The Watchtower, February 15, 1942
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MEMORIAL
Tuesday, March 31, after six p. m., is the date Scripturally arrived at for-1942 for the memorial celebration to both Jehovah's name and the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Christ Jesus, his Theocratic King. Each Christian company, therefore, should assemble after six p.m. of March 31, and the anointed ones thereof celebrate the Memorial, their companions the “other sheep” being present as observers. If there is no competent person present to deliver a brief discourse immediately before the partaking of the emblems, that short article appearing in the March 15, 1939 issue of The Watchtower should be read before those assembled prior to partaking. Since the breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine both picture the death of Jesus, it follows that both emblems should be served together at partaking, and not separately. The emblems should be unleavened bread and real red wine. Jesus and his apostles used real red wine in symbol of his blood, and the anointed remnant should follow their lead. A report of the celebration should be made to the Society as instructed in the Informant. In preparation therefor the article “Memorial” suggested above will be studied with profit.
“INTEGRITY” TESTIMONY PERIOD
Midwinter field maneuvers test the integrity, and the united testimony period during February is appropriately thus named. This "Integrity” Testimony Period is the opening month of the 1942 three-month Watchtower campaign, hence the people of integrity toward God now specialize on taking subscriptions for the magazine The Watchtower, announcing Jehovah’s kingdom or Theocratic Government by Christ Jesus. Additional to the intrinsic value of the magazine itself, the latest book, Children, is given as a premium with all new subscriptions for a year, and that at the regular subscription rate of $1.00. God’s people of integrity will be steadfast therein and will prove their blamelessness of devotion by taking part in this Testimony regardless of the cost to self. Many newly interested readers of The Watchtower, deeply appreciating it, will be desirous of joining in this special testimony privilege, and we invite such to write this office for references needed to put them in touch with the nearest local company organized for this campaign. A record should be kept of all work done and the result, and the same reported in the appointed manner at the close of February.
1942 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES
It is now available, this new Yearbook the publication of which was held up owing to circumstances which you will appreciate when you read it. Yet the interest which this 1942 Yearbook holds for all who are concerned about the progress of God’s work in the earth remains just as vital and presently helpful as if issued at the usual time. The president’s report of the past year’s work throughout this war-swept world shows up the supreme issue which affects the lives of all and which makes most important the proclamation of the message now delivered to all nations by Jehovah’s witnesses. You will be joyfully surprised at the sum total of work reported done in the service year fraught with greatest difficulty. The Yearbook further includes the yeartext with its comment, and also a text for each day of the year and a pointed comment thereon according to the latest revelations of Kingdom truth and prophecy. The edition of the Yearbook is always limited, thereby increasing the printing expense, more so now with rising costs of materials, and hence a contribution of 50c is asked for a single copy Mail in now your order with remittance to cover. Companies will make up combination orders and send such in through the local company servant.
No. LXIII February 15, 1942 № 4
MICAH
PART 3
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spaice in time past unto the fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things. – Heb. 1:1, 2
JEHOVAH is the Eternal One, who lives forever. “For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever.” (Deut. 32:40) Creatures whom he approves and to whom he gives the right to life may thereafter live forever, but concerning Jehovah only is it written: “Even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” (Ps. 90: 2) He is the King of Eternity: “Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen.” (1 Tim. 1:17) He shall never leave his supreme estate, but it is his right and within his almighty power to determine who shall be next to Him and sit at his right hand. Such one he calls and makes his “heir”. It is his beloved and only begotten Son whom Jehovah has appointed to this favored position. First, however, the Son must maintain the honor of his Father’s name by holding fast his integrity to God under the most crucial test from the enemy and by remaining “faithful unto death”. That was nineteen centuries ago. There God sent his Son as the greatest of his prophets unto his typical covenant people, Israel, to bear witness to the name of his Father. Israel rejected the words he spake unto them in his Father's name and by His authority. c “This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.” – Matt. 21:38.
2 God raised his proved and faithful Son from the dead and exalted him to his own right hand in heaven, as His heir of right, according to the terms of their covenant. Now that great Prophet, foreshadowed by Moses, has come to the temple, and through his fellow witnesses yet on earth he speaks unto the professed people of God, including “Christendom”. “Christendom” claims the rulership of the world for herself, and would seize upon the Kingdom and hold it by totalitarian dictators. The time is at hand for God's appointed Heir, Christ Jesus, to take possession of all things. He guarantees that his faithful followers who are the members of “his body” shall be “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ”, and shall share the inheritance with him. – Rom. 8: 16, 17; 12:4, 5.
3 Now “Christendom” is torn by war between “the king of the north” and “the king of the south” over world domination, and which "kings” seem to be pictured by “the kings of Israel” concerning whom Micah prophesied, one king with his capital at Samaria to the north and the other king with his capital at Jerusalem to the south. In the days of these two world powers locked in battle Jehovah's words by his prophet apply with greater force: “Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah: he shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel." (Mic. 1:15) The places bearing those names have long passed away, but the names are full of meaning and apply now to organizations and conditions in “Christendom” particularly. The name “Mareshah” means “inheritance”. “Christendom” claims the inheritance of the Kingdom and seeks to be the “inhabitress” thereof. Her two “kings” battle for the world control, and her chief religious organization, with headquarters at Vatican City, favors the totalitarian “king of the north” as against the so-called "democratic”, liberal “king of the south”. The pope offers himself to act as mediator in settling the issue at the coming peace conference, but Jehovah God alone will decide the issue of world domination: “Yet will I bring an heir unto thee, O inhabitant of Mareshah.” That “heir” is Jehovah's anointed and appointed King of his Theocratic Government, Christ Jesus, and the government of the new world shall be upon his shoulder forever. The word “heir" in the Hebrew text literally means “possessor” (Rotherham's translation, margin). “Christendom” will not inherit the kingdom of heaven. Her chief religious representative, who claims to be the “vicar of Christ", will not inherit with Christ Jesus, and “Christendom’s” two “kings” shall not gain the world domination. All these shall be destroyed at the battle of Armageddon by Jehovah’s “heir of all things”. Christ Jesus becomes “possessor” of the dominion, by conquest as well as by Jehovah’s appointment and authorization.
4 “He shall come unto Adullam the glory of Israel,” says the sure word of prophecy. The name “Adullam” means “justice of the people”, or, “hiding place.” Near the ancient city of Adullam was the cave of Adullam where David and his companions hid from the face of the demonized King Saul. (1 Sam. 22:1; 2 Sam. 23:13) Other renderings of the text are: “The glory of Israel shall come even unto Adullam.” (Am. Rev. Ver.) “As far as Adullam shall enter the glory of Israel.” (Rotherham) The nations and rulers of “Christendom” have failed to render justice to the people who love righteousness and hate iniquity. Such lovers of righteousness will glory in the One whom Jehovah sends to render justice, and who is the representative of the great “God of glory”. The nation of natural Israel rejected and still reject Jehovah and his heir, and “Christendom” has followed the unfaithful example of her prototype and done the same. Now Jehovah and his Kingdom Heir are the glory of spiritual Israel, and concerning this true “Israel of God” he says: "For I, saith the Lord, will . . . be the glory in the midst of her.’’ – Zech. 2:5
5 Referring to the unfaithful nation of Israel and her antitype, “Christendom,” Jehovah says: “Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my [professed] people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.” (Jer. 2:11, 13) Under the influence of the demons “Christendom” is given over to religion, which is the worship of the creature and not the Creator: “and changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.” (Rom. 1: 23) Concerning these things which religionists and their allies have adopted for worship Jehovah says: "Therefore will I change their glory into shame.” (Hos. 4: 7) He has already put them to shame by the message of the truth and of the true worship proclaimed by his faithful servants and witnesses on the earth.
6 The religionists, whether of “the king of the north" or of “the king of the south", now piously cry out through the newspapers and over the radio for a “peace with justice". They try to hide themselves under this sham to appear as the just guardians of the peoples’ interests and to hold their political and commercial allies in line. “Christendom’s” rulers and “mighty ones” (or gods), both demons and men, are her glory; but Jehovah’s Heir and King, who is “the glory of Israel”, shall at Armageddon advance against these enemies and “shall come unto Adullam”. The totalitarian monstrosity and all its religious, political, commercial and military allies will be forced to retreat and draw back to “Adullam”, their last defense line and standing place. Their “refuge of lies” and hiding-place of falsehood shall not be successful camouflage, and Jehovah’s glorious King shall execute justice against them. Thereby he justifies or vindicates his Father’s name Jehovah and renders justice in behalf of his people, avenging them upon their enemies. The religious shepherds and the principal of their flock shall find no safe hiding or escape, but Jehovah’s people who have sought meekness and righteousness shall “be hid” in that day of the Lord’s anger and shall survive Armageddon. Thus shall be fulfilled the prophecy concerning Jehovah’s Elect Servant and King: “He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles”; that is, to the “great multitude” out of all nations and who are delivered from the unjust demon rule over humankind. – Isa. 42:1.
7 The world, particularly “Christendom”, now mourns because of the destruction caused by the great war between the two “kings” for world domination, and the pope's “sorrowing heart" is much mentioned in the news by press and radio. But Armageddon, which shall be the world's greatest and last tribulation, is immediately ahead and unavoidable ; and looking ahead to it Jehovah says to “Christendom’’ concerning the organizations and movements which she has mothered and nourished: “Make thee bald, and poll thee for thy delicate children; enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.” (Mic. 1:16) The nations which call themselves "Christian” practice heathenish rites in the name of religion; and the heathen shaved the head with a razor in mourning. Polling the head was a sign of distress, grief, anguish and mourning. “Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath. For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the Lord; they have set their abominations [particularly the totalitarian ‘abomination of desolation’] in the house which is called by my name, to pollute it.” (Jer. 7: 29, 30) If “Christendom” believed Jehovah’s message sent through his faithful remnant and their companions, “Christendom” would mourn over what is coming to her and her supporters and hangers-on at Armageddon. But she sorrows not over this, because of unbelief, nor over the persecutions which she has heaped upon Jehovah’s servants and witnesses, nor for the reproach she has cast upon his name and his Theocratic Government.
8 The Lord bids her mourn for her “delicate children”, or, “for the children of thy delight.” (Am. Rev. Ver.) The Roman Catholic Hierarchy claims hundreds of millions throughout the earth as “children of the Catholic Church”; but the nations and governments of “Christendom” have many other children. They have rejected God’s beloved Son and his faithful brethren and refused The Theocratic Government, which is the people’s only hope and salvation. They have brought forth human schemes and organizations and movements, all under demon inspiration and influence, and they have announced these offspring of theirs as sure and reliable remedies for the ills of the people. At great cost and at the expense of the taxed common people they have anxiously mothered and nursed and reared such offspring, as recovery acts, financing institutions, relief organizations, cultural societies, industrial and occupational guilds, economic boards, and sundry committees, leagues, commissions, authorities and companies, fronts and unions, Fascism, Nazism, Communism, and especially the totalitarian-religious “abomination of desolation”. These “Christendom” has brought forth and nurtured as a sign of her religious culture and “civilization” and to uphold her name and carry forward her plans and policies, and to sustain her into perpetuity regardless of the will of God. The continuing and increasing troubles and difficulties upon the people show the failure and futility of these “delicate children” of religion’s “civilization”.
9 Furthermore, as part of this demon organization under Satan, “the god of this world,” they shall pass away at Armageddon. They will not survive, and “Christendom” will not be able to hold onto them. They are doomed with her. Hence God will enforce his command to her: “Enlarge thy baldness as the eagle; for they are gone into captivity from thee.” This particular eagle family has the crown of the head and also the neck, or the part where the skull and beak meet, all bald or bare of feathers. To enlarge the baldness like such eagle’s denotes that the approaching time of mourning would be no ordinary event for “Christendom”, but one such as was never before, nor shall ever be repeated. It is her everlasting defeat and destruction. All men of good-will who desire to live should not mourn but should flee from her to The Theocracy, and without delay.
WOE
10 The cry of “Woe!” is not very agreeable to hear, and “shocks the sensibilities” of some, but it is a warning to those who seek righteousness. It is therefore a benefit for such to arouse them as to what they should avoid if they would have God’s approval and live. “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, beholding the evil and the good.” (Prov. 15: 3) He beholds the evils afflicting the people in “Christendom” at the end of the world, where we now are, and he makes them clearly to appear by his record of like things that existed amongst his typical covenant people; and this He does for our admonition in these perilous times. “Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! when the morning is light, they practise it, because it is in the power of their hand.” (Mic. 2:1) This means that their lawlessness is deliberate. Amongst the Israelites it was a willful violation of their covenant toward God. Today the Bible has been spread over the world by hundreds of millions of copies, in a thousand tongues, particularly in the nations that profess to be “Christian”. “Christendom” has the Bible, and in it is set forth fully and clearly the law of Jehovah God. “Organized religion” has these Scriptures and claims to study and to be familiar with them, and yet the law of God is flagrantly broken throughout “Christendom”, and the lovers of righteousness suffer and are afflicted. The political and commercial elements and the “strong-arm squad” continually commit lawlessness in contempt of God's commandments, and the religious element do not protest, but connive at the lawlessness lest they should lose the financial aid and the political and legal and police backing and protection of their political and judicial and commercial allies.
11 Therefore the religious element, that is, the clergy, are the most blameworthy. They are most responsible before God, and shall not escape rendering a full account therefor. The common people pay them and look to them for teaching on the law of God, but instead they have been taught human moral standards of so-called “character”, and traditions of men which transgress and make of none effect God’s law; and the people in general do not object, but “love to have it so”. They submit to the advice of their religious clergy that they must not revolt against the iniquities of these religious ruling elements because the clergy say these are “the higher powers” and are “ordained of God”; whereas in truth and in fact the only “higher powers” are Jehovah God and Christ Jesus. (See Romans 13: 1-10.)
12 Concerning the order-loving and law-abiding ones it is written: “The sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eat little or much: but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep.” (Eccl. 5:12) Instead of enjoying such sweet sleep the devisers of iniquity hatch lawless schemes while the righteous peacefully sleep. Concerning the “man of sin” class, of which the Roman Catholic Hierarchy are the most powerful and prominent part, the servant of the Lord says: “There is no fear of God before his eyes. The words of his mouth are iniquity and deceit: he hath left off to be wise [to have the fear of God], and to do good. He deviseth mischief upon his bed; he setteth himself in a way that is not good; he abhorreth not evil.” (Ps. 36: 1, 3, 4) By the time of morning light they have made sure of the craftiest and the outwardly most respectable and “legalized"’ way to take to do their iniquity, and when their allies are also awake to co-operate with them.
13 And why do they thus defy God and flout his law? “Because it is in the power of their hand” to do it now and get away without any accounting to the cowed and oppressed people. Jehovah declared that for a limited time he would permit Satan and his demons to remain, and at the end of which time Jehovah would have his witnesses to declare his name throughout all the earth. It has been the day of power of the demons and their deluded dupes and agents on earth, and now the time of their power is near its end. Hence the demons now feverishly drive these to use their power in defiance of Jehovah God while it is in their hand to do so. They attempt to increase their power and to do still more iniquity against the people of good-will toward God. Sometime before the World War a well-known Paulist father of the chief religious organization on earth was asked at a public mission: “Does the Catholic Church regard Protestants as heretics, and does it not believe and teach that heretics should be punished, even with death if necessary?” To which this religionist of today replied: "I do not doubt, if they were strong enough, that the Catholic people would hinder, even by death if necessary, the spread of such errors through the people. And I say, rightly so.”
14 That published statement (reported in the New York Herald) has never been officially denied or renounced; and it is significant and prophetic in view of what is seen coming to pass upon the smaller or weaker Protestant, non-Catholic and democratic, liberal nations of the world and at the hands of Catholic totalitarian dictators who have a concordat arrangement with the head of this Paulist father at Vatican City, Italy. It is made clearly to appear, by deed and course of action, that the totalitarian monstrosity, “the abomination that maketh desolate,” is carrying out the will of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and is “the sword of the church” in its hand of power. Only God’s Word gives hope and comfort to seekers of truth and of righteousness, that this exceptional outbreak of religious-totalitarian wickedness is an evidence that it is now about to be destroyed by the Lord, and with it all workers of iniquity. – Ps. 92: 7-9
15 Further showing the lawlessness that is now practiced and that shall be shortly cleared off the earth the prophet says: “And they covet fields, and take them by violence; and houses, and take them away: so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.” (Mic. 2: 2) Christ Jesus cried woe to the religious clergy of his day because of like crimes by them: “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows’ houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation.” (Matt. 23:14) The prophet Isaiah pronounced a similar woe: “Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they [the landholders] may be placed alone in the midst of the earth [on vast landed estates; whereas the poor, propertyless classes are herded together in overcrowded blocks in tonement districts and slums]! In mine ears said the Lord of hosts, Of a truth, many houses [of the covetous ones in power] shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant.” (Isa. 5:8, 9) The vast landed estates, the great mansions and edifices, and the blocks of property possessed by the clergy, particularly those of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, stand in marked contrast with the dingy living quarters of those who are the regular contributors to the upkeep of the religious leaders and their expensive organization. This is a convincing testimony proving the application of these prophecies to our very day.
16 The favorites of the religious organization are likewise owners of broad lands and many houses, and they are made “the principal of the flock”. History records that the clergy have been notorious, for their covetousness of the fields, houses and other property of the members of their congregations, and they have used religious frauds and crafty arguments and means to gain them while the owners lived or by bequests at their death. Now the great religious organization is allied with the arbitrary dictators, which covet the rich and productive lands of other nations great and small, and which dictators build up the most powerful military organization in the world and by violence unequaled, and aided by a religious “fifth column”, invade the countries one after another and grab the land and its natural resources and the properties builded thereon.
17 The combine called “the king of the north”, and which is made up of the “Axis powers" and the Hierarchy that have their headquarters at the Vatican, is out for world domination in order to set up again the old “Holy Roman Empire”, this tune world-wide. Foretelling the covetous and violent course of this composite world power, or "king", the prophecy says (Dan. 11:40-43): “And the king of the north shall come against him like a whirlwind, with chariots [motorized equipment], and with horsemen [swiftmoving forces], and with many ships [raider ships, submarines, airships] ; and he shall enter into the countries, and shall overflow and pass over. He shall enter also into the glorious land [the things pertaining to Jehovah’s covenant people], and many countries shall be overthrown; but ... He shall stretch forth his hand also upon the countries; and the land of Egypt shall not escape. But he shall have power over the treasures of gold and of silver, and over all the precious things of Egypt.” It was recently announced in the news that the religious member of this “king of the north” has built fifty churches on wheels to reach isolated districts and conduct masses, and also that the Vatican has for some time been training priests to follow the Axis armies into the occupied regions of Russia and to take over the orthodox churches there. Ever since the break between the Eastern and "Western religious organizations about ten centuries ago the Roman Catholic Hierarchy has coveted this. Now the opportunity to satisfy this greed has come.
18 Christ Jesus, by virtue of his perfection and obedience when a man, is called “The Son of man”. His faithful members of “his body” who follow him are the house of sons of God, over which Christ Jesus is the Head. To these faithful followers he said: “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matt. 5:5) “But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (Ps. 37:11) Besides these who compose this “little flock”, the Lord now brings “other sheep” into the fold, to wit, the people of good-will toward God and his Theocratic Government by Christ Jesus. and who shall form the “great multitude”. (Rev. 7: 9-17) If these hold fast their integrity and abide faithful to The Theocracy till Armageddon is ended, their everlasting heritage shall be life on the earth under that righteous government. These now must seek righteousness and meekness to realize the promise of being “hid in the day of the Lord’s anger”. – Zeph. 2:3.
19 Now the faithful remnant and their companions, these “other sheep”, are greatly oppressed in all nations, and especially by the totalitarian powers and those of that spirit in other lands. All these powers were foreshadowed by the Amalekites and the Midianites under their princes, Oreb and Zeeb, and concerning whom the psalmist says: “The Midianites . . . like Oreb, and like Zeeb; yea, all their princes as Zebah and as Zalmunna: who said, Let us take to ourselves the houses of God in possession.” (Ps. 83: 9,11, 12) In like manner the ruling powers, at the instigation of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and their clergy allies, have seized the property and literature and the very persons of Jehovah’s witnesses in the land brought under the totalitarian rule and seek to run them off the earth or to destroy them. They greatly oppress these covenant people of Jehovah because such seek to “dwell in the house of the Lord for ever”. (Ps. 23: 6) Jesus foretold that these would be now “hated of all nations for my name’s sake”. (Matt. 24:9) For the comfort of such robbed and oppressed ones Jehovah by his prophet says: “For evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be.” (Ps. 37:9,10) Hence, woe to the wicked!
20 Those in a covenant with God to do his will are all of one family of the great Life-giver and Father : “of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” (Eph. 3:15) The very name “Christendom” means to say that the nations thus called profess to be “Christian” and thereby imply that they are in a covenant to do God’s will, and they claim to be God's family. Instead, they are of the great family of religion or demonism, and speak much of “the fatherhood of God, and the brotherhood of man”; but they do not say which god. They should not be haughty, but should think over what Christ Jesus told the clergy and their dupes as to which god was their father. (John 8:42-44) True to their own family, they do not treat Jehovah’s witnesses as brothers of their family; which they are not. Then the Lord, having in mind the aforementioned devices of iniquity, warns “Christendom”, the modern counterpart of unfaithful Israel: "Therefore thus saith the Lord, Behold, against this family do I devise an evil, from which ye shall not remove your necks; neither shall ye go [walk] haughtily: for this time is evil." – Mic. 2: 3
21 The evil which Jehovah devises against the family of “Christendom” is not iniquity or wickedness. “For all his ways are judgment; a God of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he.” (Dent. 32: 4) Hence the “evil” is that which brings grief, pain, injury and loss, and which Jehovah God by Christ Jesus executes against those wicked covenant-breakers as a judgment and punishment against them for their lawlessness and wickedness. This evil shall come upon them at Armageddon, when they have filled up the measure of the iniquity of their religious fathers. The destruction shall suddenly take them, like the noose of a trap, and they shall not be able to pull back their haughtily tilted heads and stiff necks. "The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down; and the Lord [Jehovah] alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low.” – Isa. 2:11, 12.
22 On the earth pride has gone to seed, and the haughty and the stiffnecked ones, because of the pride of their hearts and their pride in their religious organizations, will not seek after Jehovah God and his Theocratic Government, but exalt themselves and other creatures instead. For them Armageddon does not bring deliverance from destruction and the bondage to Satan’s organization; for them “this time is evil”. “For it is an evil time.” (Am. Rev. Ver.) It brings the evil or calamity which Jehovah in his righteousness has devised for all workers of iniquity, particularly those who do such under the cloak of religion and, worse, in the name of God. For all such there shall be no way of escape. (Jer. 25:34,35) “Organized religion,” which has pretended to be the city or organization of the Lord, shall go down first, but the political and commercial elements and their supporters need not think to escape unpunished thereafter. “For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword [Armageddon] upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.” “He will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.” (Jer. 25:29,31) For “Christendom” there is now only a “certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries”. (Heb. 10: 27) “Thus saith the Lord God, An evil, an only evil, behold, is come. An end is come, the end is come: it watcheth for thee; behold, it is come.” (Ezek. 7: 5, 6) Jehovah's witnesses now sound the warning.
PARABLE
23 The “day of Jehovah” dates from the year 1914 in which the period of uninterrupted rule of Satan as “the god of this world” ended: there also the “times of the Gentiles” ran out, which times began at the overthrow of the typical Theocracy at Jerusalem in 606 B.C. and continued for “seven times”, or 2,520 years. (Luke 21:24; Ezek. 21:24-27) The “day of Jehovah”, therefore, began with the setting up by Jehovah of his true Theocracy with Christ Jesus as King; and this Jehovah accomplished by the enthroning of his anointed King on Zion and sending him forth to rule in the midst of his enemies. (Pss. 2:6; 110:1, 2) It is also spoken of in the prophecies as "that day”. Therefore since A.D. 1914 this prophecy is due to be fulfilled, and is being fulfilled: "In that day shall one take up a parable against you. and lament with a doleful lamentation, and say, We be utterly spoiled; he hath changed the portion of my people: how hath he removed it from me! turning away he hath divided our fields.” – Mic. 2:4.
24 Here the "parable” is a pithy, taunting prophetic statement, and presents a likeness of what is foretold to come upon those whom the speaker of the parable imitates. To those it is not pleasant to hear, and it is delivered to them as a “lament", and “with a lamentation of lamentation”. (Hebrew) It torments their susceptibilities, and they by all means try to stop the lamenting of the parable; they do not believe it, but are afraid it might be true. Hence it is manifest that the one who takes up and laments the parable is the servant class of Jehovah, his witnesses under his Chief Witness, Christ Jesus, and who "keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ”. To such ones the words of the prophecy are a command to deliver the parable, and they have been delivering it, especially since 1922, as the facts of record disclose. They do not lament for “Christendom”, but rejoice at the prospect of the vindication of Jehovah by his destroying everything that blasphemes and reproaches his name. They have no sympathy with the wicked, nor do they regret the punishment coming upon such from the hand of God. In the spirit of the parable of lamentation they deliver His message and show what “Christendom” shall complain of and lament for, particularly at the climax of this day of judgment.
25 “Christendom” has not been a glory to God, nor a blessing to the people, but she has claimed the people for her own “pasture” and has spoiled them. Claiming it as her “portion” to exalt herself and rule as the kingdom of God and as the “higher powers”, she has blinded the people concerning the true Kingdom of God and still tries desperately to keep them from going over to The Theocratic Government now being proclaimed to the nations for a witness. (Matt. 24:14) She now tries to deceive them, and does deceive them, by setting up “the abomination of desolation” as a “new world order” in the place and stead of Jehovah’s Theocracy by Christ Jesus. She goes totalitarian, one nation after another, to hold the people in line under a strict regimentation by demonized men. Already the religious pastors howl that the proclamation of The Theocratic Government has spoiled their pastures. However, when Armageddon begins, the ruling factors, and particularly the religious part thereof, shall say. as foretold in the parable: “We be utterly spoiled." These being now so entrenched in power, only Jehovah God by Christ Jesus could do such spoiling; and He will. “A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an how ling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard; for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture.” (Jer. 25: 36) "The day [of the Lord] that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.” (Mal. 4:1) Christ Jesus also says to them, because they have not brought forth the fruits (that is, the truths and works) of the Kingdom: “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” – Matt. 21:43.
26 “Christendom” claims to be the visible representation of God’s kingdom on earth and feels cocksure of standing for ages and then at last entering into her portion in heaven. Her greatest religious organization has claimed to be built upon “this rock” and that ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against her’. By having his truths of the Bible proclaimed Jehovah has exposed her and shown that her claimed “portion” is a false claim. At Armageddon he will give her cause to complain and lament that God has changed her self-assumed portion and removed from her all things she arrogantly pretended were her rightful and God-given portion. He has already taken away from her the privilege of being his witnesses, and has conferred it upon the humble and faithful “people for his name”, whom he has for years been taking out from the nations for his purpose. Because these abandon “Christendom” for The Theocracy and are therefore not of this world, even as Christ Jesus is not of it, these are as rebels and apostates unto "Christendom”, and concerning them she laments: “Turning away he hath divided our fields”; (Am. Rev. Ver.) “to the rebellious he divideth our fields”; (Rotherham) “to an apostate our fields doth he apportion.” Unto Christ Jesus, whom “organized religion” crucified as a rebellious apostate, Jehovah has given the nations for his inheritance and possession, and at Armageddon he shall dash them in pieces. Thereafter he shall give the habitation of the broad fields of the earth over to the "great multitude” that survives. Here ends the parable of lamentation, and the prophet next shows the cause why the lamenting one complains.
27 “Therefore thou shalt have none that shall cast a cord by lot in the congregation of the Lord.” (Mic. 2:5) The “cord” here is a “measuring line" (Rotherham), as for measuring off the bounds of an assigned portion of land: “He cast out the heathen also before them, and divided them an inheritance by line, and made the tribes of Israel to dwell in their tents." (Ps. 78:55) In 1918, by reason of the acts of the religionists of “Christendom” then rent by war, God’s consecrated people were cast out of their earthly condition of service as heralds of the Kingdom, and for a time they were exiled from such privileged earthly condition. Then they repented of their failure in God’s service due to fear of men, and the Lord delivered them and restored them to his organization and its active service as Jehovah's witnesses on earth.
28 The measuring of the growth of Jehovah’s visible service organization then is pictured symbolically under the figure of Jerusalem: “I lifted up mine eyes again [after A. D. 1918], and looked, and, behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. Then said I, Whither goest thou? And he said unto me, To measure Jerusalem, to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof. And, behold, the angel that talked with me went forth, and another angel went out to meet him, and said unto him, Run, speak to this young man, saying, Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls for the multitude of men and cattle therein.” (Zech. 2:1-4) The Theocratic Assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses in St. Louis, Missouri, for five days in August, 1941, was an illustration of this, where the vast throng of Jehovah’s anointed remnant and their companions packed out the enormous 25,000-seat-capacity Arena and swelled out beyond the walls thereof and over the adjacent grounds, and including a distant trailer city, to make a total audience of over 115,000; and this representing the United States and Canada alone. A like Assembly of Jehovah's witnesses and companions in Leicester, England, the following month, had an attendance of 12,000, in spite of wartime conditions and danger of raids by the air “arm” of “the king of the north”. And it appears there is yet much work to be done in these lands of “the king of the south”. Hence the remnant and companions can say and do say: “The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage.” – Ps. 16: 6
29 In these service privileges “Christendom” and her religionists have no part. They have no heritage to measure or bound off in the Lord’s organization, in Jehovah’s “holy land”. “Christendom” has rejected his Theocratic Government by Christ Jesus and has persecuted and continues to hate the messengers thereof, and the Lord has cast her off, and for her there will be no restoration. At Armageddon destruction awaits her. The Lord at the temple has weighed her in his balances of judgment and found her wanting and she has no standing with or among the congregation of the Lord. “The ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.” (Ps. 1:5) This is a warning to all persons yet found in “Christendom” to flee out before Armageddon.
OBEYING GOD
30 The experiences of Jehovah’s witnesses and companions in the so-called “Christian nations" make clear the application of the further words of the prophecy: "Prophesy ye not, say they to them that prophesy: they shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame.” (Mic. 2: 6) The Leeser translation renders the text more literally: “Preach not’; (but) they shall preach.” This agrees with what befell another witness of Jehovah, to wit, the prophet Amos, at the hands of Amaziah the priest of religion, who said: "Prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king's court.” "Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, . . . Now therefore hear thou the word of the Lord: Thou sayest, Prophesy not against Israel, and drop not thy word against the house of Isaac. Therefore thus saith the Lord; Thy wife shall be an harlot in the city, and thy sons and thy daughters shall fall by the sword, and thy land shall be divided by line; and thou shalt die in a polluted land: and Israel shall surely go into captivity forth of his land.” (Amos 7: 10-17) This shows the shame that shall surely come upon opposers of Jehovah’s message.
31 By virtue of their consecration to God and their covenant with him to do his will, and by virtue of the anointing of his spirit, Jehovah’s witnesses are his ordained ministers of the gospel and are under instruction and command from him to preach “all the counsel of God”, and that whether the religionists hear or forbear to hear. No creature or organization of creatures has the right or authority, because God’s message does not please or agree with such, to command Jehovah’s witnesses to keep silence and then to try to enforce them into silence by restraining them from contact with others who desire to hear. Jehovah and Christ Jesus are “the Higher Powers”, and their commandments are prior to and superior to those of men and organizations on the earth. In a clash with laws of men the superior or supreme law of God must prevail and must be obeyed by those in a covenant to do the will of the Most High. Any other course on the part of Jehovah’s covenant people would be disobedience and covenant-breaking and would be punishable with everlasting death, destruction. The Lord’s commandment given 1900 years ago, before any of the present governments of “Christendom” came into existence, and which commandment has never been revoked but now applies at this end of the world to Jehovah’s covenant people, is, to wit: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matt. 24:14) Particularly since the coming of the Lord to his temple in 1918 this prophecy and commandment has been undergoing fulfillment in the face of the hatred of the nations and the world-wide opposition to and persecution of Jehovah's witnesses.
32 In every nation where Jehovah's witnesses and companions have preached the message of the Kingdom the governing factors, at the prodding of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and other clergy allies, have made strenuous efforts to stop the preaching or prophesying. The Hierarchy, presuming to dictate to the political, judicial and police elements, order them to stop the witnesses by illegal means and by force and violence. They conspire together and misapply the commercial regulations and sedition laws and frame mischief by new laws specially made, and then order and threaten Jehovah's witnesses: “Preach not!” God’s covenant people reply: “We ought to obey God rather than men” (Acts 5: 29); and they keep on obeying him, preaching the same as hitherto and increasing their efforts, “putting on more steam,” though they suffer a jail sentence or mob violence or concentration camp or even a sentence to death. In this course they follow in the steps of Christ Jesus, who left them the right example. (1 Pet. 2:21) The proclamation of the truth exposes those who practice demonism, particularly the religious clergy, and who defy God and are determined to rule or ruin, and they feel embarrassment at the Theocratic message, and take shame. Hence their final aim is that Jehovah’s witnesses “shall not prophesy to them, that they shall not take shame". The prophecy shows that eventually they shall seemingly succeed, and then they shall cry, “Peace and safety!” and shall honor and felicitate one another. Then when they think they have hidden their shame, ‘sudden destruction shall come upon them; and they shall not escape.’ (1 Thess. 5:3) Hence the prophecy says: “He will not escape shame.” - Mic. 2:6, Harkavy.
33 Jehovah, the God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, addresses his words directly to “Christendom”, which religionists call “the house of Jacob ’. Jacob was the father of the house called by his name, that is, the Israelites after the flesh. Now “Christendom” pretends to be spiritual Israel and lays claim to the birthright which Jacob had according to the will and decree of God. “Christendom,” which is now going totalitarian, feels hurt at the message of Jehovah by his witnesses, and assigns wicked motives to them in proclaiming his Theocracy. She declares their words do harm and injury to the people and especially to the State and to religion. The religious clergy, both Catholic and Protestant, and their duped servants cry it is Communism and that Jehovah’s witnesses are stirring up religious hatred and bigotry and are conducting a “campaign of hate” leading to religious intolerance. But their own actions of violence and in contempt of Constitutional law prove that they are the intolerant ones. To such Jehovah by his prophet now speaks: “O thou that art named the house of Jacob [(Rotherham) o thou who art said to be the house of Jacob], is the spirit of the Lord straitened [shortened; impatient]? are these his doings'? do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?”–Mic. 2:7.
34 The Roman Catholic Hierarchy claims to be the oldest religious organization in “Christendom”, and has actually about 1500 years of existence; and the so-called “Protestants” date from and after the Reformation period of 400 years ago. During the forty years prior to A.D. 1918, when Christ Jesus, the Messenger of Jehovah, was ‘preparing the way before Him’ that he might come to the temple for judgment (Mal. 3:1-3), Jehovah’s consecrated people on earth were telling of the establishment of his Kingdom and of the end of Satan’s world and of the battle of Armageddon and were warning the people to flee from the wrath to come there; but since the Lord’s coming to the temple in 1918 they have given an even greater witness and warning to “Christendom” and all nations. Shall the religionists and their allies, now at this late date, say rightly that Jehovah is without long-suffering and forbearance and is in tolerant in sending his witnesses to ‘‘ declare . . . the day of vengeance of our God" as being at hand? Is it the Lord's way of doing to send catastrophe upon the world as a punishment without first sending due notice and warning over a period of time? It is Satan’s doings to now bring woes upon the people without previous warning. Jehovah’s course at the time of the Flood in Noah's day and at the destruction of Jerusalem first in Jeremiah’s day and again in the days of the apostles of Jesus Christ shows it is His rule to forewarn the disobedient of the evil to come and to mercifully allow the persons of good-will an opportunity to hear and heed and to escape to safety and preservation. Therefore Jehovah squarely puts the question up to "Christendom” concerning the words which his witnesses declare: "Do not my words do good to him that walketh uprightly?" Hence the ones that take offense show thereby that they are at fault and are not walking uprightly before God. However, the religionists continue to justify themselves and to protest against the truth and to "fight against God", and hence his words do good only to the people of good-will, who become the Lord’s “other sheep” and who shall form the "great multitude”.
35 Furthermore the Lord says: “Even of late my people [thou that art named the house of Jacob] is risen up as an enemy: ye pull off the robe with the garment from them that pass by securely as men averse from war.” (Mic. 2:8) Those who practice religion or demonism draw near to God with their lips and in buildings dedicated to religion, but their hearts are far removed from Him and his Theocracy by his King. The clergy, and particularly the reigning religious ruler at Vatican City and his Hierarchy who also sit on thrones, apply to themselves the prophecies and promises concerning God's kingdom, and they give false instruction concerning the Kingdom to the political and judicial rulers of "Christendom”, and now they speak of themselves establishing a "new world order" in which religion will rule, after this war. Thus they rage and imagine a vain thing, and the rulers take counsel together against Jehovah and his anointed King and Theocratic Government; and they charge that the proclamation of that righteous Government is seditious and dangerous to the security of the state, and persecute Jehovah’s witnesses and declare them illegal. “Even of late,” as it were, “even yesterday” (marginal reading), their opposition has become more marked and widespread. Satan is the arch enemy of God, and they make themselves friends of Satan’s world organization and thereby make themselves God’s enemies. – Ps. 2:1-6; Jas. 4: 4.
36 In an orderly manner Jehovah’s witnesses are doing a lawful work, which is also commanded by the Lord. They are peaceably minded and without thought of injuring anyone, hut only desiring to "comfort all that mourn". When they enter a community and bring the Kingdom message from door to door, they do so fearlessly and "pass by securely as men averse from war". They are neutral as to the war of the nations of the world and do not desire to enter into a fight or controversy with any human creatures; their battle is not with flesh and blood, but against the demons. (Eph. 6:12) However, the actions of the enemies of the truth now over a period of years hardly permit the Kingdom publishers to pass by with any sense of human security from assault, because they are now aware that the enemies have plotted and are lying in wait as highwaymen or bandits. Their identity as Jehovah’s approved and commissioned witnesses is pictured as a robe. The enemy sneeringly speak of them as "Jehovah’s witnesses” and challenge their right to this "new name", and they "pull off the robe” from the undergarment, figuratively speaking. So doing, they would make God’s covenant people to outwardly appear as without marks of God’s true organization and not beautified with the true Kingdom gospel. Instead, they accuse them of being disguised hawkers, booksellers, propagandists, Communists, seditious, engaging in commercial work for selfish gain, proselytizers. and disturbers of the public peace and invading the rights of others to worship God as they please. Says Jehovah’s witness: “I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war.” (Ps. 120: 7) The faithful servants continue on in obedience to God's commands, and thereby “put to silence the ignorance of foolish men”. – 1 Pet. 2:15.
37 In the Scriptures God’s organization is pictured under the symbol of good women whom he approved, and whom he used to give birth to his witnesses; for example, Sarah, who bare Isaac; and Rebekah, who bare Jacob; and Rachel, who bare Joseph and Benjamin; and Amram's wife, who bare Moses and Aaron. Jehovah’s universal organization is called Zion, and gives birth to his capital organization under Christ Jesus, the Head thereof. Therefore Zion is symbolized as the woman which gives birth to the "man child”, the Theocratic Government with Christ as King. (Rev. 12:1-5) Concerning such Jehovah by the prophet Micah foretold, saying: "The women of my people have ye cast out from their pleasant houses; from their children have ye taken away my glory for ever.” (Mic. 2:9) This does not apply to literal women, although the governing factors of "Christendom” have literally done the things here described and which the Israelites also did in the type.
38 The systems of religion claim to be God’s organization, but do not bring forth the fruits of His organization, to wit, the truth and works of the Theocratic Government by Christ Jesus; nor do they bring forth the “children of the kingdom’’, those who shall be the “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ”, and who shall “reign with him a thousand years". (Matt. 21:43; Rom. 8:16,17; Rev. 20:4,6) The religionists do not discern the two great organizations in opposition to each other, Jehovah’s organization and that of Satan, nor that religion is demonism. Religionists have nothing in common with God's organization, Zion, his “woman”, but are friends of the world in which Satan is “the god of this world”. Hence, being the seed of Satan's “woman” or organization, they fight against God’s woman and her seed, particularly “the remnant of her seed” down here at the end of the world. (Gen. 3:15; Rev. 12:17) They cast out God's true “woman", particularly those who become of his capital organization called "the Lamb's wife” or “bride", as though these “women" had no place in the “pleasant house" of the Lord. The religionists in the “king of the north" combination back up the “Axis powers” in their fight for world domination by restoring the “Holy Roman Empire”, and concerning which “king of the north” it is written: “Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women [God’s organization and its desirable children], nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all.” – Dan. 11:37.
39 Jehovah's glory is upon the faithful children of his organization and who are Jehovah's witnesses, lie honors them with his message and the privilege of declaring it, and his protection as a glory is over them. They must maintain their integrity toward God under the crucial test unto the end if they would enter into the heavenly glory reserved for them. The demonized religionists seek to bring about the destruction of these children by causing them to break faith with God and to let go their integrity and to violate their covenant with God. With some like Judas the religionists succeed in their vicious efforts, and thus they take away for ever from these unfaithful children their worthiness to Jehovah's reserved glory. A faithful remnant do hold fast their integrity like Job, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon them and they continue to shine as his witnesses and at the last inherit the promised glory. – Isa. 60: 1.
40 For centuries the people have sought rest in religion and in the organization called "Christendom". Today the politicians and commercial element and the clergy of all denominations cry out in public: “What the world needs is more religion.” But they have not given the people rest by religion, up till now. nor can they do so by “more religion" in a proposed "new world order” after this war. “Christendom” will find no rest through the schemes of her demonized rulers and backers. Her “new world order” leaves Jehovah and his Theocratic Government out of consideration and is opposed to his purpose and is therefore “the abomination that maketh desolate”. This “abomination” may now be seen “standing where it ought not”, to wit, “in the holy place,” where the Theocracy by Christ Jesus only has the right and appointment by God to stand. Therefore Jehovah by his prophet now says to all persons of good-will toward him and his Kingdom: “Arise ye, and depart: for this is not your rest: because it is polluted, it shall destroy you, even with a sore destruction.” (Mic. 2:10) This corresponds with the warning of Jesus concerning the present totalitarian monstrosity that aims to rule the world: “When ye, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand) then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains.” (Matt. 24:15, 16) Jehovah is the great Mountain or Rock, and Christ Jesus is his “express image”; and those who would escape must flee from “Christendom” and take refuge under Jehovah and his Theocratic Government by Christ Jesus. To remain in “Christendom” would mean to perish at Armageddon; for “Christendom” is polluted and leads to destruction at Armageddon, where she also shall be destroyed.
41 These are the “last days”, and Jesus warned that then false prophets would arise. (Matt. 24: 24) Such prophets are not filled with the spirit of the Lord, but have filled their belly with the east wind. (Job 15: 2) They sow not the Word of God, but sow the wind and shall reap the whirlwind of Armageddon. These political and religious prophets make big predictions and teach the traditions of men that make void God's Word of prophecy. (Matt. 15: 1-6) They stand out in striking contrast with Jehovah’s faithful witnesses and their companions who strictly hold to and preach God’s Word and its prophecies now undergoing fulfillment. Which of the two do the people of “Christendom” prefer and choose? Jehovah by his mouthpiece answers: "If a man, walking in the spirit [for, (Am. Rev. Ver., margin) If a man walking in wind; (Rotherham) a man whogoeth after wind] and falsehood, do lie, saying, I will prophesy unto thee of wine and of strong drink; he shall even be the prophet of this people.”–Mic. 2: 11.
42 The apostle also foretold this, saying: “The time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.” (2 Tim. 4:3, 4) Thus the nations have forgotten God. They put their trust in men, and resent God’s true message of judgment and warning and choose to listen to demonized men who predict good times to come by human achievements without the need of Jehovah’s Theocratic Government by Christ Jesus. To such prophets they do not say: “Prophesy not.” Hence they choose religion, and shall not drink joy, but only sorrow and death at Armageddon. The Devil’s efforts by these false prophets is to deceive the remnant of Jehovah's elect and their devoted companions. The faithful ones will not permit themselves to be deceived by religion or demonism, but will maintain their integrity and continue to proclaim the true prophecy of God’s Word and to stand immovable for his Theocracy, that thus they may he “blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ”. –1 Cor. 1: 8.
(To be continued)
UNITED SERVANTS
THE Lord’s work never stands still; it is always progressing. It is always on scheduled time. The Lord often changes the personnel of his visible earthly organization, but the work of witnessing to his Theocracy by Christ Jesus goes grandly on. All the opposition that the great adversary can muster cannot interfere with Jehovah's Theocratic arrangement for doing his “strange work”.
In 1916 the Lord God called to rest one whom he had long used prominently on earth in connection with His work, and the adversary did everything possible to disrupt the work entirely. He had already sown the seeds of criticism, discontent, jealousy, and egotism in the hearts of self-seeking and self-conceited ones within, aside from enemies without, and such included even some of the members of the board of directors of the Society, and of the headquarter’s working force, and also some in the field abroad. There were siftings all along the line, which were brought to a climax with the Lord’s coming to the temple in 1918 for judgment, as announced in the prophecy at Malachi 3: 1-3. But this in no wise interfered with the Lord's accomplishing his purpose through his organization.
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