Enemies (1937)
Download: PDF — Enemies (1937)
ENEMIES
ENEMIES
a
I I
i
The proof thatd definitely identified all enemies, exposes'
their methods_of !
operation,and points out the way_of. complete protection for those who love
^righteousness
&y
J. F. RUTHERFORD
Author of
RECONCILIATION
GOVERNMENT
CREATION
DELIVERANCE
PROPHECY LIGHT and other books
First printing 1,000,000 copies
Publishers
WATCH TOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY International Bible Students Association Brooklyn, N. Y., U. S. A.
Aho London, Toronto, Strathfield, Cape Town, Berne, Copenhagen, and in other countries.
COPYRIGHT, 1937, BY J. F. RUTHERFORD Made in the United States of America
[BLANK]
[BLANK]
ENEMIES
CHAPTER I
FEAR
“And the tree of the field shall yield his fruit, and the land shall yield her increase, and they shall remain on their own soil in security, so shall they know that I am Jehovah, when I have broken the bars of their yoke, and shall deliver them out of the hand of them who have been using them as slaves.”—Ezekiel 34: 27, Rotherham.
THE PEOPLES of the nations of earth keenly feel their insecurity. The men who rule are few in number, harsh, arrogant, cruel and oppressive, while the people in general are held in slavery to fear and continuously in dread of what the future may bring. Sober-minded persons who love righteousness and desire to see justice prevail often in the hour of meditation have thoughts like these: “There are so many calamities befalling the various nations of the earth and the peoples thereof that I am apprehensive, uneasy and fearful that some dreadful calamity will befall me and my little ones. Revolutions have rocked the nations to their very foundation, and no nation appears to be stable. All things in the earth seem to be upside down; the trees drop their immature fruit, the lands are swept by floods and dust storms, the pests destroy that which grows until the fields are barren, the
people are shoved about from one place to another until many find no dwelling place, and all persons seem to be unhappy. If only I could find a place of complete security where I could be entirely free from care, anxiety and fear, that would be an ideal state. I wish that I might know why this apprehensive and fearful condition exists throughout the earth; why it has come so generally upon the peoples and nations, and whether or not there will ever be a time and place where honest, sincere, righteous persons may feel entirely secure in their homes and without the fear of loss of their property, health and life.” The purpose of what follows is to aid sincere and honest persons to arrive at the just conclusion in the matter.
Twenty centuries ago the most righteous man that ever trod the earth, filled with the spirit of wisdom and with keen prophetic vision, in answer to a question propounded to him concerning the end of the world, gave utterance to these words: “There shall be . . . upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; . . . men’s hearts failing them for fear.” Those few words spoken by that Great Prophet exactly describe the condition that now exists throughout the earth. His prophetic words of wisdom, taken together with the facts we now see about us, carefully considered, enable one to learn why the present unhappy conditions exist, and lead to greater information concerning the immediate future.
Even the ruling powers of every nation fear. They fear for themselves and for the positions they hold. Every nation fears every other nation, and the effect of their insecurity has induced all nations to spend a great amount of energy and money of the peoples to prepare for war. The preparations for war in 1914 were small compared with the preparations now going forward in almost every nation on earth. It is manifest that such unusual activity is induced by fear. Each nation is fearful that some other nation will come upon them with greater force and take away what they have. It appears to be a time in which every man’s hand is against his neighbor. The few that rule employ coercive means to compel the people in general to bow to their dictates, and an unhappy condition both for the rulers and for the ruled exists. In every land the people mourn, and one is reminded of the proverb: “When the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.”—Proverbs 29:2.
Call to mind some of the things that have come to pass since 1914 and that are recorded on the pages of history and there stand as indisputable facts. In that year, and with no apparently reasonable cause, the nations suddenly rushed into war, and for four years that followed Continental Europe was drenched with the lifeblood of millions of men who did not know just why they were fighting each other. The rulers had commanded them to go to war, and they obeyed. Suddenly, in November, 1918, the war ceased, and no ruler could assign a sound reason why the conflict had suddenly stopped. Prior to that time the nations were ruled by aristocrats and imperialistic monarchs, but which nations had a semblance of democracy. During the World War politicians and militarists, for the manifest purpose of influencing men to go to war, invented and proclaimed the slogan: “The war will make the world safe for democracy.” The people were led to hope for a more liberal rule when the war came to an end. But their hopes were soon dashed to the earth.
The war ending, ambitious men, void of conscience, seized the opportunity to promote revolutions in various countries, and then formed governments that for a time had the appearance and name of “democracies”. Rabid politicians and military gangsters became the holders of public office, and the commercial giants supported them in their positions.' Fearing that they would be unable to keep the common people in subjection and hold their own public jobs, the ruling element created conditions of strife that greatly alarmed the people, and which conditions were seized upon to set up an arbitrary government, ruled by a dictator. Such has been the result in many of the nations. For some time now human life in Russia, Italy, Austria, Germany and other like nations of Europe has been of little value. Dictators trust no one. If it appears that the power of the dictator is endangered he hesitates not to murder his closest political associates. Always in fear of losing power or life, or both, dictators move about within their realm surrounded by a strong-arm guard, a veritable wall of bristling steel. The dictators usurp all other parts of the government until the people are bound to bow to the rule of one man. The chief ambition of such is to seize power and stay in power regardless of the rights and privileges of others. Any part or branch of the government that seems to be in his way the dictator proceeds to abolish. He and his associates take away from the people the right of suffrage and of representation and destroy the courts of justice and set up instead tribunals of selfish men who are looking to selfish interests and not to the common welfare.
Instead of the great war’s making the world safe for democracy the greater part of Europe is now ruled by dictators. Stalin, who succeeded Lenin as dictator of Russia, was for some time a student at a theological seminary, being trained for the religious priesthood. He became a revolutionist and now rules Russia extravagantly, harshly and ruthlessly. Mussolini, a bricklayer and political agitator, became a political gang chieftain. He led a march on Rome in 1922 and shortly thereafter became the prime minister or arbitrary ruler: a gang leader, who bluffed himself into office because the king was afraid of him and yielded to his bluffs. Concerning him it is recorded: “He assumed the chief portfolios, brought about changes in the electoral laws that insured his continued power, established a rigorous censorship of the press, and prosecuted and drove into exile his chief opponents. He decreed the passage of laws which vitally affected the political, social and economic life of Italy.” {The Encyclopedia Americana, Volume 19, page 655) It is said of Mussolini that he trusts no one and has no real friends, and that he never forgives an enemy. Fearing to lose his control over the people, he rules in an arrogant manner and with a ruthless hand. He is suspicious of all other nations and is very superstitious. When he seized the rule of Italy he was an atheist, but has since become very religious.
The World War was quickly followed by revolution in Germany, and then a government having a semblance of a constitutional democracy was formed. Religionists and politicians conspired together to overthrow that constitutional government, and did so, with the result that one Hitler, a fanatic, became the absolute dictator and leader of the Nazis. That horde of political gangsters burned the building of the German Reichstag on February 27, 1933, and then maliciously charged an opposing political party with that crime of arson, and this was done to gain favor with the common and oppressed people. Within a few weeks thereafter the Nazis were swept into power and Hitler was put forward as the leader and became the dictator, and the democracy of Germany died. On June 30, 1934, Hitler, fearing his power and authority was in much danger of being taken from him, caused sixty or more of his close political associates to be brutally murdered. In July thereafter the Nazis, under the leadership of said Hitler, caused Dollfuss, the dictator of Austria, to be foully murdered. Fearing loss of authority, the Nazis, under Hitler, continued to rule with a cruel hand and killed or imprisoned all who did not apparently support them. The people suffer, being robbed of their material wealth, put in fear of their liberty and life, and are in great distress and perplexity.
The foregoing is a sample of the conditions existing in Continental Europe. Other nations of the world are in a similar condition and are ruled by dictators, and the rulers are moved by fear. The British Empire is the only monarchy that survived the World War, and Britain and France are the only nations of Europe now that have a semblance of democratic rule. But there is an abundance of evidence that the ruling classes of those nations greatly fear for their future existence. In Great Britain conspiracy is at work both within and outside of the nation, looking to the overthrow of the Empire, and, moved by fear, that nation, each year since the World War, has continued to increase her war preparations. Sometime in the near future it will doubtless be seen that the recent abdication of Britain’s king was not merely due to the influence of a woman, but due to a greater influence that is symbolized by a woman.
The United States emerged from the World War holding the bag, having lost a great number of men, and expended millions of the people’s money, and that without any gain or profit. Since then democracy has rapidly degenerated, and today the tendency to rule by a dictator is growing rapidly. The element that rules now has not long been in the saddle of governmental affairs, and, fearing the loss of authority that has been acquired, that ruling element seeks to concentrate the power of the nation in the executive of the government, this in utter disregard of state rights and the rights of the people, and looks forward to an early day when the whole nation may be ruled by a dictator, behind whom is a more powerful force. A bold and daring effort is now being put forth to curtail the power of the highest court in the land and make it the tool of a one-man dictator and, that being accomplished, the Constitution, which has long been a safeguard to the people, will quickly become a mere scrap of paper. For 150 years the American people have obeyed the law of the land gladly and without any question of their allegiance to the Constitution and the laws of their nation. But now the official element, that is, the few men that rule, fearing that they may not be able to keep the people in line, have adopted unusual and unreasonable methods to compel law-abiding citizens to constantly declare their allegiance to those who now rule. For 150 years it has not been thought necessary to compel the people to salute the flag and to daily declare their allegiance, because all persons are presumed to be obedient to the laws until there is evidence that they have violated the law. Quite recently, however, the governing element, and particularly those who are behind the throne, fearing that the authority and power may slip away from them, have adopted the unusual practice of compelling school children to daily salute the flag and sing so-called "patriotic songs”, and which are supposed to make them more law-abiding. The governing element, in fear, are also greatly perplexed as to how they can hold the people in subjection and hold their own jobs. Democracy is rapidly passing from the land.
Added to all the political troubles of the world that have so greatly increased since 1918, the nations of the earth have been woefully afflicted by storms, floods, fires, earthquakes, famines, pestilences and other like calamities. Sit-down strikes and other senseless labor disturbances have greatly increased, and it is apparent that these disturbances are induced by a secret crowd that is conspiring to overthrow all rule of the people and to concentrate the rule in the hands of a dictator. The extremely radical element, which is unreasonable and cruel, such as the Nazis, grows rapidly in America, and thousands of spies are scattered amongst the people to undermine their faith and confidence in the form of government that has so long existed in this land. Added to these disturbing things, the gross crimes of kidnaping, robbery and murder are constantly on the increase and few if any of the people feel secure in their homes or their property or in their life. Both the governing element and the common people sense an approaching catastrophe and strictly in line with the prophetic words above recorded: ‘Men’s hearts failing them for fear of what seems to be approaching.’
The common people have no understanding of the constant intrigue and the political chicanery that is going on within the nations and between the nations. The selfish ruling element adopt all manner of means to keep the people from learning the inside workings of the political gang. The people see themselves being completely deprived of their freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of action, and they are in distress and perplexity concerning what the future holds for them. They are in fear and perplexity of how they can protect themselves against the criminal element that is bearing down upon them, against the poverty that surrounds them, and against the calamities that threaten them. They have great difficulty in finding anyone whom they can trust. Each year their burdens of taxation are increased. They see little hope for their children, and their hearts fail them when they consider what the future may hold. There has never been a time in the history of man in which fear has so completely seized upon the people as now.
In view of these facts, none of which can be denied, sincere persons will here consider calmly the prophetic words of that great and wise man who, looking down upon the present time, said: “There shall be . . . upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; . . . men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” (Luke 21: 25,26) There can be no doubt that the physical facts now present are completely in harmony with and therefore in fulfillment of the foregoing and prophetic words. The sincere people of the world, who think soberly and without prejudice, those who desire righteousness and peace and who desire security for themselves and their loved ones in their home, property and life, are asking questions like the following, to wit:
Why is there so much unrighteousness and wickedness in the world today? Why have these perilous times come upon the world in this day, and particularly since the ending of the World War? Why have the woes and calamities increased since the year 1918? Why does there now exist such a great lack of confidence among the nations, among both the rulers and the peoples of the nations ? Why is it that almost everyone is looked upon as an enemy? Is there a reason for the existence of such a dreadful condition? Can there be found correct answers to these questions, answers upon which we can confidently rely? Is there anything upon which we may base a hope for better conditions of the future?
The same great man who gave utterance to the foregoing prophetic words, foretelling the time of peril coming upon the nations of the earth, also gave the true and correct answer to each and every one of the foregoing questions and all questions related thereto. That great man was and is Christ Jesus, the Son of the Almighty God. He is the One who spake as never man spake before or since. He it was who said concerning the Word of the Almighty God, which is recorded in the Bible: “Thy word is truth.” (John 17:17) The full, complete and satisfying answers to the foregoing and related questions are found in the Bible, and nowhere else. Before attempt is made to locate the answers, let each reader ask himself these questions and fully answer the same to the satisfaction of his own conscience: Do I believe that the Almighty God, the Creator of heaven and earth, really exists, and that he is the Giver of life to man and the rewarder of all them that diligently seek him? Do I believe that the Bible is the Word of the Almighty God, and therefore the truth? Do I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of Almighty God, and that he speaks the absolute truth and with authority, and upon his speech honest men may confidently rely?
All those who can answer these questions in the affirmative, who do believe on God and Christ Jesus, and that the Bible is the Word of truth, and who then, without prejudice, will carefully consider what is hereinafter written, will find complete and satisfactory answer to each of the foregoing questions concerning the time of peril, which now confronts the world, and will also see what the immediate future holds.
In the nations that claim to be “Christian nations”, and which collectively are called “Christendom”, the present-day distress and perplexity is the greatest, when viewing the whole world. The sincere people of these nations, who desire to understand the truth and to know what the future holds, will study and give heed to what is written in the Word of truth, upon which Word of truth is founded that which is herein stated. This does not at all mean that such sincere persons must join any organization under the sun. What the people need in this hour of distress is a knowledge of the truth, and then to be diligent to obey the truth. The meek of the earth are those who are willing to be taught, and such are the ones that seek to understand the truth.
Those who are anxious and sincerely desire to know the true answers to the foregoing questions will lay aside all prejudice against the Bible, and all preconceived conclusions as to what the Bible contains, and all prejudice created by religion or the religious practitioners, and will carefully and honestly consider the facts now well known to all in the light of what is recorded in the Bible, because now is the time when the Bible can be understood and harmonized. Never before in the history of man has there existed'such a great necessity of knowing and understanding God’s Word of truth as now. The indisputable facts are that the nations and the people are in great fear, which fear is induced by enemies, and therefore the people are in bondage. All such, then, should give careful heed to the words spoken by Jesus, to wit: “If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples [those who learn the truth] indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31,32) All honest and sincere persons desire to be free. The truth can be learned only by ascertaining the source of truth and then by following that true and safe guide. The opinion of imperfect man is of no value in learning the truth unless it is fully supported by what is known to be absolutely true as recorded in God’s Word. Tradition by men is merely the expression of opinion of man, which opinion was first expressed long ago, and has been handed down from one generation to another. The only perfect man ever on earth was Jesus, and he did not speak and teach his own opinion, but declared only the things that he had received from the Almighty God. The testimony of Jesus upon this point is this: “My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.” (John 7:16) “He that sent me is true; and I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him.” (John 8:26) “To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth.”—John 18: 37.
A man is put in fear of his enemies chiefly because of a lack of knowledge and therefore his inability to know the identity of his enemies. It is necessary for him to identify his enemies, to learn of their methods of operation and what course he may take to protect himself against such enemies. A man, therefore, must have a sure and correct guide in identifying his enemies and finding protection from them. Where will he find such a guide? The Almighty God gives this information, which he caused his prophet to write down, to wit: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Psalm 119:105) The meek man is the one who desires to learn (he truth and is willing to be taught, and for his benefit this great truth is recorded in the Bible. “The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.” (Psalm 25:9) The man who has great fear and therefore does not enjoy peace will find consolation in these words written in the Scriptures: “Great peace have they which love thy law; and nothing shall offend them.” •—■ Psalm 119:165.
Every man has enemies, and for centuries men have suffered greatly at the hands of enemies. Since the year 1914, and particularly since 1918, enemies have become more vicious. Those who have considered the matter know that such is the truth. The Scriptures give a satisfactory reason. It is of very vital importance to learn the source of such wickedness and the reason for the increased activity of enemies in the past few years. If you read carefully what follows herein you will gain that much desired and profitable knowledge.
CHAPTER II
ADVERSARY
“The way of the wicked seduceth them.” —Proverbs 12: 26.
ADVERSARY is one who opposes another without just cause or excuse, and is therefore an enemy. The existence of creatures implies that there is a Creator. The Creator is the immortal One, from everlasting to everlasting, and his name is God. (Psalm DO: 2; 1 Timothy 6:15,16) “God created the heaven and the earth.” (Genesis 1:1) God means the Almighty, lie reveals himself as, to wit: “Almighty God,” which means the One whose power is unlimited; “Lord,” meaning supreme Ruler; “Jehovah,” meaning his purpose toward his creatures; “Father,” meaning the Giver of life; and “Most High”, He who is over and above all.
For his pleasure God created all things. (Revelation 4: 11) The beginning of his creation was “the Logos”, his Beloved One, and thereafter God used the Logos as his active agent in the creation of all things that are created. (John 1:1-3; Proverbs 8: 22-24; Revelation 3:14; Co-lossians 1:15-17) God the Almighty is that great Spirit which no man has seen and no human eyes can ever see. (1 Timothy 6:16) He is the only Being, that is to say, the self-existing One, and is therefore properly spoken of as “The Spirit Being”.
God brought into existence many spirit creatures. A spirit creature is one that is invisible to human eyes. A spirit creature has a spirit body or organism: “There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.” (1 Corinthians 15:44) All of the host of heaven are spirit creatures and are invisible to human eyes. Such spirit creatures are designated under the names of “cherubim”, “seraphim,” and “angels”. Among the spirit or angelic creation was one whom God named Lucifer. The universal organization of Jehovah God from the beginning of creation consisted of his spirit creatures, and over which Jehovah God was and is Supreme Lord and Ruler.
In due time it pleased God to create the earth, and he created it for his creature man, who was thereafter created. “I have made the earth, and created man upon it: I, even my hands, have stretched out the heavens, and all their host have I commanded. For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens; God himself that formed the earth and made it; he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited; I am the Lord, and there is none else.”—Isaiah 45:12,18.
God created man in his own due time and called his name Adam, and placed him in Eden. “And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it and to keep it.” (Genesis 2:7,15) God created the woman and gave her to Adam for his wife. (Genesis 2:22-24) Adam and his wife Eve were made a part of God’s organization, and the man was given dominion over the creation of earth which was of the lower order than himself. Lucifer, the spirit creature, was the overseer of man and a certain portion of the spirit creation, and was made so by God’s appointment. He was an officer in the organization of Jehovah, which organization of Jehovah God is designated under the symbol of “mountain”. Concerning Lucifer it is written in the Bible: “Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; . . . Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so; thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire.”—Ezekiel 28:13,14.
Lucifer, when made the overlord of man, was anointed or commissioned, receiving authority from God over man, and it was his duty to see that man performed his obligation unto God according to His law. The universal organization of Jehovah God then consisted of the Logos, and all the angelic or spirit creatures, and man on the earth; and all of that organization was in harmony with and obedient to God the Creator. Everything in the universe was in complete harmony.
The Almighty God Jehovah is the Unselfish One, and therefore, as it is written, “God is love.” (1 John 4:16) That means that God does nothing selfishly, but always for the good of his creatures. God is righteous and holy. “For righteous is Jehovah, righteousness he loveth, the upright shall behold his face.” (Psalm 11:7, Rotherham') “O Jehovah! in the heavens is thy lovingkindness, thy faithfulness as far as the fleecy clouds: thy righteousness is like mighty mountains, and thy just decrees are a great resounding deep,—man and beast thou savest, 0 Jehovah! How precious thy lovingkindness, O God! therefore the sons of men under the shadow of thy wings seek refuge.” (Psalm 36: 5-7, Roth.) “Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgments.” (Psalm 119:137) “The Lord is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” (Psalm 145:17) “Thy righteousness is like the great mountains; thy judgments are a great deep; 0 Lord, thou preservest man and beast.” (Psalm 36: 6) “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.” (Psalm 119:142) “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.” (1 John 1: 5) God can not and will not look with approval upon anything that is unrighteous. Necessarily all parts of Jehovah’s organization were in harmony with him, and anything or any creature that got out of harmony with God would be expelled from his organization.
ORIGIN OF ENEMIES
Every unrighteous or wicked creature is God’s adversary or enemy. Lucifer saw that every creature in the universe gave honor and praise to the Almighty God. Lucifer coveted that honor and praise for himself. To covet means to desire and to seek that which one has no right to have. Lucifer is called the covetous one. (Jeremiah 51:13) Lucifer presumptuously regarded himself as equal to the Almighty God, and concerning that it is written: "0 Lucifer, son of the morning [that is, of the early beginning of earth’s creation, of which he had been appointed overlord]! how art thou cut down to the ground . . . ! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the Most High.” (Isaiah 14:12-14) Another translation of this text reads: “How hast thou fallen from heaven, 0 Shining One, Son of the Dawn! Hewn down to the earth, 0 crusher of nations! Yet thou didst say in thy heart, The heavens will I ascend, above the stars of God will I lift up my throne, that I may sit in the Mount of Assembly, in the Recesses of the North: I will mount on the hills of the clouds, I will match the Most High!”—Rotherham.
Lucifer had meditated in his heart, that is to say, his motive was, to gain for himself the honor and praise of creatures to which he was not entitled. To accomplish his covetous design Lucifer did this: He approached the woman Eve and spoke to her deceitfully, and is likened unto the serpent, a beast that was in Eden. Any transgression of God’s law is sin, and God had fixed death as the penalty for the commission of willful sin. Adam and Eve had been so instructed by the Lord, that sin would result in their death. (Genesis 2:17; Romans 6: 23) Lucifer must have known this law of God and the penalty for its violation. It was his duty to know, but apparently he did not believe it, and that belief was due to his own improper heart condition. He should have been governed by the Word of God, but, regarding himself as equal to the Most High and considering that he could with impunity induce man to violate God’s law, he proceeded to do so. To Eve he said, in substance: “Why do you not eat this fruit in the midst of the garden of Eden?’ and Eve replied that God permitted them to eat of the fruit of any of the trees except the one fruit mentioned, and that God had said to them: “Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die.”
Eve yielded to the seductive influence of the wily Devil and did eat and gave to Adam, and he did eat; therefore both were lawbreakers. (Genesis 3:1-6) The eating of the forbidden fruit may appear to some to have been a small thing to call forth the death penalty, but it should be remembered that the offense consisted in the violation of God’s law and in doing so after having been informed that the penalty for such violation is death. Adam was not deceived. (1 Timothy 2:14) For this violation of God’s law man was sentenced to death and expelled from Eden. (Genesis 3:19-24) Thus is stated in brief the beginning of the activity of God’s adversary or enemy.
Lucifer was sentenced to death, but for good reason Jehovah God gave him a suspended sentence, or, rather, delayed the execution of the death penalty, as will hereinafter be seen. Lucifer had now become the avowed enemy of God. Every creature from that day to the present time that has willingly taken the side of Lucifer and willfully engaged in the violation of God’s law is the enemy of God. At the time of entering his judgment against the enemy Jehovah changed the name of Lucifer and assigned to him four separate and distinct names, each of which signifies a particular element of his wickedness. Since that time Lucifer has been named by the names of Satan, which means adversary or opposer of God; Devil, which means slanderer of God, willfully bringing reproach upon God’s name; Serpent, which means deceiver; and Dragon, which means devour er; and therefore he is designated in the Scriptures as "the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan”. (Revelation 20:2) He is the adversary or willful opposer of God, and therefore God’s chief enemy and the enemy of man. While Satan is the arch enemy, there are many other enemies, as will be seen in the progress of this study.
Everything with God, and that proceeds from him, is light and truth. God is the giver of life everlasting. Everything with Satan, and that proceeds from him, is darkness, and the end thereof is death. In the final analysis it will be seen that each and every creature that gets life everlasting in happiness is and must be and remain on the side of the Almighty God, and that every creature that remains on the side of Satan shall be completely destroyed.
In the consideration of all matters hereinafter discussed keep in mind this great truth, to wit: That the purpose of Satan the Devil is to reproach and mock Jehovah God, and to turn all creation against God, and to ultimately plunge all the creation into destruction. Should he be able to do this, he would regard himself as Hie victor; and that is his ambition. Satan the Devil is the great wicked one, and all who are with him and who continue with him are wicked; and the decree of the Almighty Creator is that all the wicked shall be destroyed: “The Lord preserveth all them that love him: but all the wicked will he destroy.” (Psalm 145:20) This truth coming to the attention of each and every creature, a choice must be made between the Almighty God and Satan, and thus each creature has to do with his own destiny.
From the very beginning of his wicked course it appears that Satan’s purpose was and is to kill all who are on the side of God, the Almighty. Adam and his wife, by authority from Jehovah, began to have children, and their first son was named Cain; and then they had a son whom they named Abel. Cain yielded to the influence of the Devil and murdered his brother Abel. (Genesis 4:1-8) Satan the enemy of God told the first lie, which brought about the death of Adam and Eve; and from the very beginning he was a liar and a murderer, and it is so recorded of him in the Bible. (John 8:44) Every murder that has ever been committed has been and is due to the wicked influence and power exercised by Satan over other creatures, and every murderer is the agent or instrument of Satan the Devil; and it is written that no murderer shall ever gain eternal life. -1 John 3:15.
Lucifer, now known as Satan, is otherwise properly called the great rebel. God appointed him to the high office in His organization and gave him authority over certain angels as he has authority over man. It was the bounden duty of Satan to be entirely loyal and faithful to God and to exercise the authority of his office toward angels and men in harmony with God’s law. Addressing the Devil, Jehovah said: “Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so: thou wast upon the holy mountain [universal organization] of God.” (Ezekiel 28:14) Anointed means that he was appointed and duly commissioned by the Almighty God to fill that very important position in God’s organization. Cherub means one who is assigned to a position of trust to guard the interests committed to his care. (Genesis 3:24) Therefore that Lucifer was called the “cherub that covereth” means that he was over other creatures whose interests he must safeguard in harmony with God’s law. He willfully put himself in opposition to God’s law and thereafter became a rebel and the permanent adversary of God. One of his methods of deception is to induce certain creatures to conclude that the Devil does not exist. By this means he deceives them and blinds them to the truth, while others of his creatures work with him knowingly and willingly.
INSTRUMENTS EMPLOYED
Every creature and organization that Satan has employed and continues to employ to carry on his rebellious and wicked work is the enemy
of God and the enemy of all creatures who obey and serve God. The proof following set forth herein shows beyond all doubt that Satan the Devil is the chief enemy of man and that all creatures, instruments or organizations employed by him are man’s enemies. The purpose of this publication is to enable honest and sincere persons to see and appreciate who are their enemies, that such enemies may be avoided and that honest and sincere persons may find the only place of real security.
To carry forward his wicked work Satan employs and uses wicked angels, and wicked men, formed into organizations, that work unrighteousness. Satan is a spirit creature, therefore invisible to human eyes; and also angels are spirit creatures and invisible to human eyes. Wicked angels and wicked men, organized and unorganized, carry on wickedness under Satan’s command. The earthly or visible primary elements that are employed by Satan to carry forward his fraudulent, deceptive and wicked work, are these, to wit: religion and politics and commerce. Religious, political and commercial organizations for centuries have been employed by Satan the Devil to defame and reproach the name of Almighty God and his beloved Son, Christ Jesus, and to deceive the people and to rob them and to turn them into the way of unrighteousness and destruction. Keep in mind, as the evidence here considered unfolds, the elements named as enemies of God and man, and you being thus able to identify them, there will appear the way of safety and security.
ANGELS
“The world” is the organization of creatures under the control of an overlord. As that term world relates to man, “the world” is the organization of men into tribes or governments operating under the influence and controlling power of an invisible overlord. Satan the Devil is the “god”, mighty one or controlling power of the present-day wicked world, and his angels operate with him. (2 Corinthians 4:4) He having been appointed as overlord of man before his rebellion, God did not take away that overlordship when he sentenced Satan to death; and the reason therefore will appear as we progress.
At the time God pronounced judgment against Adam he used these words concerning the Devil: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15) These words have both a literal and a symbolic application. The word “woman”, as used in this text, symbolically refers to God’s organization; and the words ‘flier seed” symbolically refer to those creatures who devote themselves wholly to God and become a part of his holy, righteous organization. “The serpent,” meaning deceiver, and one of the names of Satan the Devil, is here used symbolically, and his “seed” means, in symbolic phrase, all the creatures that become a part of Satan’s organization. Every creature in the universe must become either a part of the organization of God or a part of the organization under the control of Satan. Satan and his seed are the enemies of God and the enemies of the seed of God’s organization. Between the two there is bitter enmity, and in due time one must triumph. Every sincere creature should desire to know in advance how this triumph will be brought about.
Lucifer, now called Satan, originally was a beautiful creature. He concluded that he was worthy of adoration of other creatures, and by reason thereof he departed from the course of wisdom, and by taking that unwise course he corrupted himself; and to him the Almighty God says: "Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness; I will cast thee to the ground, I will lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee.”—Ezekiel 28:17.
From that time until now a great number of wicked angels have operated with Satan, and they are all included in God’s judgment which is written against them. (Matthew 25:41) Satan’s chief deputy in his wicked organization is called “Gog”, and the place of habitation of the crowd of wicked angels is “the land of Magog”. (Ezekiel 38:2-6) All of such wicked angelic host are enemies of Almighty God, and the enemies of every creature that serves God. When on earth, Jesus testified before men and said that Satan is the prince of devils, the invisible ruler of this wicked world. (John 14: 30) Satan is also called "Beelzebub”, which means chief of devils or wicked spirit creatures, and it therefore follows that there are many other devils or wicked ones who slander the Almighty God, deceive mankind and attempt to destroy all who serve God. (Matthew 10:25; 12:24; Luke 11:15,18,19) All of those wicked ones are creatures of darkness, that is to say, wickedness, and they are the most effective enemies against those who serve the Almighty God, and that fight against God’s servants; as it is written, to wit: “For we wrestle not against flesh and hlood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” (Ephesians 6:12) The entire organization of Satan is arrayed against all righteousness, but in the end all are doomed to certain destruction. The reason why God has permitted their existence for so long a time will clearly appear to your satisfaction as this study progresses.
It is certain that in times past angels had the power to materialize, that is to say, to appear in human form or organism. That was true of the good angels, some of whom appeared to Abraham and others. (Genesis 18:1-15; 19: 1,15) Angels of the Lord appeared to other men who served Almighty God. (Judges 2:1; 6:1216; 13:1-20) Those good and faithful angels were sent by the Almighty God to communicate his message to men on the earth. The wicked angels that operated from the time of the rebellion of Satan also had power to materialize, and they did so. Those wicked angels operated contrary to God’s will, because they were against God and on the side of the Devil. They appeared in the earth as giants, and in the Scriptures they are called “nephilim”. Those angels are also called “fallen ones” or “fallen angels” because they had fallen entirely away from righteousness and operated entirely in wickedness or iniquity. (Psalm 36:12) For the same reason it is written concerning Satan: “How hast thou fallen!” (Isaiah 14:12, Roth.) For many long centuries that host of wicked angels have indulged in assaults upon others, and for that reason are called “fellers”, that is to say, ones who fall upon and ill-treat others. The word nephilim means “fellers”, that is, “those who fall upon others and cause them to fall.” (Strong's Concordance) To be sure, Gog is one of those fallen ones. That wicked host, under Satan’s supervision, are totally depraved and completely devoid of righteousness.
From the time of the expulsion of Adam from Eden and over a period of approximately 1500 years the human race multiplied and increased in the earth. All being the immediate descendants of Adam, who in the beginning was perfect, the females thereof would necessarily be very fair; and so it is written, that they were fair, that is, they were pleasing to look upon. “And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose.”—Genesis 6:1,2.
Who were those creatures mentioned in this text as “the sons of God”? Manifestly they were creatures of God, whom he created angels, and who had power to materialize and did materialize and appear in human form. All the faithful angels are called “sons of God”, because all such receive life through the Almighty God. (Job 38:7) Those sons of God who thus materialized were not a part of Satan’s crowd at that time, because they were not the ones who joined Satan in Iris rebellion.
Bear in mind that, Satan being the adversary of God, his objective at all times is to turn all creatures, both men and angels, against God and cause them to curse God and bring reproach upon his name. (Job 2:1-5) The wicked angels work with Satan and are also deceivers. Fraud and deceit, used to entrap Eve, have ever been used to entrap others; and so his crowd of wicked angels resorted to fraud and deceit to mislead the angels above designated “the sons of God”. The opportunity now appeared for Satan to entrap those sons of God who materialized and appeared as men. It is entirely probable that Satan began to work his fraud before those sons of God appeared in human form. As above stated, “the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair,” that is, pleasing to the vision, yet they were imperfect. As Satan had used Eve to entrap Adam, so Satan pursued a similar course to use other women to deceive and defraud the “sons of God” above mentioned. Those materialized “sons of God”, having themselves followed a righteous course up to that time, manifestly appeared as very handsome and attractive men and they would appear well in the eyes of these beautiful women. Satan, Gog and others of his wicked crowd, assuming a righteous attitude although extremely hypocritical, now represented and made the argument to the handsome men that they could do a great and good deed by marrying those beautiful human creatures and producing a race of handsome men and women that might grow to perfection. The nephilim or giants, working with Satan, would use a similar argument upon those “daughters” or beautiful women, and induce them to be willing to the union.
Another purpose of Satan and his allies in practicing that fraud would be to cause to be born and brought up a race of creatures that would appear superior to the natural descendants of Adam, and that of itself would be a further mockery and reproach upon Almighty God. That the nephilim or giants were present in the earth at the time is certain, when the marriages took place between the sons of God and those women: “There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men, which were of old, men of renown.”—Genesis 6:4.
Here the scripture discloses the clear picture, to wit: Beautiful women were on the earth, who were the direct descendants of Adam; Satan saw his opportunity to practice a further fraud and deceit, and to further reproach the name of Almighty God; he seduced the “sons of God”, that is, turned them away from the path of righteousness, and by fraud and deceit induced them to believe that they could do great good to the human race by marrying those beautiful women. Satan and his coconspirators, the neph-ilim or giants, probably found it an easy matter to induce those handsome men to marry the beautiful women, and the result of those marriages was, children were born, which became "mighty men”, "men of renown” for physical strength and appearance.
Up to that time, to wit, approximately 1500 years after the expulsion from Eden, there appear to have been only three men who had remained true and faithful to the Almighty God, and those men were, to wit, Abel, Enoch and Noah. (Hebrews 11:4-7) Adam, Cain, and others who were their descendants, were wicked men, and the result of the marriage of materialized spirit creatures with the women above mentioned was that all the offspring became wicked and reproached the name of God. It appeared, therefore, that Satan and his crowd were succeeding in turning men away from God. Only three men on the side of God and all others on the side of the Devil, it was a wicked and grossly rebellious generation and their every imagination was wickedness. Why should the Almighty God permit that wicked crowd to continue on earth? “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”—Genesis 6:5.
Jehovah God is that great Spirit, and the creatures on the earth are flesh and, as it is written, “all flesh is grass.” (Isaiah 31:3; 40: 6) Creatures are wholly dependent upon God for life, and only those who remain in harmony with God will ever have life everlasting. “The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth; but the word of our God shall stand for ever.”—Isaiah 40:7, 8.
The generation then upon the earth, aside from the three men above named, were fit only for destruction. Therefore God said of that wicked generation: “And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.”—Genesis 6: 3.
Why should God, the great Spirit, the holy, righteous One, continue to strive with man and permit him to reproach His holy name? He could instantly blot man out completely and start another race, but God declared his purpose to delay the execution of the wicked crowd that then inhabited the earth, for a period of 120 years. That wickedness on the earth grieved Jehovah God in his heart, and it is written: “And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.” (Genesis 6:6) The word “repented” there used does not mean that God had made a great mistake. The word repent means a change in the course of his dealing with his creatures. God therefore determined that he would ‘ease himself of his adversaries’ by destroying them. (Isaiah 1: 24) His announced purpose was, however, to delay the execution of that judgment for 120 years. “And the Lord said, I will destroy man, whom I have created, from the face of the earth; both man, and beast, and the creeping thing, and the fowls of the air; for it repenteth me that I have made them. But Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.” (Genesis 6: 7, 8) The word “created” employed in this text and the word “destroyed” are in complete contrast with each other and disclose the meaning of the words “it repenteth me”. God the Creator had extended his loving-kindness to his creatures and had been long-suffering with them, and now he would destroy them because of their wickedness.
In the foregoing text (Genesis 6:3) “an hundred and twenty years” are mentioned. But that period of time has no reference to the age limit of man thereafter. It appears from the record of God that the declaration concerning the 120 years was before the three sons of Noah, to wit, Shem, Ham and Japheth, were born, and that Noah lived on the earth for more than 400 years after that declaration was made. “And Noah lived after the flood three hundred and fifty years. And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.” (Genesis 9:28,29) What was the purpose in extending the time of destruction for 120 years longer instead of destroying the peoples of earth at that time? Within that 120 years Jehovah God caused to be delivered a witness to the peoples of earth, giving them full warning of his purpose to destroy the wicked. God never takes snap judgment of anyone, but gives full and fair notice of his purpose. His righteous servant Noah, by the course of action which he took and by his verbal preaching within the hearing of the people, gave warning to all of God’s purpose to destroy the living creatures of earth, all of which had turned to wickedness. (1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5) What Jehovah God here did foreshadowed another great event, which is now in course of fulfillment.
God informed Noah of his purpose to destroy the earth, and directed Noah to build an ark wherein Noah and his family and certain beasts should be taken, saved and carried over the flood. “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence. And God looked upon the earth, and, behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted his way upon the earth. And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me; for the earth is filled with violence through them: and, behold, I will destroy them with the earth. Make thee an ark of gopher wood: rooms shalt thou make in the ark, and shalt pitch it within and without with pitch.”—Genesis 6:11-14.
Within that period of 120 years Noah built the ark and, while so doing, continued to give warning to the people of the coming execution of the judgment of Jehovah God, but the people gave no heed to that warning. Under the supervision of the wicked one they continued to reproach God’s name. The act of Noah in building the ark was a testimony to the men on the earth and a complete testimony of Noah’s faith in God, and hence his course of action was a condemnation of all wickedness. “By faith Noah, being warned of God concerning things not seen as yet [such things as rain, waterspouts, great storms, floods; and which things came with the deluge], moved with godly fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.’-Hebrews 11:7, American Revised Version.
Of course, the action taken by Noah, as well as his words, would be a witness to men and to angels, and thus he preached to both, even as the true followers of Christ have since done. (1 Corinthians 4:9) In addition to giving full and fair warning to those flesh creatures then on earth the Almighty God was making a prophetic picture showing the destruction of the entire organization of Satan, that is, all His enemies, at the end of the world, and this is shown by the words of Jesus Christ, who said: “But as the days of No'e were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that No'e entered into the ark, and knew not, until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”—Matthew 24: 37-39.
As Noah gave warning at the command of God, so also the Lord God commands his faithful ones on the earth, at the second coming of Christ, to give full warning by preaching 'this gospel of his kingdom’ as a witness to the world, and to do this just preceding the time of the complete destruction of the world at Armageddon.—Matthew 24:14, 21.
WHO PERISHED?
The judgments of Jehovah God are always executed as written. Note that his judgment written concerning the wickedness in the days of Noah says this: “And God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, . . . And the Lord said, I will destroy man . . . The end of all flesh is come.” “Both man, and beast, . . . and, behold, I will destroy them.” (Genesis 6:5,7,13) All flesh creatures upon the earth, except Abel, Enoch and Noah, at the time this judgment was written, had brought reproach upon God’s name. The offspring of the daughters of men and the materialized sons of God were flesh, all of which were an abomination to God and grossly wicked. The men of that union between the daughters above mentioned and “the sons of God” were called “mighty men” (Hebrew: Gibbor, that is, “powerful”), “men of renown.” They were mighty or powerful before other human creatures, but not before Almighty God. Before him they were an abomination. The judgment of God was against them, and they were destroyed in the flood. There would be no reason why they should be kept alive; because it is written: “The wicked shall perish.” (Psalm 37:20) The mighty flood of waters came, and concerning the result thereof it is written: “And all flesh died that moved upon the earth, both of fowl, and of cattle, and of beast, and of every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth, and every man. And every living substance was destroyed which was upon the face of the ground, both man, and cattle, and the creeping things, and the fowl of the heaven; and they were destroyed from the earth: and Noah only remained alive, and they that were with him in the ark.”—Genesis 7: 21, 23.
What became of the “sons of God” that materialized as men and then married women? Those angels called “sons of God” were originally a part of God’s organization, and it was their duty to be faithful to God and serve him continuously. They yielded to the wiles or influence of the Devil and his associates in wickedness. They permitted themselves to be led into a course entirely out of harmony with the Almighty God. They were therefore no longer shielded nor had God’s protection, but became subject to what the Devil might do to them. This rule is clearly shown by the record appearing in God’s Word.-Hosea 11:8; Jeremiah 12:7; Isaiah 47:6.
What, then, did the Devil do with those sons of God, if anything? The Scriptures show that those spirit creatures were imprisoned. Where were they imprisoned, and who imprisoned them? Manifestly Satan and his bullies, the nephilim, imprisoned them, and their place of imprisonment is somewhere in Magog. Later Jesus preached to those imprisoned spirits concerning God’s purpose; as it is written: “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; which sometime [aforetime (Revised Version)] were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls, were saved by water.” —1 Peter 3:19,20.
Those creatures were not destroyed in the flood; for the reason that they were not included in the judgment concerning all flesh, and long after the flood Jesus preached to them. During the 120 years aforementioned Noah, the “preacher of righteousness”, had preached to them and they had not heeded his preaching, and for that reason they remained under the power and influence of the Devil and, when the flood broke upon the earth, they found no protection given to them by the Lord God, and the Devil imprisoned them in the expectation of keeping them always away from God. They had heard the preaching of Noah; and the fact that he preached to them and that Jesus later preached to them shows that there is a possibility of their receiving forgiveness and returning to God’s favor, and Satan would imprison them in order to prevent them from returning to God; and it appears that their imprisonment is in the land of Magog. (Ezekiel 38: 2; 39: 6) Satan and his bullies would hold those creatures in restraint so they could not again present themselves unto God. The record shows that thereafter Satan presented himself before the Lord God, but his angels did not appear. “Again there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord, and Satan came also among them to present himself before the Lord.”—Job 2:1.
Since one of the purposes of preaching the truth is to afford creatures an opportunity to repent and come into harmony with God, the fact that Jesus preached to those spirits in prison supports the conclusion that there may be an opportunity for them to be recovered and come back into harmony with God. Being held in prison by Satan would not necessarily mean that they are The seed of Satan’, but that those who repent and reform according to God’s law might be thus saved. That would mean that in due time they would have to take a positive and determined stand against Satan and Gog and all the wicked crowd and declare themselves wholly on God’s side. (For a fuller statement of this matter, and as to how Jesus preached to them, see the small book entitled Angels.)
WILLFULLY WICKED ANGELS
What became of the nephilim or giants, the willfully wicked angels that appeared on earth prior to the flood, and where are they now? The Scriptures, when carefully examined, give answer to this question. Those wicked angels joined Satan in his rebellion and materialized prior to the flood as giants in the earth. They were not included in the judgment of God concerning those who should be destroyed in the flood; for the reason, they had, together with Satan, been previously sentenced to death, and their execution deferred to a later date, as will be seen as progress is made in this study. The judgment of complete destruction was long ago entered against Satan and those other willfully wicked ones, and states that, when it is executed against Satan, “never shalt thou be any more.” (Ezekiel 28:19) Those angels are spirit creatures that willingly joined Satan in the rebellion, are likewise maliciously wicked, and are hold there for everlasting destruction, together with Satan. (Matthew 25:41) At that time all the wicked shall perish. (Psalm 37: 20) Concerning those wicked angels it is written: ‘Whose judgment of old [now from of old (AJR.7.)] does not linger, and their destruction does not slumber.” (2 Peter 2:3, Emphatic Diaglott) The apostle who wrote those words directs his speech to the time of the end of the world; and now that time has come, and for that reason the judgment of those willfully wicked angels does not linger, but will be executed at Armageddon, which is in the near future.
…