The Watchtower, May 1, 1942
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No. LXIII May 1, 1942 No. 9
MICAH
PART 8
"And this man shall be the peace, when the Assyrian shall come into our land; and when he shall tread in our palaces, then shall we raise against him seven shepherds, and eight principal men.”—Mic. 5:5.
JEHOVAH is never on the defensive nor ever in danger of defeat by any foe, singly or combined. He makes peace for those who take their stand on his side and keep his commandments, and creates evil or calamity and destruction for those who oppose and fight against his righteous Government. (Isa. 45:7) His beloved One, who on earth was called “The Son of man”, is “The Prince of Peace”. At his human birth in Bethlehem the prophetic song of the angels foretold that when his Kingdom should be established God’s peace would be extended through this Prince to men of good-will on earth. Amid the tumult of the world that marks its end He only is the One by whom to gain peace of heart and mind and to for ever enjoy the peaceful earth after the great conflict for universal domination is fought and won to the vindication of Jehovah God.
2 It is God’s will that peace shall exist within the organization or "land” of his covenant people on earth, the spiritual Israelites. It is His decree that unity in serving Jehovah God shall be observed and safeguarded among such in the “land” of spiritual Israel. No one has a right to interfere with their united service. The original “Assyrian” was a demon worshiping, totalitarian world-power. It invaded the land of ancient Israel, thereby furnishing a prophetic picture, that the modern-day Assyrian with religious-totalitarian organization would invade the midst of God’s covenant people and seek to break up their organized and united worship of the only true and living God, “whose name alone is Jehovah.” —Isaiah 36 and 37.
3 The modern invasion is under way, as shown by the notorious persecution of Jehovah’s witnesses, which persecution has scandalized all “Christendom”. The people in so-called “democratic” lands fail to realize that such persecution upon God’s servants by the religionists represents the invasion by the totalitarian “Assyrian” of the rights, privileges and liberties that all freedom-loving peoples want to retain for themselves. The power of the “Assyrian” will increase as the nations of the world all go totalitarian under the great stress. In the most vital field of all, the worship of God upon which everlasting life depends, there only do Jehovah’s people clad in the armor of God resist the aggressions of the totalitarian-minded ones into the things which must be rendered unto God and which are His. They know that “the wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God” (Ps. 9:17) and that to spread and increase the knowledge of God is for the benefit of the nations. They know that the demons are back of the totalitarian regimentation that makes the people ignore God’s ways; and therefore they battle, not with flesh and blood, but with the power and rule of the demons which would cause the destruction of the nations by opposition to Almighty God. The witnesses of Jehovah maintain their unity of action. Under the leadership of the Good Shepherd, the Principal One of God’s capital organization, they rise up in a united front against the aggressor and hurl back the invader. They resist all forms of demonism, and no more does religion gain a foothold amongst them.
4 Religion has failed, as proved by the facts today, after six thousand years of religion’s practice. Christianity has not failed, and never will. Though now the only true Christians are hated and persecuted of all nations, Christianity is not on the defensive. It is on the offensive against all religion, which is demonism and which has proved the ruin of humankind. The assaults by the modern “Assyrian” upon the Christian witnesses of Jehovah are but the enemy counterattacks, all of which fail to break the integrity of God’s covenant-keeping people. Concerning the offensive action and carrying of the war into the enemy territory Jehovah by his prophet foretold: “And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.” (Mic. 5:6) It was the first totalitarian dictator Nimrod that organized religion and built Nineveh, the chief city of Assyria. Hence the land of Assyria is called “the land of Nimrod” and pictures the nations now going totalitarian.
5 As the religious-totalitarian rule moves on to swallow up the whole world Jehovah bids his faithful witnesses not to fear, but to be bold and courageous in his service: “Therefore thus saith the Lord God of hosts, O my people that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assyrian: he shall smite thee with a rod, and shall lift up his staff against thee, after the manner of Egypt [in Moses’ day]. For yet a very little while, and the indignation [of God against the totalitarians] shall cease, and mine anger, in their destruction.” (Isa. 10:24,25) Though the enemies conspire and confederate together against those who stand up for and proclaim Jehovah’s Theocratic Government, God’s covenant people may make no agreement or confederacy with the “Assyrian" foe of The Theocracy. By his prophet Jehovah specifically warns them against a compromise with the "Assyrian” in the hope of getting help and protection from him at the price of breaking integrity with God. (Isa. 8: 9-13) Jehovah alone is their fear and dread. Rather than compromise, they arise to the attack against religion which is linked with and does business with the totalitarian rule.
6 The faithful servants of Jehovah are provided with the “sword of the spirit, which is the word of God". They wield that sword by proclaiming the truths of God’s Word to those with an ear to hear. Thereby they waste the pastures of religion which tlie clergy part of “The Assyrian” have enjoyed with regard to such persons as now turn their ear to the Bible truths. They take no part in the literal wasting of the demon rule and organization which is symbolized by “the land of Assyria", “the land of Nimrod.” Jehovah’s executioner, who is the Head of the "seven shepherds” and “eight principal men", does such wasting. He is the “Chief Shepherd” and is the “man child” who is to “shepherd all the nations with a sceptre of iron”. (Rev. 12:5, Rotherham) Quite correctly the Rotherham rendering of Micah 5:6 reads: “Then shall they shepherd the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof.” A shepherd is ordinarily a man of peace, but he is also a fierce fighter for his devoted sheep against all marauders, whether beasts or men. Christ the Good Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep, both his “little flock” and also his “other sheep”. (John 10: 11,16) Now enthroned as King of the world and sent forth by Jehovah God to rule in the midst of his enemies, the great Shepherd-King takes the sword against the modern “Assyria". That sword is the destructive forces of the battle of Armageddon, ‘the war of the great day of God the Almighty.’—Rev. 16:14.
7 The “land of Assyria” which is wasted by that “sword” represents Satan’s entire organization, visible and invisible. Gog of the land of Magog is Satan’s chief demon prince therein, and all the nations gone totalitarian are the visible part thereof. In Micah’s day Babylon had not yet seized the world dominance but was still subject to Assyria, and hence “Assyria” also stands for Babylon and what Babylon symbolizes. Nimrod founded Babel, or Babylon, and thereafter Nineveh in Assyria, and hence the “land of Nimrod” means the same as “Assyria”. Further, it calls attention to its god, who is Satan. Nimrod, the rebel hunter after Jehovah’s “sheep”, typified Satan the Devil, whom Nimrod worshiped and served. After Nimrod’s death he was deified by his fellow gangsters, and thus they worshiped Satan under the form of Nimrod.—Gen. 10:9-11.
8 The present-day totalitarian “Assyrian” invades “our land” and sets up his religious-dictatorial “abomination of desolation” in the holy place, where it ought not to stand, attempting to crowd out Jehovah’s Theocratic Government and take its place. God’s faithful remnant and their earthly companions brandish the “sword of the spirit” and expose that desolating abomination as a demonic counterfeit of God’s holy Kingdom. They carry the battle to the gates of the religious-totalitarian combine, “in the entrances thereof,” or, “in the gates of its (cities).” (Leeser) The word “entrances” here may also mean something “opened”, that is, “drawn” swords, as at Psalm 55:21; and hence the Rotherham marginal rendering reads: “Shepherd . . . the land of Nimrod with drawn swords.” The swords will not be sheathed until the battle is won and religion is completely killed off. “In the entrances thereof” also means that Christ Jesus will not only destroy the totalitarian rule on earth but also carry the battle into the wicked spirit organization, “the land of Magog.” and there destroy all the demons and Gog their prince and Satan their chief.—Ezek. 39:1-6.
9 The presumptuous assault of the invader proves to be his undoing, just as when his prototype, King Sennacherib and his Assyrian hosts, invaded the Holy Land and assaulted Jerusalem. “Then the angel of the Lord went forth, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians a hundred and fourscore and five thousand: and when they [God’s covenant people] arose early in the morning, behold, they [the 185,000 Assyrians] were all dead corpses.” (Isa. 37:36) As long as Jehovah’s witnesses and their companions are bearing testimony to The Theocratic Government as rightful ruler of the world, the earthly powers who are for a totalitarian rule do not feel they can realize “Peace and safety” for themselves and their beastly rule. To silence Jehovah’s servants they ‘come within their land and tread within their borders’ and apparently restrain them, to all surface appearances. Then the great Shepherd-King Christ Jesus and the great Theocrat Jehovah God in their displeasure send emphatic tidings of final warning to the totalitarian world rule. Daniel 11: 44 describes it thus: “But tidings out of the east and out of the north shall trouble him: therefore he shall go forth with great fury to destroy, and utterly to make away many.”
10 Out for the utter destruction of all who stand faithful for The Theocracy, the great “Assyrian” Satan and all his organization make their last desperate assault upon the remnant and the Good Shepherd’s “other sheep”. They shall be pushed out. The drawn swords of Jehovah’s executional forces under the Good Shepherd shall flash and fall and hack the “Assyrian” organization and waste its land, including the invisible demon realm. “Thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.” The sure hope for the deliverance of humankind from totalitarian rule under demons is Jehovah’s mighty Shepherd, the Savior of his “sheep”.
11 Since the great “Assyrian” shall fail in his destructive program and since the “remnant” of Jehovah’s kingdom heirs are the principal target of the “Assyrian”, it appears reasonable, and the prophecy indicates strongly, that Jehovah by his Good Shepherd will preserve the remnant of his ‘Tittle flock” through the battle of Armageddon and they shall see the terrific destruction of the “Assyrian” forces down to the last creature thereof. This preservation is not that the remnant of spirit-begotten children of God may live on earth in the flesh during the whole thousand-year reign of Christ Jesus that shall follow. Their stay on earth after Armageddon is merely for a brief time, serving as a vindication of Jehovah’s promise and his almighty power to preserve the faithful in their direst extremity. Along with this remnant Jehovah lovingly and mercifully preserves his “other sheep”, who never forsake God's side and therefore never the side of the faithful remnant. Satan and his hordes may be permitted to kill some during the battle, like David’s loving friend Jonathan, as a proof of their integrity toward God even to the death. Yet Satan shall fail in his all-out wicked endeavor to rid the earth of every righteous servant of Jehovah God. That which they intended upon the righteous, God will return on their own heads.— Ps. 7:15,16.
12 What shall be the work of the remnant after that battle1? The prophecy beautifully pictures it: “And the remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many people, as dew from the Lord, as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.” (Mic. 5:7) The name of Jacob, who was also called “Israel”, denotes that the “remnant of Jacob” are the last on earth of the spiritual Israelites, the joint-heirs with Christ Jesus of the promise made long ago to the grandfather of Jacob, Abraham. There shall be a great multitude of Armageddon survivors besides the remnant a pictured by Noah’s family which survived the destruction of the “old world”, “the world of the ungodly.” These shall be out of the former ‘nations, kindreds, people, and tongues’.—Rev. 7 : 9-17.
13 Armageddon, symbolically represented as the destruction of Satan’s world by fire, will be a scorching time. (2 Pet. 3:7-12) Thereafter the remnant will be retained on earth by the Lord to bring timely refreshment to the “great multitude” of the “other sheep” as symbolized by dew in the morning of that “new world”, “wherein dwelleth righteousness." With the remnant shall be associated in the work the “faithful men of old”, who shall have a "better resurrection” to life as perfect men. They shall be made “princes in all the earth”, the permanent visible representatives of the heavenly Theocracy. (Ps. 45:16; Heb. 11:35,39,40) The Scriptures strongly suggest that they shall be awakened to life and service on earth in the crisis at the beginning of Armageddon, and they shall take their place by the side of the spiritual remnant who are but the temporary representatives on earth of The Theocracy’ in power.
14 “All flesh is grass.” (Isa. 40:6) Now just before Armageddon the wicked spring as the grass (Ps. 92: 7); but after their destruction in that battle, and doubtless in the presence of the remnant as well as the “princes”, Jehovah by Christ Jesus will issue to the “great multitude” the divine mandate to “fill the earth”. (Gen. 9:1,7) They shall marry and reproduce righteous offspring, and then the righteous shall spring as the grass to ever beautify the earth. The remnant during the remainder of their sojourn on earth shall be in the midst of these righteous ones, “as the showers upon the grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the sons of men.” Heavenly refreshment such as dew and showers does not depend upon human creatures. Dew and showers neither wait for the command of men nor can they be detained by men, but must be accepted as God provides. His “doctrine shall drop as the rain, [his] speech shall distil as the dew, as the small rain upon the tender herb, and as the showers upon the grass”. (Deut. 32:2) ‘Out of Zion [God’s capital organization in heaven] shall go forth the law, and the word of the Loro from Jerusalem [New Jerusalem, which is above].’ (Mic. 4:2) Doubtless the remnant, together with the “princes”, will be used to further tender to the Lord’s “other sheep” his then “meat in due season”, including the proclamation of the divine mandate to that “great multitude". This will be very exhilarating, like dew and showers from the Lord God upon the parched grass. Already he has turned to the remnant a “pure language’’ or “pure lip’’, with which even now before the fire of Armageddon they are commanded by the Lord to refresh the people of good-will who become the Lord’s “other sheep”. (Zeph. 3: 8, 9) The remnant do not wait or tarry for any of the sons of men in order to get a license or permit or other approval from judges or police chiefs or other public officials to carry the Lord’s refreshment to those thirsting for righteousness and truth.
15 “And the remnant of Jacob shall be among the Gentiles in the midst of many people, as a lion among the beasts of the forest, as a young lion among the flocks of sheep; who, if he go through, both treadeth down, and teareth in pieces, and none can deliver.” (Mic. 5:8) It is now in this day of judgment, and down until the destruction of the wicked opposers at Armageddon, that the remnant must be bold as the lion, “which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away for any.” (Prov. 30:30) Being approved as God's devoted and faithful servants, they are ‘covered with the robe of righteousness’ as Jehovah’s official witnesses. “The righteous are bold as a lion.” (Prov. 28:1) "In nothing terrified by your adversaries : which is to them an evident token of perdition, but to you of salvation, and that of God.” (Phil. 1: 28) Their loving earthly companions have like devotion to The Theocracy and are likewise bold. They are like the shepherd David’s companions, “whose faces were like the faces of lions.”—1 Chron. 12:8.
16 Both the remnant and their companions follow “the Lion of the tribe of Juda” and work havoc with religion. To the nations now going totalitarian and forgetting God they declare the Lord's warning: “Now consider this, ye that forget God, lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver.” (Ps. 50:22) Compared with the royal “Lion of the tribe of Juda” the religious-totalitarian crowd are but a flock of sheep for prey. At Armageddon Jehovah will let him loose upon the prey and he will go through them and tear to pieces all those branded with ‘the mark of the beast and his image’, and all the demon herders will not be able to deliver pope, dictators or their regimented subjects.—Isa. 31:4; Rev. 14: 9,10; 13: 16.
17 Further concerning that victory by the Lord's power the prophecy adds: “Thine hand shall be lifted up upon thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.” (Mic. 5: 9) This is addressed particularly to the invisible Captain, Leader and Commander of the remnant, Christ Jesus, in whose hand is all power in heaven and in earth. Now the aggressive "king of the north” continues to “stretch forth his hand also upon the countries [by means of propaganda, religious ‘fifth column’, sea raiders, submarines, airplanes, Catholic Action, etc.) ; and the land of Egypt [meaning the anti-Nazi ‘king of the south’s’ realm] shall not escape.” (Dan. 11:42) That totalitarian-religious aggressor power tries to poke its meddlesome bloody hand within God’s visible organization. It tries to interfere with and break up the organized united action of the remnant and their companions, but even by its concentration camps and dungeons and torture chambers it fails to crack their integrity and prevent their giving further witness by word and example to Jehovah's supremacy. The potver of the Lord prevails in them; his strength is made perfect in their weakness. (2 Cor. 12:9) They know that but a short time now and the Lord's almighty hand of power shall prevail over the adversaries and haters of The Theocracy and shall slap them down and cut them off and the Lord's hand shall remain uplifted in victory. “Let thy hand be uplifted against thine adversaries, and all thine enemies shall be cut off.” (Rotherham; Am. Rev. Ver.) “Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies: thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.”— Ps. 21:8.
DEMONISM OUSTED
18 The deluded people whose necks are still caught in the snare of religion think Jehovah’s witnesses are extreme in discarding everything pertaining to religion and practicing nothing but pure Christianity. Jehovah is not fanatically extreme. So note what He does, and then judge as to his faithful and obedient witnesses who keep his commandments. “And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, that I will cut off thy horses out of the midst of thee, and I will destroy thy chariots.” (Mic. 5:10) We are nowin “that day”, which day began with the Lord's coming to the temple for judgment and purging the covenant people of God. It is also called “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ”. In that day the Lord's remnant on earth must “be blameless” by carrying on the “pure worship and undefiled before God and the Father” and without any compromise with religion. (1 Cor. 1:8; Jas. 1:27, Syriac Version) That day leads up to Armageddon. In the face of that battle for the vindication of God’s name what does Jehovah require of his remnant and his “other sheep”? Carnal weapons, as symbolized by horses and chariots? No! “Christendom” now feverishly multiplies such, but the Lord cuts such things off from his covenant people. He has revealed to them that Armageddon is not a fight between “the king of the north” and “the king of the south” nor other divided human interests. It is the final and deciding battle between God’s organization under his King Christ Jesus and Satan’s organization under his demon prince Gog and including all the nations which become totalitarian and demonized. Hence to his servants Jehovah says: “The battle is not yours, but God's. Ye shall not need to fight in this battle; set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the Lord with you.” (2 Chron. 20:15,17) Therefore the remnant do not go down to Egypt, Satan’s world, for help by its fighting equipment. —Isa. 31:1, 3.
19 In the typical setting long ago the twelve tribes of Israel fought against one another under the rival leaderships of Ephraim and Jerusalem. This continued until the Lord purged that people and brought forth a remnant. Now the Lord God has brought forth his spiritual remnant and commands that there be no internal strife or fighting among them, but that all shall be at unity in Christ and fight only against the common foe, the demons and religion. Thus He fulfills his promise: “And I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim, and the horse from Jerusalem, and the battle bow shall be cut off.” (Zech. 9:10) Now God’s unified people pray for the peace and prosperity of his visible organization, saying: “For my brethren and companions’ sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.” (Ps. 122:6-9) Any causing disturbance and division among God’s people trying to serve him without distraction show they are not of his house or organization. The Lord duly cuts such off.
20 Jehovah is not an extremist when he further says: “And I will cut off the cities of thy land, and throw down all thy strong holds.” (Mic. 5:11) “Cities” picture organizations. Those that Jehovah cuts off from his Holy Land are not the service organizations of his faithful and wise remnant class. These operate according to his Theocratic rule and in the interest of his Kingdom. When Christ Jesus, having now received the Kingdom, came to the temple in 1918 and began judgment at the house of God he found two classes among those consecrated to God and begotten of His spirit. One class he approved, to wit, those who faithfully sought to keep unity with Him their Head and to look after the interests of their brethren in Christ and to serve them with the Lord’s provided “meat in due season”. Such he brought into the temple and anointed them and made them his “faithful and wise servant”.
21 The other company were self-seeking, selfhonoring, oppressive to their brethren, troublemakers, seducers seeking to draw disciples after themselves, and obstructors to the Lord’s Kingdom proclamation work. Such were in line for the kingdom of God, but the Lord by his angels gathered these undesirables out of his kingdom. He cut them asunder from the Lord’s house and cast them into the outer darkness to there gnash their teeth with the other religious hypocrites. (Matt. 13:41; 24: 45-51) Such cast-out ones established organizations or “cities” of their own to do the Lord's work for him according to their own self-chosen ways, but the Lord cut these off from the “land” of his faithful remnant and threw down all the strongholds of religion that had remained, and thereby purged his remnant. Concerning his action against the “cities” of the “evil servant” class Jehovah says:
22 “If thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities, which the Lord thy God hath given thee to dwell there, saying, Certain men, the children of Belial, are irone out from among you, and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city, saying, Let us go and serve other gods, which ye have not known; . . . thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword, destroying it utterly . . . and it shall be an heap for ever; it shall not be built again. And there shall cleave nought of the cursed thing to thine hand: that the Lord may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and shew thee mercy, and have compassion upon thee, and multiply thee.” (Deut. 13:12-17) Such action must take place prior to Armageddon and preparatory to a cleansed earth. Jehovah establishing that clean condition among those who are to survive Armageddon, then surely that holy condition of devotion to God and his Kingdom will continue on earth after Armageddon. Those privileged to pass through Armageddon into the new condition on earth must now walk with Jehovah God as did Noah before the Flood.—Gen. 6: 8, 9.
23 Knowing that religion is of the Devil and is demonism and leads away from the great Giver of life and into destruction, Jehovah purges the remnant of all such. As he has said: “And I will cut off witchcrafts out of thine hand; and thou shalt have no more soothsayers [users of hidden arts (Roth.)]; thy graven images also will I cut off. and thy standing images [pillars] out of the midst of thee; and thou shalt no more worship the work of thine hands: and I will pluck up thy groves [(Am. Rev. Ver.) thine Asherim] out of the midst of thee; so will I destroy thy cities [thy enemies (margin: and Leeser)].”—Mic. 5:12-14.
24 “Christendom” is polluted through and through with the above forms of demonism or religion. But concerning his remnant of the temple class Jehovah foretold that at the end of the 2,300 days his sanctuary should be cleansed or justified. That time is now here. (Dan. 8:13,14) The Lord Jesus forewarned of the false prophets that would appear at the end of Satan’s world and using witchcrafts by whispering their own unscriptural opinions and predictions. The “soothsayers” are the religious hypocrites pretending to serve God but practicing Satan’s arts under cover for self-gain and glory. The “false prophet” mentioned at Revelation 19:20 is that powerful organization that makes an impressive stage-play before the Devil’s abominable totalitarian “beast”. That “prophet” promises a free-people’s world after the conflict, but such prophet is overreached by the demons and proves to be false and joins in setting up a religious-totalitarian “new world order”. Such “false prophet” with his attractive “new order” promises has no influence upon the remnant and their companions; they are wholly for The Theocracy.
25 The graven images and standing images and other works of creatures' hands are cleared from God’s sanctuary. Such are things which were once respected more highly than the pure and selfsufficient Word of God; for example, the supposed symbolisms of the great pyramid of Gizeh; also set forms for going through a manner of worship; “character development” idolatry; undue honors conferred upon men and particularly “elective elders”, made such by the hands of voters raised in an affirmative vote; mapping out God’s work in advance for him by chronologies or time tables, based on the pyramid or other measurements. Now the Devil’s organization has brought forth the “image of the beast” to meet the world emergency and to make it appear that men can bind up this world into a peaceful and enduring arrangement, so making unnecessary and undesirable the kingdom of God. The effort is made to coerce all the people to idolize such “image of the beast”. (Rev. 13:14,15) Jehovah’s devoted remnant and their companions refuse to hail, salute or worship any creature image; they have no gods besides Jehovah. — Ex. 20:3-5.
26 “Groves,” or “Asherim”, of demonism represented the female part of the religious worship and hence pictured Satan’s woman, his unclean demon controlled organization which recognizes him as lord and husband. This organization brings forth the clergy, to whom Jesus said: “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth.” (John 8:44) Worship was carried on under the shadow of the “groves” or “Asherim”. The clergy today are the friends of this world of Satan. To win converts and have the world’s approval, they mix the things of Satan’s organization with the things of God, whereas there is no agreement between such things. (2 Cor. 6:14-16) The clergy carry on their worship under the shadow, approval, permit, license, and protection of the representatives of the organization belonging to the “god of this world”. The remnant have come out from such and touch not the unclean thing. They worship and serve God at his temple and by his authority and according to his commandment and under his protection and approval. All the “cities”, or organizations of false gods, Jehovah has destroyed from among the remnant. Such “cities”, or “watchers”, encamp against them to ensnare them and thus are a close-girdling and easily-besetting sin: “the sin which doth so easily beset us,” to wit, religion. (Heb. 12:1) Now the remnant worship God in spirit and in truth.
27 All this clearing out of religion from among the remnant and the Lord’s “other sheep” greatly enrages the great “Assyrian” and all the demons and the religionists. Their religious hypocrisy is shown up by contrast, and their religious susceptibilities are shocked. So they are stirred up by the demons to assault the God-fearing remnant and their companions and to wage a war of lies and persecution against them. The religionists, particularly the Roman Catholic Hierarchy who ride on top, steer the scarletcolored totalitarian “beast” against them to devour those who renounce religion and worship Jehovah God and keep his commandments. (Rev. 17:1-14) This stirs up the anger and fury of Jehovah against the presumptuous enemy. Having cleansed his “sanctuary” class from religion and established the pure worship among his remnant, He will not tolerate the efforts of the totalitarian-religious crowd to reimpose demonism upon his covenant-people who keep their integrity by faithfully resisting all such attempts by the “abomination of desolation”. Hence, as a climax, Jehovah says he will destroy those who refused to be cleansed and who held on to religion: “And I will execute vengeance in anger and fury upon the heathen [the nations], such as they have not heard”; “upon the nations which hearkened not.”—Mic. 5:15; Am. Rev. Ver. and Leeser.
28 Such nations have heard the sound with their ears, but have not heeded that message sounded forth. For more than sixty years and by the greatest publicity campaign in Christian history Jehovah’s witnesses have warned the nations of God’s vengeance coming at Armageddon. So there is no excuse for not having heard. The nations have simply preferred to forget Jehovah God and have objected to hearkening with belief and obedience. Concerning this Jehovah by his prophet foretold: “Behold ye among the heathen [the nations], and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work [at Armageddon] in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you [beforehand].” (Hab. 1:5; Acts 13:40,41) Armageddon will be so furious it will leave all the nations as though they had not been. (Obad. 16) It will be righteous vengeance upon them, because such vengeance means the vindication of Jehovah’s name, which name the nations have reproached by choosing demon-worship and demon rule and persecuting those who bore Jehovah’s name and proclaimed his Theocracy by Christ Jesus.
REQUIREMENTS
29 The demons are gathering all nations of the world to Armageddon, and the life of each individual of the peoples is involved. Satan the Devil is the ‘'god of this world” and still has the “power of death”. (Heb. 2:14) He would make the peoples believe that life in peace and happiness is dependent upon his organization and proceeds through and is sustained and protected by his organization. Now that demon organization rapidly nears its final end. In the desperation to either rule or ruin Satan sets up requirements whereby creatures may live under his organization and which requirements they must meet or else be killed. His decree is that none shall survive save those worshiping his beastly organization and having its mark in the forehead or the hand; and he forces regimentation upon the people contrary to the rules of Jehovah.—Rev. 13:15-17.
30 In reality, Jehovah God is the Fountain of life, and to him salvation belongs. (Pss. 36:9; 3:8) He declares that all who conform to and abide under Satan’s organization shall be destroyed with it at Armageddon by Jehovah’s Executioner. Jehovah through his Word reveals that the only place of safety and preservation unto life throughout the great deluge of Armageddon is the Ark of his organization. All seekers after everlasting life must take refuge in it. His command to his faithful remnant is that they must now aid the refugees of good-will to that only place of security and life, and must make known to them Jehovah’s life requirements which they must fulfill while abiding within his place of refuge. Thus there is now a great controversy on concerning effective requirements for life.
31 By his mouthpiece and witnesses Jehovah addresses “Christendom”: “Hear ye now what the Lord saith; Arise, contend thou before the mountains, and let the hills hear thy voice.” (Mic. 6:1) "Christendom” resents these attentions and says, 'Why come to me and continually make me hear the message? I have the Bible, and why don’t you witnesses go to the heathen?' Why? Well, in the type Jehovah spoke to his professed covenant-people Israel, and now he commands “Christendom” to hear, because the heathen have no covenant obligations toward Almighty God whereas “Christendom” claims to be in a covenant to do his will. Hence her claim makes her subject to God’s requirements. “Judgment must begin at the house of God,” is God’s rule. “Christendom” claims to be such house, and must therefore get attention before heathendom. “Christendom” is out to justify her yielding to religion or demonism. Jehovah bids her “contend”, or, “maintain thy controversy” (Roth.), with him as to whether the Kingdom requirements are excessive or unreasonable, and why destruction should not come upon “Christendom” as well as heathendom at Armageddon. Jehovah further bids her contend in a most public way, “before the mountains, and . . . hills.” The controversy is of vital interest and concern to the lowest and to the highest personages of Satan's visible organization, to pope, dictators, kings, judges, governors, and others whose very highness makes their responsibility greater because of the power and influence they exercise over the peoples and the laws laid upon the people. Instead of taking away freedom of speech, press and assembly in connection with the worship of Jehovah God, “Christendom" should play fair and consider the everlasting welfare of her peoples and let them hear both sides of the controversy. Then let the people determine which side is right, and freely act accordingly, thereby fixing each one his own destiny.
32 “Hear ye, O mountains, the Lord’s controversy, and ye strong foundations of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with his people, and he will plead with Israel.” (Mic. 6:2) Such mountains represent particularly the lofty national governments of “Christendom”, including “the king of the north" and “the king of the south” who now exchange blows over world domination. Jehovah has made such “mountains” to hear the message of His life requirements. Jehovah’s witnesses have by special couriers paid personal visits on the various ruling ones and presented them the printed Resolutions adopted at international assemblies. Like information has been mailed to such worldly authorities. It has all been radiocast over great networks of stations. There have been public hearings before federal commissions, Supreme Court and other courts high and low; and also petitions for free worship and open debate, and signed by millions of fair-minded lovers of righteousness. Even the so-called "heathen nations” have been served with notice of Jehovah’s controversy.
33 The bone of contention over which the two “kings” declare they will fight to the last ditch, shot and man is not the main issue. The really serious question is, not which one shall get on top with world domination, but, Shall Jehovah's Theocratic Government exercise universal domination? Of what avail is it if one “king” of "Christendom" temporarily gets on top, if shortly thereafter all “Christendom”, together with heathendom, shall be wiped out at Armageddon for not meeting God's requirements? Hence “Christendom’s” view that Jehovah’s witnesses are wasting time and are a nuisance and serving no vital, essential purpose is upside down. Their proclamation of Jehovah’s Word is the most vital and pressing service from which all peoples can benefit lastingly. The creature's relationship to the Supreme Power and to the Government of ‘‘The Higher Powers” is of greater importance than that to any earthly human organization and it involves the creature’s eternal life and happiness.
34 In Jehovah’s controversy with unfaithful Jerusalem he sent his prophets early and late. So now he sends his anointed witnesses. Not only the lofty ones must hear, but also those who claim to be the foundations of Satan’s visible organization, “ye lasting rocks, the foundations of the earth.” [Roth.) The pope at Vatican City claims to be the rock foundation of spiritual Israel, “the church.” He and all other religious systems of “Christendom” claim to be lasting, enduring when all other things fail, and to be the bottom upon which the civilization of the earthly organization rests. Therefore they insist that provision be made for religion in the world order to be set up after this world war. The pope depends on the Axis powers as his military arm, “the sword of his church,” and all such comrades declare that strong, hierarchic and authoritarian governments are the only solid base for a permanent stable human society, a “new order based on moral principles”. Such religionists, including the Vatican’s pontiff himself, have been notified of Jehovah’s controversy and have been warned that they “shall die'’!
35 This controversy with God's professed ‘people of Israel’, or ’'Christendom”, may not be dismissed lightly as if having no bearing on the world outcome or on one’s individual hope of life. It is of far-reaching importance to you to know whether “Christendom” has kept faith with God or has broken the covenant she claims with him and is worthy of death and hence doomed. All persons of good-will and who want life must be interested in this controversy, to determine whether to side with “Christendom" or to forsake her. You must know how to avoid the death-dealing snares into which the demons have lured her. Thereby you can steer clear of her shortcomings and covenant-breaking, and so escape sharing her terrible fate at Armageddon. To know what is required of God unto life and how to maintain your integrity toward him, you must listen to His side of the controversy.
36 Jehovah reasons with “Christendom” on the basis on which she claims to operate, to wit, as “his people”: “O my people, what have I done unto thee? and wherein have I wearied thee? testify against me.” (Mic. 6:3) Jehovah raises the same question by a later prophet. (Jer. 2: 5-8. 31) “Christendom” claims God’s promises in the Bible, but does not render obedience to his law of worship upon which the fulfillment of those promises is based. (Ex. 20:6) Is God, therefore, responsible for her failure to realize those promises? Concerning the religionists and their political allies who disregard God’s law and brazenly make prayers for his blessing on their plans and methods, Proverbs 28: 9 says: “He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.” (Prov. 15:8) Failing to keep her side of the covenant, “Christendom” cannot receive the blessings promised. Why, then, should she be offended and her religious susceptibilities shocked at having her failure pointed out by Jehovah’s witnesses ? Why should she get wearied by their persistence in warning her at God’s command and then try to stop such witnesses by mobs, Catholic Action, government bans, and refined persecution carried on under the cloak of legality and “special emergency” laws and measures?
37 It is not unreasonable of Jehovah to keep on sending his witnesses to her. He knows the importance of the matter deserves it. Further, “Christendom” should consider that it shows forth God’s great forbearance and mercy when he serves warning notice before executing his judgment upon her as punishment for not living up to her covenant claims and thereby reproaching God’s name. (Jer. 7:25; 2 Chron. 36:15,16) “Testify against me,” says Jehovah ; but the religionists cannot answer on Scriptural grounds of argument. They are confounded by His little ones who quote Scripture showing God’s righteousness and blamelessness. What do the so-called “Christian religionists” have against Jehovah ? He is not responsible for the past and present course of the Jews. In fact, such “Christian religionists” with their greater opportunities and responsibilities have done worse to Jehovah God than the natural Jews themselves. In spitefulness, therefore, the religionists testify falsely against Jehovah’s witnesses to discredit them and their message. Persons of goodwill are not wearied by these, but welcome their visits.
38 Doomed “Christendom” should consider what Jehovah in his faithfulness has done by which she might have been forever blessed. “For I brought thee up out of the land of Egypt, and redeemed thee out of the house of servants; and I sent before thee Moses, Aaron, and Miriam. O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him [remembered] from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the Lord.” (Mic. 6:4,5) Jehovah provided the typical passover in Egypt for the deliverance of the Jews, and in due time provided the real thing, “Christ our passover,” “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world,” and by which comes deliverance from antitypical Egypt, Satan’s world organization. (1 Cor. 5:7; John 1:29) “Christendom” claims to have come out of “Egypt”, but belies her claim by making friendship with the world, God's enemy. (Jas. 4:4) Jehovah God has again sent his Prophet, the Greater Moses, Christ Jesus, to lead the way out of the world and into the blessings promised to the obedient who hear that Prophet. (Acts 3: 22, 23; 7: 37) With his coming to the temple for judgment Jehovah has sent forth with him Christ's remnant of brethren as fellow witnesses, pictured by Moses’ brother and sister, Aaron and Miriam. (Gal. 3:28; Joel 2:28,29) They declare Jehovah’s name in the antitypical Egypt. — Ex. 9:16; 15:20.
39 Jehovah God never backs up an enemy curse upon those who faithfully serve Him. Balak, the ancient king of Moab, opposed Jehovah’s people and sought to have them cursed and doomed. The prophet Balaam hired himself out to do it. He therefore pictures the ‘‘man of sin” class, including the “evil servant” company and also the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and other clergy of “Christendom”. These hire out to the worldly powers who are out for world domination and therefore oppose The Theocracy and who pay the religionists to curse Jehovah's witnesses for preaching that Theocratic Government. (Numbers 22,23,24; 2 Pet. 2:15,16; Rev. 2:14) Jehovah turned Balaam’s attempted curse into a blessing. Today the curses and misrepresentation of his covenant people by the religionists He makes to work for a witness to the Kingdom and for the good of his faithful witnesses who love him. (Deut. 23: 4, 5; Neh. 13:2; Josh. 24: 9,10) No curses written in God’s Word can with effect be applied against his faithful servants. Religious curses pronounced upon them by pope and like clergy are neither Biblical nor of God, but are demoniacal and are of no avail.
40 To get them “from Shittim unto Gilgal” Jehovah divided the waters of Jordan and led his people across dry-shod. Then from Gilgal as a base he directed the march around Jericho, ending in the utter destruction of that demonized religious stronghold. From that destruction only Rahab and her believing household were saved, picturing how God delivers from "Christendom’s” downfall the “sheep” class of good-will who do good unto his faithful and true witnesses, the remnant brethren of Christ. “Christendom” could have availed herself of covenant privileges with God and experienced like things antitypically, “from Shittim unto Gilgal,” so to speak. Only the “remnant” and their companions like Rahab have been thus led and used and preserved of the Lord. Why not "Christendom”? Because she willfully broke her implied covenant with God. By remembering such facts Jehovah is seen to be not at fault. Faced with such facts “Christendom” must "know the righteousness of the Lord”. He keeps covenant.—Neh. 1:5.
41 Now, with Armageddon immediately before us, it is a matter of life or destruction. Those who would be of the Lord’s "other sheep” that shall compose the “great multitude” of Armageddon survivors and live joyfully on earth forever must find the answer to a very personal question, and very important. 'Wherewith shall I come before the Lord, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old ? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?”—Mic. 6: 6, 7.
42 How shall now one approach God with acceptance and get in the way of life? The leading religious organization insists it is by the Roman Catholic clergy and their canonized saints. Their latest argument is that mankind must come by way of a "new order founded on moral principles” as approved by the pope. The “Protestant” clergy hang on to the papal apron-strings and for self-protection keep “good neighbor” policy with the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, and claim the approach to God is by joining their conflicting religious systems; that to be saved and go to heaven one must be a member thereof. All agree that one must make liberal financial sacrifices to support the clergy and their expensive organizations. They conduct "drives" for money as if to enrich God. Billions of dollars are paid them for masses and prayers for the dead. They disregard God’s law and appointed way and please themselves and then salve their consciences by such so-called “sacrifices”. With such religionists the “evil servant" class line up in opposition to The Theocracy and its witnesses and claim approach to God is by the self-idolatry of "character development” so called.
43 Sacrifices without obedience are bribe tactics and are abominable to God. (Prov. 21: 27; Isa. 1: 11-17) “To obey is better than sacrifice.” (1 Sam. 15.22) A mere material-sacrifice arrangement would favor the rich as against the empty-handed poor. All such “sacrifices” are things outside of the individual himself and can become mere formality, able to be done without one's heart in it and with mental reservations, as when haters of dictatorship "Heil Hitler” and salute Hitler’s flag under compulsion. The religionists make an outward and formal acknowledgment of “transgression” and of "sin of my soul". In the world conflict of 1914-1918 they persecuted conscientious Christians, but their appearance of repentance thereafter did not lead them to accept God’s kingdom proclaimed by his persecuted witnesses. Instead, they hardened their hearts against Jehovah's King and turned to and hailed the League of Nations, the World Court, the Paris Peace Pact of 1928 outlawing war, and other anti-Theocratic schemes. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy had its own scheme for world dominance, to wit, the rebirth of the “Holy Roman Empire” with the help of arbitrary dictators. Again today, as in the Dark Ages, the Hierarchy is exposed as willing to sacrifice millions of her “Catholic population” to gain her selfish ends and also to thereby cause the death of millions of firstborn ones and other children of human mothers, and which children are fighting against the totalitarian dictators that serve the Hierarchy's aims. Honest Catholics who appreciate the benefits of democracy and separation of religion and state should awake to this clergy hypocrisy and listen to God’s requirement for life and blessings. With such religious sacrifice of human flesh and blood in violation of God’s everlasting covenant will he be pleased? —Gen. 9: 6,11.
44 “He hath shewed thee [(Leeser; Rotherham) He hath told thee], O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” (Mic. 6: 8) Jehovah has told man His requirements; “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.” (Rom. 15:4) Now God has sent his Prophet, the Greater Micah, Christ Jesus, to the temple. Him God uses to make clear the inspired Scriptures and to point out therefrom Jehovah’s requirements. Thus since the Lord’s coming to the temple in 1918 the Scriptures have been especially opened up as never hitherto. To the Christians there have been made clear their true commission from the Lord and their covenant obligations and also the requirements concerning the Lord’s “other sheep” who flee to him for refuge. Then Jehovah anointed his approved remnant and sent them forth in performance of that revealed commission to go up and down “Christendom” and other nations to pass the life-giving information out to all, whether claiming to be Christian or not. As in Micah's day, the man actually in a covenant to do God’s will, and the man professedly so, should be and are most directly concerned about what the Lord requires. However, the Lord's rule is the same toward the earthly ones of good-will who become the Lord’s “other sheep”, even though they are not like “Christendom” in claiming to be spiritual Israelites.
45 The question that the young man asked Jesus is now fitting: “What good thing shall I do, that I may have eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16-19) Because of inherited sin and imperfection none on earth can now do perfectly; but note God’s Word as to “what is good” to do: “I will praise thy name, 0 Lord, for it is good.” (Ps. 54:6) “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, 0 Most High.” (Ps. 92:1) “Praise ye the Lord: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely.” (Ps. 147 :1) “He that received seed [of Kingdom truth] into the good ground, is he that heareth the word, and under-standeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.” (Matt. 13:23) “Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things.” (Matt. 25:21; Luke 19:17) “Prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Rom. 12:2) The sum of the foregoing is that persons of good-will, the Lord’s “other sheep”, must first receive his truth and devote themselves to the Lord. They must then bear witness to his name and Kingdom, carrying forth the Kingdom fruits to other hungry ones of good-will, and continuing faithful and in integrity in doing God’s expressed good and perfect will.
46 You want life! “And what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly?” Do that which is right and equal. Do not withhold from the “stranger that is within thy gates” his right, namely, to hear God's life-giving message. Freely thou hast received: rightly then, freely give. Show no partiality or respect of persons. Do not misjudge thy Christian brother or “neighbor”. Let him bear his own burden before the Lord and answer to his own Master, the Lord, who judges him.—Rom. 14:4; Gal. 6:5.
47 “And to love mercy.” This the Lord requires also. “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice: and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.'’ (Hos. 6:6) Be forgiving, forbearing toward the faults and unintentional mistakes of thy brethren, helpfully pointing out to such the right course to take in their difficulty. Sound the Lord’s merciful warning to those about to die at Armageddon if unaided. Make return-visits upon those slow to understand but willing. Warn the honest and sincere against religion. Aid the refugees to find the Lord's “city of refuge” for protection against God's Executioner at Armageddon and to abide there and keep the rules, within the city bounds, in integrity. Do good unto Jehovah’s witnesses, the “least of these [Christ's] brethren”, and do not take advantage of the war conditions to vent religious spleen on them for keeping God’s law and exposing religion.
48 “And to walk humbly with thy God”; not contrary to him. That means to be not self-willed, but obedient to God’s law and organization instructions. Recognize the true “Higher Powers”. Do not support schemes that exalt creatures and organizations that oppose Jehovah and his universal domination by his Theocracy. Do not think thyself above God’s law and that man’s law is higher than God’s in some cases, especially in some man-made emergency. The world emergency with Armageddon at the door is the very time to most anxiously keep God’s law and obey him rather than obey desperate men. Only those who thus walk obediently with Jehovah God as Noah walked with God down to the Flood will have any chance to survive Armageddon and serve him beyond.
(To be continued)
KINGDOM WORK
WATCHTOWER readers now appreciate the fact that The Theocratic Government is functioning in the earth in so far as those who are consecrated to Jehovah are concerned Both the anointed remnant and the Jonadabs have the privilege, by the Lord’s grace, of participating in bearing the legitimate expenses for carrying forward the Kingdom work. Their contributions made direct to the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, at 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn, N. Y., is assurance to them that the money will be used to the best advantage in advancing the Kingdom interests.
This notice is not a solicitation of money, but a reminder to all who have a desire to support Jehovah’s kingdom that it is well to make advance provision to participate in the work and do so by laying aside a specific sum each week according to the manner in which the Lord prospers them financially. The work of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society is to use the money contributed in the most economical way to make known Jehovah’s name and His kingdom. If informed in advance as to the probable amount that will be contributed during the year by those who are interested, that makes it possible to outline the work and the expense connected therewith accordingly. It is therefore suggested that upon receipt of this issue of The Watchtower you address a post card to the Society and keep a copy thereof as a reminder to yourself as to the amount you have promised and post the card to the Society immediately. Write nothing upon the card except the following:
By the Lord’s grace I hope to be able to contribute to the work of announcing the kingdom of Jehovah during the ensuing year the amount of $ … which I will remit in such amounts and at such time as I can find it convenient as the Lord prospers me.
Signed
Address your card to
Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society Treasurer’s Office
124 Columbia Heights Brooklyn, New York.
Those residing outside of the United States and who desire to participate in contributing to the necessary expense will please address your letters or cards to the Society’s office in the respective country in which you live.
Have in mind our need for guidance by the Lord and present the matter before the throne of heavenly grace that the money contributed may be used to the best advantage to announce the Kingdom.
"NEW WORLD” RULER AND ASSOCIATES
TURNING away from a consideration of the beastly rule of this present unsatisfactory world, it is refreshing to consider the vision of the glorious new world and its majestic ruler, his title and his father, and his position and his associates in office One of those associates, named John, who was favored with the inspired vision thereof, describes it for the benefit of us living at the world's end:
“And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder; and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps: and they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth. These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.”— Rev. 14.1-5.
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