Bible Student Ministries: Apologetics

Bible Student Ministries

APOLOGETICS

"In your hearts consecrate Christ as Lord, being always ready to make your defense to any one who asks from you a reason for the hope which you cherish." 2 Peter 3:15 [Weymouth]

________________________________________________

"THE VISION"
A reply to the DAWN

________________________________________________

In the June 2006 issue of THE DAWN magazine, their appeared an article in the Christian Life and Doctrine section covering the vision of Habakuk 2:3

Under the subheading “THE VISION WRITTEN” the authored writes:

“Having gained the necessary elevated perspective, a vision came to Habakkuk. With it came a twofold commission. “The Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.” (Hab. 2:2) According to Strong’s Bible Concordance, ‘write’ means, ‘to describe or record.’ Habakkuk did that literally in his prophecy, thereby satisfying the first part of his commission.

“However, the prophet did not satisfy the second part of his commission to ‘make it plain.’ Strong’s Bible Concordance defines the word plain as ‘explain.’ The second part of Habakkuk’s commission could thus be properly stated, to explain the vision by putting in a name.”

While we would agree that ‘write’ (strong’s #3789) means ‘to describe or record’ and ‘plain’ (Strong’s #874) means to ‘explain’ we are at a loss as to why the author believes that Habakkuk was to “explain the vision by putting in a name.”

The article goes on to state:

“Absent that name, Habakkuk could only refer to the vision as ‘it.’ He does so five times in verse 3. “The vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” Very similar language is found in Hebrews, chapter 10; language where the Apostle Paul clearly refers to our Lord Jesus, saying, “Yet a little while [for an appointed time], and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.” (vs. 37) The similarities between these verses force the conclusion that Habakkuk and the Apostle Paul speak of the same vision. That the vision had a name is evident from Paul’s earlier reference to Christ Jesus as the “heavenly vision.” “Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision.” (Acts 26:19) Paul was referring to Jesus of Nazareth whom he met on the road to Damascus after his resurrection. The vision Habakkuk experienced, therefore, was a name he was not then permitted to know—Christ Jesus”

It would seem the only forced conclusions came from the author’s scripture twisting in wanting to force two separate verses and have them mean the same thing. No where in Habakkuk’s account is there mentioned the vision being a name.

Are we to conclude because the Apostle Paul saw Jesus in a heavenly vision, that this vision is the same vision described by the prophet Habakkuk? Hardly!

WHAT IS THE VISION?

In Reprint 5374, Pastor Russell states:

“GOD'S PLAN OF THE AGES is the vision seen by the Prophet Habakkuk, who was told to write it and to "make it plain upon tables, that every one may read it fluently" (Leeser's translation); that in the end the vision should "speak and not lie;" though it would seem to tarry, yet it would not tarry.”

Here we see the truth of the matter, the vision made plain on tables is The Divine Plan of the Ages, particularly the Chart of the Ages, which explains God’s Plan of Salvation in picture form. This is how the vision is revealed, etched on tables (chart) for all to see and understand.

When looking at the prophecy of Habakkuk, we see how the Scriptures predict there would be a delay in the fulfillment of the hopes of the Lord's faithful living at the end of the age:

“ I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will look forth to see what he will speak with me, and what I shall answer concerning my complaint. And Jehovah answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tablets, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for the appointed time, and it hasteth toward the end, and shall not lie: though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not delay." Hab.2:1-3

We believe and acknowledge that it was Pastor Russell who was placed upon the "watch" and upon the "tower." At the time of our Lord’s return in 1874, the Pastor was already busily engaged in studying God's word, preliminary to actively serving the household of faith with "meat in due season." (Mat. 24: 44-46)

It was the Pastor who was privileged to "write down the vision and make it plain upon tables": Volume 1 of Studies in the Scriptures; The Divine Plan of the Ages, with its illuminating chart and explanation of ages and dispensations, serves as a veritable key for unlocking the Scriptures and presenting God's loving plan of salvation. This work has reached a circulation in the tens of millions, an astounding total for a religious publication. Written in plain language and devoid of the high sounding phrases of the philosopher and theologian, the truth was presented so "that everyone (might) read it fluently."

Volume 2 of this series, The Time Is At Hand, also widely distributed, presented the true 6,000 year chronology of the Bible. It is clear to us that this chronology was designed by the Lord as an alarm clock to signal the approach of the new day in earth's history and the proximity of the blessings associated with Christ's Kingdom. It was not intended as an exact indicator of the time of the Church's glorification nor of the start of Kingdom blessings.

Evidently Habakkuk's prophecy has reference to a time error that would be made with respect to the fulfillment of the vision. With the benefit of hindsight, we can see that the expectation that the Harvest would end in 1914 was merely a supposition not founded upon clear Scripture.

But despite the fact that this experience served to discredit the concept of an earthly kingdom in the minds of the worldly-wise, and many of the Lord's people suffered disappointment thereby, the vision remains true. God's timetable has not been altered: "(The vision) speaks of the end, and it will not deceive: though it [seem to] tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not be delayed."

IN CONCLUSION

While we agree that the life, death and resurrection of our Lord is embodied in THE DIVINE PLAN, we hardly see a correlation between Habakkuk’s vision and that of the Apostle Paul’s.

The Chart of the Ages which hung at Bible Student meeting halls since its inception is still used by many ecclesias today. And can be seen hanging, adorning convention walls.

The DAWN publishers do not make this vision available. Nor does it adorn the walls of their General convention; is it any wonder that they wish to minimize it, making it obsolete?

__________________________