The Watchtower, September 1, 1947
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"They shall know that I am Jehovah.”
-Ezekiel 35:15.
Vol. LXVIII Semimonthly
SEPTEMBER I, 1947
CONTENTS
Pushing the Advance of True Worship....................
Opposition Foretold .................
Proof of His Rule ......................
To an Unlimited Extent .............
Against False ReEgion ............
Taken Up Again and Continued United Frontal Assault .............
On Service in the Mediterranean Area .............
“Fearless Against Conspiracy”
Testimony Period ...................
“Watchtower” Studies ................
Notice of Annual Meeting .........
No. 17
.258
. 258
. 258
Use Renewal Subscription Blank .... 258
S,
Published Semimonthly By
WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY 117 Adams Street - - Brooklyn 1, N.Y., U.S.A.
Ol'I'ICEBS
N. H. Knobb, President Grant Suiter, Secretary
“And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” - Isaiah y4:13.
THE BIBLE CLEARLY TEACHES
THAT JEHOVAH is the only true God, from everlasting to everlasting, and is the Maker of heaven and earth and Giver of life to his creatures; that the Word or Logos was the beginning of his creation and his active agent in creating all other things; and that the creature Lucifer rebelled against Jehovah and raised the issue of His universal sovereignty;
THAT GOD created the earth for man, made perfect man for the earth and placed him upon it; that man yielded to unfaithful Lucifer, or Satan, and willfully disobeyed God’s law and was sentenced to death; that by reason of Adam’s wrong act all men are born sinners and without the right to life;
THAT THE LOGOS was made human as the man Jesus and suffered death in order to produce the ransom or redemptive price for obedient men; that God raised up Christ Jesus divine and exalted him to heaven above every other creature and clothed him with all power and authority as head of God’s new capital organization;
THAT GOD’S CAPITAL ORGANIZATION'is a Theocracy called Zion, and that Christ Jesus is the Chief Officer thereof and is the rightful King of the new world; that the faithful anointed followers of Christ Jesus are Zion’s children, members of Jehovah’s organization, and are His witnesses whose duty and privilege it is to testify to Jehovah’s supremacy and declare his purposes toward mankind as expressed in the Bible;
THAT THE OLD WORLD, or Satan’s uninterrupted rule, ended AD. 1914, and Christ Jesus has been placed by Jehovah upon the throne, has ousted Satan from heaven, and now proceeds to vindicate His name and establish the “new earth”;
THAT THE RELIEF and blessings of the peoples can come only by Jehovah’s kingdom under Christ, which has begun; that His next great act is to destroy Satan’s organization and establish righteousness completely in the earth ; and that under the Kingdom the people of good-will surviving Armageddon will carry out the divine mandate to “fill the earth” with righteous offspring, and that the human dead in the graves will be raised to opportunities of life on earth.
ITS MISSION
HIS journal is published for the purpose of enabling the people to know Jehovah God and his purposes as expressed in the Bible. It publishes Bible instruction specifically designed to aid Jehovah’s witnesses and all people of good-will. It arranges systematic Bible study for its readers and the Society supplies other literature to aid in such studies. It publishes suitable material for radio broadcasting and for other means of public instruction in the Scriptures.
It adheres strictly to the Bible as authority for its utterances. It is entirely free and separate from all religion, parties, sects or other worldly organizations. It is wholly and without reservation for the kingdom of Jehovah God under Christ his beloved King. It is not dogmatic, but invites careful and critical examination of its contents in the light of the-Scriptures. It does not indulge in controversy, and its columns are not open to personalities.
Notice to Subscribers; Remittances should be sent to office in your country in compliance with regulations to guarantee safe delivery of money. Remittances are accepted at Brooklyn from countries where no office is located, by international money order only. Subscription rates in different countries are stated below in local currency. Notice of expiration (with renewal blank) is sent at least two issues before subscription expires. Change of address when sent to our office may be expected effective within one month. Send your old as well as new address.
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Printed in the United States of America
Entered as second-class matter at the post office at Brooklyn, N. Y., under the Act of March 3, 1819.
“FEARLESS AGAINST CONSPIRACY” TESTIMONY PERIOD
October is annually a special testimony-period month, and this year it is designated “Fearless Against Conspiracy” Testimony Period. The fact today of world conspiracy against Jehovah God and his kingdom by Christ cannot be denied, and it falls not amiss that during this special testimony His fearless publishers will offer the challenging book “Let God Be True’’, making it their initial offer on a contribution of 35c, American, or the equivalent of this in foreign lands. Many new Watchtower readers doubtless feel emboldened by its message to take part in this special effort to place the said book and to lay the foundation for future studies of the Bible with it in the private homes of the obtainers. We invite all such into the ranks of active publishers of God’s presentday message. In harmony therewith we wait to hear from you if wanting to get instructions and any references to companies or groups with whom you can associate unitedly in this privilege of service. For the part that it plays m compiling a world-wide report, we ask for your report of work at the end of October.
“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES
Week of October 5: “Pushing the Advance of True Worship,” fl 1-21 inclusive, The Watchtower September 1, 1947.
Week of October 12; “Pushing the Advance of True Worship,” fl 22-42 inclusive, The Watchtower September 1, 1947.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING
On Wednesday, October 1, 1947, at 10: 00 o’clock a.m., the annual meeting of the members of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, a nonprofit Pennsylvania corporation, will be held at the registered office of the Society located in the Wabash Building, 410 Liberty Avenue, Pittsburgh 22, Pennsylvania, at which the regular business of the corporation will be transacted.
Notices of the meeting and proxy forms are being mailed to the members. Every member, whether attending the meeting in person or not, should mail his proxy to the office of the secretary of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn 2, New York, on or before September 15, 1947.
USE RENEWAL SUBSCRIPTION BLANK
The renewal blank sent you prior to the expiration of your Watchtower subscription should be filled out and returned to the Brooklyn office or to the Branch office in the country where you reside. Servants in the companies, and individuals, when sending in renewals for The Watchtower, should always use these blanks By filling in these renewal blanks you are assured of the continuation of your Watchtower from the time of expiration, and without delay. It will also be a great help if you sign your name uniformly, and note any recent change of address, on the renewal slip.
ANNOUNCING JEHOVAH'S KINGDOM
Vol. LXVIII September 1, 1947 No. 17
PUSHING THE ADVANCE OF TRUE WORSHIP
“Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.'"—Ps. 60:12.
JEHOVAH'S King, the Messiah, is irresistibly on the advance. He is the Rightful Ruler whom God has raised up for a new world of righteousness, and now he is coming into his own. His taking over complete control of the earth is without selfish motives, for it has only the glory of God and the lasting welfare of persons of good-will in view. It is certain to result in the blessing of all the families and nationalities of the earth.
2 At present great movements are under way among men to spread the control of certain patterns of political government and to extend the sway of certain economic and social ideologies. The western democracies dread the infiltration and overspreading growth of communism, and the communist powers look with suspicion upon the vigorous activities of the capitalist democracies. Each of the two great blocs is guarding against encirclement by the other. For the most part the religions of Christendom have chosen to hug close to the side of the western democracies; but Jehovah’s King, the Messiah, is party to neither of the two great opposition blocs. He is leading neither one to superiority over the other. He has no attachments to any man-inspired political movements to dominate or perpetuate this old world which is doomed and near its disastrous end. He is entirely devoted to the regeneration of a new world of righteousness as promised in the Scriptures of the Word of Jehovah God. The advance that he is now pushing throughout the universe is to gather all the willing ones to the side of the Sovereign of all creation, Jehovah, where they may loyally worship Him as the living and true God. Only the combined allegiance of all creatures that live to the Most High God and their united worship of Him will result in universal peace, happiness and stability for ever.
3 Nineteen centuries seem long enough for a King with divine right to wait before actively taking hold of the reins of his government, and Jehovah’s anointed King has meekly waited for that long. His long wait was foretold in the prophecies of the
1, Why is Christ’s irresistible advance now not a selfish move? 2. Why is he with neither of the world’s opposing blocs today?
3. How was his long wait foretold? and why was it at God’s right hand? Hebrew Scriptures, and it discloses how longsuffer-ing and forbearing Jehovah God has been toward men who choose their own political, social and religious ways. Ancient King David on his throne at Jerusalem acknowledged that the coming Messianic King was to be loftier than himself and hence his Lord, and David said: “Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” (Ps. 110:1, Am. Stan. Ver.) The calling of the Messianic King to the exalted position at Jehovah’s right hand in the heavens was because he was unswervingly loyal to Jehovah God even to death as a perfect man on earth, and also because he laid down his perfect human life in order that he might bestow everlasting life upon all who should become his faithful subjects. His sacrifice has actual power to remove the guilt of sin from all those who accept him as King and submit themselves to his requirements.
4 King David of Jerusalem had no priestly services to render, but while he concerned himself with governmental affairs he also took the lead in the worship of Jehovah God. The One whom David prophetically called his'Lord was to be his descendant, a “Son of David”, but was at the same time to be a king higher than his forefather David. Moreover, David’s future Lord and King was t.o be a high priest upon his throne and to reign forever. Death would never call for a successor to Him. In Psalm 110, quoted above, David prophesied about this, saying: “Jehovah hath sworn, and will not repent: thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Ps. 110:4, Am. Stan. Ver.) Jehovah’s oath is beyond withdrawal. By it Christ Jesus was made High Priest after the rank of the ancient priest-king Melchizedek. Jesus by his own human sacrifice on earth offered the one and only sacrifice that could count for man and that proved Jesus to be a true high priest. Jehovah God resurrected this High Priest from the dead and granted him access into heaven with his sacrifice, to present it in the very presence of Jehovah God himself for the benefit of humankind. (Heb. 10: 12,13; 6: 20; 7:1-28) Christ Jesus is High Priest as well as
4. When acting as King, why does he advance Jehovah’s worship?
King. It follows as a consequence that when he goes into action as King he would be highly concerned with the worship of Jehovah as God and would advance the knowledge and worship of Him over all the earth.
5 During the nineteen centuries of waiting in the heavens at Jehovah's right hand, Christ Jesus the High Priest has faithfully ministered for all his consecrated followers and subjects upon the earth in order to prepare and fit them to reign with him in the heavens in due time. But now the kingdom of Jehovah God toward this earth has come, and the great God has empowered his King, Christ Jesus, to act for Him in a governmental way. The time for the kingdom of Jehovah God arrived in 1914, thirty-three years ago. Time and space do not allow here for going into details on this provable fact, but in that eventful year the “seven times” of the Gentiles came to their end. They had begun 2,520 years before that, when the last of the earthly kings of David's line to rule on a throne in Jerusalem was unseated, his crown and all that it stood for were overturned, and his royal city Jerusalem was laid low in the dust under the feet of Gentiles bent on world aggression. In 607 B.C. that was. Jehovah's worship suffered at the time also, because the awe-inspiring temple of His worship at Jerusalem was destroyed and its various vessels of service were carried off by robbers.
OPPOSITION FORETOLD
6 All during the time that the ancient kingdom of the house of Judah existed, from the accession of King David in 1077 B.C. down to his last human successor and Jerusalem’s overthrow in 607 B.C., it had to fight for its God-given right to operate in the midst of powerful enemy nations. Now the day has come upon us for the kingdom of Jehovah God, established in the hands of his Christ, to extend its power from heaven and into all parts of our earth.
’ It is not according to Bible teaching to think that at the end of the Gentile times, A.D. 1914, when Jehovah God and his Christ assumed Kingdom power, the Gentile nations including Christendom would hail the Kingdom as the salvation of the peoples and would at once yield up their governmental powers to Jehovah and Christ as “The Higher Powers”. (Rom. 13:1) It is contrary to Bible prophecy to think that at that time the Gentile rule and Gentile systems of power would instantly go out of existence and this world would promptly enter in upon an unbroken period of peace. Christ Jesus knew better than to expect that to take place from and after A.D. 1914, because the prophetic psalm said to him as King and Priest after Melchizedek's
5. Why did the time for the Kingdom come A.D. 1914?
6. To operate, what did the kingdom of Judah’s house have to do?
7. Why was not submission by Gentile powers to be expected in 1914? order: “Jehovah saith unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Jehovah will send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion: Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.” (Ps. 110:1,2, Am. Stan. Ver.) That was notice to him to expect to have a fight on his hands when taking Kingdom power, regardless of the fact that the “seven times” of uninterrupted rule had run out for the Gentiles. They would not want him as King.
8 The Bible faithfully records the historic facts of nineteen centuries ago and earlier because those facts forecast the course of earthly history in our twentieth century. In the first century neither the Jewish nation as a whole nor the Gentile nations nor the Roman Empire wanted Jesus as King of a new world. Naturally the Gentile nations did not want him because they did not care to surrender up their political power. On the other hand, the Jewish nation did not want him because that would have meant giving up their specially developed religion, Judaism, and devoting themselves to the true worship of Jehovah God under the rulership of the Messianic King. Rather than do that, they would continue under Gentile political domination. Opposition to Jesus Christ as God's anointed King for the new world was what united Jews and Gentiles in an active alliance, a conspiracy, against Christ. Hence from the very start the primitive church of Christ’s apostles and other early disciples had to carry on their preaching activities in the midst of Christ’s combined enemies. Once, after the apostles were beaten and released from prison under threats, they met with their brethren in prayer and pointed to this foretold conspiracy of Jews and Gentiles against Jehovah’s King, Christ Jesus. We read:
9 “And being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said unto them. And they, when they heard it, lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, O Lord, thou that didst make the heaven and the earth and the sea, and all that in them is: who by the holy spirit, by the mouth of our father David thy servant, didst say, Why did the Gentiles rage, and the peoples imagine vain things? The hings of the earth set themselves in array, and the rulers were gathered together, against the Lord [Jehovah], and against his Anointed: for of a truth in this city against thy holy Servant Jesus, whom thou didst anoint, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, were gathered together, to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel foreordained to come to pass. And now, Lord, look upon their threatenings.”—Acts 4:23-29, Am. Stan. Ver.
10 The prophecy by David which those early disci-
8. Whj did the apostolic church have to preach amid combined foes ’ 9. How did they apply prophecy to this situation?
10 Why was that a preliminary fulfillment’ and the final since 1914’
pies quoted as then having a fulfillment was Psalm 2. But a fulfillment back there could have been only a miniature or preliminary fulfillment, because nineteen centuries ago Jesus had been merely anointed to become King in the future, and the Jews and Gentiles combined their opposition forces to prevent him from becoming King, God had not then set Christ Jesus upon his “holy hill of Zion” as reigning King. Hence now, since A.D. 1914, is the time for the fullscale and final fulfillment of the prophecy of Psalm 2, because in 1914 Jehovah God set him on the throne to rule for Him and he could defiantly say to all this world: “Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.” It is accordingly from that year onward that the opening verses of Psalm 2 have their concluding fulfillment, namely: “Why do the nations rage, and the peoples meditate a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against Jehovah, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their cords from us. He that sitteth in the heavens will laugh: the Lord will have them in derision. Then will he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure: Yet I have set my king upon my holy hill of Zion.”—Ps. 2:1-6, Am. Stan. Ver.
11 It is not according to any wish and prayer and good pleasure of the nations that Jehovah's King, the Anointed Jesus, sits upon the throne of His capital organization Zion to introduce a righteous new world. No one can persuade those nations, including Christendom, that the Gentile times expired A.D. 1914 and that they should yield up power to earth's Rightful King, Christ Jesus. Not even thirty-three years of persistent preaching by Jehovah's witnesses world-wide has persuaded the nations into that course. To the contrary, all the acts of the nations since 1914 have been against Jehovah God and Christ Jesus and against any restrictions' being placed by these heavenly “Higher Powers” upon the sovereignty and dominion of the nations on earth. Although they have fought between themselves in two global wars, it has not been for the advancing of the rulership of Jehovah’s anointed King on his holy hill of Zion, but it has been for their own world domination.
12 Now the “last straw” effort at self-preservation by the nations whereby they set up the United Nations organization is no bid for Christ Jesus to rule the nations directly, even if they do incorporate the World Conference of Christians and Jews in with the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). And when the religious clergy of Christendom pray for all national
11. Why is it not according to Gentiles’ wish that he reigns?
12. What divine action and command did all this make necessary? and international get-togethers to succeed, they are not deceiving Jehovah God and his King, but are simply giving their moral and religious support to this world's rulers who take counsel together against Jehovah's rule of our earth by Christ. All of this made it necessary, as foretold at Psalm 110, for Jehovah to send forth the rod of his King out of Zion and to command him, “Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." Christ Jesus will rule forever, but not so his enemies. He is on top of the world situation, and they have been made his footstool. Even Satan the Devil and his demon hosts have been now cast out of heaven and down to the immediate neighborhood of this earth and its nations.—Rev. 12:1-12.
PROOF OF HIS RULE
13 Thirty-three years have passed since Jehovah God installed Christ Jesus as acting King in the throne, and he has not yet destroyed his enemies in heaven and in earth. How, then, has he been ruling in the midst of his enemies? What has he been doing to show visibly to human creatures on this earth that he is ruling? He has been doing a life-saving work preliminary to his destroying of all his enemies at the final war of Armageddon. What is that work?
14 It is this, namely, the restoring and the advancing of the worship of his God and Father, Jehovah, throughout all the earth. Hence he has been gathering his subjects together, and those who become his subjects must worship the same God as he their King worships, that is, Jehovah the Most High Sovereign of all the universe. None but such worshipers of Jehovah will the anointed King spare alive through Armageddon. He will class all others as his enemies against whom he will carry out his rule to their destruction. Bear in mind, everybody, that Jehovah, who has made him King, has sworn with an un-recallable oath: “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.” (Ps. 110:4) And as a priest he serves for the salvation of all those who in faith become his loyal subjects. As High Priest he is properly the uncompromising Champion of Jehovah's pure worship and also the Chief Promoter of the worship and service of the Most High God. Knowing that he is divinely commissioned to destroy all enemies utterly at Armageddon, Christ Jesus first of all promotes the pure worship of the living and true God now in the earth upon a permanent basis. He does so in order that some flesh might be saved at the final end of this world in Armageddon and that Jehovah’s worship may keep on uninterruptedly in the earth clear through Armageddon and into the new world forever.
15 As far as extending the worship of the great
13, 14. What has Christ been doing, to show us that he is ruling’ and why is it fitting and timely tor him to do that’
15, Whose case is the strongest circumstantial proot of his ruling amidst his enemies, and why so?
Life-giving Jehovah in all the earth goes, is there any visible proof that Christ Jesus has been reigning in the midst of his enemies? Yes, there is! Where? In Jehovah's faithful witnesses, who have come through two world wars and through all the world opposition and persecution that Christ Jesus predicted would come upon them at this end of the world, saying: “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. . . . But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end [of this world and its nations] come.” (Matt. 24: 9-14) This proof is not to the praise of any creatures on earth, but is to the praise of Jehovah God and Christ the King, whose mercy, faithfulness and protection have preserved his loyal consecrated servants and witnesses. Had his King Christ Jesus not been ruling amid all the nations that hate Jehovah’s witnesses, they could never have survived to this year 1947. But they have come through in a miraculous way and are now seeking to redouble their activities in preaching this gospel of the established Kingdom; and that fact gives the strongest circumstantial proof in the light of Scripture prophecy that Jehovah’s King rules!
16 Those of us who have taken our stand as devoted subjects of Jehovah’s King, what shall we do now and until Armageddon? There is only one thing in obedience to the King, and that is to join him as our High Priest in spreading the worship of the true God to all parts of this globe. Why should we care if all the nations hate us for holding fast to the Kingdom against which the kings and rulers of earth take counsel together? What if they do threaten us still more ? Should that frighten us into timid silence and inactivity and retreat? In the first century, when the miniature fulfillment of Psalm 2 took place upon the apostles and fellow disciples, they mentioned in prayer the joint Jewish-Gentile conspiracy against God’s Anointed and then implored God: “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and give your slaves the power to utter your message fearlessly.” That was not a rash and stubborn course of foolhardiness, deliberately sticking their necks out to be whacked. It was the course that the Lord God approved, so he gave them more power; for we read: “When they had prayed, the place where they were meeting shook, and they were all filled with the holy spirit, and fearlessly uttered God’s message.” (Acts 4:29-31, An Amer. Trans.) Taking our cue from that, we will keep on publishing God’s kingdom with
16. We shall do what now, fearless of enemies, and praying how? all boldness, praying for more power from Him to do so. Now with his anointed King set upon Mount Zion with the rod of his strength stretched forth toward this earth, God’s power will be manifested as never previously for the sake of those who boldly tell his Word.
TO AN UNLIMITED EXTENT
17 No nation on earth today is right when it raises any objection and a barrier of resistance to our extending of Jehovah’s pure worship to their gates and inside their borders. The command of the Messianic King just before he ascended to the right hand of his heavenly Father was expressed in these words to his faithful followers: “Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” (Matt. 28:19, 20, Am. Stan. Ver.) To the end of the world, therefore, that authoritative command stands, inexpungeable by any or all of the nations. Christ Jesus thus gave command because he died to “taste death for every man” and he is the promised “Seed of Abraham” in whom all the families and nations of the earth are to be blessed. And for men, families and nations to enter into the blessings,'they must receive the message concerning him and the Greater Abraham, whose Seed he is, namely, Jehovah God. (Heb. 2:9; Gen. 22:18) His government, so gloriously described in sacred prophecy, is to be accordingly a Government over -all nationalities, and ruling the earth without the present-day boundary lines and divisive borders and selfish national sovereignties. The preaching of the Kingdom message must be coextensive with the promised blessing and rulership, and that is, earth-wide, no matter what national governments may be holding down local parts of this globe now.
18 The centuries-old command to Christ’s disciples, “All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations,” takes on added force since the end of the Gentile times, A.D. 1914. How is that? Because then Christ Jesus, “the Son of David,” expressed to Jehovah God the" request authorized in Psalm 2: “Ask of me, and I will give thee the nations for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.” (Ps. 2:8, Am. Stan. Ver.) In 1914 the time arrived for him to ask the Supreme Ruler for all the nations and for the uttermost parts of the earth. He now has the right to rule amidst them and to extend the worship
17. In new of what command and promised blessing is it not right for nations on earth to resist extending Jehovah’s worship by us? 18. Why does Christ’s command to us take on added force since 1914? of his God and Father into all the nations and even to the uttermost parts of the earth. He now has the right and power to spread the gospel of God's kingdom universally.
19 Hence the activities of Jehovah's witnesses, who are subject to Christ the Anointed King, must be carried to all peoples, nations, kindreds, and languages. It is in the highest public interest to do this, and it is most urgent upon Jehovah's witnesses to reach all nations. Why? Because immediately after the Lord God invites Christ the new King to ask for the nations and uttermost parts of the earth as his inheritances and possession Jehovah commands his King saying: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” (Ps. 2; 9) That means the destruction of the nations at Armageddon, not by Jehovah's witnesses on earth, but by the iron-like rod of the heavenly King Christ Jesus. Hearing and heeding the Kingdom message is the exclusive means of salvation for all persons of good-will.
20 From all the facts set out in the Scriptures, this witness work is different from disseminating alien political doctrines among all nations and which are subversive to the present local political governments in each nation and realm. It is distinct' from any revolutionary doctrine that issues from some foreign headquarters on earth aiming at world domination by either violence or sly infiltration or political propaganda. The headquarters from which issues this Kingdom gospel is heavenly and is above all political parties and ideologies, and its textbook of teaching is God's holy Word, the Bible. It makes subjects for Jehovah’s heavenly King, but does so by no carnal weapons or violent terrorism or strongarm squads of the political state; it does it solely by the power of the love of God which is expressed in the message of his kingdom.
21 Offering resistance to the spreading of the Kingdom gospel and of the worship of Jehovah God means fighting alongside the conspirators against him and his Christ. The resisters can be sure of their being broken with the King’s rod of iron and being dashed to pieces with all worldly nations at Armageddon. For this reason Jehovah’s witnesses are instructed to say, when appearing before world rulers or before courts: “Now therefore be wise, 0 ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve Jehovah with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all they that take refuge in him.” (Ps. 2:10-12, Am. Stcm.Ver.) No one, regardless of having a lofty, powerful position on earth, is exempted from the 19. Why is it specially now beneficial and urgent to reach all nations with the message ?
2-0. How does this work differ from propaganda out of alien sources? 21. What are we instructed to say to kings and judges, and why? obligation to serve and worship Jehovah and to yield homage and obedience to his King now installed on Zion. To take refuge in him persons tied in with the world conspiracy of political, commercial and religious rulers should break clean away from it without delay. To avoid perishing with it at the battle of Armageddon they must now seek heavenly wisdom and instruction to serve God and his Christ.
AGAINST FALSE RELIGION
22 Since this world-wide movement is for advancing the worship of the Most High God, who offers salvation, it cannot help being also a righteous warfare against the death-dealing religions of this world. Such religions have overspread the whole earth and have brought great reproach upon the name and purpose of Jehovah God and have kept the people in darkness concerning the only means for their eternal salvation. The demons under Satan their prince are the promoters and backers of such religions, and therefore the warfare of God’s consecrated people is in reality an advancing fight against demonism. Carnal weapons are not used in this fight, and they could accomplish nothing against invisible demons. Only the spiritual weapons of the divine truth and worship are adequate for this warfare, and even the political governments of earth cannot withstand or overcome the power of these spiritual weapons.—Eph. 6:11-20.
23 In our advance against false religious worship, we know we have all the demons arrayed against us, organized under all their spiritual principalities and rulerships which cause the darkness of this world. We know, too, that these demons not only stir up the clergymen and priests of organized religion against us as we carry forward Jehovah’s true worship but likewise stir up the political factors of this world to use the police power, judicial courts and legislative bodies of the land to operate against us. We are not ignorant of what Revelation 16:14-16 has foretold, namely, that the hosts of demons would issue forth to all the world’s rulers and would gather their united forces to a showdown fight at Armageddon, where the “battle of that great day of God Almighty” will be fought to a decisive finish. But this is no proper ground for fear and quailing hearts, for, besides disclosing the combined demonic and human forces arrayed against us, God’s Word opens our eyes to see also the superior hosts that are supporting us in advancing the pure worship, with Jehovah’s great, invincible Commander Christ Jesus at the head leading us forward to victory.
24 God’s Word presents no thought of defeatism, no expectation of frustration, but only hope of sure
22. Advancing Jehovah’s worship is also what kind of fight?
23. Through whom do the demons operate? and why do we not quail*3 24. What like situation confronted Israel ? and what did Moses say ? and final triumph after we have had a hard campaign. The situation that confronts us is like that which faced the Israelites as they were encamped on the east side of the Jordan river, ready to cross over into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua, Moses’ successor. In a last plea to the Israelites to hold faithful to the pure worship of Jehovah God Moses said to them: “If ye shall diligently keep all this commandment which I command you, to do it, to love Jehovah your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him; then will Jehovah drive out all these nations from before you, and ye shall dispossess nations greater and mightier than yourselves. Every place whereon the sole of your foot shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness, and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the hinder sea [the Mediterranean] shall be your border. There shall no man be able to stand before you: Jehovah your God shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon, as he hath spoken unto you.” —Dent. 11:22-25, Am. Stan. Ver.
25 All those nations greater and mightier than the Israelites worshiped demon gods, and the demons roused up all these devotees of theirs to stout resistance, by leagues of united nations on at least two occasions. But that did not stop the push of the worshipers of Jehovah back there, because He fought for them in order that his worship might be established in the land which he had promised them by a solemn compact made with their forefather Abraham. (Gen. 15:18-21) Those works of his in the ancient past in behalf of his worship were recorded for our sakes today, and we should bring them to remembrance to strengthen our hearts. As it is written: “Great are the Eternal’s doings, to be studied by all who delight in them; splendid and glorious are his deeds, his victories know no end; he will have us celebrate his wondrous deeds, for the Eternal is gracious and pitiful. He feeds his worshippers; never does he forget his compact. He has shown his people his power in action, as he gave them the homes of the heathen.”—Ps. 111:2-6, Moffatt.
26 Already since A.D. 1918 Jehovah’s witnesses have seen His power in action in their behalf, because his name is called upon them and they faithfully worship him, keeping themselves unspotted from this world. His power will not fail them now when the hardest part of the fighting for true worship is yet ahead. He upheld his typical people of olden times before Christ as they pressed the campaign against demonism in Canaanland. Just as true to ancient form he will uphold his consecrated witnesses today, now that he has set his King on Zion
25. Why was the push of the taithful Israelites not stopped by the activities of demons and nations back there?
26. Why have we seen, and will we yet see, His power in action? and has given him the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession. Jehovah’s prophetic words by Moses to the Israelites there at the Jordan river were recorded for our assurance in these perilous times, namely: “The eternal God is thy dwellingplace, and underneath are the everlasting arms. And he thrust out the enemy from before thee, and said, Destroy. And Israel dwelleth in safety.” (Dent. 33:27,28, Am. Stan. Ver.) Jehovah’s arms, being everlasting, are under us today, too!
TAKEN UP AGAIN AND CONTINUED
27 Under Moses’ successor, Joshua, the Israelites of old crossed over into their God-given land and uprooted or pushed back the demon-worshiping Gentile nations. (Acts 7 : 45) The subduing of the Promised Land in that fifteenth century before Christ was not completed under Joshua; and so, four hundred years later, King David at Jerusalem took up the work where Joshua had been obliged to leave off because of his death at a great age. David actually did subdue the Promised Land to the limits set by Jehovah God, from the Euphrates river on the north, to the river of Egypt to the south, the Mediterranean sea on. the west, and the Arabian desert on the east. His warfare was not an aggressive totalitarian warfare for world domination like that of Fascist Duce Mussolini or Nazi Fuehrer Hitler. It was Theocratic warfare, ordained by God and carried out in fulfillment of his compact with Abraham. Hence it was to vindicate God’s word and name and sovereignty and to make his' people safe and undisturbed in their worship of him in the Promised Land.
28 When David became king at Jerusalem the Gentile nations that occupied parts of the Promised Land without right from God ganged up against David’s kingdom. They concerted their actions against him in a demon-controlled conspiracy against the kingdom of Jehovah’s king, as described in Psalm 2. But, trusting in God to fulfill his covenant concerning the borders of the Promised Land, David pushed his warfare against the anti-Jehovah demonworshipers. The record on this is: “And Jehovah gave victory to David whithersoever he went.” (2 Sam. 8:14, Am. Stan. Ver.) This faithfully foreshadowed what Jehovah God is doing for his anointed King enthroned on the heavenly Zion in these days at the end of this world.
29 One temporary reverse came to David in the war. For the time it seemed like a serious threat to the ultimate success of his general warfare, but, by God’s answer to prayer, it was promptly overcome to a memorable victory for Jehovah’s name. The
27. Who fully subdued the Promised Land, and with what warfare’ 23. How did the nations resist David? and who gave him victory? 29, 30. What serious threat called forth David’s cry at Psalm 60.1-4 ? and what did Jehovah seem to signal them to do? sudden arising of this threat appears to be what called forth David's anxious cry with which he opened up Psalm 60: “0 God, thou hast rejected us —hast broken out upon us, thou hast been angry— wilt thou not take us back? Thou hast shattered the land—hast split it open, heal thou the fractures thereof—for it hath tottered. Thou hast sated thy people with hardship, hast let them drink reeling as wine. Thou hast given to them who revere thee a signal, in order to take flight before the bow!” —Ps. 60:1-4, Rotherham Psalms; also the Septua-gint and Moffatt.
30 Putting together the facts appearing in the several parts of the Bible, we conclude this: While King David with his generalissimo Joab was carrying on the war in the northeast against the powerful Syrians, the treacherous Edomites in the southeast took advantage of the draining off of David’s troops mainly to the northeastern front. So they made a “stab in the back” at the territory of Judah in the southeast. It appeared as though Jehovah God was angry with his people. Nevertheless, his unbreakable covenant concerning the Promised Land remained in force over all. For the time it seemed as if Jehovah had given them a signal to retreat before their foes and to flee from before the enemy’s bows which were pouring a rain of arrows upon them: “Thou hast given to them that fear thee a signal [the Israelites carried no banners or flags with national emblems] to flee from the face of the bow.” (Ps. 60: 4, LAX) But in view of the campaign of attack that had been prophesied and undertaken, that could hardly have been Jehovah’s order for his king.
31 With a cry of dismay and then a fervent entreaty to God, David kept up the fight against the Syrians, but now, under the emergency, he detached a sizable force of troops from his main body. Then his general Joab in command of these troops, together with an underofficer named Abishai, “returned” or wheeled about and headed to the south to the new fighting front that had unexpectedly flared up to the far south. There General Joab and his adjutant Abishai met the forces of the Edomites and defeated them with a slaughter of thousands of them. This brought honorable mention in Scripture to both Joab and Abishai and stopped any international military putsch that might have used the Edomites as shock troops to shatter King David’s enlarged realm. (Psalm 60, heading; 2 Sam. 8:13,14; 1 Chron. 18:12; 1 Ki. 11:15,16) Thus David’s prayer to his God was answered, and his military moves were blessed in vindication of Jehovah as the living God of salvation for his people.
32 A.D. 1914 Christ Jesus, the anointed King greater than David, began to rule with the rod of
31. What action did David take, and how was his prayer answered? 32. How did a like serious reverse come to us in 1914-1918? his strength in the midst of his enemies. Without delay he pushed Satan the Devil and his demon hosts out of heaven. (Rev. 12: 7-12) However, during World War I, which was then raging upon the earth, the devoted followers of Christ Jesus came under the displeasure of Jehovah God. He let the modern-day Edomites, the organized religionists of Christendom, assault them and try to wipe out their worship of Jehovah and their witnessing to his kingdom by Christ Jesus. For a time the activities of Jehovah’s witnesses on earth were prostrated by the combined religio-political action taken against them, particularly so in 1918, when the leading officers of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society were railroaded off to imprisonment in a U. S. federal penitentiary. In confusion, the majority of Jehovah’s witnesses, like the prophet Elijah when threatened by Queen Jezebel, fled before the bows of the enemies who aimed fiery darts at them. Then the active worship of Jehovah God lagged in the earth and the voice of the proclamation of his kingdom established in 1914 grew faint.
33 Jehovah’s faithful remnant, feeling the divine displeasure, cried out for help and deliverance that they might renew his worship publicly and might serve him with the boldness of Elisha. Then Christ Jesus wheeled about and delivered them from the threat of destruction at enemy hands and bows. In 1919 he began freeing them from their fear of men and man-made organizations. He led them out to a fearless, open worship of Jehovah God and began the aggressive campaign against the false worship that is entrenched in this earth which Christ Jesus as King has now inherited from God.
34 Thus* the middle section of Psalm 60 was fulfilled, which implores God: “That thy beloved may be delivered, save with thy right hand, and answer us. God hath spoken in his holiness: I will exult; I will divide Shechem, and mete out the valley of Succoth. Gilead is mine, and Manasseh is mine; Ephraim also is the defence of my head; Judah is my sceptre. Moab is my washpot; upon Edom will I cast my shoe: Philistia, shout thou because of me.” (Ps. 60: 5-8, Am. Stan. Ver.) God delivered the remnant of his faithful witnesses on earth because he has given his sacred promise, spoken in holiness, namely, that all this earth must become the place of his worship, where his name is proclaimed and his kingdom is preached.
35 All parts of the earth were prophetically represented by the localities mentioned in Psalm 60. Shechem was on the west side of Jordan. The valley of Succoth was on the east side of Jordan, also Gilead and Manasseh on the same side. Ephraim
33. How did Christ Jesus save us from the threat from and after 1919 1 34. Because of what territorial promise did God save his remnant?
35. What did the middle section of Psalm 60 symbolically say? was on the west side, being like a helmet defense to the head because of the populousness of this tribe. Judah, also on the west, was the tribe with whom the divine promise lodged concerning the royal scepter of Shiloh the Peaceful One. Moab and Edom lay east and southeast of the Salt (Dead) sea; and Philistia along the Mediterranean sea to the west. All these were included in the territory that Jehovah promised in his holy compact spoken to Abraham. Hence victory over the Moabites and Edomites and Philistines was inwardly understood in God’s solemn utterance of the holy compact. The land of Moab, when subjected, would be like a washbasin with which to wash the bloody hands and the tired, dusty feet of the victorious warrior. Edom would be like a land over the which the victor would cast his shoe in token of his taking possession, or be like a whipped enemy to whom the victor would shake off his sandal before washing his feet, after that same sandal had carried him along in a victory-march over Edom. And Philistia, challenged to make her boast of triumph over Jehovah’s worshipers, would have her defiant shout die on her lips as Jehovah’s power in action triumphed over her.
36 All this earth must become the place of Jehovah’s worship for all time. Hence his witnesses can go forth in their educational work to all nations, confident of victory through him. No organization, even if it appears untakable like the rock-guarded city of Edom’s capital, is powerful enough to withstand the victorious advance of Jehovah’s High Priest and King in extending the worship of the true God among all the nations of the earth. Avoiding any repetition of God’s displeasure due to fearing men and worldly nations, Jehovah’s witnesses can march on through this postwar period, facing any kind of opposition courageously with the final words of Psalm 60 on their lips: “Who will bring me into the strong city? who will lead me into Edom? Wilt not thou, 0 God, which hadst cast us off? and thou, 0 God, which didst not go out with our armies? Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. Through God we shall do valiantly: for he it is that shall tread down our enemies.”—Ps. 60:9-12.
UNITED FRONTAL ASSAULT
37 The Psalm shows how we must march forth to God’s work under the leadership of his anointed King Christ Jesus. We must march forth unitedly, those from the east united with those from the west; those having the administrative work united with those greater numbers who carry out instructions, just as Succoth, Gilead and Manasseh on the east of Jordan were united with Ephraim and Judah on the west, and just as tribesmen of the royal tribe of
36. How does Psalm 60: 9-12 show us we can march sure of victory ? 37. How must we march unitedly, and relying upon whom?
Judah were united with the warriors of the larger and more populous tribe of Ephraim. We are all God’s consecrated people whom he has given over to Christ Jesus. This anointed King and High Priest of the Most High God is the binding tie between us for a united worship of Jehovah and for a united effort world-wide against organized religion which holds the people in bondage and in opposition to the God of salvation. We cannot take religion’s course today of relying upon men and man-made organizations such as the United Nations. Help from human quarters is deceptive and vain. It will not shield anyone from destruction at Armageddon. God is our reliable Helper. Through him whom we worship we shall be able to do valiantly in publishing his name and advertising his kingdom, treading under foot as we do so all the organized opposition of the enemies.
38 As we go forth, we do so, not covered by an umbrella of air-planes equipped with atomic bombs and rocket guns and other frightful weapons of carnal warfare, but under the safer protection of Jehovah’s overshadowing hand of power. Let us remember that the situation is not yet static in the earth. It will not be so until the battle of Armageddon wipes out this old world and its various forms of demonism. Jehovah’s King rules amid his enemies at this earth. Under him the worship of Jehovah God is on the move and it must increase until all those who will be carried alive through Armageddon into the righteous new world will have been reached. This is not the place and occasion to remain stationary. We face more perfected, combined opposition, from all the demon-controlled enemies of Christ the King; and the increase of his Kingdom interests on earth will come only by our activity. Our best defense against the mounting opposition is to keep up our offensive and not go into stabilized trench warfare on the defensive. As we press forward out into the open in a steady advance upon the religious foes, we need have no fear that our ranks will be mowed down by the enemy’s direct, concentrated fire. Our courage and fearlessness in doing so will be a token to them of the certainty of their impending destruction and will smite fear into them. But this united fearless pushing of God’s work will be to us a strengthening sign of our approaching salvation and deliverance from God.—Phil. 1: 27, 28.
80 The anointed remnant of Christ’s joint-heirs and their multitudes of consecrated companions of good-will must now' carry on as one company under the King, each group pledged to the other’s support. As we refuse to squabble and fight selfishly among ourselves, lest we divert ourselves from the com-
38. Under what protection do we go forth? and what method is our best defense for certain specified reasons ?
39. In a world at controversy what do we purpose to do, and why ’ bined main effort against the foes outside, we also refuse to meddle in with the world's controversies and to become split up and at odds over such. We are not of this world, just as Christ Jesus our King is not of this old political, commercial, religious world. We purpose to hold our neutral position toward this world's embroilments, debates and controversies. Our consecration to God and our being assigned to the new world's interests forbid us to violate our neutrality toward this world’s affairs by any participation therein. To step aside now from our exclusive work for God's worship and take a hand in the worldly internal strife would surely injure us and spoil our opportunity for life eternal in His righteous new world. The proverbs of divine wisdom say: “It is an honour for a man to cease from strife: but every fool will be meddling.” “He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears.” —Prov. 20: 3; 26:17.
40 So, then, let the worldly political institutions fight it out among themselves. Let the openly declared warfare between the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and Marxian communism go on and increase in intensity between them. These things are not the affairs of the devoted subjects of the new world's King, Christ Jesus. As they fight it out among themselves and mutually batter themselves up, we will stand neutral, but with positive activity for the Kingdom and worship of Jehovah God. We will watch as the Israelites did under King Jehoshaphat, when the united nations of Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir came against Jerusalem but were thrown into confusion by Jehovah's invincible power and were set to fighting among themselves until finally they had destroyed themselves. While this self-destructive melee was going on among their combined enemies, the Israelites sang aloud the praises of Jehovah under the leadership of the temple singers and musicians. In the same way we will keep up the constructive singing to God's praise, that all the humble and meek of the earth may hear and may flee the doomed hosts of demonism and false worship and may join with the singing worshipers of the Most
40. While neutral, how shall we be active and what will God do?
High God. (2 Chron. 20:21-29) While we sing his praises, Almighty God, Jehovah of hosts, will disconcert the enemies, and, by his King, he will fight the battle of Armageddon and destroy all the confused enemy forces. Only his true worshipers will survive!
41 As these worshipers now move about as aliens and strangers in this world, keeping their neutrality among all nation^ among which they move, God will act in their behalf as he did for Abraham, Isaac and Jacob of old, of whom it is written: “When they were but a few men in number; yea, very few, and strangers in it. When they went from one nation to another, from one kingdom to another people; he suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes; saying, Touch not mine anointed, and do my prophets no harm.” (Ps. 105:12-15) Jehovah God has given his worshipers as a heritage now to his King, as his children; and about this we read: “Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.” (Ps. 127: 5) They are children given to the all-conquering Fighter for true worship, Christ Jesus the King of kings, and they are fighters in imitation of him. He now leads right up to the very gates of the enemy strongholds, preparatory to taking complete possession.
42 The seed of Abraham must possess the gates of the enemies. Genesis 22:17 speaks thus about the Seed. So the offensive against false worship must go on in order that the prisoners may be released for the true worship of Jehovah God. The order of the day is to push the offensive to the very gates of the enemy. The faithful heirs of life in the new world will do so. As the residue of the King's anointed brethren do so, together with the trustworthy companions of good-will, they receive courage from the divine promise: “In that day will Jehovah of hosts become a crown of glory, and a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people; and a spirit of justice to him that sitteth in judgment, and strength to them that turn back the battle at the gate.”—Isa. 28: 5, 6, Am. Stan. Ver.
41. (a) As these few neutrals move among the nations, what does God do9 (b) As children given to Christ Jesus what do they now do?
42. According to Genesis 22:17, what is the order of the day ? and what divine promise gives us courage to obey?
ON SERVICE IN THE MEDITERRANEAN AREA
ON THE evening of May 1, at five o'clock, the traveling representatives of the Watchtower Society, President N. H. Knorr and M. G. Henschel, left Jerusalem for Lydda, to take off by TWA to Cairo, Egypt. By eleven o'clock they had caught the plane coming in from Bombay and were leaving behind the bright lights of Tel Aviv and Jaffa as the plane flew off into the darkness. An hour and thirty-five minutes later our plane was making its descent to the runway of Farouk Airport (formerly Payne Field, an American Army base during the war). We arrived at 1 a.m., and on account of engine trouble it was decided that the plane would not go on with the through passengers until the next morning, so all passengers had to disembark. Several hours were spent getting through the rigid customs inspection and traveling into the city of Cairo, about fifteen miles away. By four o'clock in the morning of May 2 we were asleep.
Before going to bed we had arranged to have a meeting with the principal servants from Cairo and Alexandria companies at 10: 30 that morning, and most of the day was spent discussing the problems of Egypt and answering the many questions. One of the great problems of Egypt is the variety of languages. The people do not live in sections of the city where one language is spoken; they live anywhere, and when the brethren witness they run into many languages and peoples. Arabic is the official language of the people now, but there is much French used, as well as Greek. There are also many who use Italian, Armenian, and English It is difficult for those speaking one language to ■witness to those who use another, but the brethren are trying their best to get the message across. Arabic is coming to the fore now, of course, since the British have departed.
A meeting was arranged for the Cairo company that night at the Kingdom Hall, which is just a small room away at the back of an apartment house in a section of the city a distance from the center of the city. The company in Cairo is divided in that some speak Greek, others French and still others Arabic. So it was decided that on Friday evening Brother Knorr would speak to the Greek brethren through an interpreter and following that discourse Brother Henschel would talk to the Arabic and French brethren through one interpreter who would first speak in French and then in Arabic. It was a real pleasure to converse with the brethren in Cairo before and after the meetings, to observe their zeal and to see and know of their appreciation for the visit by their American brethren. We felt that much good had been done that day in the way of providing instruction on organization.
The government of Egypt is not at all in favor of proselyting, that is, having any Christian organization preach its doctrine to other persons that are not its own members. Therefore they are not allowing any missionaries to come into that country or any religious organizations to start up. Even the religious institutions that have been established in Egypt for many years who have set up schools and hospitals and other similar institutions for attracting the people to their religions are forbidden by the government to teach their doctrine in these religious institutions. To find out what the Society could do in the way of establishing a Branch office we, along with two of the principal brethren in Cairo, called on a prominent lawyer to discuss the matter on Saturday morning. This lawyer, who himself claimed to be a Christian, explained the situation to us. We found that the government would not recognize the Society nor permit it legal authorization for the carrying on of its preaching work and that there was no use trying to have it registered because Mohammedanism is the controlling religion according to the laws. If the Mohammedans have their way it is going to be a Mohammedan country; so the lawyer advised us to continue on, as we have been, without registration.
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