Safety (1937)
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SAFETY
COMFORT IN A TIME when religious lies and false assurances of men are proving to be without any real comfort and when human life, liberty, and property were never in greater danger, it is an exceeding pleasure to the Publisher to offer to the comfortless and fear-smitten people this booklet.
It contains two prize-worthy contributions by Judge Rutherford, publicly delivered recently on two memorable occasions. After you read each one you also will make your own the two Declarations to which vast audiences have already responded with a joyous shout of "Aye".
COPYRIGHT, 1937
AND PUBLISHED BY
WATCH TOWER
BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY
International Bible Students Association
Brooklyn, N. Y., U. S. A.
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SAFETY
Delivered to an international convention assembled in Columbus, Ohio, and simultaneously broadcast over a transcontinental radio chain Sunday September 19, 1937
JEHOVAH is the eternal and almighty God, the Creator of heaven and earth. In his hand he holds the destiny of all creatures. To know and to obey him means to obtain life everlasting. To refuse to obey his commandment means destruction. By his Word he discloses the important truth that a tremendous disaster is about to fall upon the peoples of the earth. He gives warning of such impending disaster and makes known the only possible way of escape and the place of safety. Thus he did before the mighty deluge by which the world then existing was destroyed. God plainly states in his Word that the deluge was a type foretelling what shall befall the entire world in the very near future. As Jehovah used human agencies in times past to give warning, even so now he uses human agencies to sound his warning and to point the people to the only place of safety. Those persons on the earth with whom Jehovah has made a covenant he commands to act in obedience to his will and therefore to sound the warning of the impending disaster and to hold up to the people God's standard, that they may find the place of safety.
The message that is here delivered and which sounds the warning and discloses the place of safety is not the product of a man, but is the message of the Almighty God, written for this very time and by him commanded to be delivered to the people.
Let it be understood that the purpose of this speech is not to hold up any person to ridicule; but God's truth, when delivered, does expose the wicked and produces a controversy with those who are selfish and who do not desire to have the will of God done on earth. Those who love righteousness and hate lawlessness will gladly receive the truth even though at the time it shocks them with pain, because they well know that God does all things right and for the benefit of those who desire to go in the right way.
Knowing the end from the beginning, God saw fit in times past to cause to be performed certain prophetic dramas, the meaning of which was not at the time understood by men but which were performed for the enlightenment of those persons on the earth at the time of the fulfillment of the prophecy and who have a sincere desire to know the truth. Centuries ago God caused to be enacted a forceful prophetic drama by which he foretold what should come to pass at the end of the world that Satan has ruled. That great drama is now in course of fulfillment because the end of the world is here. The players performing the principal parts in that drama were these, to wit: Jeremiah, the prophet of Jehovah God; Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, whom God made his servant; the nation of Israel, and more specifically the leaders of the people of Israel who practiced the Jews' religion, and among which religious leaders there were false prophets who deceived the people and turned them away from God.
Those respective players foreshadowed or pictured others who participate in the fulfillment of that prophetic drama, which is now in course of fulfillment.
In that prophetic drama God's prophet Jeremiah pictured God's faithful people now on the earth, the true followers of Christ Jesus, and who act under the leadership of the Lord, and who are therefore obedient to Jehovah's commandments in giving testimony before the people. The leaders in the practice of the Jews' religion pictured the present-day leaders in the practice of religion and among whom there are false prophets who deceive the people and turn them away from God. Nebuchadnezzar the king played the part of the servant of Jehovah who executed Jehovah's commandments, and therefore in the drama Nebuchadnezzar pictured or foreshadowed Christ Jesus, the Elect Servant and Executive Officer of the Almighty God and who executes the vengeance of God upon all his enemies. To have a vision of that drama and to appreciate that now is the time of its fulfillment completely is a very great enlightenment to all persons who desire to learn the truth. That the prophecy was written to have fulfillment in the present day is made certain by these words recorded in the Bible, to wit: "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall."—1 Corinthians 10:11, 12.
Israel was the chosen nation of Jehovah, and her religious leaders claimed to be the representatives of God on earth. "Christendom" is composed of the people of those nations which claim to be Christians, the leaders of whom claim to be the representatives of God on earth. The leaders of such religious organizations are austere, scornful and haughty, who think themselves entirely immune to disaster and that they are certain to stand for ever. They even boldly declare that 'the gates of hell shall never prevail against our organization'. They practice what is claimed to be and is improperly called "the Christian religion", but which is in fact against God and his kingdom. Boastfully they assume high places in the political affairs of the nations, and to them kings and rulers pay great honor. They are high and lifted up and boasting of their ability to stand. God says to them: "Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." The warning given in the Scriptures should cause them to take heed to God's Word, but it clearly appears that they will not take heed and that they are certain to fall. The warning will serve a good purpose, however, to those who are associated with the religious leaders but who have a sincere desire to know the truth and to serve Jehovah God.
The witnesses of Jehovah must take heed that they strictly obey the commandments of the Lord, lest they should fall. Regardless of what men may think or say, the true Christian must obey Jehovah.
REASON
Jehovah emphasizes the fact that in his due time he will express his wrath against all those who are lawless and his words shall certainly be performed. He says: "I have purposed it, I will also do it." "My word . . . shall not return unto me void." (Isaiah 46:11; 55:11) The reason for the expression of God's wrath, which is the impending calamity about to fall upon the world, must be understood in order to be appreciated. God clearly assigns the reason in his Word, and, in brief, it is this, to wit: Prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus to the earth the Israelites were the only ones with whom God made a covenant. God chose them as a typical people and used them in foretelling or foreshadowing his purpose to be performed in the future. That people agreed to do the will of God by faithfully performing his commandments. They professed to be the children of God and his only representatives on earth. They were duty-bound to strictly obey his commandments. The Scriptures show that God's purpose in making a covenant with the Jews was to safeguard them from the Devil and the practice of the Devil religion, that they might be kept pure in faith and obedience to God's Word and be in a proper condition to receive his beloved Son, Christ Jesus, the King.
(Galatians 3:24) For their own safety and protection God commanded that his people should not make, recognize or bow down to any image, symbol or thing, but that they should wholly trust in Jehovah and serve him. (Exodus 20:1-5) Satan the Devil had boastfully declared that he could turn all men away from God and cause them to curse God to his face. The Devil's purpose is to rule or ruin, and at all times he has employed religion to accomplish his wicked purpose. From the beginning Satan induced the people to practice religion and to ignore God's command, and he set about to accomplish the same end with the Israelites. The nations round about Israel practiced the Devil religion and were wholly under the control of the Devil, and the Israelites were enticed to fall away to the Devil's religion. Time and again the Jews fell under the wily influence of Satan by forsaking God's commandments and turning to religion. Time and again God warned them of the ultimate result. The Jew religionists promised God to amend their ways and to obey him, but they failed to do so and continued to act hypocritically and practice the Devil religion. God then sent his prophet to give warning of his purpose to destroy Jerusalem, the city where he had placed his name, the capital city of the Jews.
By his dealing with the Jews and those closely associated with them God foretold what began to have fulfillment on a minor scale with the coming of Christ Jesus to earth, and which prophecy reaches a complete fulfillment in the day of the second coming of Christ, when he begins his reign.
What came to pass upon the nation of Israel was prophetic, and finds an exact parallel and therefore fulfillment upon those today who practice what is commonly called "the Christian religion". When Jesus was on earth he established among the few faithful Jews the true worship of Jehovah God, which consists of full and complete obedience to God's commandments. Jesus denounced religion as of the Devil, and those who practice religion as the children of the Devil, because, said he, 'they perform the Devil's will.' (John 8:42-44) Jesus Christ is the true foundation of God's church or capital organization. With his faithful apostles Jesus has built upon himself (the Foundation Stone) his church, which is composed of God's true covenant people, who maintain their integrity toward God. It is therefore properly said that Christ is the beginning of Christianity and that all true Christians are those who are completely devoted to God and faithfully follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Christ Jesus was not a religionist, and none of his true followers are religionists. There are millions of persons on earth who claim to be Christians but who in fact are religionists and who are against the kingdom of God under Christ Jesus.
Satan, seeing that Christians were increasing in number, set about to corrupt the organization and to turn men away from God and Christ; and that he did to carry out his wicked challenge to Jehovah. After the death of the apostles selfish and ambitious men arose in the organization among the Christian people, and those selfish men, under the deceptive, subtle and wily influence of the Devil, turned the organization into a religious system, which has since improperly assumed the name of God and Christ and operated under the name of "the Christian religion", which name is misleading, false, and reproaches the name of God.
What was supposed to be the Christian church soon became a political and commercial organization, even as the Jews had turned the temple of Jerusalem into a house of merchandise and a den of robbers. Religion has developed into the most tremendous racket ever practiced upon the people. Jesus had emphasized that he had nothing whatsoever to do with the politics of this world, because Satan is the prince or invisible ruler of this wicked world and Satan is God's enemy. Contrary to the example and the commandment of the Lord, the religionists for long have practiced what they call "the Christian religion". It was about the third century that the leaders thereof entered the political field, and ever since they have participated in the politics of this world, and therefore, in the language of God's inspired Word, they became and are the enemies of God and of his kingdom under Christ. (James 4:4) Ambitious men, who love flattery and praise, fell easily under the deceptive influence of Satan, and, acting under that influence, they have turned many people away from God. As the Jews had departed from the commandments of God by adopting and practicing religion, they became superstitious and very religious; and even so "Christendom" has departed from the commandments of the Lord and in the place thereof has adopted and continues to practice religion and has become superstitious and very religious; all of which is a very great reproach to the name of the Almighty God.
The early religionists amongst the Jews substituted the teachings or doctrines of men for the commandments of God, and their teachings were handed down from generation to generation, and therefore Jesus said to those Jew religionists: 'By your tradition you have made the commandments of God of none effect. You are hypocrites, because you draw near to God with your mouth, but your heart is far removed from him.' (Matthew 15:1-9) Thus Jesus again denounced religion as of the Devil. Taking exactly the same course as did the Jews, the men who began the teaching and practice of the so-called "Christian religion" substituted for the teachings of Christ the teachings of men, and those teachings of men have been handed down from generation to generation, and therefore for centuries the religionists have taught the traditions of men and by those traditions have made void the commandments of Almighty God. Such is exactly the condition of "Christendom" today.
Jerusalem, the capital city of the Jews, and the place where Jehovah put his name, was the prototype of the present-day nations or organizations which practice the so-called "Christian religion", and which nations collectively are called "Christendom".
As the Jew religionists claimed to be the representatives of God, even so religious leaders of "Christendom" have assumed the name of the Lord and claimed to be his representatives on earth. Both Jews and modern religionists follow exactly the same course, contrary to the Word of God. The record of the warning of the fate that befell Jerusalem is not merely historical, but was made that the people in "Christendom" who are now on the earth and who desire to learn the truth may be warned, choose the right way to go, and find the place of safety. Now God reveals to them the wrongs which the Jews committed and what disaster befell them, and this he does in order that the people of earth of good will may see and appreciate the great wrongs that "Christendom" has committed and what soon shall be the disastrous end of "Christendom". These things are not written in the Scriptures for the purpose of holding up men to ridicule, but, as stated in the Scriptures, they are revealed to man 'for reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for all good work'. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17) Attention is called to these things, not for the purpose of "shocking the religious susceptibilities of man", but in order that the people of good will may be warned and learn God's righteous way.
Jerusalem had transgressed God's law, changed his ordinances by substituting therefor the teachings of men, and had broken his everlasting covenant. Likewise the religious leaders of "Christendom" have transgressed God's law, changed his ordinances by substituting therefor the traditions of men, and have broken God's everlasting covenant concerning the sanctity of life; and God declares they shall suffer for so doing.
(Isaiah 24:3-6) In every land of "Christendom" the youth are being formed into military organizations to enforce the will of cruel dictators contrary to the law of God. Instead of teaching the children the commandments of God and concerning his righteous kingdom, the religious leaders of "Christendom" compel the children to salute the flag or sing war songs, thereby attributing to man-made power protection, safety and salvation; all of which is in direct violation of God's law. (Exodus 20:1-5) Those enforced ceremonies in the schools and elsewhere are nothing but religious ceremonies, performed contrary to the law of God and done to turn the youth away from God, which will lead them into destruction. Such ceremonies, instead of making good men and women, are preparing them for the use of God's enemy the Devil and heading them to complete destruction. In the schools and elsewhere the children are compelled to acknowledge and salute vicious political rulers as the "higher powers"; whereas God and Christ are the Higher Powers; as declared by the Scriptures. (Romans 13:1) Even though the politicians who rule may think they are doing right in following the advice and way of religious leaders, they are in fact the victims of Satan and are fighting against God, and it is God's purpose that they shall receive warning before He destroys "Christendom".
Satan's purpose is to cause all persons to disregard God's law and thereby to bring upon themselves destruction, well knowing that God has declared that all covenant-breakers are worthy of death. (Romans 1:31, 32) Those who are announcing these truths are not attempting to do injury to anyone, but to do good to the people who desire salvation and life. Those who are faithful to God are now commanded to give the warning, and they must obey, and they delight to obey.
Because the Jews had violated their covenant, God had previously inflicted punishment upon them. At Shiloh he had completely wrecked their religious system and practice and had permitted their enemies to take away the ark of the covenant, which showed God's presence among them. (Psalm 78:60-64) Again the Jews under the leadership of austere religionists had fallen away to the practice of the Devil religion, and God sent his prophet Jeremiah, commanding him to call attention of the Jews to what had happened in Shiloh and that again a like great calamity would befall them unless they amended their ways. Concerning those religionists Jehovah said to Jeremiah: "And I will utter my judgments against them touching all their wickedness, who have forsaken me, and have burned incense unto other gods, and worshipped the works of their own hands." (Jeremiah 1:16) Jeremiah was commanded to inform the Jews that the judgment of Jehovah was that they should suffer destruction unless they amended their ways and that those who would amend their ways and obey God's commandments would be permitted to live.
"Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the Lord, The temple of the Lord, are these. For if ye thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye thoroughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; if ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt; then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit." (Jeremiah 7:3-8) This clearly shows that the religious leaders were lying to the people and that the people were being deceived by their lies.
Mark now the like conditions that exist in "Christendom" today. For years the religionists of "Christendom" have been warned of God's purpose to inflict great punishment upon the world at Armageddon unless "Christendom" amends her ways. Instead of obeying God's commandments and warning, the religionists have gone on from bad to worse, many of them openly repudiating the Word of God and denying the Lord Jesus Christ. In the face of the Scriptures and of God's specific proclamation the religious leaders do all within their power to keep the people in ignorance of the truth of God's Word.
With scorn and contempt they speak of the coming battle of the great day of God Almighty. To the people they say in substance: "Give no heed to the so-called 'coming disaster' and have nothing to do with those who tell about it. What do they know about it? We religious leaders and teachers know what is best for you. You must come to the church buildings to hear what we have to say. Burn those books that are being brought to you by Jehovah's witnesses, and then listen to us. Even if a calamity is to befall the world, it cannot come near us, because we are God's people and our church is the only one and the gates of hell cannot prevail against us." Similar words were spoken by the religionists against what Jeremiah had delivered to the people at God's command.—Isaiah 28:15; Jeremiah 27:8-11.
The religionists of the Jews and of the present-day "Christendom" would have the people to believe that human agencies and human power can protect and save the people and that they have no need to fear as long as they attend churches and practice religion, and that therefore the people should trust in such religionists. But Jehovah tells them they must thoroughly 'amend their ways and their doings, and do justice between a man and his neighbor', if they want to live. (Jeremiah 7:5) The religionists of the Jews deceived the people and led them into Satan's trap and then persecuted God's witnesses, who told the truth to the people; and in this the leaders had the support of the credulous people who professed to be God's people but were not.
Likewise the religious leaders of this day have led the people into Satan's trap and caused them to center their hopes in religion and religionists, contrary to the Word of God, and then such leaders indulge in a cruel persecution of the witnesses of Jehovah, who tell the truth; and in this wrongful course the credulous people have been induced to support the religionists. The words of Jehovah uttered against the Jew religionists apply with even stronger force to the religionists of "Christendom". Religionists, being lawless or disobedient to God's commandments, are workers of iniquity. Therefore God says to them, as it is written at Jeremiah 5: "Your iniquities have turned away these things, and your sins have withholden good things from you. For among my [professed] people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares: they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit: therefore they are become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper: and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land; the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?" (Jeremiah 5:25-31) Likewise people of "Christendom" have been imposed upon and misled, and because thereof they have been kept in ignorance of God's gracious provision for their safety in the day of his wrath.
God was kind and gracious to the religionists amongst the Jews and gave them full opportunity to amend their ways. He caused Jeremiah his prophet to say to them: 'Amend your ways, and I will cause you to dwell in this land. If you thoroughly amend your ways and your doings; if you show justice between men, oppress not the stranger, shed no innocent blood, and walk not after other gods, you may continue in this land.' (Jeremiah 7:5-7) Those words apply specifically to the religionists of the present day. Who is meant here by "the stranger"? All persons who are wholly devoted to Jehovah God are strangers journeying in Satan's unfriendly world. Jesus Christ himself is the great example. He speaks of himself and his faithful followers as "strangers", because they have nothing in common with Satan. (Matthew 25:31-46) Did the Jew religionists heed that warning of God? They did not, but continued to persecute God's prophets who spoke the truth to them.
It is so with the religionists today. They have the Bible and know what God requires of man, to wit, to deal justly, love mercy, and walk obediently with God. (Micah 6:8) They know that it is wrong to persecute and ill-treat persons who are preaching the truth of God's Word. They know that the religionists persecuted all of God's prophets, particularly the Lord Jesus Christ, because such told the truth.
(Matthew 23:34) They know that Jesus said that the religionists of the world would continue to persecute his true followers because they tell the truth; and yet the religionists continue to go contrary to God's Word.—John 15:19-21.
For years Jeremiah continued to declare God's message as he was commanded, and he never, at any time, asked for or received a license from men to do that work. In obedience to God's commandment he continued to say in the presence of the religious practitioners and of the people: "Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, . . . and go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke [Jehovah] not to anger with the works of your hands." (Jeremiah 25:4-6) They refused to give heed, and God said to them through Jeremiah: 'Because you have not heard my words, behold, I will utterly destroy this city and this whole land shall be a desolation:'—Jeremiah 25:7-11.
After more than fifty years, during which time proclamation of God's warnings have been made to the people, calling their attention to his purpose to destroy the world unless those who profess to serve him repent and obey his commandments, the religionists of this day continue to defy Jehovah and to heap persecution upon those who proclaim his message of truth. They cause the Lord's servants to be haled into the courts, charged with the 'criminal offense' of preaching without a license, well knowing that the faithful servants of God cannot ask man for a license to do what the Almighty God commands shall be done.
The ultra-religionists today conspire with politicians, who sit upon the judicial bench, to have Jehovah's witnesses punished by imprisonment because such witnesses insist on obeying Almighty God. Religionists exercise wrongfully their influence over radio stations to prevent them from broadcasting the truth concerning God's kingdom, and which truth the people desire to know. Not only have religionists made themselves friends of Satan's organization, which constitutes this evil world, but they have gone wholly over to that cruel organization and have taken their stand firmly and positively against God and his kingdom. Concerning such God says to them in his Word: "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."—James 4:4.
As Jehovah pronounced his final warning and judgment against the religionists of Israel, so now he has pronounced his final warning and judgment against "Christendom", which is God's avowed enemy. God declares that he will find out all his enemies and destroy them.—Psalms 21:8; 68:21; 145:20.
The nations of "Christendom" and of the whole world have gone religious, and against God and his kingdom under Christ. The people of good will in the world sigh and cry for help and for deliverance from the false religious leaders, and in response to those cries God says to them: "Therefore wait ye upon me, saith the Lord, until the day that I rise up to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger: for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy."
(Zephaniah 3:8) The Lord has commanded that the warning and the place of safety shall be made known, and in obedience to that command Jehovah's witnesses continue to proclaim these truths to the people.
PURPOSE
What is the purpose of the warning? Will the religionists of "Christendom" change their way and turn to God and his kingdom? No; not many, if any, of the leaders will do so. The warning will make it impossible, however, for anyone to say that the religionists were wholly ignorant of God's purpose. As God states, through his prophet: 'They have been advised, and refused to give heed, and they shall die in their own iniquity, bearing fully the responsibility.' (Ezekiel 33:4-11) The chief purpose of the warning is for the good of those who desire to know the right way. There were some sincere Jews who did give heed and turned to God and obeyed his commandments. There must likewise be some in "Christendom" who are of sincere desire for righteousness and who, hearing the truth, will take their stand on the side of God and his kingdom. In fact, the Scriptures show that these shall come from every land and will form a "great multitude" which will serve and praise Jehovah for ever.
(Revelation 7:9-17) Within "Christendom" there are now millions of such persons of good will who have been hindered by religious leaders and prevented from hearing the truth. Because of the abominations committed by those leaders the people of good will sigh and cry for a way of escape and for safety. Therefore God commands his witnesses to go among the people and give them the opportunity to see the right way. (Ezekiel 9:4) To this end hundreds of millions of books, in seventy-odd different languages, containing the message of God's kingdom, have been put in the hands of the people, and many of them are now rejoicing to know that there is a place of complete safety during the time of Armageddon.
SAFETY
In the great prophetic drama God caused Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to play an important part. The Scriptures make it clear that Nebuchadnezzar played the part picturing Jehovah's anointed King, Christ Jesus, the Savior and rightful Ruler of the world in righteousness. Referring to that character in the drama, Jehovah says: 'Nebuchadnezzar my servant,' and 'the nation that shall not serve Nebuchadnezzar the king shall be punished by the sword, famine and pestilence, and consumed by God's hand.' (Jeremiah 25:9; 27:8) In fulfillment of that prophetic drama God has made Christ Jesus Lord, Deliverer and King, who shall save the world and rule it in righteousness.
Christ Jesus is the great Prophet, Priest and King, and concerning him it is written: "And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people."—Acts 3:23.
The religionists of "Christendom" oppose God's kingdom and have forsaken him for ever and turned against him and have become the wicked enemies of God; and of such Jehovah says: "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." (Psalm 9:17) To those who would find the place of safety and live Jehovah now points to Christ Jesus, his anointed King, and says: "Behold my servant, whom I have chosen; my beloved, in whom my soul is well pleased; I will put my spirit upon him, and he shall shew judgment to the [nations]. And in his name shall the [nations] trust." (Matthew 12:18, 21) There is no other name given under heaven whereby men can be saved. (Acts 4:12) Therefore there is no other place of safety.
The false religious prophets of the Jews insisted that the people disregard the warning of God's prophet and His admonition to them to serve his king and servant, Nebuchadnezzar. Likewise the religionists of "Christendom" today admonish the people to disregard God's words of warning that soon he will destroy the world, and the religious leaders tell the people that the religious institutions constitute their deliverer and shield and therefore the people should disregard Christ and his kingdom and the means of salvation and safety. In answer to all such religious prophets God says: "Therefore hearken not ye to your prophets, nor to your diviners, nor to your dreamers, nor to your enchanters, nor to your sorcerers, which speak unto you, saying, Ye shall not serve the king of Babylon: for they prophesy a lie unto you, to remove you far from your land; and that I should drive you out, and ye should perish.
Hearken not unto them; serve the king of Babylon, and live: wherefore should this city be laid waste?" (Jeremiah 27:9, 10, 17) Today this warning is again sounded to the people.
The religious Jews refused to amend their ways and refused to give heed to the warning of Jehovah. That part of the prophetic picture, therefore, shows that the leaders of the so-called "Christian religion" in particular, and all of "Christendom" that support them, will refuse to give heed to the warning of Jehovah, and the result will be the same as that which came upon Jerusalem. God had entered his decree that the city of Jerusalem should be destroyed and that all there should die, and never live, except those who fled to Nebuchadnezzar for safety. By the army of Nebuchadnezzar Jerusalem was razed to the ground, and all the people except a remnant died. That means that likewise "Christendom" shall perish. A "cup" was used as a symbol of the bitter dregs which God has decreed "Christendom" shall drink and experience by reason of the execution of his judgment of wrath. Therefore the words of the prophet that follow apply specifically to "Christendom" and generally to all nations of the world.
Addressing his prophet, Jehovah said: "Take the wine cup of this fury at my hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send thee to drink it. And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them. ... Therefore thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel; Drink ye, and be drunken, and spue, and fall, and rise no more, because of the sword which I will send among you. And it shall be, if they refuse to take the cup at thine hand to drink, then shalt thou say unto them, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Ye shall certainly drink."—Jeremiah 25:15, 16, 27, 28.
The organization on earth today that has taken the name of God and Christ and operates hypocritically under the name of Christ is "Christendom", practicing hypocritically the so-called "Christian religion". Jehovah God then announces how he will begin Armageddon, to wit: "For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name ['Christendom'], and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts. Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth. A noise shall come even to the ends of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations; he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.
Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth. And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground."—Jeremiah 25:29-33.
That great battle of God Almighty, led by Christ Jesus and his host, will begin by the destruction of religion and religionists, to be quickly followed by the destruction of all who continue on the side of the Devil. After seeing his organization completely destroyed, the Devil himself shall then be disposed of with violence.—Revelation 20:1-3.
Has the Lord indicated when Armageddon shall begin? Yes; he has specifically stated what shall immediately precede Armageddon. It was in the year 1918 that the Lord Jesus, the great Judge, began his judgment at the temple of Jehovah, and he then sent forth his chosen witnesses to inform the people that Satan's uninterrupted world had ended, that the kingdom of God is at hand, and the day of deliverance near. To them he gave the specific commandment, to wit: "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matthew 24:14) When this work of giving the witness or testimony is finished, then shall come the end; and of this Jesus says: "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be."
(Matthew 24:21) That will be the battle of Armageddon.
FLEE
To the people the religionists hold forth the League of Nations, together with the religious systems, as the deliverer and savior of the world. That unholy combine is standing in God's holy place, where it ought not to stand, and wrongfully claiming what belongs alone to the Lord, whose kingdom under Christ is the only place of safety. Referring to this very hour Jesus says to all persons of good will now on the earth: "But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains." (Mark 13:14) The Scriptures disclose that the "mountains" here mentioned are God and his King, Christ Jesus, wherein alone are found protection and safety.
The Jews that were of good will toward God gave heed to his warning sent them through his prophet Jeremiah, and they found safety under Nebuchadnezzar the king and were permitted to live. That part of the prophecy shows that the people of this day who are of good will toward God and who want to do right will give heed to his warning and will flee to the kingdom under Christ and there find safety and be permitted to live.
To do so they must forsake the religionists and obey Jehovah. When they take this step the Devil and his agencies will no longer desire them, but will seek to destroy them. Therefore Jehovah by his prophet says to all such: "Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger."—Zephaniah 2:2, 3.
Only those who obey God's commandments have the promise of protection and safety during that great tribulation. Such must seek righteousness by doing right, and seek meekness by exercising diligence in gaining a knowledge of God's Word. Instead of ill-treating Jehovah's witnesses and burning the books they carry to the people, those who will find safety will be eager to obtain the information contained in these books concerning the prophecies and the explanation thereof.
It would reasonably be expected that all persons who wanted to do right and all who claim to be servants of God would have received his warning through his prophet and would have given the same sober and prayerful consideration. Instead of doing so the religious leaders arrested Jeremiah and attempted to kill him because he told the truth. Jeremiah had finished giving his testimony, and the record reads: "Then spake the priests and the prophets [preachers] unto the princes, and to all the people, saying, This man is worthy to die; for he hath prophesied against this city, as ye have heard with your ears."
(Jeremiah 26:11) Exactly corresponding thereto, the religious leaders of "Christendom" not only refuse to heed the warning of the Lord, but take violent action against Jehovah's witnesses in this day, vehemently demanding their destruction. A religious newspaper recently published a statement to this effect concerning this speaker: "We would like to impale him on hot irons." Another violent religionist said: "I would like to use this knife and cut his throat." Repeatedly threats are made against Jehovah's witnesses. In New Jersey, Georgia, Germany and other places Jehovah's witnesses have suffered violence at the instigation of religionists. In Pennsylvania a priest has led a mob that committed a vicious assault upon men and women because they were preaching the truth of God's Word. As Jesus foretold, that Jehovah's witnesses would be hated by the religionists, who would seek to kill them, that prophecy is now being fulfilled.
Jeremiah knew the message he delivered was not popular, but he would obey and did obey God's commandment. Jehovah's witnesses know that the message of the Lord, which they at his commandment bring to the people, is very unpopular with the religionists, but they are determined to obey, and they continue to carry out their commission to bear the truth to the people because God has commanded them to do so, although they know that while they are so doing they are walking in the shadow of death; but they trust in the Lord, knowing that his power is greater than all the enemies that can be against them.
Jeremiah answered his religious accusers, who sought his life, with these words, and likewise Jehovah's witnesses now answer their religious accusers: "Then spake Jeremiah unto all the princes, and to all the people, saying, The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house, and against this city, all the words that ye have heard. . . . As for me, behold, I am in your hand; do with me as seemeth good and meet unto you; but know ye for certain, that if ye put me to death, ye shall surely bring innocent blood upon yourselves, and upon this city, and upon the inhabitants thereof: for of a truth the Lord hath sent me unto you to speak all these words in your ears."—Jeremiah 26:12, 14, 15.
Then, seeing the hypocrisy and duplicity of the religious leaders, the Jewish people of good will took the side of Jeremiah and declared themselves for God and his prophet. Likewise today, as the arrogant religionists persecute and demand the extinction of Jehovah's witnesses, and the people of good will see the duplicity and hypocrisy of the religionists, the result is that multitudes of honest persons declare themselves in favor of God and his kingdom, and thus they seek and find the place of protection and safety.
Jehovah's prophecy is now being fulfilled. The nations are before the Lord for judgment. All the world is warned; as it is written: "But the Lord is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him." (Habakkuk 2:20) Every person must make a choice.
You politicians have supported religionists because you considered it good policy. You men of commerce have financed religionists because you considered it cheap life-insurance and good business. But it will avail you nothing. Your influence and your money will not save you in the day of God's wrath. Religionists have put the people in fear and thereby induced them to support religionists and religion and to pay over their hard-earned money without consideration. By this means the people have been robbed of their money and peace of mind and deprived of the freedom of worship, and have been kept blind to God's gracious provision for their blessing. The world is confronted with disaster, and the cry goes up: "What shall we do? where can we find safety?" Jehovah answers, at Jeremiah 51:6: 'Flee out of the midst of the Devil's organization, and deliver your soul.' At Revelation 18:4: 'Come out of Satan's religious system, and flee, lest ye be partakers of her sins and receive of her plagues.' There is but one place of safety, and that is God's organization under Christ, the righteous King of the world.
I invite you to adopt this emphatic Declaration and send it as a message to the peoples of the nations: THIS COMPANY of Christian people assembled at Columbus, Ohio, declare THAT we are wholly devoted to God and his kingdom under Christ; THAT in obedience to Jehovah's commandment we proclaim to the world his warning that the day of his vengeance is at hand; THAT all religion originated with the Devil, and such the Devil employs to deceive the people and turn them away from God and his kingdom; THAT religion is the means of carrying on the most tremendous and devastating racket that has ever afflicted the people; THAT Jehovah reveals by his prophecy that soon, at the battle of Armageddon, he will destroy the religious and all other parts of the Devil's organization, and that such will be the greatest tribulation the world will ever have known; THAT the only place of safety is the kingdom of God under Christ, and that those persons who desire to live must for ever abandon religion and every part of Satan's organization and take their stand on the side of God and his kingdom under Christ and obey the commandments of the Lord.
We bid you choose and serve God and his kingdom and thus find the place of complete safety and life everlasting.
(UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED September 19, 1937.) COMFORT
Delivered to a general European convention assembled in the French capital on the occasion of the Paris International Exposition Sunday August 22, 1937
THIS SPEECH is intended to bring comfort to those who love righteousness. All persons of good will who have been and are harassed by such things as war, famine, pestilence, economic depression, poverty, unspeakable crimes, sickness and other woes, keenly desire that which will bring them some consolation. Today all nations of the earth are in distress and are looking for some way out. Upon all people there is fear and trembling as they sense some great and impending disaster.
On November 11, 1918, when the storm and fire of battle ceased, many nations of the world found themselves in a deplorable state. Millions of men, the very flower of human youth, had drenched the earth with their blood and their bodies molded in the dust. To the millions of dead there were added many other millions who were maimed in body and wrecked in mind. Over almost every home hung the emblem of sorrow. Since then the people of those nations have eagerly looked for something that would relieve them of their sorrow and comfort their hearts.
With a desire to ease the burdens of the people many human schemes or remedies have been suggested. All those remedies have been the fruits of human reasoning. All have failed. The nations that had rushed into the bloodiest war of all time, and who at its end found themselves face to face with such a great disaster, hurriedly formed the League of Nations, which was held forth to the world as a sure remedy that would ever thereafter prevent war. The brightest intellects of the world brought forth that compact of the League, and it was fully endorsed by the commercial giants and the mighty religionists. It was and is a combine of religious systems, and those religious systems have proclaimed the League of Nations as God's remedy for suffering humanity, although that claim is fully contradicted by the Word of the Almighty God.
All people know, and most of them now acknowledge, that the League of Nations is a complete failure. When one nation, without just cause or excuse, waged a bloody conquest against a helpless people, the League of Nations announced that it was powerless to prevent that great slaughter of human creatures. When a rebellion is vigorously prosecuted against a recognized republican form of government and multitudes of helpless persons are cruelly killed, the League of Nations is entirely helpless to render any aid and comfort or to prevent such wanton slaughter. When the ruler of one nation, moved by race hatred and malice against those who serve Jehovah God, ruthlessly destroys property and cruelly persecutes innocent human creatures, the League of Nations sits silent and turns a deaf ear to those who cry for help.
It claims that it has no authority to prevent such great wrongs. When the people continue to suffer at the hands of the heartless and cruel government which deprives them of their liberty of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of worship of the Almighty God, the League of Nations has not even anything to suggest that would alleviate that great sorrow and suffering upon the people, because it is helpless to render aid or comfort to the oppressed. Those who once looked to the League of Nations for aid and comfort are now entirely disappointed.
Communism has been launched in some nations and vigorously advocated as a remedy for the many human ills; and Fascism has taken the center of the stage, arrogantly waved its emblem, and flashed its sword to proclaim itself the way to a desirable end and to better government. Likewise Nazism boldly and blasphemously holds forth itself as the savior and deliverer of mankind; but the results are exactly contrary to its claims. All such announced remedies have failed, and none of such schemes have brought and none of them ever will bring any real consolation to the people, because all of them are products of the imperfect human mind, and that of a selfish ambitious desire.
The binding tie that holds together the political and commercial ruling elements is religion. It is the arrogant and scornful religionists that assume a high and exalted place among the nations and tell the people that they can find comfort and consolation by placing themselves under and by supporting the religious organizations. Long experience has taught the people that such claim is wholly false and that no comfort has come, and none can come, from such source. The common people labor early and late to provide the things needful for their sustenance. They skimp and deny themselves in order that they may bring money to the men who practice religion, and who receive their money upon the representation and claim that such men can, by their prayers, shorten the duration of punishment and suffering in "purgatory" of those who have died, and that they can also bring comfort to their bereaved ones who live. Those trustful people leave their money in the collection box of the religionists and go away bearing their sorrow and receive no comfort whatsoever. The people are learning that the so-called "prayers" for the dead and the living, for the purpose of shortening their punishment in "purgatory" or elsewhere, find no authority anywhere; that they have parted with their hard-earned savings upon the promise of receiving help and consolation from such source, but have received nothing in return.
Religionists claim that they are the representatives of Christ Jesus and that they are doing as he did and as he commanded them to do; but the people are learning that such claims are false.
Jesus Christ was never a religionist, and he never practiced fraud upon anyone. When he stood by the grave of Lazarus, who had been dead for four days, and observed the tears of bitterness that flowed from the eyes of Mary and Martha, the sisters of Lazarus, he did not say to those bereaved sisters: 'Come forward with your alms or money. Bring your money and your other gifts and put them in my hand, and I will relieve your brother Lazarus from the pains he is suffering now in "purgatory".' Jesus made no reference to "purgatory", because he knew that "purgatory" does not exist and never did exist. Jesus well knew that instead of being in "purgatory" or alive anywhere Lazarus was dead, and he so stated, and that the dead man was in his grave, in complete silence, and without knowledge or feeling, and therefore was not suffering; that as a dead man he must thus remain in the grave until God's due time for his resurrection. In order to establish in the minds of those who stood by, the power of God at the resurrection, and to demonstrate to them that God would raise the dead in his own due time, Jesus, standing at the grave of Lazarus, said: 'Take away the stone that closes the grave.' Then he prayed to Jehovah God that his power might be manifested at the moment to establish faith of others. Among other things he said: 'I thank thee, Father, that thou hast heard me, because of the people that stand by, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.' "And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with grave-clothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go."—John 11:41-44.
Jesus thus brought comfort to the hearts of the bereaved sisters, Mary and Martha, by proving to them that in due time God will raise the dead to life again. His words and his act on that occasion is conclusive proof that the "purgatory" doctrine is false in every respect, and that the hope for the dead is the resurrection.
Because of this and many other false doctrines taught the people by religionists, and because of the many false claims by such religious teachers, the people have lost confidence in such human teachers, and therefore they receive no comfort from the religionists or the so-called "church" organizations. The people are rapidly losing confidence in all human schemes, which have been brought forth by political statesmen, commercial giants and religious "wise men", because such combined ruling elements continue to keep the people in ignorance of the truth by driving them away from the Word of God. It is written in the Scriptures: "Where there is no vision [mental sight or understanding], the people perish; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."—Proverbs 29:18.
Today the people in general find themselves in sorrow and distress, without comfort, and are perishing because they are without knowledge or any real remedy for their consolation.
All human schemes for the comfort of the people have failed and must for ever fail, because they all proceed from the wrong source, that is, they are the result of the reasoning of imperfect creatures. To the people who desire to know the right way and to receive comfort Jehovah God says: "Put not your trust in princes [rulers], nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." (Psalm 146:3) Furthermore he says: 'Do not rely upon your own imperfect reasoning'; but, on the contrary, his advice is in these words: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."—Proverbs 3:5, 6.
I appeal now to the intelligence of the people of good will. Those who are not of good will toward God will not heed. Attention is directed to the only remedy that will bring to the people lasting peace, prosperity and happiness, together with everlasting life to all who will ever avail themselves of that remedy. It is the only remedy, because it originated not with man but is the provision of Almighty God for all those who love righteousness and hate that which is wrong.
Do you believe that there is one great Creator of heaven and earth and whose name is Jehovah, the Almighty God? Do you believe that the Bible contains the Holy Scriptures, which God caused to be written to guide men in the right way? If so, then you are in a proper state of mind to receive knowledge from the Word of God that will bring real comfort to your mind and body.
To the man seeking the truth the Word of God is a lamp that illuminates his pathway and directs him in the right way. It shows him God's way, which is always right and righteous. All comfort proceeds from Jehovah God; and concerning this it is written: "Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." (2 Corinthians 1:3,4) In view of this authoritative statement, why look to imperfect men or give heed to their schemes which are offered as a means of consolation? Jehovah is the great eternal God, who is moved entirely by unselfishness and who does all things for the good of those who seek to do right. To know what he has provided for man and to follow the way that he has pointed out brings lasting comfort to all who thus learn and obey.
Why, then, has the Almighty God permitted wickedness, distress and sorrow upon men throughout the many centuries? The correct answer to that question opens the way to a clear knowledge and understanding of the remedy that will remove all sorrow and woe from humankind. The brief Scriptural and therefore correct answer is this: God created the heaven and the earth, which belong to him, together with the fullness thereof; he created man perfect and provided the earth for his everlasting home, conditioned upon man's obedience to God's law; God placed his spirit creature Lucifer in the position of man's overseer; Lucifer rebelled against God because he coveted that which did not belong to him, and he then became Satan that old Serpent, the Devil, and Dragon, which names Jehovah applied to him; the Devil caused the perfect man to willfully violate God's law, which brought the death penalty upon that man before his children were born, and therefore all his offspring, the entire human race, is born imperfect and sinful.
(Romans 5:12) The Devil challenged Jehovah God to put on earth men that would remain true and faithful to God, and the Devil boastfully claimed that he could cause all men to disobey God and curse him to his face. God could have immediately destroyed the Devil; but had he done so, the question raised by the Devil's challenge would never have been settled in the mind of other creatures. In wisdom God has permitted the Devil to put forth his strongest efforts to prove his boastful challenge, and therefore God said to the Devil and to the Devil's visible representative then on earth, as it is written: "But for this cause have I allowed thee to remain, in order to show thee my power; and in order that they may proclaim my name throughout all the earth." (Exodus 9:16, Leeser) Thus the question of supremacy was raised, and God declared his purpose to let the Devil proceed until God's due time to destroy him, and that just before his destruction He would cause his own great name to be declared in all the earth.
God fixed a time limit in which the Devil was given opportunity to carry out his challenge, and which time must come to an end; and at that time God will demonstrate his supreme power by completely destroying the Devil and all his supporters. The mighty Executive Officer of Jehovah God, who carries out all of God's purposes, is his beloved Son, Christ Jesus. In God's due time Christ Jesus as such officer will destroy the wicked and make the universe clean and hence a fit place for the everlasting residence of faithful men. Until the wicked are eliminated and the world is made clean there can be no lasting peace, prosperity and happiness amongst the peoples of the earth. For centuries the Devil has exercised his wicked power over all the nations and has brought all peoples into distress. Now the great climax is at hand, when it shall be finally determined whether wickedness shall continue to rule or not, or whether truth and righteousness shall prevail and honest, faithful and righteous creatures be rewarded.
By his prophets Jehovah God foretold when the time limit for the Devil to prosecute his wickedness without interruption would come to an end. The Scriptural evidence conclusively shows that that time ended in 1914, and which is marked by the beginning of a world war on earth and also marked by a "war in heaven", which war in heaven resulted in the expulsion of the Devil and his angels from heaven and thereafter confined their activities to the earth. (Revelation 11:17, 18; 12:7-10) It is conceded by all persons that the sorrows on earth amongst the nations and people have greatly increased since 1914, and the reason for such increased woe is stated in the Scriptures in these words: "Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, and of the sea!
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