.e., to some of the many types and fewer prophecies that forecast his office work and experiences, but that ignore his personal life apart from his office. This fact makes the book one of the only two of its kind in existence, since it consists largely of expositions of some of the Biblical types and prophecies treating of him as the Epiphany messenger. He is aware of the fact that some will be disposed to accuse him of conceit, pride or arrogance for so writing of himself, as in the past some have sneeringly referred to him as one who "sees himself in the Scriptures." At least these sneerers will admit that certainly our Lord did "see Himself in the Scriptures" without the least conceit, pride or arrogance. Doubtless most of these sneerers will admit that our beloved and saintly Pastor likewise did "see himself in the Scriptures," and that without the least conceit, pride or arrogance. While it is not recorded of him, St. Paul doubtless did also "see himself in the Scriptures," and we may be sure without the least conceit, pride or arrogance. Is it not possible, yea, altogether probable, that the Lord, who appointed the author to be the Epiphany messenger, and who later gave him to see various types and prophecies that relate to his experiences and work as such, gave him previously the development in grace that would enable him without conceit, pride or arrogance to

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"see himself in the Scriptures" as the one that Divine grace, finding faithful in the lower service of one of the leading pilgrims, promoted to the office of the Epiphany messenger without detriment to his character through the inevitable accompaniments of that office? If another thinks that he could not "see himself in the Scriptures" without conceit, pride or arrogance, let him consider that some others than he may by Divine grace have been given the Lord's Spirit in a sufficient measure to "see themselves in the Scriptures" without the weakness that these sneerers acknowledge themselves to have. Let them rather seek grace generously to thank God that some of their brethren have grace which such sneerers seem not to have; and such grace sought and found will cure them of the evil of heart that makes them so sneer, and will fill them with gracious praise of God for the favors that others than themselves have. Let all of us pray for this blessing on their behalf in rich measure. 

Why do Epiphany types so markedly point out individuals, e.g., the Epiphany messenger? We reply: (1) The Epiphany as the special time of manifesting pertinent persons and movements demands it; (2) The development of 60 groups of Epiphany Levites and their leaders, because of their great diversity, in the few years of the Epiphany, especially in its first period, that devoted to dealing with Azazel's Goat, requires it for their identification, especially that the Epiphany messenger might know how variously to deal with these leaders and groups, though in no case did he recognize such as typed until the antitype had for some time been fulfilling; (3) The need of encouraging him to go on in his office work has required it, otherwise through the many long-drawn-out calamities, attacks, misrepresentations, betrayals, desertions, etc., that have fallen to his lot, he would have fainted; and (4) the understanding of the pertinent persons and groups as typed necessitates it, since it would in due time help each one to see his place and do his part. 

There have arisen in the experiences of God's people conditions that call for the elucidation of the Scriptures that are expounded in this book. The Lord over 25 years ago appointed the author to the office of teacher and executive as to His Epiphany work toward the Little Flock, the Great Company and the Youthful Worthies, without, however, putting as such the first of these three 

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classes into his charge. The Bible teaches and experience corroborates that the envy, ill-will and unholy ambition of certain misleaders, through worldwide misrepresentations, have deceived the brethren into not accepting and cooperating with the Epiphany messenger in his Divinely appointed office and work. The Lord for many reasons has permitted the misrepresentations of such envy, ill-will and unholy ambition externally to turn the bulk of God's people against the former, in favor of the evildoers. But, "be not deceived! God is not mocked; for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Now, after 25 years, what is the result? This, that the misleaders in all cases have become, some gross, and some refined false teachers, and failures unto bankruptcy as to accomplishing the work now due to be done according to God's plan. These two facts—false teachers and unfruitful executives as to God's Epiphany purposes, have they all proved themselves to be—stand out undeniably; and as a result, God's people, divided into 60 groups, are in confusion as to the whats, hows, whys and what-to-do of their present unhappy and seemingly hopelessly disastrous lot. 

This book, among other reasons, is sent forth on this, the 25th, anniversary of the author's entering his present office, which he did, unconsciously to himself, Nov. 1, 1916, on his hearing of our beloved Pastor's passing beyond the veil, to point to the Divinely indicated way out of the confusion and disastrous lot prevalent now among God's people. And certainly, these two conditions make it most timely that on this, the silver jubilee anniversary of the author's entering into his office work, this book, that contains the diagnosis and prescribes the cure for the open sore of God's people, should go forth on its mission of blessing to the Israel of God everywhere; and it goes forth with the author's fervent prayer that the Lord bless it in its mission to His own. That grace, mercy, peace and truth may become the portion of all the Israel of God everywhere is the ardent hope and prayer of 

Your brother and servant, 

PAUL S. L. JOHNSON. 

Philadelphia, Pa., 

Nov. 1, 1941.

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CONTENTS 

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CHAPTER I. 

EPIPHANY SEASONS. 

PARALLEL ANNUAL DAYS. THE MINIATURE GOSPEL AGES—SMALL, MEDIUM AND LARGE. THE SMALL MINIATURE MILLENNIUM. THE SMALL EIGHT WONDERFUL DAYS. THE LARGE EIGHT WONDERFUL DAYS. THE DAYS OF WAITING FOR THE WAVE LOAVES' PRESENTATION. PARALLELS OF THE PAROUSIA AND THE EPIPHANY.       9 

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CHAPTER II. 

SHORTER FORECASTS. 

THE ONE AND TWO OF DEUT. 32:30. THE ANGEL OF REV. 10:9, 10; OF 22:10, 11. THE EIGHT PRINCIPAL MEN OF MIC. 5:5. MEDAD. JONATHAN, ELEAZAR, JEDAIAH, JACOB, AARON, ITHAMAR, ZECHARIAH.       109 

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CHAPTER III. 

NEHEMIAH—TYPE AND SMALL ANTITYPE. 

THE LARGE ANTITYPE. GRIEF OVER JERUSALEM'S DESOLATION. NEHEMIAH'S COMMISSION. INSPECTION. BUILDING THE WALL. OPPOSITION. OPPRESSION. INTRIGUES. GUARDING THE WORK. VARIOUS PREACHINGS. THE TABERNACLE EXPERIENCES AND SERVICES. BETHEL EVENTS AND EXPERIENCES.       143 

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CHAPTER IV. 

ZERUBBABEL AND EZRA—TYPE AND SMALL ANTITYPE. 

THE COMMISSION. SIXTY GREAT COMPANY GROUPS. ALTAR AND FOUNDATION. STOPPAGE OF BUILDING, RENEWAL AND COMPLETION OF BUILDING. TEMPLE MINISTRIES. EZRA'S COMMISSION. HIS FELLOW TRAVELERS AND JOURNEY. HIS ATTITUDE AND ACTS TOWARD THE SINNING.        207 

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CHAPTER V. 

MORDECAI AND ESTHER—TYPE AND ANTITYPE. 

TWO PUBLIC FEASTS. TWO CALLS. A WICKED PLAN. COUNTERACTIVE EFFORTS. TWO PRIVATE FEASTS. THE CONSPIRACY OVERTHROWN. THE FINAL BATTLE. THE AFTERMATH.        275

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CHAPTER VI. 

THE SMALL PARALLELS OF JUDAH'S AND ISRAEL'S KINGS. 

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. EARLIER KINGS OF ISRAEL. EARLIER KINGS OF JUDAH. THE MIDDLE KINGS OF JUDAH. THE LATER KINGS OF ISRAEL. THE LATER KINGS OF JUDAH. THE LITTLE JEREMIAH.       333 

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CHAPTER VII. 

THE ANTITYPICAL JUDGES, LARGE AND SMALL 

GENERAL REMARKS. OTHNIEL. EHUD. SHAMGAR. DEBORAH AND BARAK. GIDEON. ABIMELECH. JEPHTHAH. SAMSON. MICAH. THE LEVITE AND THE DANITES.>>>>>>>419 

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CHAPTER VIII. 

JOB—TYPE AND ANTITYPE. 

PRELUDE. JOB'S TWELVE SPEECHES. ELIPHAZ'S THREE SPEECHES. BILDAD'S THREE SPEECHES. ZOPHAR'S TWO SPEECHES. ELIHU'S SPEECH. JEHOVAH'S THREE SPEECHES. EPILOGUE.       531 

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CHAPTER IX. 

JOSEPH—TYPE AND SMALLEST ANTITYPE. 

INTRODUCTORY CONSIDERATION. JOSEPH'S HUMILIATIONS. JOSEPH'S PRE-FAMINE EXALTATION. JOSEPH'S FAMINE DEALINGS WITH HIS BROTHERS AND FATHER. JOSEPH'S FINAL DEALINGS WITH HIS FATHER. INCLUDING THE FATHER'S FAREWELL TO HIS SONS. THE FINAL SCENES.       601 

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CHAPTER X. 

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS. 

GENERAL REMARKS ON OTHER PERTINENT TYPES. PROPER VIEW OF PAST EVIL DEEDS. EXHORTATIONS FOR THE FUTURE. GLORIOUS OUTLOOK.       667