CHAPTER XXVII. THE HOUSEHOLD. The prophecies of scripture teach us that when the Everlasting Father, God-Mighty One, Prince of Peace, My Servant David shall manifest Himself upon this earth and establish His Kingdom, He shall have a family, a household. Isaiah 45: II "Thus saith the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker, Ask me of things to come concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me." Isaiah 66: 9-"Shall I bring to the birth, and not cause to bring forth? saith the Lord: shall I cause to bring forth, and shut the womb? saith thy God." Isaiah 9: 7 (Old version) "Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will perform this." (New Version, Cheyne's) "Increased is the government and to peace there is no end, upon the throne of David and throughout his kingdom, in establishing and supporting it by justice and by righteousness from henceforth even for ever. The jealousy of Jehovah Sabaoth will perform this." We learn from this prophecy that the Kingdom established upon the throne of David, (Beha 'U'llah, the Beloved), shall be eternal in power and unend ing in peace. The Kingdom must be supported therefore, in righteousness and justice by His Word, strictly kept by His own children and those who live with them in the Shadow of His Commandments. Professor Cheyne says in "The Prophecies of Isaiah," page 63-that from the sentence "from henceforth even for ever" we gain two meanings: "Two meanings are exegetically possible: I-that the Messiah shall live an immortal life on earth, and 2-that there shall be an uninterrupted succession of princes of his house." The first view is not tenable for the reason that we have other prophecies which announce the departure of the Manifestation, David the Beloved. The continuance of His Kingdom therefore can only be possible through depending upon His Utterances which are the Representative of His Supreme Self and everlasting truths. : The following are plain prophecies that when the Father, David the Beloved, will manifest Himself, He will have a family, a household. Zechariah 12: 10 and 12-"And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications" "And the land shall mourn, every family apart; the family of the house of David apart." Zechariah 13, I. "In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David," "David" signifies "God the Beloved" and is one of the titles of the Manifestation. It has no reference whatever to David, King of the Hebrews. In the 34th chapter of Ezekiel the prophet uses the same title to announce the appearance of the Everlasting Father, when neglect of the spiritual flocks by the leaders and teachers of religion, necessitate the coming of God Himself to judge and rule them. "Woe be to the shepherds of Israel, that do feed themselves; should not the shepherds feed the flocks?" For this reason, God Himself promised to come under the title of "David" ("God the Beloved"). Ezekiel 34: 20-"Therefore thus saith the Lord God unto them, Behold I, even I, will judge between the fat cattle and between the lean cattle. Because ye have thrust with side and with shoulder, and pushed all the diseased with your horns, till ye have scattered them abroad; Therefore will I save my flock, and they shall no more be a prey; and I will judge between cattle and cattle. And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods. And I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing; and I will cause the shower to come. down in his season: there shall be showers of blessing. And the tree of the field shall yield her fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase, and they |