The Watchtower Society and John and Morton Edgar - A2Z.org

3The Gdden Age...-----.-symboEsed by the tusks of a wild boar. Weread in Jfythology that the god Adonis perishedby the tnslrs of a wild boar. Sow Adonis isidentical with the god Tamnmz, and Tammuzwith Osiris. (IGtto's Illustrated Coat~neatary,Vol. IV, p. 141; \Tilliinson7s Egyptiuns, Vol. V,p 3) In Egypt, the pig \\-as the sj~nhol of ed;and as the horn is the ancient symbol of power,being so recognized in the Scriptures, the tusks- in the rnoutli of the male pig sigiifies that it wasby the "power of-his mouth" that the evil one,Seth, caused Adonis (Osiris) to be put to death.&'memory of this deed, the peoples of manycountries have caused countless boars to losetheirheads in sacrzce to the outraged god.This explains why the boar's or pig's head iseven at this day a recognised dish at the Christmasdinrier in Britai~, though the reason for thecustom has long been forgotten. In India, ademon with a "boar's face" is said to have gainedsuch power through his derotiows, that heoppressed the "devoteesJJ or \\-orsliipers of thegods, who had to hide themselves. (Moor'sPantheon, p. 19) Even in Japan there seems tobe a sirnilar myth.- 'Thus the righteous Shem, blessed by Jehovah,has been stigmatised and misrepresented in allthe heathen religions of the 11-orld; while theidolatrous Nimrod, who led men away from thetrue God, and who was justly condemned todeath because of his evil deeds, has been exaltedto the status of a god himself. This turning ofthings upside-down, however, shall not stand;for Jehovah shall now soon vindicate Himselfon behalf of His righteous servants.We are reminded here of what the Egyptianhistorian Manetho wrote regarding the buildersof the Great Pyramid :"There'came up from theEast, in a strange manner, nleri of ignohle race,who had the confidence to invade our country,and easily suldued it by their power withouta battle. All this invading nation was styledHjksd-that is, Shepherd Kings." He addsthat thisheople afterwards departed for Judeaand built there a city named Jerusalem. Thehead of these Shepherd Rings has been recognisedas the patriarch Shem, and Shem asJfelchizedek, kipg of Salem. (Hebrews 7 : 1, 2)It is certainly qnite in keeping with the exaltedmethods of this "king of peace" that he subduedthe Egyptians uithout a battle, persuadingthem only by the spirit or power of God to closefor May 11, 1921 4,5 - . 14their idolatrous temples and do his bidding. . +(See Edgar's Great Pyratnid Passages, Vol. I,pars. 46) It shows how m-onderfd was thegodly influence which this venerable king and"priest nf the most high God" exercised in theearly stag~s of the "present evil world". He wasindeed a fit type of Christ in the-Jiillennial age,whom God swwe .would be a "priest foreverafter the order of IKelchizedeP'. (Psalm 110: 4)In face of such great power for righteousness,one can see how the iniquity iristigated by Satan,the "god of this 1s-orld," \vould require to bevery warily conducted. Hence the term "mystery"or "secret" of'iniquity.The Fa1.w "Seed of the l~oman"When the ~nighty Nimrod was violently putto death in the nliclst of his career, great indeedmust have been the lamentation among his followers.Senfiramis would, naturally, experiencethe greatest grief and loss. She had shared withhim his kingdo~n and glory, but now all thishonor had sudtlerily coIne to an end. Semiramis,however, was a \vornan of unbounded ambition;and she by no means intended to quietly stepaside n-ithout a bid for fame on her own account.That she succeeded in making a name for herselfis,fully attested by the pages of a6cienthistory. A most daring suggestion was advanced,which she seized upon and resolutelycarried out-namely, that she should claim thather dead son was none other than the promised'ieed of the woman" who had been destined tobruise the serpent's head, and who in doing sowas to have his own heel bruised! Formerly herson had been honored as the mighty hunter andbenefactor of the world; but though he was nowdead she M-ould declare that he had risen andbeen deified, and thus have him worshiped asa god !We say that this bold scheme was suggestedto Semiramis; for who could have instigatedsuch an imposition except the "father of lies")That "old serpent7', Satan, caused the fall ofmankind through his lying suggestion to Eve(Genesis 3: 1-6), and he now attempted tofrustrate Jehovah's glorious plan of redemptionby introducing his false Messiah, a lyingcounterfeit of the true. In consequence of thisthe whole world has been led astray, and fewindeed have had the privilege of bowing Ctodand Jesus Christ whom He sent. Only thosewho have been iaitirrted into the nlystery d God.i- iI