Warning (1938)

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WARNING

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Warning!

WARNING is published in friend- liness to all people of good will who are disturbed at the VIOLENCE that still increases in the earth in spite of the many centurles of religion. According to God's rule of first warning, then acting, the very fact that this warning is now being given worldwide is strong proof that the great storm wlll soon break. The message herein, two recent speeches by Judge Rutherford, not only sounds the Scriptural warning, but points you to the sure convert from that most destructive storm of all time.

COPYRIGHT, 1938 AND PUBLISHED BY

WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY International Bible Students Association Brooklyn, N. Y., U.S.A.

Made in the United States of America

BRANCH OFFICES: London, Buenos Aires, Parls, Toronto, Strathfield, Cape Town, Berne, Copenhagen, Shanghai, and other cities.

WARNING

THE GREATEST crisis of all time now confronts the world. Thoughtful persons not only sense this fact, but they are anxious to know the cause and what will be the result. How may they find out?

The only great one ever on the earth is Jesus Christ. All other men are by inheritance imperfect and must be taught. They are given the opportunity to learn and to walk in the way of righteousness. Jesus came to earth to tell the truth, and he told the truth, and thus he blazed the way for those who desire to live.

Man is not the result of evolution. He is the creature of the Almighty God and is endowed with intelligence, which makes him responsible for the course he takes. God informs man as to the right way, and therefore affords him the opportunity to choose his own destiny. The Bible contains the truth and is provided as a true guide for man. To this end all men who have walked in the right way have appreciated the statement of God's Word, the Bible, to wit: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." (Psalm 119:105) Light results when the lamp is properly equipped and burning, and without the equipment for light the lamp is of no value. Jesus is "the light of the world", because he always reflects God's truth and instructs the people to walk in the light of God's law.

Religionists claim to believe and to teach the Bible. Their course of action denies that claim. They have no light equipment, and therefore they have no understanding of the Bible. They teach that forms and ceremonies employed in the name of a deity are all-sufficient to assure salvation of men, but, in fact, all such forms and ceremonies originate with man's worst enemy and are contrary to God's Word. 2 Peter 3:5.

Because Jesus always loved righteousness and hated iniquity God placed him at the head of his capital organization and clothed him with all power and authority. Men who follow in his footsteps devote themselves entirely to God and his cause of righteousness and thereby demonstrate that they love righteousness and hate iniquity, and upon them God bestows his light. Men are not rightcous by virtue of their own attainments, but by virtue of their full devotion to God and God's resulting favor to them. Therefore it is written in the Scriptures: "Light is sown for the righteous." (Psalm 97:11) God's promise is made to everyone who diligently seeks righteousness, that such shall receive the light and learn the way to safety during the great crisis now confronting the world. Therefore, this message is published in obedience to God's commandment, that those who desire and who seek righteousness may learn the way of escape.

THE CRISIS

What is the great crisis that is now impending and about to fall? It is a time of trouble that will completely wreck every state and institution of the world, destroy religion and religious institutions, and wipe out commercial and political organizations and all persons who refuse to put themselves under the protection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the world's rightful Ruler. That great trouble is just ahead, and Jesus describes it in these words: "Great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time"; and it shall be the last.—Matthew 24:21.

That great tribulation will not be merely a war among men and nations, such as the world war of 1914, but it is the battle of Jehovah God and of all his forces now unseen by human eyes, which forces, led by the Lord Jesus Christ, will sweep into destruction all the enemies of God and man. On the opposing side are Satan the Devil and all his host of wicked angels, the religious institutions, the armies and navies, land and air forces of all the nations of earth, and all filled with and moved by the spirit of the Devil, fully bent upon destruction. Jehovah God by his prophets has caused to be recorded a brief description of that great battle. The prophet Habakkuk spoke thereof as though he stood on the other side of the fight and observed its finish.

As the great battle begins he observes that the sun and moon fail to give their light and thick darkness envelopes the whole earth, and that the flashes of liquid fire and other deadly missiles will be the only light that men of the world will observe. He makes known that the wild beasts of the forest and those confined in the zoos shall be let loose to make war upon the peoples of the earth. He tells that the mountains will be literally split and floods shall deluge the land; that storms and fire shall do their great destructive work, while the waves of the sea, lashed into fury, will sweep everything in their path; and that the enemies of God will seek in vain for shelter or refuge. That prophet employs amongst other things these words: "Thou [God] didst march through the land in indignation; thou didst thresh the nations in anger." (Habakkuk 3:10-12, American Revised Version) The power of Almighty God cannot be resisted, and all who attempt to resist it go down to destruction. An example is given in the war of Joshua against the combined enemies at the battle of Gibeon, concerning which it is written that Jehovah God fought for Joshua and that he caused 'the sun and the moon to stand still' and that he opened the heavens and threw down great chunks of ice which killed multitudes of people.—Joshua 10:11-13.

The result of the battle of Armageddon will be so terrible that human language cannot adequately describe it. It will involve all nations, and not one nation shall be permitted to escape.

Through his prophet Jehovah says concerning the result of that great battle: "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 25:33.

The attention of the people is directed to that great impending war, and this alarm is now sounded as a warning because God has commanded that it shall be done. It is not the first, but it will be the worst trouble with which the world will ever have been afflicted. The Lord speaks of Noah as the man of righteousness, because he obeyed God in proclaiming his message. For years Jehovah caused Noah to sound a warning of the approaching disaster of the flood, and all who refused to give heed to that warning were destroyed. In like manner Jeremiah the servant of Jehovah warned Israel of its approaching doom. Jesus warned Jerusalem of her near destruction, and the apostle Peter under command of the Lord said concerning the impending battle of Armageddon: "The heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men." (2 Peter 3:7) The warnings given hy Noah, Jeremiah, Jesus and Peter, and the destruction that followed, were typical, foretelling the great and final tribulation at the battle of Armageddon.

The Scriptures clearly show that such is not our fight, but is the battle of the Almighty God. There must be a good reason why Jehovah God has declared his purpose to bring such a terrible disaster upon the world. There is a reason.

THE REASON

Jehovah God is supreme, besides whom there is none other. All creatures who live everlastingly must be obedient to the Almighty God. He created the earth, and he created man for the earth and declared that in his own due time the earth shall be filled with a righteous people. He made Lucifer, a spirit creature, to be overseer of man and other things of the world. Lucifer coveted the praise which Jehovah justly received from all creation, and Lucifer sought to make himself equal to God. To accomplish that he rebelled against Jehovah and resorted to lies to turn man away and to cause him to violate God's law. God sentenced Lucifer to death and changed his name to Satan the Devil, but deferred the execution of that judgment of death until His own due time. God also sentenced Adam the first man to death and permitted him to live long enough to bring children into the world. Then the Devil defiantly challenged God, declaring that God could not put any man on earth who would remain true and faithful to him under the test, the Devil claiming that he could cause all men to curse God.

In order to settle that question of supremacy in the mind of all creatures and to prove who is all-powerful, God said to the Devil: "For this cause have I allowed thee to remain, in order to show thee my power; and in order that they [my faithful witnesses] may proclaim my name throughout all the earth." (Exodus 9:16, Leeser)

Thus God announced his purpose to give the Devil full opportunity to make good his challenge, and the Devil's failure to do so will fully exonerate Jehovah and vindicate his name. In order for the test to be fair God has permitted every man to make his own choice as to whether he will serve God or serve the Devil, declaring to man that, if he desired everlasting life, he must obey God, and his refusal to obey would result in his death. Therefore it is written in God's law: "I have set before you life and death." Choose whom you will serve. Only those who love God can get life, and Satan claims that he can make all men curse God. (Job 1:11, 12; 2:4-6) The unchangeable law of Jehovah God is this: "The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy." (Psalm 145:20) The contest began and must continue until God's due time to bring the matter to a final conclusion. That due time is at hand, and therefore God commands that the final warning must be given by his witnesses before he executes his judgment upon Satan and all his followers.

In order for anyone to truly love God and serve him he must know God and his means of salvation; and therefore it is written: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) The Devil's course of procedure has always been to keep the people in ignorance of God and his provision for man, and therefore the Devil has placed before men every possible thing that would blind men to the truth of God's Word.

RELIGION

Jehovah's loyal and faithful creatures worship him in spirit and in truth. (John 4:23,24) By nature there is in the mind of every man a desire to worship some real or fancied higher power. Knowing this inherent desire of man and to carry out his purpose of turning men away from God, the Devil long ago introduced religion by setting before the people the man called Nimrod, who was a mighty hunter. The Devil induced the people to believe that Nimrod was superior to Jehovah God, and so the people bowed down to Nimrod and worshiped him; as it is written: "Nimrod the mighty hunter before [superior to and greater than God] the Lord." The man Nimrod became the object of worship by the people, and he was the absolute dictator of the people, just as Hitler attempts to compel the people to "heil" him as the savior of the people. Nimrod was therefore the Devil's means of introducing to the people religion and religious practices.

Then Nimrod set up himself as king and thus introduced politics amongst the people. He brought the people together and built a city and there introduced commerce or traffic amongst the people. Immediately there began and ever thereafter have been three things which are joined together in ruling the world and turning faithless creatures away from God, to wit, politics, commerce, and religion. By this means the people have been kept in ignorance of Jehovah God and his purpose.

"Religion" is any form of worship practiced by creatures in recognition of some real or supposed "higher power", and which practice finds support or authority only in the teachings of men handed down by tradition from one generation to another. With Nimrod there began organized religion. For centuries thereafter every nation that was organized adopted some kind of devil religion, and the people were caused to worship creatures instead of the Creator, and thus it seemed that the Devil was on his way to accomplish his defiant and boastful challenge.

Prior to the time of Abraham a very few men remained true to Jehovah God. With the faithful descendants of Abraham God organized the nation of Israel, gave to that nation his covenant and code of laws to govern them, and which laws specifically prohibited them from worshiping any creature or thing, and this God did in order to protect the Israelites from the devil religion.

To the Israelites Jehovah God said through Moses: "If ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me." 'Thou shalt have no other gods before me, nor make any image thereof; nor shalt thou bow down to or serve them.' (Exodus 19:5; 20:1-5) It is written in God's Word, which Jesus repeated: 'Man liveth by the word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.' (Matthew 4:4) Therefore all must get life everlasting, if at all, by obeying the Almighty God, and all persons that practice the devil religion shall die, because such is God's decree. The Devil worked upon the Israelites and their leaders to turn them to the devil religion. He introduced religion amongst them and turned that nation away from God and to the worship of objects and things, which they did in violation of their covenant made with Jehovah. Because thereof, God said to that nation: "You only have I known of all the families of the earth: therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities." (Amos 3:2) The iniquities of Israel consisted of repeatedly turning away to and practicing religion. God sent to the Israelites his prophets to give warning that, unless they forsook religion, repented, and turned to Jehovah, he would destroy the nation. Failing to give heed to that warning, the nation of Israel fell, multitudes thereof being slaughtered and the survivors carried away into captivity. Later a remnant of the Israelites returned and rebuilt the wall and the temple at Jerusalem and for a time engaged in the true worship of the Almighty God.

Again religion was introduced by the Devil and came to the fore, and the leaders of the Israelites adopted formalism and the practice of religion based solely upon the tradition of men. Thus Israel was turned away from God by the Devil.

Then came Jesus, the Son of Jehovah God. At that time the Israelites were under the leadership of the clergy called the Pharisees, who taught and practiced religion but claimed to be serving God. Jesus began his ministry by using these words to the Israelites, giving them warning: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." For more than three years he continued to proclaim the truth and to warn the people against the practice of religion. That religion is a defamation of God's name and that it originated with the Devil to turn men away from God, hear now the testimony of Christ Jesus recorded at Matthew 15:1-9: "Then came to Jesus scribes and Pharisees, which were of Jerusalem, saying, Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? . . . But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition? . . . Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. Ye hypocrites! well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying, This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honourth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men." Jesus always taught the truth of God's Word, but the religious leaders did not give heed to his words. Then Jesus said to them: "Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it." (John 8:43,44) This is proof conclusive that religion is of the Devil, employed by that wicked and deceptive foe for the purpose of deceiving men and leading them into destruction and thus to carry out his challenge to Jehovah. Paul the apostle of Jesus Christ was once a religionist and until the Lord enlightened him, and then he became a Christian. (Acts 9:1-19; Galatians 1:10-17) When Paul was a religionist, he persecuted Christians viciously. When he became a Christian, Paul received great persecution at the hands of religionists, and this is, furthermore, corroborative proof that religion is of the Devil and is used to oppose and oppress the true servants of Almighty God.

"Christianity" means the worship of Almighty God in spirit and in truth, in accord with the commands of God and teachings of Jesus Christ. Therefore those who follow Christ Jesus, the Leader, and thus worship God in spirit and in truth, are Christians.

No others are Christians. There is no such thing in existence as "the Christian religion", because religion and Christianity are exactly opposite and diametrically opposed one to the other. Religion dishonors and reproaches the name of Jehovah God. Christianity honors and vindicates the name of Almighty God, and this is why true Christians are always persecuted by religionists.

Christianity progressed during the days of the apostles, but after their death the enemy Satan used selfish men, covetous for influence and power, to bring in religious practices, which men wrongfully labeled "the Christian religion". The Roman Catholic Hierarchy came into power, and that organization claims to be the mother and beginner of what is called "the Christian religion". The so-called "Protestants" came out of the Catholic organization and formed other religious organizations, and those also are wrongfully labeled "Christian religion".

Now it is well known by every person who tries to learn the truth that all religion is based upon the traditions of men, that is, upon the teachings of men handed down by tradition, and is not based upon the Bible. The great religious organizations participate in the political affairs of the nations and in the commercial and financial schemes to control and rule the people even as Nimrod did in his day. Thus it is seen that from the time of Nimrod until now the world has been controlled by Satan, who uses three elements, to wit, religion, politics, and commerce, all operating for a selfish purpose, religion being the greatest and worst racket of all.

The leading religious organization of the world engages in all manner of political and commercial schemes to control the wealth of the land. Unlike Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, and who had not where to lay his head, that religious organization has become the richest in material wealth of any organization under the sun. It is a part of and craves to rule this world. With great pomp and glory that organization parades its wealth before the people and boasts of its power and on this day exalts itself by outwardly displaying its worldly riches and glory. Such ought to be convincing evidence to the people that religious organizations have not the favor of God and his Christ, but that they are God's enemy; as it is written: "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.

Why did God cause to be recorded in the Bible so much about religion and the Jews and the dealing of the Jews with other people and what then came to pass? The Scriptures answer that question in these words: "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples [types (margin)]: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."

(1 Corinthians 10:11) We have now come to the end of the world, and it is God's command that a warning shall be given from his Word of the great and final disaster that soon shall befall the world; and the things that came to pass upon Israel He uses as striking examples.

Because Israel, under the leadership of her clergy, turned away from God's commandments and turned to religious practices, Jesus not only told them that they were of the Devil, but warned Jerusalem in these words: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left unto you desolate." (Matthew 23:37, 38) A few years thereafter Jerusalem was completely destroyed, and the Jews never again shall control it. Did Jesus hold any malice against the practitioners of religion, the clergy in particular, and did he speak against them in order to induce the people to destroy them? Certainly not; for the reason that it was in his power to bring about their destruction without saying anything about it before the people. Did Jesus hold any malice against the Jewish people? Most certainly not. They were his own people, and it is written that he came to his own that he might do them great good, and that the leaders not only refused to hear his speech, but hindered the people in their hearing; but as many of the people as did receive him, to them he gave the power to become the sons of God and to live.

(John 1:12) He sounded the warning that those who were of the right mind might seek the Lord and find life.

Jehovah's witnesses now represent the Lord Jesus and Jehovah because they are wholly and unqualifiedly devoted to God, his King and kingdom. They are commanded to tell the truth to the people even as Jesus told the truth. Religionists charge that Jehovah's witnesses are maliciously trying to destroy the bulwark of the nations by attacking the clergy and religion. That charge is wholly without foundation. Do Jehovah's witnesses hold any malice against Catholics or Protestants because they are Catholics or Protestants? No, certainly not. There are multitudes of honest and sincere Catholics and Protestants who have been deceived by the doctrines taught by their leaders, and now God commands that his truth shall be told in order that all persons may receive the warning and that those who give heed may flee from the Devil's religious organization and find refuge and safety under Christ Jesus. Are Jehovah's witnesses attempting to destroy religion or religious leaders? They are not, because the Lord only will do the destroying and commands his witnesses to inform the people of his purpose. Jehovah's witnesses must tell the truth as commanded, and if they fail or refuse to do so they shall suffer destruction. (Acts 3:23) They are commanded to go and to proclaim these truths to the world as a witness; and for this reason they will do so, and for no other reason.

Let all persons take warning now that God has decreed that all who hold to and practice religion after having been warned shall die at Armageddon; that all those who flee to God and take their stand firmly on the side of Jehovah and his King Christ Jesus shall live. Having been warned, therefore, everyone must take his own choice.

Every thoughtful person senses some great trouble coming upon the world and that it is impending and about to fall. The people and the rulers are in distress and perplexity, fearing what they sense is coming, even though they understand it not. What is the impending trouble? The Word of Almighty God plainly shows, and the physical facts corroborate that divine testimony, that the world is sick unto death and is going to be destroyed and that everyone who does not give support to the King Christ Jesus is going to die. And why this disaster! Because it is the day of Jehovah's vindication, when he will for ever settle the question of who is supreme. God has permitted the Devil to remain until now and to put forth his best endeavors to prove his wicked challenge; and Satan has failed. Now Satan's world has ended, and the question of who shall rule must and will be settled once and for all time. Christ Jesus, the world's rightful Ruler, has come and is enthroned by Jehovah and is sent forth to rule the world in the midst of his enemies, and his first work is to oust the enemy.—Psalm 110:24.

For centuries honest and sincere men, regardless of all religious organizations, have looked and prayed and hoped for the coming of God's kingdom under Christ, and in doing so they have followed the specific instruction that Jesus gave to his followers. Now the kingdom is here, and this is good news to those who love righteousness. They rejoice to know that Satan's wicked rule shall shortly cease for ever and that the righteous government of peace and prosperity, resting upon the shoulder of Christ Jesus, shall rule forever. (Isaiah 9:6,7) The Devil will not vacate voluntarily. By his earthly representatives, who use religion, commerce and politics, he insists on ruling the world. Satan's rule of wickedness under his representatives stands stubbornly resisting God and attempts to hold power, and that rule is cruel and wicked. Wickedness and righteousness cannot both continue to exist. Therefore God has decreed that the Devil's organization shall be destroyed, because it is extremely wicked. Before He exercises his supreme power in the complete overthrow of the Devil's rule, God commands that his witnesses shall go and tell the people about it, exactly as God foreordained long ago. (Exodus 9:16) Therefore Jehovah says to those who are wholly devoted to him, that is, the Christians, the true followers of Christ Jesus now on earth: "Ye are my witnesses."

"And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people." (Isaiah 43:9-12; 51:16) Again he commands them to instruct the people in the right way and to give warning to all. (Ezekiel 9:4-11; 33:4-7) Such warning and testimony must now be delivered, because we have come to the end of the world, and the command from on high is: "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. 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 24:14, 21.

WHEN

That the people of good will toward God who desire righteousness, peace and prosperity might have a more specific time named when they must flee from Satanic religion, Jesus spoke these words, to wit: "When ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, . . . then let them that be in Judæa flee to the mountains." (Mark 13:14) God through his prophet Daniel and other prophets foretold the effort of Satan to set up a rule of the world in defiance of the Almighty God and his King Christ Jesus, and therefore the Lord says to the people of good will, 'When you see that come to pass and Satan's organization trying to stand where it ought not to stand, then it is time for you to flee to the kingdom of God, which is symbolized by "mountains", which stand for Jcho- vah God and Christ Jesus.'

What, then, are the facts in fulfillment of this prophcy? The World War advocates heralded this slogan, "The war will make the world safe for democracy." On the contrary, democracies have practically disappeared from the earth. The League of Nations was brought forth as a substitute for God's kingdom, to rule the earth, which League the religious leaders announced as the thing that should rule on earth instead of Christ, and thus they wholly ignored the Word of Jehovah God. In so doing the religious organizations openly announced that they are a part of this world, and God's Word has declared that the present evil world is under the control of the Devil. Those nations, together with the big religious organization, now boldly and wrongfully stand in the place and stead of God's kingdom under Christ, standing, as the Lord says, "where it ought not" to stand, claiming the right to rule the world; and that combine is an "abomination" in the sight of God, as declared by him through his prophet Daniel. Because of the attempt to place such combination to rule instead of Christ Jesus, the people of good will are warned to take this as a sure sign that the time is ripe for them to flee from religion and to earnestly seek refuge in God's kingdom, because God's purpose is to destroy every part of Satan's organization.

Out from this combine of nations has grown a great monstrosity, which today is fully endorsed by the religionists. That monstrosity is the government of the various nations under one arbitrary dictator, that is to say, a dictatorial government otherwise called a "totalitarian rule". It arose first in Russia under the guise of Bolshevism, or Communism. Then it came forth in Italy under the name of Fascism, and, in Germany, labeled Nazism. The great organization that leads in the religion of the world now backs up that monstrous thing, and that without regard to name or guise under which it appears. Such monstrons dictatorial governments attempt to enforce rules or laws such as the "heiling" of men, compulsory saluting of flags and like things, thus causing, or attempting to cause, the people to acknowledge that their protection and salvation come from man and the power of men represented by some emblem or flag. Otherwise stated, the religionists have readily agreed that the protection and the salvation of the people come from man power, and not from Jehovah God through Christ Jesus. The religious organizations fully acquiesce in the doctrine that "the State" is above or superior to Jehovah God and his King, Christ Jesus. By their decree and course of action they hold that "the State" may make any kind of law wholly contrary to God's law and in defiance of God and that all persons must obey that law of the dictator, regardless of what God's law commands.

This is another scheme of the Devil to compel men to violate God's specific commandment given at Exodus 20:2-5 and to turn men away from God and to plunge them into destruction. For this reason Jehovah's witnesses declare that they will obey every law of the "State" or nation that is in harmony with God's law, but when men and nations enact and attempt to enforce laws that arc in defiance of Jehovah God and his specific commandments, then they will obey God, and not man. The apostles blazed the way, and the present-day Jehovah's witnesses will follow their lead.—Acts 5:29.

For more than a thousand years the Roman Catholic Church placed Jehovah God above the "State" or law of man. It then appeared to be convenient for that organization to do so. Being greedy for temporal power, that religious organization has now openly and brazenly made an agreement with the radical element that governs the nations, and in consideration thereof the Fascist government has restored temporal power to the head of the Catholic organization. Now the Vatican endorses the cruel war of conquest against the Abyssinians, the revolution and ruthless slaughter in Spain, and the unrighteous war of Japan upon China. That same religious organization has made an agreement with the Nazi dictator, thus conforming itself to the present monstrous dictatorial rule of the world in defiance of God and his Christ.

All the dictators or radical elements now ruling put the "State" above the Almighty God and insist that every person shall obey the laws of dictators, even though such laws are in defiance of Jehovah's law. The dictators and religious organizations, and particularly the leaders, now join together in the persecution of Jehovah's witnesses because such Christians are the true followers of Christ Jesus and announce his kingdom. The religious organizations of the world, in which the Roman Catholic Hierarchy leads, now place the "State" or dictatorial government above Jehovah God and his law, and their motive in so doing is to find occasion against Jehovah's witnesses, who are announcing the truth for the benefit of the people. As such dictators sought the destruction of Daniel and other faithful men at Babylon, so now the religionists seek the destruction of the followers of Christ Jesus on the earth, because such witnesses tell the truth. Some of Jehovah's servants, because of their faithfulness, may be killed by religionists, but, if so, their blood will be upon the religionists.

But mark this: the religionists, in placing the "State" above Jehovah God, have gone too far and have taken a position from which they cannot back out; and the day is near when, to the great chagrin of the religionists, the radical element, that is, Fascists, Nazis, and suchlike Jchovah's witnesses and their companions, the "other sheep", have nothing in common with

Communists, Fascists, Nazis, or religionists. They are not in sympathy with such. In obedience to God's commandment Jehovah's witnesses hold themselves separate and "unspotted from the world". They have no controversy with any man or organization. Their sole commission and work is to bear testimony before the nations and the people concerning Jehovah God and his purpose, and thus to warn the people of good will, that they may flee to God's kingdom under Christ and there find the only place of refuge and salvation. Having been warned according to God's commandment, the people that then fail or refuse to give heed thereto shall bear their own responsibility and suffer the consequences. If Jehovah's witnesses fail to give the warning as commanded, then they are responsible before God.—Ezekiel 33:2-6.

Jehovah's witnesses are the friends of the people, because they follow Christ Jesus. As Jesus boldly declared that religion is the invention of the Devil to deceive men and to turn them away from God and to destruction, even so in obedience to his commands Jehovah's witnesses now declare the same message, pointing out that religion is the most devastating racket ever invented or practiced upon the people. Jehovah has let the Devil go the full length of his tether, and now the day is at hand for the final showdown. Jehovah God is now doing his work, which work appears strange to religionists because Jehovah's witnesses tell the truth concerning them.

Such work is for the purpose of notify- ing the people of God's purpose to destroy religion and all other instruments of the Devil. God declares that, the testimony completed and that work ended, then he will exhibit his su- preme power by completely wrecking Satan's organization. Every honest man should desire to be informed of what is coming to pass, that he may have opportunity to seek protection and salvation for himself and his loved ones. Every thoughtful person now discerns that these are perilous times and that some dreadful thing is about to befall the world. The work of Jehovah's witnesses is to call attention of the people to the Scriptures which plainly show what that dis- aster or trouble is and what will be the result, and who will find the way of escape.

Religionists indulge only in forms of worship; but there is no religious organization on earth that is engaged in telling the people of and concerning Jehovah's purpose to destroy Satan's organization and to provide the means of salvation for all those who love and serve God. Every true follower of Christ Jesus must now declare the kingdom of God under Christ, because the Lord, the great Prophet, conunands that it must be done and every soul that will not obey that command shall be destroyed.—Acts 3:23.

PEACE

Compared with the millions of people on earth, only a small number will survive the battle of the great day of God Almighty.

Only those who now seek righteousness and meekness have the promise of protection. The storm of war having wiped out the disobedient nations, there will come to the survivors lasting peace. Then the world shall be established in righteousness and peace. In harmony therewith the faithful apostle wrote, "We, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Peter 3:13) The "new heavens" is Christ and his royal house, which is invisible to human eyes. Hc, the King of righteousness, shall rule in righteousness; as it is written: "Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment." (Isaiah 32:1) The visible representatives of the righteous King are the princes mentioned in this text. Such are the faithful men named in the Bible, from Abel to John, who will be resurrected and made administrators of the affairs of the earth. Under the righteous reign of Christ Jesus every man who loves righteousness and obeys the Lord shall live forever on the earth in peace. The "great multitude" that shall survive the universal war, together with others who shall be brought to life and who then obey, shall fill the earth with a joyful class of persons. Then it shall come to pass that every creature that lives shall praise and serve Jehovah God. All will see that Jehovah is right and righteous and that all his ways are just and true. His name will then be vindicated, and all will know that the Almighty God is Jehovah.

Never again will there be a religious organization, because all who live will obey and serve Jehovah. Never again will there be a cruel dictatorial rule by men. Never again will the people be robbed and oppressed by racketeers who love money and power. Today the peoples of earth face that great crisis which will bring about the change from wickedness to righteousness. Every person of good will who desires to live is now admonished by the Lord to seek righteousness and meekness. (Zephaniah 2:1-3) God's Word, the Bible, is the only source of true information concerning righteousness, and the meek are those who desire to learn and who try to learn. Having been informed and warned, the responsibility is now yours. Therefore choose your own destiny, having in mind that your enemies are the Devil, his wicked angels, and all of his forces, including religion, commerce, and politics; that your true and everlasting friends are Jehovah God and Christ Jesus, who alone provide life, safety, peace and happiness.

The rule of the world by Satan and his forces is at an end. The rule of Christ Jesus, the King of Righteousness, has begun. Now upon the shoulder of Christ Jesus the government shall rest. His name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and of his government and peace there shall be no end. (Isaiah 9:6,7) This message is brought to you from God's Word.

It is not the message of any man. No selfish motive prompts its delivery. The warning is sounded at the command of the Lord, and those who refuse to put themselves under the rule of Christ Jesus shall die. Those who flee to Jehovah's kingdom under Christ shall live, and all who live shall have a part in the vindication of Jehovah's name. Everlasting life is the gift of God through Christ Jesus (Romans 6:23), and only those who love and do righteousness shall live; as it is written: "For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness: his countenance doth behold the upright."—Psalm 11:7.

BE IT KNOWN TO ALL MEN that we, Jehovah's witnesses and companions, have nothing in common with and are therefore entirely out of sympathy with Communism, Nazism, Fascism and religions, because all such are a reproach to the name of Jehovah, the Supreme and Almighty God, and are against his kingdom under Christ.

We recognize and gladly announce that Satan's rule by selfish men must now end for ever, and that Christ Jesus, the world's rightful King, shall forever rule in righteousness; that Christ Jesus is the Savior of men and the Vindicator of Jchovah's name.

We sec and declare that this is the day of Jehovah God and that soon he will destroy every vestige of Satan's organization, including the wicked rule of this world, and that the only means of escaping such disaster, and the only place of refuge, is the kingdom of God under Christ.

We now, therefore, boldly and emphatically declare ourselves for Jehovah God and Christ his King, the "Higher Powers". (Romans 13:1) In obedience to his command we give warning to all who would escape destruction and find everlasting life that they must abandon Satan's organization and flee to the kingdom of God under Christ. Our hope is fully anchored in the kingdom of God, and to that kingdom we give our full allegiance and devotion.

VIOLENCE

Broadcast before visible audience of 10,000 persons

THESE ARE DAYS of great peril. A mighty and violent monster has recently appeared on the earth, the like of which was never seen before. Every government on earth is threatened with destruction. In every nation the people are filled with fear and are in great distress. Multitudes are in 'much pain, and their faces are gathering blackness'.—Jocl 2:6.

What is that violent monster that menaces the governments of the earth? From whence does it come? Why has it recently appeared in the earth? What is its purpose? What will it accomplish? and what will be its end? What can the people do to find refuge where they may be protected from its violent action?

Because the Almighty God, Jehovah, fore-knew the coming of that monster, long ago he foretold its coming and caused his faithful prophets to write of it and of the things that would come to pass at its coming, and thereby he makes it possible now for those persons who desire to know to find the answers to the fore-going questions. If you desire that which is just and right, and if you are of good will toward Jehovah God, the Righteous One, and will then sincerely and diligently follow what is set down herein, you will learn the satisfactory answers to the foregoing qnestions.

ORIGIN

Violence has afflicted all nations, and now violence has approached a climax. In order to get a better understanding of the matter it is important to know who originated the practice of violence; who are the ones that have used violence to accomplish their purpose; and who have suffered the greatest amount of pain and anguish by reason of such violence.

Violence began to be practiced by man when Cain, without a cause, murdered his brother Abel. The Bible contains a record of that violent act, and the Bible was written for the benefit of the people now on the earth and who desire to learn the truth and to follow the right way. Jesus Christ always spoke the truth, and his words show that Satan the Devil is the violent one, the originator of violence, and the one who has induced men to practice violence toward others. Concerning Satan the Devil, Jesus said: 'He was a murderer from the beginning, and the father of lies.' (John 8:44) The Devil debauched the entire human race with the exception of Noah and the members of his family, and concerning which wickedness it is written in the Bible: "The earth was filled with violence." (Genesis 6:11) Because of that great violence God brought the deluge upon the earth, which wiped out the vile creatures of the humankind.

After the flood the population of the earth again increased, and in time the people were organized into a nation with Nimrod as the head of that nation, and Nimrod was vile and a violent person. He delighted in shedding blood. Nimrod was the instrument of Satan, and he used religion to bring about the organization of the people. He set himself up as the political ruler and introduced commercial trading or traffic amongst the people and employed religion, politics and commerce to rule the people. (Genesis 10:8-10) Thereafter all nations that came into existence adopted some form of Devil- religious practices, and all those nations were given over to violence. The history of every nation that has existed is written in blood cruelly and violently shed. All persons who have tried to do right and to serve God have suffered violence at the hands of those persons who have yielded to the seductive influence of the Devil.

The Almighty God, "whose name alone is Jehovah," is love. He is the God of peace and righteousness. The Devil is God's adversary and man's worst enemy. The Devil strives to prevent the people from knowing and serving Jehovah God, and he attempts to destroy those who do worship God in spirit and in truth. Concerning Jehovah God and his righteous way it is written: "For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright." (Psalm 11:7) The Lord God hates those who practice violence toward others. "The Lord trieth the righteous; but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth.

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup." —Psalm 11:5, 6.

Abraham was a good man, who loved righteousness and who served God in sincerity and in truth. God called Abraham his friend, and to Abraham God gave his word of promise that he would bring forth a righteous government that will rule the world in righteousness, and by and through which blessings will flow to all the people who will render themselves in loyal obedience to that government. The offspring of Abraham were domiciled in the land of Egypt, and there they suffered great violence at the hand of the ruler of Egypt, who was Satan's agent. Then God used his faithful prophet Moses to organize Israel into a nation and to deliver that people from the violence of Egypt. God gave to that people his law and taught them through Moses, and the other prophets, the way of righteousness and peace. Some of the kings or rulers of Israel, who were God's covenant people, were good men, but many of them turned to wickedness and to violence. Concerning God's hatred of violence he caused his prophet to say to one of the violent and wicked rulers of Israel: "Thy eyes and thy heart are directed on nothing but upon thy own gain, and upon innocent blood to shed it, and upon oppression, and upon extortion, to practice them."—Jere- miiah 22:17, Leeser.

God did not hinder the Devil from putting forth his effort to debauch the nations and to fill the earth with violence, for the reason that the Devil had declared his superiority over Jehovah God and that he, the Devil, could cause all men to curse God and, if permitted, he could turn all men against God and into wickedness. That malicious challenge and threat made by the Devil raised the question of who is supreme, and that question, put at issue, must be settled. God permitted the Devil to remain and carry on his nefarious work and to put forth every endeavor possible to turn the human race into the way of wickedness and destruction. God has declared that in his due time, and after the Devil has had full opportunity to prove his malicious challenge, then He, Jehovah, will destroy the Devil and his entire organization and will permit the righteous and obedient ones of the human race to live everlastingly. Thus Jehovah God will prove that he is the Supreme One and that only the righteous creatures shall receive the blessings of life, peace and joy.

RIGHTEOUS NATION

The Israelites were a typical people, as long as they obeyed God; that is to say, they foreshadowed the nation of righteousness. Had Israel continued faithfully obedient to God's law they would have in due time received the everlasting blessings of the Lord.

To the Israelites, through Moses, Jehovah God said: "If ye will obey my voice . . . ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, . . . and ye shall be unto me . . . an holy nation." (Exodus 19:5,6) But instead of proving faithful to God and to their covenant with him, Israel as a nation fell away to the Devil, religion being used by the Devil to draw them away from the path of righteousness. They set up a clergy as distinguished from the common people. Their clergy claimed to be representatives of God, but they practiced religion instead of obeying God's commandments, and thus they made the Word of God void and of none effect so far as the people were concerned. (Matthew 15:1-9) In that wrongful course that nation foreshadowed what is commonly known today as "Christendom".

The righteous nation, which Jehovah God promised, is the kmgdom, or government, with Christ Jesus the anointed One as the Head and the Ruler thereof. The law which God gave to Israel served as a shield and protection of that people from the Devil religion and was to keep them in line with the right way until the coming of Christ the King. (Galatians 3:24) God required of them obedience in order that they might receive protection and blessing, and in that the nation of Israel failed. The Lord God sent his faithful prophets to the Israelites to teach them and to warn them that they must keep themselves free from the wicked influence of religion.

But the people fell under the influence of the Devil and his agents; and the religious leaders of Israel always persecuted the faithful prophets whom God had sent to them, and upon such prophets they inflicted great violence. This they did, to be sure, at the instance of the Devil.

The faithful prophets believed God's promise concerning his righteous government and that in due time he would set up his kingdom under the Messiah, and they were diligent in rendering themselves in obedience to God and his law. They greatly desired that good and righteous government, and they would permit nothing to destroy their faith therein or their devotion thereto. Because of their devotion to God and to his government of righteousness under the Messiah, and because of their faithfulness in bearing testimony to Jehovah and his coming kingdom, those prophets suffered great violence, and they sealed their testimony with their own blood. The record of those faithful men is set out in the eleventh chapter of Hebrews, wherein is shown God's approval of them because of their faithfulness and their willingness to suffer violence in order to maintain their integrity toward God.

Then came Jesus to the earth to carry out the purpose of Jehovah God, first, to redeem the race from death, then to take out a special people to be witnesses, to set up his government, and to vindicate Jehovah's name. Instead of the Israelites' receiving Jesus gladly, he was rejected by the religious leaders, ill-used, persecuted, and maligned by all such.

He made known to the people that he was God's anointed One who would set up the government of righteousness and bring to them their long-desired blessings. He spoke the truth. When the question was put to him by the Roman governor concerning his relationship to God's kingdom, Jesus replied: "I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth hearth my voice."—John 18:37.

For many centuries the Devil has been the invisible ruler of the world, and he is therefore designated in the Scriptures as the "mighty one" or "god" of this wicked world. (2 Corinthians 4:4; John 14:30) Jesus told his disciples that they would suffer violence as he had suffered, because they were faithfully giving testimony to the people concerning God's righteous government. To his disciples, and therefore to all his faithful followers, Jesus said: "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also." (John 15:19,20) Thus he disclosed the rule that has been unbroken amongst wicked ones: that they persecute everyone who is faithful to God.

True to that prophetic utterance, all the apostles of Jesus Christ suffered great violence at the hands of religious men. They were arrested and thrown into prison, were beaten with many stripes, and some of them put to a violent death, because they insisted on obeying God and on telling the people about God's kingdom of righteousness.

In these latter days there are faithful men and women on the earth who are wholly devoted to God and to his righteous government under Christ, and those men and women now are going about the land to inform the people of and concerning God's kingdom as the only means of relief and blessings to humankind. For that reason they are designated in the Scriptures as Jehovah's witnesses, and because Jehovah God has given them that name. (Isaiah 43:9-12) These faithful witnesses of Jehovah are now suffering great opposition and violence because of their faithfulness in telling the truth of and concerning the kingdom that will bring relief and blessings to the people. Thousands of such faithful witnesses are now suffering in filthy prisons in Germany, and many of them have been put to a violent death. In many other lands, including the United States, Jehovah's witnesses suffer great violence, being imprisoned and beaten and otherwise ill-treated because of their faithfulness in telling the people the truth about God's gracious provision for them. These facts are here recorded in order that you may see that, from the time of Abel to this very hour, all persons who have been faithfully serving God and Christ Jesus have suffered persecution and great violence at the hands of God's enemies.

VIOLENT ONES

Who are the persecutors? The Devil is the violent opposer of God's kingdom and of all who support that kingdom. It follows, then, that those who persecute and violently treat the followers of Christ Jesus are the agents of the Devil. Satan the Devil is the author of religion, because religion opposes the commandments of Almighty God. Those who practice religion are under the influence of Satan the Devil, whether they know that fact or not. Mark this indisputable fact: that, from the time of the organization of the first nation under Nimrod until the present hour, the violent persecutors of good men and women have been and are religionists who practice religion, and who claim to serve God, but who in fact serve the Devil. The PhariSES were the religious leaders of the nation of Israel. They had adopted tradition, or the teachings of men, in the place of God's commandments, and they practiced that religion instead of obeying God's law. (Matthew 15:1-7) It was that religious crowd that conspired to have Jesus Christ put to death, that repeatedly caused his persecution, and that ultimately succeeded in bringing about his death by violence. To those religionists Jesus said: "Ye are of your father the devil."

(John 8:42-44) Thus Jesus laid down the rule that the Devil uses religionists as his instruments to persecute others. Then Jesus, further addressing those religious leaders, said: "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. . . . Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appcar beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men's bones, and of all uncleanness. . . .

Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets. Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers. Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers! how can ye escape the damnation of hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city: that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth."

Matthew 23:14, 27, 31-35.

The Roman Catholic Hierarchy or religious organization takes the lead of all religions of the land which are designated "the Christian religion". The name "Christian religion" is a misnomer, however, because it is against Christ and against God. Those religious leaders, like the Pharisees of old, claim to be representatives of God, but they do exactly as the Pharisees of old, in this, that they persecute every one who proclaims the message of God as he has commanded concerning Christ Jesus and his kingdom.

At all times it has been the religionists that have resorted to violence against true Christians, and today it is the religionists that violently persecute Jehovah's witnesses; and this they do for no other reason than that such faithful witnesses of Jehovah tell the truth to the people of and concerning God and his kingdom. which truth exposes to view the wickedness of religionists. Christ Jesus is the anointed King, to whom Jehovah God has committed all power in heaven and earth, and whom Jehovah has made the rightful Ruler of the world. Now Christ Jesus, that righteous King, has come and has begun his reign amidst the enemy, that is to say, while Satan and his crowd are still operating. The faithful followers of Christ Jesus, who are Jehovah's witnesses, in obedience to Jehovah God's commandment, go forth now from house to house to tell the people the good news that the kingdom of heaven is at hand, and which kingdom will bring them the blessings they have so long desired. This message is good news to all people of good will, because it means the end of Satan's rule and the continuous and everlasting rule of the Righteous One, Christ Jesus. Being violently opposed to God and to Christ and his kingdom, Satan induces his religious representatives in the earth to violently oppose everyone and everything that pertains to and supports God's kingdom nnder Christ Jesus.

This he does in an effort to carry ont his original boastful challenge to Jehovah God concerning the one who exercises supreme power. The fact that the religionists are the ones who lead in the persecution of Jehovah's witnesses is of itself conclusive proof that such religionists are the agents and representatives of Satan.

The Israelites, who were God's covenant people, fell because they were nnfaithful to God and turned to the Devil religion. That nation forshadowed what is now known as "Christendom", that is to say, the countries that practice religion, and of which religionists the Roman Catholic Hierarchy is in the lead and is ably supported by so-called "Protestants". What came to pass with the Israelites, together with the peoples with whom Israel had dealings, furnished types or prophetic pictures foretelling what must come to pass at the end of the world, where we now are; as it is written: "Now all these things happened unto them for en-samples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come."—1 Corinthians 10:11.

These conditions that have long existed in the earth are cited as introductory to the evidence concerning the great monster that now menaces all the nations of the earth. Knowing the end from the beginning, God foretold that there would arise in the earth a great monstrosity, which would influence the practitioners of religion and cause them to turn wholly and openly to the Devil.

That monstrosity has now appeared and is frightening all the nations. The Israelites, being the covenant people of God, pictured those who today claim to worship God. Israel's first king, Saul, was unfaithful and was rejected by the Lord God. Therefore Saul pictured the sinful class now on earth that claim to worship God but in fact serve the Devil. The Philistines were the avowed enemies of all who were on the side of God. The armies of Israel and the Philistines faced each other in battle array to determine the question of supremacy or who should rule in the land of Palestine. 'There a great prophetic picture was made. The Philistines put forward a great giant or monstrosity by the name of Coliath, who defied the army of Israel and cursed Almighty God. No one amongst the army of the Israelites had the courage to fight Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:4-11) Although the king, together with all the people of Israel, claimed to be on the side of Jehovah God, they were lacking in faith in the power of Almighty God and were afraid to engage that monstrosity or giant in battle.

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