The Watchtower, October 1, 1936
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NEWARK CONVENTION
A convention of Jehovah’s witnesses will be held at Newark, N.J., beginning on Friday, October 16, and ending on Sunday, October 18. It is hoped that many of the remnant and Jonadabs from the eastern part of the United States will be able to attend tins convention. The Newark Armory is the place of all meetings, and is located at Jay Street and Sussex Avenue. It will accommodate upward of 10,000 people. A loud-speaker system will be installed, so that all can hear. The public address will be given by the president of the Society on Sunday, October 13, at 3 p.m., on the subject "Armageddon”.
ACCOMMODATIONS
It is well for you to arrange for your rooming accommodations in advance; therefore it is suggested that you write the Watch Tower Convention Headquarters, 51 Hadley Avenue, Clifton, N.J., Jetting them know what accommodations you require. The convention committee has covered a good portion of the city of Newark so as to locate rooms for those who wall attend the convention. The price for rooms per person ranges from 75c to $1.50. Several hotels have quoted rates of $1.00 per person to $2.00 per person. All accommodations should be obtained through the rooming committee whether you desire to stay at a hotel or at a private home.
A special Informant is being prepared, setting out all the details concerning the convention, which Informant you should bring with you to the convention. The map of the city, printed therein, will show the location of the pioneer camp, the venues parking lots, railroad stations, location of the Armory, at and other necessary information concerning detailed organization for field service.
Cafeteria service will be arranged in the Armory to provide substantial food for those in attendance.
Arrangements are being made for those who desire to symbolize then consecration by water immersion.
This is a service convention, and it is expected that all of the remnant and Jonadabs will participate in the field service. In order to make proper assignment of territory it is quite necessary for everyone to register quickly upon arrival. All car drivers should have filled in properly the registration slip similar to those that have been used at all divisional campaigns. The first thing to do on arrival at the convention is to turn in your registration slip at the service booth, located in the balcony of the Armory. It is here that you will receive your assignment of territory.
The convention being held in New Jersey should be a cause of real rejoicing, and everyone who has taken his stand on the Lord's side will look forward with great enthusiasm to enjoying the privileges of service extended to him at this type. The Watchtower has so foreibly pointed out that now is the time to "Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle. ”
Vol. LVII
October 1, 1936
No. 19
GATHERING THE MULTITUDE
PART 4
“This is the day which Jehovah hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”—Ps. 118: 24, A.R.V.
JEHOVAH GOD has made this day, and it is the day of fulfillment of his prophecies which he caused to be written in the long distant past for the comfort of his people. It is the day in which the name of Jehovah is to be vindicated, and therefore the day in which the enemy makes war on all those who declare themselves on the side of Jehovah and his King. Those who have their understanding enlightened by Jehovah, through Christ Jesus, see that this is the day which Jehovah has made for the vindication of his name and the deliverance of his people, and they rejoice. They see Christ Jesus at the temple and know that the faithful remnant are gathered unto the temple with him, and therefore they sing: ‘Blessed is he that cometh in the name of Jehovah.’ “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of Jehovah: we have blessed you out of the house of Jehovah. Jehovah is God, and he hath given us light: bind the sacrifice with cords, even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God, and I will give thanks unto thee: thou art my God, I will exalt thee.” (Ps. 118:26-28, A.R.V.) The faithful ones now see that Satan and his crowd are making war with them and, knowing their entire dependence upon the Lord, they pray: “Save now, we beseech thee, O Jehovah: O Jehovah, we beseech thee, send now prosperity.” (Ps. 118:25, A.R.V.) The faithful know that Jehovah will get the victory in completeness at Armageddon, and now they pray and hope for prosperity from the Lord in their work which must be performed just before the battle of the great day of God Almighty.
2 Concerning the first battle at Gibeon, when “the sun stood still, and the moon stayed”, it is written: “And there was no day like that before it, or after it, that the Lord hearkened unto the voice of a man: for the Lord fought for Israel.”—Josh. 10:14.
3 What came to pass on that day at Gibeon being a prophecy, there was no like day before it nor like day after it, but it foretold a greater day when the prophecy should be fulfilled; and now we have come to that day of fulfillment. No doubt Jehovah sent his angel to put into the mind of Joshua the bold thought that caused him to utter the prayer to God that the sun and the moon should stand still and continue to give light. Joshua was a mere man playing his part in the great prophetic drama wherein he pictured Christ Jesus, the beloved Son of God, who acts at Armageddon in behalf of man, both for the remnant and for the great multitude, and to the honor and praise of Jehovah God. (Isa. 63:4) At Gibeon the Israelites were fighting for the Gibeonites, who had bound themselves to the Lord’s representative, and so the Scriptures declare “the Lord fought for Israel”, and thus Jehovah furnished protection and salvation for the Gibeonites, and to Jehovah they owed their salvation. Likewise today God fights in behalf of his anointed people and will thus furnish protection and salvation to the great multitude, and that great multitude now delights to acknowledge and hail Jehovah and Christ Jesus as Protector and Savior.— Rev. 7:10.
4 Joshua returned to his camp: “And Joshua returned, and all Israel with him, unto the camp to Gilgal.” (Josh. 10:15) That return, however, must have been after, and not. before, the further activities of Joshua of that same day: “But these five kings fled, and hid themselves in a cave at Makkedah.” (Josh. 10:16) Joshua did not cease his work until it was finished. The name of Jehovah was exalted that day in the mind of every one who believed on Jehovah, but, to be sure, that would not include the enemies of God. By his prophet Jehovah manifestly refers to the time of Armageddon, in this writing, to wit: “And the loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be made low: and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. And the idols he shall utterly abolish. And they [the survivors] shall go into the holes of the rocks, and into the caves of the earth, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.”—Isa. 2:17-19.
5 With the destruction of the religionists and their hypocritical organization, the old “whore”, those of Satan’s organization who survive for a time will not turn to Jehovah but, like the five Amorite kings, will hide themselves in their own organizations; which was foreshadowed by the five kings’ hiding themselves in a cave. It was the same day that the Amorite kings hid themselves in the cave that Joshua captured the town of Makkedah. “And it was told Joshua, saying, The five kings are found hid in a cave at Makkedah.” (Josh. 10:17) Those kings would not be permitted to escape from Joshua; and likewise none of God’s enemies shall escape the Greater Joshua at Armageddon. “Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.’’ (Ps. 21: 8) This information concerning the five kings that had hid themselves was brought to Joshua while the fight was still on, but he would first destroy the fleeing army before attending to those men who had hid themselves. Therefore he gave instruction at the time concerning those kings. “And Joshua said, Poll great stones upon the mouth of the cave, and set men by it for to keep them: and stay ye not, but pursue after your enemies, and smite the hindmost of them; suffer them not to enter into their cities: for the Lord your God hath delivered them into your hand.”—Josh. 10:18,19.
6 Joshua then pursued the fleeing army, and the Lord delivered them into his hand. The Gibeonites had received their information and had taken their stand firmly on the side of Joshua before the battle began; and this corresponds with the prophecy concerning the people of good will who, before Armageddon begins, have received the mark in the forehead, who take their stand on the side of Jehovah, and obey his commandments, and who are spared during the slaughter work that follows because they are on the side of the Greater Joshua. The allied Amorites, the enemy, foreshadowed those as prophesied by the prophet Ezekiel, whom the Lord declared and commanded his six men with slaughter weapons to slay utterly. (Ezekiel 9:5-7) So likewise it appears that the Lord reserves the “kings” (that is, the visible rulers composing the “beast” and the “false prophet”, and Gog and Satan), both visible and invisible, of Satan’s organization for destruction in the final part of the battle. All such of the enemy were foreshadowed by the five kings who hid themselves in the cave. It appears that the Lord holds back the “beast”, the “false prophet”, and the invisible hosts of the Devil to the last for destruction that these might know that it is the hand of Jehovah that does the destroying work, and that the enemy must drink the cup of bitterness to the brimful in seeing all the host of the wicked wiped out. That proves to all that Jehovah is the Almighty God, the “Mighty in battle”, and that Satan is a cheap mimic or imitator and braggart, a fraud and a liar.
7 Joshua pursued the enemy, picturing Christ Jesus pursuing the enemy at Armageddon; and those who were with Joshua in the fight at this point manifestly pictured the invisible host of heaven that fight on the side of the Lord and against the enemy at Armageddon. “And it came to pass, when Joshua and the children of Israel had made an end of slaying them with a very great slaughter, till they were consumed, that the rest which remained of them entered into fenced cities.” (Josh. 10:20) Those who entered fenced cities did not escape, because Joshua smote all of them, as is shown by the record.—Josh. 10: 29, 30, 40, 41.
8 Having cleaned out the fleeing enemy, Joshua proceeded to give attention to those “brave ones” who had hid themselves in the cave: “And all the people returned to the camp to Joshua at Makkedah in peace: none moved his tongue against any of the children of Israel.” (Josh. 10: 21) When Joshua and his army appeared at the town of Makkedah the people there had nothing to say. They saw that there was a higher power on the side of Joshua. Their taunts, sneers and shouts of defiance against Jehovah and his people were now stilled. This foreshadows what God caused to be written concerning his people, when he vindicates his own great name and those upon whom he has put his name: “He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.”—Isa. 25 : 8.
9 The angel of Jehovah was directing Joshua, who then gave command concerning the five kings. The time to picture the finishing touches of the vindication of Jehovah’s name had now come. In other parts of the Scriptures the Lord tells of the completeness of the work that shall be performed by the Lord Jesus, the Greater Joshua, in the destruction of the enemy : “And I will send a fire on Magog, and among them that dwell carelessly in the isles; and they shall know that I am the Lord. So will I make my holy name known in the midst of my people Israel; and I will not let them pollute my holy name any more; and the heathen shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.”—Ezek. 39: 6,7.
10 The Lord shows in the prophecy of The Revelation that the religionists are first destroyed and then follows the destruction of all other parts of Satan’s organization. There it is shown that the angel of the Lord summons all that are on the side of Jehovah to come and see the complete vindication of his holy name. Then the “beast” and the “false prophet ” are taken alive and destroyed, and then the Devil himself gets his deserts. (See Revelation 19:20,21; 20:1-3.) These texts in Revelation show clearly that Satan first must witness the destruction of his fraudulent, religious systems that for so long deceived the peoples of earth. Then he must witness the destruction of the beastly governments that he has used to oppress the people. Then he must see his army under Gog destroyed; and certainly that will fully convince him that Jehovah is supreme. His own destruction follows.
11 In obedience to the command of Joshua the five kings were brought out of the cave and caused to stand before Joshua: “And they did so, and brought forth those five kings unto him out of the cave, the king of Jerusalem, the king of Hebron, the king of Jarmuth, the king of Lachish, and the king of Eglon.” (Josh. 10: 23) In this part of the drama is pictured the Lord Jesus, the Greater Joshua, as Jehovah's Executioner, causing to be brought before him every part of Satan’s organization that he takes captive and then executing them: “Thou didst ascend on high, lead away captives, receive gifts among men, yea, even the rebellious, to dwell among them, O Lord God.”—Ps. 68: 19, Leeser.
12 The proud and haughty must now be brought low. Those five kings were boastful, arrogant and wicked rulers, foreshadowing the boastful and wicked rulers of the present day. As the Devil’s henchmen and supporters they must now be humiliated: “And it came to pass, when they brought out those kings unto Joshua, that Joshua called for all the men of Israel, and said unto the captains of the men of war which went with him, Come near, put your feet upon the necks of these kings. And they came near, and put their feet upon the necks of them.” (Josh. 10:24) Thus the Lord foretells that at Armageddon the cruel and wicked rulers of the world, who have so grossly insulted Jehovah God and brought reproach upon his name, must be lined up to receive their dues, and Satan must look upon their humiliation and his own humiliation at the hand of Christ Jesus, the mighty avenger of Jehovah’s name. To this the apostle referred when he wrote: “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.” (Rom. 16:20) The humiliation of the enemy is well pictured by Joshua's men treading upon the necks of those arrogant kings who had been so defiant and boastful. This is further corroborated by the words of Jehovah’s prophet, as it is written: “For he bringeth down them that dwell on high; the lofty city, he layeth it low; he layeth it low, even to the ground; he bringeth it even to the dust. The foot shall tread it down, even the feet of the poor, and the steps of the needy.” (Isa. 26:5,6) “And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.” (Mal. 4:3) “Then she [Satan’s organization, called Babylon] that is mine enemy shall see it, and shame shall cover her which said unto me, Where is the Lord thy God? mine eyes shall behold her: now shall she be trodden down as the mire of the streets.”—Mie. 7:10.
13 The five kings were brought out of their hiding place, and Joshua commanded his men to put their feet on the necks of those proud and haughty ones, and to do so required faith and courage on the part of Joshua’s men. And then Joshua spoke to them giving them courage, but his words of encouragement were more particularly for the benefit of the remnant now on earth: “And Joshua said unto them, Fear not, nor be dismayed, be strong and of good courage: for thus shall the Lord do to all your enemies against whom ye fight.”—Josh. 10:25.
14 The present-day rulers are haughty and proud and treat Jehovah’s remnant with insolence and contempt; but the time is not far distant when Jehovah through Christ Jesus will greatly humiliate those proud ones. For Jehovah’s witnesses to now continue to push forward their work in the face of such opposition requires faith and courage, and that courage and faith must be strong in them to the very end. The opposition against Jehovah’s witnesses will continue unto the end, and of this Jesus declares: “But he that shall endure unto the, end, the same shall be saved.” (Matt. 24:13) The faithful will see God’s enemies completely humiliated, as Joshua's men saw these kings humiliated and executed: “And afterward Joshua smote them, and slew them, and hanged them on fix c trees: and they were hanging upon the trees until the evening.”—Josh. 10:26.
15 The hanging of the bodies of the five kings on five trees symbolically said, “These men are accursed of God,” and represented the accursed enemies of Jehovah that shall be humiliated and then destroyed. Hanging them on a tree was a further humiliation to Satan, whose servants they were, and foreshadows the humiliation that must come to Satan when he sees his representatives destroyed at Armageddon. “And if a man have committed a sin worthy of death, and he be to be put to death, and thou hang him on a tree; his body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but thou shalt in any wise bury him that day; (for he that is hanged is accursed of God;) that thy land be not defiled, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance. ’’—Deut. 21: 22, 23.
16 These things were brought to pass and recorded to strengthen the faith and courage of Jehovah’s faithful ones now on earth proclaiming the message of his name and his kingdom. As Joshua slew these enemies, even so the Greater Joshua, Christ Jesus, will slay all of God’s enemies at Armageddon.—John 5:27.
17 In keeping with God’s commandment that the land be not defiled, in the evening after the complete victory was given Joshua, the bodies of those five men were cut down and removed from the trees: “And it came to pass at the time of the going down of the sun, that Joshua commanded, and they took them down off the trees, and cast them into the cave wherein they had been hid, and laid gnat stones in the cave’s month which remain until this very day.”—Josh. 10:27.
18 Their bodies were not buried with pompous and military honors, but in disgrace they were cast into the cave where they had hid themselves, and rocks piled in the entrance thereat. Such is the judgment written against Satan and all of his organization. “But thou art cast out of thy grave like an abominable branch, and as the raiment of those that are slain, thrust through with a sword, that go down to the stones of the pit: as a carcase trodden under feet. Thou shalt not he joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, and slain thy people: the seed of evil doers shall never be renowned.” (Isa. 14:19, 20) The enemies of God will not have a decent burial; and this is further shown by the end of the unfaithful king Jehoiakim of unfaithful Jerusalem: “Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning Jehoiakim, . . . He shall be buried with the burial of an ass, drawn and cast forth beyond the gates of Jerusalem.” —Jer. 22:18,19.
19 Darkness had not yet come when the battle was over and the kings were hanged. The town of Makkedah must be taken and destroyed that same day in which the sun and the moon stood still; and this was done. “And that day Joshua took Makkedah, and smote it with the edge of the sword, and the king thereof he utterly destroyed, them, and all the souls that were therein; he let none remain: and he did to the king of Makkedah as he did unto the king of Jericho.”—Josh. 10:28.
20 That was a day of great slaughter, and it was to the vindication of Jehovah’s name. That day foretold “the day of Jehovah”, in that part of which day Jehovah, through Christ Jesus, will smite all his enemies to the vindication of His name. Joshua then proceeded to clear all the enemies out of Canaan and rid the land of them. (Verses 28-40) “And Joshua smote them from Kadesh-barnea even unto Gaza, and all the country of Goshen even unto Gibeon.” (Vs. 41) Gibeon is especially mentioned in the Scriptural account because it was on the account of the Gibeonites, that had declared themselves for Jehovah and Joshua, that the enemy had been led to begin the fight against them. In this day of Jehovah when he will vindicate his name Satan gathers all the nations to Armageddon, because it is there that Jehovah’s people are assembled and that is the principal point of the battle, and hence it is at Armageddon that Jehovah by the hand of Christ Jesus will tight the final battle, that is, the battle of the great day of God Almighty. A would-be teacher of God’s people has insisted that Armageddon is one battle, and is a separate and distinct and different one from the battle of the great day of God Almighty, thus trying to furnish an excuse for saying that between the “two phases of Armageddon” there will be a great work done. Armageddon means 'the place of gathering of troops’, that is to say, of Jehovah’s troops. These are already assembled unto the Lord, and Satan brings up his forces for battle; and therefore, Armageddon being a place where the battle of the great day of God Almighty is fought, it is for that reason properly called the battle of Armageddon. It means the place or condition where assault is made by the forces of Satan against God’s people; and when Jehovah God takes a hand and fights the enemy to a final finish, that is the battle of the great day of God Almighty in behalf of his assembled people and for the vindication of his own great name.
21 As further evidence that the battle of Gibeon is a picture of Armageddon, or the battle of the great day of God Almighty, it is written: “And all these kings and their land did Joshua take at one time, because the Lord God of Israel fought for Israel.” (Josh. 10: 42) The statement there made concerning the battle and the forces of the enemy which ‘Joshua did take at one time’ is further proof that Armageddon is one battle and is fought at one time by Christ Jesus and that it is not divided, leaving a large space of time between “the two phases so that a witness work may be done between those periods”. Men who jump at conclusions to make statements because such statements suit their fancy show that they do not study the Word of God. Those who possess the wisdom that cometh from above will not be influenced by haphazard guesses. God’s elect cannot be deceived.
22 Thus ends the prophetic picture made by the first battle at Gibeon and which the Lord used to foreshadow the battle of Armageddon. The picture shows complete victory was given to Joshua and complete humiliation came to all the enemy; and that foreshadows that Christ Jesus will gain the complete victory at Armageddon and will humiliate and annihilate Satan’s organization. The Gibeonites were fully delivered from all their enemies round about them, who would make them objects of assault and vengeance because they had forsaken the organization of Satan that fought against Jehovah’s representative, Joshua. So likewise are the Jonadabs, who form the great multitude, and who will be saved and delivered from their enemies at Armageddon upon condition that they render full obedience to the Lord's commandments concerning them. Like the Gibeonites, the Jonadabs or great multitude are the only ones that come out from Satan's organization and take their stand with the Lord after the coming of Christ Jesus to the. temple for judgment. These come fully on the side of Jehovah and Christ and associate themselves with Jehovah's faithful remnant and covenant to serve Jehovah, and do “serve him day and night in his temple”.—Rev. 7:15.
EVIL SERVANT
23 Saul was a servant of Jehovah and became wicked. Saul and his house seem clearly to picture the “evil servant” class once in the service of Jehovah and who become wicked. (Matt. 24:48-51) There was a fight at Gibeon between the soldiers of Saul’s son, Ishbosheth, and the soldiers of King David, when David was king over Judah at Hebron. Saul’s son provoked the fight and was thoroughly thrashed and defeated. (See 2 Samuel 2:12-32.) If this was a picture, it may well represent the efforts of the “evil servant” class to prevent the anointed, under the Greater David, from bearing the fruits of the kingdom before these who are of good will toward God. The Scriptures show that the “evil servant” class does put forth an effort to hinder the faithful remnant from carrying the message of truth to those of good will who shall form the great multitude.
DAVID’S FIGHT
24 Afterwards David was anointed king over all Israel. (2 Sam. 5:3) David was a type of Christ Jesus. David established his kingdom at Jerusalem, and this prophetically pictures the enthronement of Christ Jesus in 1914, and later his coming to the temple as Head and Ruler over Jehovah’s capital organization, which coming to the temple occurred in 1918. Later the temple was cleansed and all the faithful were brought into unity, and from that time onward Jehovah’s witnesses have been busy proclaiming the message of the kingdom and, in obedience to the commandment of Jehovah, in declaring the day of the vengeance of our God against the wicked and his organization. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and allied clergymen are the chief ones among the wicked and were foreshadowed by the ancient Philistines. When David was enthroned over all Israel the Philistines determined to destroy him and his people; and so now the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and allied clergymen are bent upon the destruction of the Lord’s anointed that they might prevent the kingdom of God from being established and prevent the remnant from becoming a part of that kingdom or “nation”.—Ps. 83: 2-5.
25 The Philistines were out to crush David, as the record shows: “The Philistines also came, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim.” (2 Sam. 5:18) David joined battle with the Philistines and put them to rout, Jehovah having said to David: “Go up; for I will doubtless deliver the Philistines into thine hand. ” The fight took place and David, being successful by the Lord’s grace, called that place “Baal-perazirn”, which means “a breach or breaking forth upon Baal”, which means devil religion. “And David came to Baal-perazim, and David smote them there, and said, The Lord hath broken forth upon mine enemies before me, as the breach of waters. Therefore he called the name of that place Baal-perazim.”—2 Sam. 5:20.
26 It is the arrogant Catholic Hierarchy that are now taking the lead in the practice of devil religion and using it as a shield to carry on their wicked actions. Even now the federation of churches known as the “Federal Council of the Churches of Christ” has made a common cause with the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. There is now a completed conspiracy between all these religionists to make war against Jehovah's witnesses and, if possible, to accomplish their destruction. Jehovah, by the Greater David, Christ Jesus, will smite the devil-religionists.
27 Now note that at Perazim David said: “Jehovah hath broken mine enemies before me, like the breach of waters.” (A.R.V.) In this connection appears the language of Isaiah’s prophecy, which reads: “Hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place.” (Isa. 28:17) The fight at Perazim therefore seems more particularly to represent the fight that is made now against the enemies by the forces of Jehovah under the immediate command of Christ Jesus, the Greater David, and in which Jehovah’s witnesses engage at the command of Jehovah by vigorously proclaiming the message of truth against the enemy. In this connection also may well be considered the words of Jehovah’s prophet, to wit, wherein Jehovah says: “Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.” (Obadiah 1) The invisible host of Christ Jesus, together with the visible witnesses of the Lord now on the earth, are here commanded to rise and go into battle against the enemy, which enemy hides behind a great breastwork of lies. That prophecy is now in course of fulfillment, and that fight is now on, and it is led by Christ Jesus, and therefore it is Jehovah God that has arisen. In this connection the prophet Isaiah says: “For Jehovah will rise up as in mount Perazim.” (Isa. 28:21, A.R.V.) Jehovah God has now risen up by his representative, Christ Jesus. And for what purpose? To do a specific work, as it is written: “That he may do his work, his strange work.” His “strange work” is now in progress. Surely the fight now being made against the entrenched enemy, the modern-day Philistines, by the proclamation of the truth, is like “a flood of . . . waters” and is God’s work, and it seems very strange work to many persons, particularly those who have not an understanding of the prophecies of God. That work of Jehovah, as he states, will completely expose to view the great lies of modern Philistines and will enable those who have an honest heart to break away from the powerful influence of the devil-religionists and take their stand on the side of Jehovah and his organization. That fight described, and which was foreshadowed by the battle at Mount Perazim, is not Armageddon, but it is a work of Jehovah God done by his forces at his command, led by his great servant, Christ Jesus, and which will expose and disgrace the enemy, and prove that the religionists are fraudulent and do not represent God and his kingdom, but represent the Devil and constitute a part of his organization.
DAVID AT GIBEON
28 There was a second attempt on the part of the Philistines to destroy David and his army, and for that purpose the Philistines pitched again on the plains of Rephaim. (2 Sam. 5:22) Referring now to the prophecy of Isaiah, mark well these words spoken by Isaiah, to wit: “For Jehovah . . . will be wroth [meaning anger violently, expressed] as in the valley of Gibeon; that he may . . . bring to pass his act, his strange act.” (Isa. 28:21, A.R.V.) It was in the valley of Gibeon that “Jehovah east down great stones from heaven” upon the enemy. (Josh. 10:11, A.R.V.) The casting down of these great stones was an act of God, and not of man, and it was a violent expression of Jehovah’s righteous indignation and anger against the enemy. The prophecy of Isaiah says nothing about Jehovah's being wroth at Mount Perazim, but does expressly mention Jehovah’s wrath (or anger violently expressed) at Gibeon. It seems reasonable, therefore, to conclude that David’s fight against the Philistines at Mount Perazim pictured particularly the war that is now on between the ‘seed of the Serpent’ and the 'seed of promise’ mentioned in Revelation 12:7, and Obadiah 1; and that the two battles at Gibeon, the one fought by Joshua and the one fought by David, both pictured the violent expression of Jehovah’s anger against the enemy at the battle of the great day of God Almighty, or Armageddon, and which will be the "act” of Jehovah God, and "his strange act”, to all except those who are on the side of Jehovah and under Christ Jesus. The prophecies of the Lord, as expressed by Joshua, Isaiah, Obadiah and Habakkuk, must all be considered together, because all are the words of Jehovah and describe the same thing and are exactly in harmony.
29 Jehovah has not written his Word as men write. It has pleased him to write some in one place and some in another, to the end that only those who devote themselves to Jehovah wholly and completely can understand the same. It is only those who are made righteous by full faith and obedience unto God and Christ Jesus and who humbly continue in the right way that will now understand: "Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good.” (Prov. 14:22) "Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.” (Ps. 97:11) This latter text does not say that truth is sown for the righteous, but that light is sown for the righteous. God’s Word is truth, and it is published freely that all may get ahold of it who seek it. Jehovah God causes the glory of his light to shine upon his Word, and that light is for the righteous. The righteous ones are the ones who understand, and these are in the temple and are righteous by virtue of being under the "robe of righteousness”. "None of the wicked shall understand; but the wise shall understand.”—Dan. 12:10.
30 In drawing the line of demarkation between the proud, hypocritical, drunken religionists and his faithful people in connection with the warfare between the two, Jehovah says: "Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.”—Isa. 28: 9,10.
31 It appears that confusion has arisen in the minds of some readers of The Watchtower concerning the gathering of the great multitude, and such confusion is increased by some would-be teachers who are ambitious and covetous. Those who follow the expressions of such persons are bound to have confusion in mind. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy is an inanimate thing, like a corporation, and can be destroyed without destroying the individuals who operate that body or corporate thing. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and allied clergy hide behind a great mass of lies and thereby deceive the people. The Scriptures seem clearly to teach that Jehovah does a work which exposes the hypocritical religionists and their systems to view and brings the same into disgrace and destroys the power and influence thereof with the people. Thus Jehovah does by causing a great flood of truth like a mighty flood of waters to overflow and sweep away the lies. This is done in connection with the hard, cold truths, pictured by hail, which he causes his witnesses to proclaim before the people. Destruction of the religious systems necessarily appears to be a very "strange work” in the eyes of those who have no knowledge or understanding of God’s purpose. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy has for centuries led the people to believe that it is God’s special organization, and to expose and disgrace that organization would seem very strange to many. It is while this flood of truth is sweeping through the land, exposing the refuge of lies, that the honest-hearted people, those of good will toward God, hear and believe God’s Word and come out and take their stand on the side of the Lord, and form the great multitude. All the Scriptures show that the gathering of the great multitude must be completed before the battle of the great day of God Almighty is fought. There is no scripture indicating that the great multitude will be gathered to the Lord after the battle of Armageddon begins. After the religious systems are brought into the full light, and exposed and the clergy that have operated those systems are displaced, those clergymen, as it appears from the Scriptures, try to repudiate their titles as clergymen and claim to be common laborers. "And it shall come to pass in that day, that the prophets shall be ashamed every one of his vision, when he hath prophesied; neither shall they wear a rough garment to deceive; but he shall say, I am no prophet, I am an husbandman; for man taught me to keep cattle from my youth. And one shall say unto him, What are these wounds in thine hands? Then he shall answer, Those with which I was wounded in the house of my friends.” (Zech. 13:4-6) This scripture is considered in the book Preparation, page 246 and pages following. It appears that those who are trying to cause confusion and those who are permitting themselves to be confused have not read and studied the Watch Tower publications as the Lord has been pleased to bring them forth. Not understanding the truth, they set forth their own views in opposition to what the Lord has given his people.
32 The following scriptures show beyond a doubt that the great multitude must receive the witness of the kingdom truth, accept the same, take their stand on the side of Jehovah and his organization, and then be diligent to seek righteousness and meekness before the battle of the great day of God Almighty is fought; and which scriptures are, to wit:
At Zephaniah 2:1-3 it is stated: “Before [not after or in the middle of the trouble] the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, . . . seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” It was at the battle of Gibeon that Jehovah expressed his anger against the enemy, and which he says, through his prophet Isaiah, he shall do again when he performs his “strange act”.
Ezekiel 9:4-11 proves beyond all doubt that the faithful witnesses of Jehovah must go through the land and give the people a witness to the truth and finish that “work” before the slaughter work begins by the Executioner of Jehovah. There is no intimation here that any witness work is to be given after the slaughter work begins, which witness work will bring forth the great multitude.
Second Kings 10:15-25 plainly states that Jonadab met and joined Jehu, was taken into Jehu’s chariot, and rode with him in the chariot (his organization) before the slaughter took place.
Revelation 7:9-15 shows the great multitude gathered unto the Lord and serving him; and there it is stated that “these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb”. The great tribulation reaches its climax at Armageddon and without doubt is the expression of Jehovah’s anger against Satan’s organization. Those of the great multitude escape that great tribulation and are brought through it and preserved by the Lord upon the expressed condition that they seek righteousness and meekness before Armageddon. Had they not already washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb they could not be preserved during the great tribulation.
Matthew 25:31-46 shows Christ Jesus at the temple for judgment and before him are gathered all the nations. Christ Jesus proceeds to separate the nations; and when the time comes to make known the wicked goat class, as distinguished from the sheep class, how does the Lord identify them and make them known? Have in mind that Christ Jesus said that aside from the “little flock” of his sheep he had “other sheep” which he would gather, and that they should become a part of his organization. (John 10:16) Those “other sheep” are the ones composing the great multitude. During the time of the separation the faithful remnant, in obedience to the commandments of the Lord, go forth and ‘preach this gospel of the kingdom as a witness to all the nations’, and while that preaching is going on those who compose the great multitude, that is, the “other sheep”, show kindness toward the faithful witnesses of the Lord, and because of their kindness and co-operation, and because they take their stand on the side of the Lord and favor his witnesses, Christ Jesus the great Judge puts them on his right hand side, and then says to them: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” To those wicked religionists and their allies who persecute Jehovah’s witnesses because they are preaching this gospel, Jesus Christ the great Judge says to them: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels . . . And these shall go away into everlasting [cutting-off (Diaglott)].” That destruction of the cursed is at Armageddon ; and how could it be possible to put to the test others of good will or give them a chance to show themselves devoted to the Lord’s people after the wicked are destroyed and the testing time is past?
33 The Lord Jesus is at the temple conducting judgment, and has been there since 1918, and is now separating the nations. It is during this time that Jesus says to the faithful ones of the temple class: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”—Matt. 21:14,21.
34 The preaching of this gospel is for the very purpose of informing the people of good will, who are separate from the Devil’s organization and form the great multitude, and there is nothing said by the Lord about preaching this gospel of the kingdom after the great tribulation, but clearly the inference is that such preaching is not then necessary.
35 The two battles at Gibeon clearly foreshadowed Armageddon, and the Scriptures show such. At the first battle Joshua pictured the Lord Jesus, and, when Jehovah threw down great stones of ice from heaven that destroyed most of the enemy, that clearly pictured the invisible hosts of heaven engaged in the tight against the forces of the Devil commanded by Gog and including the earthly division of the Devil’s army. At the later battle of Gibeon, fought by David, he there pictured Jehovah’s beloved Son, Christ Jesus. David was instructed by the Lord at that battle that he should not begin the attack in the usual way, but that he should make a flank movement on the enemy, and then wait until he heard the signal from the Lord, that is, “the sound of a going in the lops of the mulberry trees”; “for then is Jehovah gone out belote thee to smite the host of Philistines.” (2 Sam. 5:24, A.R.V.; see also 1 Chronicles 14:13-17) That is conclusive proof that the invisible host of heaven led the fight against the enemy, in which David was the visible leader and in which the enemy was completely defeated. So likewise the picture given in Revelation concerning Armageddon, that the Lord Jesus leads the fight, and his armies in heaven follow after him. —Rev. 19:11-16.
36 Jehovah fought the battles at Gibeon in behalf of his covenant people, and also for the Gibeonites, who had put themselves under Joshua. Likewise Jehovah by his great Marshal, Christ Jesus, fights the battle at Armageddon for his covenant people, and the antitypical Gibeonites, the great multitude, who, of course, must be on the side of Jehovah before the fight takes place. The Gibeonites were completely delivered from Satan’s forces round about them, which enemy had attempted the destruction of Gibeon because they had forsaken the Devil’s crowd and put themselves on the side of the Lord and become his servants. So, too, the enemy attempts to destroy all those of the great multitude who are set free from Satan’s organization, because they have devoted themselves to God’s organization under Christ Jesus. These are preserved and taken through Armageddon. Like the Gibeonites, the great multitude are the only ones that today forsake Satan’s organization and come over on the side of Jehovah and Christ Jesus and covenant to be the servants of God and his kingdom.
37 Gibeon not only was brought into prominence by Jehovah's battle that set them free, but thereafter they occupied a prominent part in the history of Jehovah’s typical organization. Gibeon was allotted to the tribe of Benjamin and was even made a priest’s city. “Now the cities of the tribe of the children of Benjamin according to their families were . . . twelve cities with their villages: Gibeon.” and other villages named. (Josh 18: 24-28) “Thus they gave to the children of Aaron the priest, Hebron with her suburbs [but of the tribe of Judah], . . . and out of the tribe of Benjamin, Gibeon with her suburbs, . . .” (Josh. 21: 13-19) The Scriptures make mention of “the pool of Gibeon” (2 Sam. 2: 13] ; and of “the great water that are in Gibeon” (Jer. 41:12); and also of the “great stone which is in Gibeon”. (2 Sam. 20:8) Those landmarks mentioned tit well with the typical meaning of the name. Gibeon was a high place; likewise the great multitude is given a prominent mention in the Scriptures, in the prophecy both of the ancient prophets and of The Revelation.
38 Moses built the tabernacle in the wilderness; but in King David’s reign the tabernacle, together with the brazen altar, was located at Gibeon. The tabernacle was then lacking the ark of the covenant, due to the Philistines’ having captured it: “And Zadok the priest, and his brethren the priests, before the tabernacle of the Lord in the high place that was at Gibeon, to offer burnt offerings unto the Lord upon the altar of the burnt offering continually, morning and evening, and to do according to all that is written in the law of the Lord, which he commanded Israel.” (1 Chron. 16:39,40) It was therefore convenient for the Gibeonites to be servants of the tabernacle at their home town, and that, too, with the pool and woods or forests needed for water and wood, which, as drawers of water and choppers of wood, they used.
39 Later David erected a tabernacle at Mount Zion and had the ark of the covenant placed there. (1 Chron. 16:1, 37,38) The use of the high place at Gibeon continued until the reign of Solomon. The site of the temple had been indicated by the Lord to King David. “At that time, when David saw that the Lord had answered him in the threshingfloor of Ornan the Jebusite, then he sacrificed there. For the tabernacle of the Lord, which Moses made in the wilderness, and the altar of the burnt offering, were at that season in the high place at Gibeon; but David could not go before it to inquire of God; for he was afraid, because of the sword of the angel of the Lord. Then David said, This is the house of the Lord God, and this is the altar of the burnt offering for Israel.” (1 Chron. 21: 28-30; 22:1) Until the temple was completed at Jerusalem during the reign of Solomon, in the eleventh year of his reign, Solomon himself went up to Gibeon to worship there: “And Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: only he sacrificed and burnt incense in high places. And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there ; for that was the great high place; a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon other upon that altar. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.” (1 Ki. 3 : 3-5) “And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the Lord, and the king’s house, and all Solomon’s desire which he was pleased to do, that the Lord appealed to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And the Lord said unto him. I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house which thou hast built, to put my name there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.” — 1 Ki. 9:1-3; 2 Chron. 1:3-5, 13.
40 The result to the Gibeonites in covenanting to be the servants of God’s people Israel was that they were rewarded beyond their expectations in becoming the intimate servants of Jehovah’s house of worship. Certainly the Gibeonites did serve Jehovah God; otherwise they would not have continued with the Israelites in service. The Gibeonites, who were Hivites, had become proselytes to the faith of Jehovah and his people and thereafter manifested themselves as such. They were “strangers” [“proselytes” (in the Greek version Septuagint)], referred to in the scriptures at Exodus 12:48 and 20:10. They were circumcised, symbolizing that they were made clean before the Lord. It is written: “And thou shalt rejoice in thy feast, thou, and thy son, and thy daughter, and thy manservant, and thy maidservant, and the Levite, the stranger [proselyte (Sept.)], and the fatherless, and the widow, that are within thy gates.”—Deut. 16: 14.
41 This was the feast of tabernacles, and the fact that the Gibeonites (who were “strangers” and “proselytes”) participated therein is further proof that the great multitude now participates with the remnant in celebrating the feast of tabernacles. (See The Watchtower April 15, 1936, page 115.) That descendants of the Gibeonites, who were strangers and proselytes, continued with God’s chosen people is further shown by the fact that at Pentecost, after the holy spirit descended upon the apostles, those who heard their speech in various tongues are mentioned as “Jews and proselytes”. (Acts 2:10) Nicolas of Antioch was a proselyte. (Acts 6:5) Many who followed Paul were proselytes. (Acts 13:43) The ancestor of Jonadab, the son of Rechab, was in the same class of strangers or proselytes.—Num. 10: 29-32; Judg. 1:16; 1 Chron. 2: 55.
42 When Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding on an ass, the great multitude accompanied him, many of whom were “strangers” or “proselytes”: “The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: the same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would sec Jesus.”—John 12:19-21.
43 Note now that the hypocritical Pharisees perverted this matter of proselytes, doing anything and everything possible to draw men into their organization that the Pharisees might receive material support from them. To them Jesus said: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”—Matt. 23:15.
PERVERSION
44 It is one of the tricks of Satan to pervert the law of God, that is, to use a truth and misapply it in order to hide unlawful acts. God's law, which is always right, admits the stranger as a proselyte to his favor. The Devil caused the Pharisees to pervert that law of God. The Pharisees departed from the truth of God’s expressed purpose and became commercial religionists and practiced what was known as the Jewish “religion” for selfish purposes. All who have departed from the truth and become religionists have used the same for a selfish purpose and are therefore the instruments or children of the Devil. The hypocritical Pharisees did everything possible to draw men under their control and to make proselytes of them ; and this they did for their own selfish aggrandizement. Likewise their counterpart, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy in particular, and other religionists in general, have followed the course of the Pharisees and adopted and practiced religion instead of God’s Word and are therefore guilty of perversion. Some true historical facts here sot out are enlightening upon this matter.
45 In Jesus’ day, among the Jewish proselytes were the Edomites, who had been forcibly made such by a Pharisee. Such proselytes included the family of the Herods, the kings that ruled in Palestine when Jesus was on earth in the flesh. Sometime after the death of Ezra and Nehemiah the Jews, led by the Pharisees, began to try to extend their faith, and in doing so used carnal weapons and many other wrongful means. The Maccabees, who were priestly Levites, became kings of such Jews, and one of them was John Hyrcanus. On the death of his father, John Hyrcanus ascended the throne and became high priest, B.C. 135. To begin with, John was a Pharisee. Concerning the military expeditions of John it is written: “Hyrcanus took also Dora and Marissa, cities of Idumea [Edom|, and subdued all the Idumeans; and permitted them to stay in that country, if they would circumcise their genitals, and make use of the laws of the Jews; and they were so desirous of living in the country of their forefathers, that they submitted to the use of circumcision, and the rest of the Jewish ways of living; at which time therefore this befell them, that they were hereafter no other than Jews.” (Josephus Ant. XIII, chapter ix, sec. 1.) Later John Hyrcanus became a Sadducee.—Antiquities XIII, chap. x, sec. 5, 6.
46 Hence the family of the Herods, being Idumeans or Edomites by descent, were included among these forced proselytes of Pharisee manufacture. “Herod the king,” so-called “Herod the Great”, was such an Edomite proselyte, and he was the one that interviewed the wise men from the east and then tried to kill the babe Jesus by ordering all the babies of Bethlehem to be killed. (Matt. 2:1-19) This Herod hypocritically rebuilt the temple at Jerusalem, concerning which the Jews said to Jesus: “Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?” (John 2: 20) Jesus foretold the utter destruction of Herod’s temple.—Matt. 24:1,2.
47 Herod Antipas the king was also such a proselyte, being the son of the above Herod the Great, and his successor to the kingdom over Galilee. This Herod Antipas was the one who yielded to the request of the dancer Salome for the head of John the baptizer. (Mark 6:14-28) When the Pharisees told Jesus to get out of Galilee, “for Herod will kill thee,” Jesus replied, “Go ye, and tell that fox.” (Luke 13:31,32) When brought before this Herod, Jesus refused to perform a miracle for him. (Luke 23:6-11) Therefore Herod set Jesus at nought. Concerning this the apostles and other disciples, sometime after Pentecost, prayed: “For of a truth, against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together.”—Acts 4:27.
48 Herod Agrippa I, the grandson of Herod the Great, “stretched forth his hands, to vex certain of the church. And he killed James the brother of Jolin with the sword. And because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also.” But Peter was delivered from prison by God's angel. Later, when this Herod made a speech to the heathen, “the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.”—Acts 12:1-23.
49 It was the Pharisees and their allies or associates that bitterly opposed Jesus and persecuted him to death. Those Pharisees claimed to be the true representatives of God on earth, and yet they persecuted and brought about the death of the beloved Son of God. Jesus knew that those hypocritical clergymen sought his life, but he did not for this reason shun to declare the truth of and concerning them. In this connection read his denunciation of the Pharisees as set forth in the twenty-third chapter of Matthew, and, when reading it, substitute for the word “Pharisees” the words “the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and allied clergy”. Concerning their perversion of God’s law relating to proselytes Jesus said: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.” (Matt. 23:15) He told the Pharisees that they could not escape the damnation of Gehenna, and therefore marked them for destruction; and likewise their counterpart, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and allies, who resort to all manner of means to make proselytes, are condemned by the Lord to the same fate.
50 The Roman Catholic Hierarchy, like their predecessors toward such as the family of the Herods, pervert God’s rule concerning proselytes. The Catholic organization, operating from Rome, has gone much farther in this wicked course than the Pharisees. The conquest of Mexico is a shameful example thereof. In many countries of Europe as well as the countries of North America and South America, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy has used tire, the sword and horrible machines of torture to compel men and women to become Catholic proselytes and to come under the control of the Hierarchy organization. The Hierarchy openly and boastfully claiming to be the representatives of Jehovah God, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy is, in fact, the chief representative on earth of the “god of this world”, which is Satan the Devil. Men who now go about in this country of America as priests and members of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy advocate the murder of those who are anti-Hierarchy. Some of the higher-up officials in the Catholic Hierarchy organization employ threats of boycott to deter radio stations from broadcasting the message of truth and arrogantly declare that if their warning is not heeded the great Hierarchy official will “take more drastic action”. Manifestly this language must be construed as meaning that if the radio stations do not obey the cardinal or other members of the Hierarchy, resort will be had to that which will bring about more damage than boycott. Let those who have been induced to follow and obey the priests of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy take notice that God's law declares that the Hierarchy and all such perverters of truth, who misrepresent and defame God’s holy name and practice wickedness, will find their end in perdition. The people of good will, who will form the great multitude and find a place of safety, must now quickly forsake the Hierarchy and like religious organizations and flee to the kingdom of God. That time is short in which they must find safety, if they find it at all.
51 The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and allied clergy have followed the course of the Pharisees. Today the Hierarchy boasts that it has twenty million people in its organization in the United States; and, without a doubt, the worst crooks of the land are among those twenty million; wicked men, who do not hesitate to commit any crime and whom the priests of the Hierarchy attempt to absolve from their wickedness. As the Pharisees were against the common people that hailed Jesus, so now the Roman Catholic Hierarchy is dead against the common people that sing the praises of Jehovah and Christ his King. For the same reason the clergy persecute the remnant and the great multitude.
52 When the temple was established at Jerusalem, the Gibeonites, then included among the Nethinim, would have to move up to Jerusalem and there do their service of drawing water and chopping wood. Then came Nebuchadnezzar and destroyed Jerusalem and carried away many captives to Babylon, many of whom doubtless were Gibeonites. Later the Gibeonites returned with the remnant of the Jews to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem: “These are the children of the province, that went up out of the captivity, of those that had been carried away, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had carried away, and came again to Jerusalem and to Judah, every one unto his city; who came with Zerubbabel, Jeshua, Nehemiah, Azariah, Raamiah, Nahamani, Mordecai, Bilshan, Mispereth, Bigvai, Nehum, Bannah. The number, I say, of the men of the people of Israel, was this; . . . the children of Gibeon, ninety and five.”—Neh. 7:6,7, 25.
53 The Gibeonites participated in the repairing of Jerusalem’s walls. (Neh. 3:7) The Gibeonites and their descendants remained faithful to their covenant; although they were not Israelites nor in the law covenant nor in the covenant of faithfulness, yet they faithfully served Jehovah and his house as Nethinim. In the Gibeonites, therefore, is found the beautiful picture foretelling the great multitude, who forsake Satan’s organization and put themselves under Christ as servants and work with the remnant, and thereafter continue in the service of God and Christ Jesus “day and night”, that is, continuously, and all the time do so with joy.—Rev. 7: 9-15.
54 The Scriptural proof is all one way and on one side, and shows beyond all doubt that the great multitude must be gathered to the Lord and his organization and learn righteousness and meekness and be put to the test before the “destroying storm”, which is the expression of God’s wrath at Armageddon, wipes out Satan’s organization. While bringing forth to the great multitude the fruits of the kingdom, as commanded by the Lord, the witnesses of Jehovah. Who constitute the faithful remnant, must engage in and do engage in war with the religionists, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and their allies. It is the day of Jehovah. It is the day of judgment and separation of the nations by Christ Jesus, the great Judge. It is a time of war, and the faithful remnant delight now to join battle with the hypocritical religionists that have for so long reproached and defamed the name of Jehovah God. It is the time in which every one of the faithful remnant must have on and keep on the whole armor of God. (Eph. 6:10-18) Now the Devil and all his agencies make war upon the remnant because the testimony which they bear is borne in obedience to the commandments of the Lord and exposes to view the crookedness and hypocrisy of the religionists, the chiefest representative of the Devil on earth. In this war the Jonadabs or great multitude participate with the remnant. (1 Chron. 12:1,4) They hear the message of deliverance, and in obedience to the Lord’s commandment these of the great multitude take up the glad cry and say: ‘Come; let all who hear come.’ —Rev. 22:17.
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