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    The Watchtower, November 15, 1949

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    The Watchtower—1949

    WATCHTOyyER

    No. 22

    "Vol. LX A

    Semimonthly

    NOVEMBER IS, 1949

    “Yet More Praise” Testimony Period 338

    “Watchtower” Studies

    “Awake I” -----------------

    CONTENTS

    The More Excellent Way of Love .... 339

    They shall know that I am Jehovah.’'

    -Ezekiel 35:15.

    A Way of Growth by Gifts ................

    No Self-Gain Without It ....................

    Mysteries ..................................................

    Knowledge................................................

    Faith with Love ....................................

    Nothing Without It................................

    Proper Relationship Between Men and Beasts ..............................

    Cyrus, Liberator of Captives ............

    Letters [“On Proper Form of Address

    in Prayer”, and “Weddings and

    Funerals”] .........................................

    Field Experiences....................................

    Published Semimonthly By

    WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY 117 Adams Street • - Brooklyn 1, N.Y., U.S A.

    Officers

    N. H. Knorr, President Grant Suiter, Secretary

    “And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” • Isaiah 54:13.

    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 a cherub son of God 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 the unfaithful cherub, 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 of Satan began its “time of the end” A.D. 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-wllL

    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 Buheoriben: Remittance* 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.

    Please address the Watch Tower Society in every case.

    Offices Yearly Subscription Rate

    America (U.S.), 117 Adams St., Brooklyn 1, N.Y.

    Australia, 11 Beresford Rd., Strathfleld. N.8.W.

    British West Indie*, 21 Taylor St., Woodbrook, Port of Spain, Trinidad 11.25

    Burma, 39 Signal Pagoda Road, Rangoon Ba. 3/8

    Canada, 40 Irwin Ave.. Toronto S, Ontario

    England, 34 Craven Terrace, London, W. 2

    India, 167 Love Lane, Bombay 27 Ba 3/8

    Jamaica, 151 Wing St., Kingston

    Newfoundland, Post Box 521, St. John's

    Neto Zealand, G. P.O. Box 30, Wellington, C. 1

    Nigeria, Wett Africa, P.O. Box 695, Lagos

    Philippine Republic, 104 Roosevelt Bead, San Francisco del Monte, Quezon City 2 pesos

    South Africa, 623 Boston House, Cape Town

    T. Hawaii, 1228 Pensacola St, Honolulu 14

    Translations of this journal appear In many languages.

    ALL SINCERE STUDENTS OF Tn a BIBLE who by reason of Infirmity, poverty or adversity are unable to pay the subscription price may have The Watchtower free upon written application to the publishers, made once each year, stating the reason tor so requesting It We are f;lad to thus aid the needy, but the written application once each years required by the postal regulations.

    Printed in the United States of America

    Entered a* lecond-ctam matter at the poet office at Brooklyn, N. Y., under the Act of March S, 1B79.

    “YET MORE PRAISE” TESTIMONY PERIOD

    One bound book and one booklet, published by the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, on a contribution of 35c! Can you offer that to another person in order to help him to understand the Bible better and thereby learn to praise the Most High God more than he has ever known before? If you can do so, then you should feel capable of joining in with Jehovah’s witnesses in the final special Testimony Period of the calendar year of 1949. This is entitled <cYet More Praise” Testimony Period and occupies the entire month of December, and the special offer the praisers of Jehovah God will make to all seekers of truth and righteousness will be the above combination of book and booklet. We have the organization to help all our Watchtower readers to take part in this grand, spiritually uplifting Testimony Period. So write us, if you need to, and we shall gladly assist in every way toward your getting started in thus publicly praising the living and true God yet more and more. Your report of work is of interest, so be pleased to turn it in at the close of December on our report form.

    “WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

    Week of December 25: “The More Excellent Way of Love,” fl 1-20 inclusive, The Watchtower November 15, 1949.

    Week of January 1: “The More Excellent Way of Love,” fl 21-28 inclusive, also “Faith with Love”, fl 1-12 inclusive, The Watchtower November 15, 1949.

    “AWAKE!”

    This magazine stepped into the field of public service at the Glad Nations Theocratic Assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses in August of 1946, and is published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, Inc. It answers the rousing call for fearless information, not because we have entered the atomic age, but because the world is fast asleep near the brink of that universal war Scrip-turally called “Armageddon” and lovers of life in security need to be awakened to the real sense of the news and the pressing issues upon which to decide. Awake! is aimed to help them make a right decision that leads to life unending in the now-close New World of righteousness. It is a magazine of 32 pages devoted to news and information of world import, gained from world-wide sources. Its make-up is of fine appearance. Its leading articles, without compromise toward commercialism, politics and religion, present the straight facts, without fear to publish the plain truth. Much variety of interest is also provided in shorter articles of educational and instructive value. Under the heading “Thy Word Is Truth”, each number of Awake! offers a moderate-length discussion of Bible teachings of importance. A final section, headed “Watching the World”, makes note of the latest world news before going to press and gives the pith of all news items, uncolored, undistorted, concise. Awake! is published on the 8th and 22d of each month. A year’s subscription of 24 issues is $1, American money; individual copy, 5c; mailed anywhere.

    ANNOUNCING JEHOVAH’S KINGDOM

    Vol. LXX November 15, 1949 No. 22

    THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY OF LOVE

    "And I will show you a still more excellent way"—1 Cor. 12:31, Rev. Stan. Ver.

    JEHOVAH’S way is that of love. By it he has distinguished himself, and it is on the principle of love that he operates the universe. It is an excellent way for him to govern all his intelligent creatures. Because of this way he holds all his faithful creatures in an unbreakable attachment to him. He sets the pattern of love, and requires that all his intelligent creatures copy him. Only those who do so will be permitted to live forever. They must love him as deserving of their complete affection and devotion, thus giving him a proper response to his own great love to them. They must love their fellow creatures just as he does. In this way they are Godlike. The beloved Son of God said that the two great commandments were these: (1) “Thou shalt love Jehovah thy God -with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” (2) “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” (Deut. 6:5 and Lev. 19:18, Am. Stan. Ver.; Matt. 22:37-40) For any of us to prove worthy of eternal life in any part of God’s universe we must keep these commands and follow this excellent way of love.

    2 There is no organization in all creation that has felt more and benefited more by this tender attribute of God than his congregation or church has. Though it was brought into existence in the first century of our common era, this congregation or church was prefigured many centuries before that by the congregation of Jehovah’s ancient chosen people, the nation of Israel. He cared for them because he cared for their forefathers. His prophet Moses said to the nation: “Because he loved your fathers, and chose their descendants after them, ... it was because the Lord loved you, and would keep the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord brought you out by a strong hand, and rescued you from a state of slavery.”—Deut. 4: 37 and 7: 8, An Amer. Trans.

    3 Only a small remnant of that favored nation proved worthy of being taken over into the new congregation or church and forming the nucleus of it. God’s -will for the new organization of his choice was that it should be perfected in its devotion to him and

    1. For eternal Ute whom must we love, and why so?

    2, 3. Which organization has most experienced God’s love? Why?

    in all Godlike qualities, outstandingly that of love. By this new organization we do not mean what is called “Christendom”, for she is no more His organization than the rest of the world of which she is the leading part. We mean the true Messianic or Christian organization, the “church of God”, founded in the first century. A wide difference exists between Christendom and the true congregation of Jehovah God. Christendom has never followed the way of excellence, but has been selfish and cruel and worldly. Despite being in the midst of Christendom the true church of God has been no part of it, but has sincerely tried to copy God and follow his excellent way. Because of Christendom’s selfish and cruel worldliness she has failed to copy Jehovah God and be a blessing to mankind and will be destroyed shortly at the battle of Armageddon. But the true church will abide forever to Jehovah’s praise and to the blessing of all men of good-will.

    * It is no easy thing to set up a new organization and show that God has transferred his favor and blessing to it after having dealt exclusively with an old organization for more than seventeen hundred years. So, to prove that the newly established Christian’ church was now his chosen congregation and to help it through the difficult period of its infancy and its passing from the old system of things over to the new, Jehovah God made a special manifestation of his spirit or active force upon the new organization of his devoted people, the followers of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

    8 About nine centuries before the last days of the old and the opening days of the new, God had inspired Joel to prophesy of this spectacular operation of the divine active force upon the Christian church, saying: “It shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit. And I will show wonders . . . before the great and terrible day of Jehovah cometh. And it shall come

    4, 5. How did God prove he had taken over the new organization’ 339

    to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of Jehovah shall be delivered.” (Joel 2:28-32, Am. Stan.Ver.) The recorded facts of history show that this prophecy began fulfillment on the Jewish remnant of Jesus’ followers on the feast day of Pentecost A.D. 33. Under the power of that outpoured spirit of Jehovah God these Jewish followers of Jesus began speaking with foreign languages suddenly, in a miraculous way. Moreover, under the power of that divine energy, the apostle Peter and others got up and prophesied or explained a number of prophecies concerning Jehovah God and Christ Jesus, to the crowd of astonished people that gathered. Also by that same invisible active force certain gifts of knowledge were then and there given them to impart knowledge to that crowd. All this foretold manifestation of the spirit of God proved he had now chosen this congregation of Jesus the Messiah, and that very day about three thousand Jews and proselytes were convinced of - this fact and transferred from the rejected old organization to the new Christian congregation.—Acts 2:1-41.

    A WAY OF GROWTH BY GIFTS

    ’ Thus it was that the new organization was set up and demonstrated to be God’s chosen organization henceforth by such convincing miraculous gifts of his spirit to the members of the organization. One of its later members was the apostle Paul, and he discussed more than any other inspired Christian writer these marvelous gifts of the spirit. In the twelfth chapter of his first letter to the Christians at Corinth he writes: “Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be uninformed. Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of working, but it is the same God who inspires them all in every one. To each is given the manifestation of the spirit for the common good. To one is given through the spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same spirit, to another faith by the same spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same spirit.” (1 Cor. 12: 1, 4-11, Rev. Stan. Ver.) The rejected old Jewish organization opposed but could not stop the manifestation of Jehovah’s spirit by miraculous gifts to the new Christian believers, neither could the pagan religious organizations do so. Despite the envy and antagonism of the Jewish and pagan unbelievers Almighty God showed who it was upon whom his

    6. By means of the spirit what were Imparted to the early church? power and spirit rested. So the gifts of the spirit continued to be imparted and exercised by the followers of his Son during those apostolic days.

    7 As witnesses of Jehovah God consider his organization in this twentieth century, we must admit it does not possess and exercise those miraculous gifts of the spirit that marked and identified the organization of his witnesses in that first century. People not understanding why such gifts are lacking today might ask, Is not Christianity the same today as it was away back there! Is not Jehovah’s Christian church today suffering a vital lack by not having those convincing spiritual gifts with which to operate and to preach “this gospel of the kingdom”! In this crucial time when Godless communism and religious worldliness are spreading everywhere, would we not be able to deliver a more effective witness for his kingdom by having these miraculous gifts of the spirit to back us up and to convince the doubting ones!

    8 We answer that the pure Christianity (but not churchianity) is today the same as Christianity was in its infancy. It has suffered no setback, no crippling, no weakening by not having God’s active force or spirit operate now with miraculous spiritual gifts. The absence of such gifts does not surprise us. It was foretold by the apostle Paul in the first century, saying: “But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.” (1 Cor. 13:8) The ceasing of gifts of tongues and passing away of gifts of prophecy and of knowledge is no sign of God’s disfavor nor of any powerlessness or weakness of his spirit. Not all Christians were meant to have those miraculous gifts, and not all have had them. Speaking of his own day Paul asks: “Are all apostles! are all prophets! are all teachers! are all workers of miracles! Have all the gifts of healing! do all speak with tongues! do all interpret!” (1 Cor. 12:29,30) The apostle asks all these questions in such a way that the required answer is No! Hence lacking some or all such gifts would be no evidence of God’s displeasure but it would show his different way of operation. We do not control the giving of such miraculous gifts nor the giving of particular gifts, but God does so, Theocratically. He endows the members of his church as he wills, from Jesus Christ on down. And his spirit can operate and does operate just as mightily today without those spiritual gifts as it did with them in the first century. In fact, the faithful remnant of the true Christian church today are, by Jehovah God’s spirit, accomplishing a mightier witness for his name and kingdom than ever before in the Christian era.

    ’ Since miraculous spiritual gifts have long passed

    7, 8. What questions arise over lack of gifts now’ How do we reply’ 9. What makes the church the same today, without any real loss? away as no longer necessary in this advanced day of the true church, it would be useless for any consecrated Christian today to desire earnestly any of them, such as foreign tongues, ability to translate them, power to heal, prophesying or inspired preaching, etc. The time for such has passed, and Jehovah God would never answer the prayer for them. Nineteen centuries ago it was a good and effective way to establish and build up the Christian congregation by means of those awe-inspiring gifts of the spirit to its members. But the remnant of the true church today under God’s leading and by his spirit is following a more excellent way than that of using spiritual gifts. It is the way of love. It is this which makes the true Christian church the same today as she was in the first century, in her infancy when she needed the signs of miraculous spiritual gifts. The true church today has that same essential quality of love as she did in apostolic days. It is by the way of love that she is being built up and is performing all her works in obedience to God and in imitation of Jesus Christ. It is this permanent all-important way in which she has sought to go all these nineteen centuries. It is a more excellent way than that of operating merely by gifts of the spirit. Consequently by following entirely this way in this climax of the Christian era, the church has suffered no real loss, hindrance or hurt by the withholding of the gifts. She is just as full of the spirit as ever. Her faith and hope are as strong and bright as ever, if not more so, now when we have reached the end of this world and the prophecies are having complete fulfillment.

    10 This is what the apostle refers to when he shows there is a variety of spiritual gifts and asks whether all Christians have all and the same gifts. There being a variety of gifts, some of them are to be preferred above others. But much as such gifts are to be desired, yet there is something far more important and vital that is not to be lost sight of. Properly the superior ones should be desired during the time that gifts are dispensed, but there is one thing far more excellent than miraculous gifts, and hence something far more to be desired and striven after. So the apostle calls attention to it, saying: “But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” (1 Cor. 12: 31, Rev. Stan.Ver.) We Christians today can follow the apostle’s encouragement and aspire to gain it just as earnestly and confidently as our brethren did in his day. Though lacking the miraculous gifts, we today can walk just as fully and faithfully in that more excellent way as they did in apostolic times and can thus prove worthy of everlasting salvation. The way is God’s way, that of love.

    NO SELF-GAIN WITHOUT IT

    " To show how superior this way is, the apostle illustrates how essential it is. Suppose one had some or all the gifts miraculously given by God’s spirit. Yet if one lacked the cultivation of this vital quality, love, one would come to nothing. Still talking of gifts of the spirit, the apostle opens up the thirteenth chapter of his epistle and says: “If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Cor. 13:1,2, Rev. Stan. Ver.) If anyone was qualified to write thus, it was the apostle Paul, for he had all the gifts he here names, and in more abundant measure. By the expression “tongues of men” he was not refer-ing to oratory or eloquence, by which to hold audiences spell-bound or to sway them to any opinion or action, for such the apostle did not claim to have. Some of the Corinthians to whom he was writing said of Paul: “His letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech of no account.” Paul even admitted this, saying: “Even if I am unskilled in speaking, I am not in knowledge.” (2 Cor. 10:10 and 11: 6, Rev. Stan. Ver.) By “tongues of men” the apostle meant miraculously imparted gifts of speaking in foreign languages of men, and in such “tongues of men” he could speak by the power of God’s spirit or invisible energy. In the next chapter he exclaims: “I thank my God, I speak with tongues more than ye all.”—1 Cor. 14:18.

    12 What if Paul spoke by the spirit in all these various tongues and did not interpret also or had no one in his audience to interpret for him? It would do them no more good than if they were listening to a pagan barbarian. “He who speaks in a ‘tongue’ addresses God, not men; no one understands him; he is talking of divine secrets in the spirit. He who speaks in a ‘tongue’ edifies himself, . . ■. Thus a man who speaks in a ‘tongue’ must pray for the gift of interpreting it. For if I pray with a ‘tongue’, my spirit prays, no doubt, but my mind is no use to anyone.” Now if Paul persisted in talking in tongues without having an interpretation to accompany, it would certainly be unloving on his part. His hearers would get no benefit except a sign of the spirit’s operation upon the apostle, and Paul would just be trying to show off his gift. This course would not build him up in love and so would not permanently benefit him. It was because he had love for those seeking spiritual edification and salvation that Paul added this resolve: “Thank God, I speak in ‘tongues’ more than any of you; but in church I would rather say five words with my own mind for the instruction of other

    10. How does love’s way compare with spiritual gifts, and why?

    11, 12. How could one speak in tongues and yet be nothing? Why?

    people than ten thousand words in a ‘tongue'.” —1 Cor. 14: 2,4,13,14,18,19, Moffatt.

    13 For the same wise, loving reason a preacher of God's kingdom should try to talk in the common speech that the people use and understand, instead of using the language of higher education, which would, indeed, show off his higher learning but would be like a foreign tongue to them. With this in mind the Watchtower Bible School of Gilead endeavors to give the missionaries it graduates the basic knowledge of the language of the countries to which they are to be sent. Angels have a language of their own, but if Paul or someone else talked in that heavenly tongue, it might display a superior gift, but what creatures on earth would benefit by what he was saying? He might as well be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal to others. He would be no more than that in God’s sight. When angels from God appeared to men and women, they spoke in languages these humans understood, that they might get God’s message and benefit by it.

    14 The gift of prophecy was superior to that of foreign tongues. “He who prophesies addresses men in words that edify, encourage, and console them. He who speaks in a ‘tongue’ edifies himself, whereas he who prophesies edifies the church. Now I would like you all to speak with 'tongues,' but I would prefer you to prophesy. The man who prophesies is higher than the man who speaks with 'tongues’—unless indeed the latter interprets, so that the church may get edification. . . . Set your heart on the prophetic gift, and do not put any check upon speaking in 'tongues’.” (1 Cor. 14:3-5,39, Moffatt) Because of its power to edify a person’s brethren in the language which they understood, the gift of prophecy was one to be desired above various other gifts. In fact, Paul lists those with the prophetic gift next to the apostles, saying: “God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers.” He lists tongues of various kinds eighth and last. The gift of prophecy was imparted to both men and women. The prophecy of Joel 2:28, 29 predicted that the spirit would be outpoured upon both sexes and that the sons and daughters and the menservants and maidservants would prophesy. Just so the record shows that women as well as men participated in this gift. The four virgin daughters of Philip the evangelist prophesied. And Paul wrote to regulate the prophesying by women among the Corinthian congregation, saying they should be veiled when doing so, out of respect for the consecrated men who represent the church’s Head, Jesus Christ. He says: “The head of the woman is the man; . . . every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head.”—1 Cor. 11:3-5; Acts 21:8,9.

    13, 14. Which ranks ahead, prophecy or tongues? Why so?

    “ Paul was foremost among those who prophesied by gift of the spirit. He realized, though, that he must have the right motive when he thus prophesied, if he himself were to benefit. Those who heard his inspired preaching might be built up in faith and knowledge, but if Paul did not have love as the reason for wanting to be and yielding himself to be a prophet of this kind, then his doing inspired preaching would have no good effect upon his own self. He might be like the ancient prophet Balaam in the days when Moses was leading the Israelites away from Egypt to the Promised Land. Balaam desired selfish material gain and hired himself out to Balak king of Moab to curse the Israelites. But, contrary to Balaam’s evil motives, God’s overpowering spirit caused him to prophesy a blessing upon the Israelites. Balaam’s heart was not in that prophecy of blessing. Shortly afterward he was killed as a prophet that loved the wages of unrighteousness and that tried to counteract the blessing by ensnaring the blessed Israelites into immoral idolatry. (Num. 22:1 to 25:3; 31:8; Rev. 2:14; 2 Pet. 2:15,16) So the apostle told the Corinthians that in order not to let his selfish flesh control his motives, he mauled and mastered his body, lest, “after preaching to other people, I am disqualified myself.”—1 Cor. 9:15-18,26,27, Moffatt.

    ’* The gift of prophesying or of inspired preaching passed away after the apostles of the Lamb Jesus Christ died; but today, by the power of God’s spirit, the preaching of the Kingdom gospel for the salvation of humankind is being carried on as never before. Preaching from public stands and from house to house for the edification of others continues, but the question with each man and woman doing Kingdom preaching is, With what motive do I do it?

    11 We may have developed the power to give an excellent speech or testimony to the truth. We may have the finest argument to convince that we are Scripturally right. We may be able to explain Bible truths and make them clear and understandable to others. We may thus even help to bring others into the truth, helping them to see their privilege of dedicating themselves fully to God and serving him. We may do all this for someone else. Still, if we do not have abiding love, what good does it do us? It does someone else good, but it should also do us the most good. We are interested not only in others’ salvation but also in our own. We love life, and want it eternally. But our life has to be one of love. It has to be expressive of friendship to others who seek life. And so our preaching has to be warm with love, with a feeling of real interest in the lasting welfare of those who hear us. It is not a matter of just placing cold facts before our hearers and, in effect, saying: 15. How could the gift of prophecy be used without user’s benefit0 16, 17. With what motive and how must we preach the Kingdom? Why?

    “There it is! Take it or leave it!” We have to give something more. In preaching we have to pour out our heart to our hearers, letting them know we are truly interested in their living forever through knowing and serving God and Christ. So doing, we shall have love behind the way we prophesy today, and it will not only help others but also benefit us most for eternal life.

    MYSTERIES

    18 Everyone should use a gift from God in the right way, that is, in love first of all to God and in love to his neighbor. Otherwise, the use of the gift will not profit the user, not even the gift of knowing all the sacred mysteries. When Paul warns us about it, he ought to know what he is talking about. He could have become exalted through the abundance of revelations made to him by God’s spirit. He did not want his brothers to overestimate him personally because he knew so many mysteries or secret truths with such clearness. So he said: “The right way for a man to think of us is as Christ’s servants, and managers authorized to distribute the secret truths of God. Now further, what is always demanded of managers is that they can be depended on.”—1 Cor. 4:1,2, An Amer. Trans.

    " By so instructing his brethren, Paul acted in a loving way toward them and toward God in his use of knowledge of the secret truths. He could have used this knowledge to cause the brethren to follow him and form a sect, thinking him to be wondrous wise, having a special standing with God which put him especially in the know, in the inner secret circle of the experts. But that course would have been selfish, self-exalting. It would have led to his final ruin under God’s displeasure. To prevent his Christian brothers from having a wrong, worshipful attitude toward him, the gifted apostle reminded them that the mysteries were not of his own wisdom and insight, but that he was merely entrusted with them by Christ. Thus he was simply a plain servant of Christ and was under obligation to distribute the knowledge of these mysteries to truth-seekers. So the credit for getting this knowledge was due, not to Paul the mere servant, but to Christ the Revealer of the sacred secrets. Paul was obliged to be faithful to his Master Christ Jesus in distributing the knowledge of these mysteries to Christ’s followers. For his faithfulness and dependability in doing this Paul was not to be idolized, worshiped and followed as a sectarian leader. He was merely doing his duty to Christ, and Christ was to be thanked, praised, honored and followed. If Paul loved God and Christ and his brethren, he would use these mysteries unselfishly, for no selfaggrandizement among men, but to magnify God

    18. 19. How did Paul not use knowledge of mysteries wrongly? who reveals the sacred secrets through Christ. This would profit Paul.

    20 Christ Jesus told his faithful followers: “Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God: but to others in parables; that seeing they might not see, and hearing they might not understand.” (Luke 8:10) Jesus knew these Kingdom mysteries. Yet his knowledge of them he did not use in a selfish way. No; but he displayed his knowledge in a loving way. He could have selfishly used the mysteries to build up for himself a large body of nominal followers. Far from this course, he told the mysteries to the vast multitude in parables and dark sayings and privately he explained the mysteries to only the chosen few to whom God meant the knowledge of them to be granted. Today Christ’s followers are helped to understand the sacred secrets of God’s Word and purpose, not by inspired gifts of knowledge, but by the illuminating power of His spirit. So it still remains true: “It is written, what no eye has ever seen, what no ear has ever heard, what never entered the mind of man, God has prepared all that for those who love him. And God has revealed it to us by the spirit, for the spirit fathoms everything, even the depths of God.”—1 Cor. 2:9,10, Moffatt.

    21 Once gained, the knowledge of such marvelous mysteries that provide the key to understanding the Bible could be used selfishly. With especial ability to explain them to others we could make a grand display of ourselves for praise and admiration. Or we might yield to likes and dislikes and not share them equally with any and all who inquire and want to know. Or, in fear of men, we might hold back from declaring those mysteries that lay bare the organization and activities of God’s enemies. Thus we would show we do not love God. For “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment." —1 John 4:18,17.

    22 On this account Paul asked his Christian brethren to supplicate God for him, saying: “for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel.” He asked their prayers, “that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ.” (Eph. 6:19; Col. 4:3) Unquestionably, along with vast knowledge of the mysteries, Paul had a self-sacrificing love; and certainly Christian husbands and wives today who know the mystery of Christ and his church must show love by seeking to apply that knowledge in their relations with each other. When explaining it, Paul said: "This is a great 20. How did Jesus use such knowledge, and how do we get It now’ 21, 22. How must we use such knowledge of mysteries today, and why? mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.” (Eph. 5: 32, 33) To profit ourselves as well as others we must use our knowledge of these profound secrets of God in a loving way.

    KNOWLEDGE

    ” There is other knowledge besides that of sacred mysteries, and here the pertinent question arises, How are we to apply and to impart that knowledge? Paul said that if he possessed all knowledge and along with it did not have love, he would prove to be nothing in God’s sight, no matter how brainy the Christian brethren might think he was. Here he was particularly referring to occasional gifts of knowledge miraculously imparted by the spirit, and which gifts would pass away in progress of time.

    “For instance, Jesus had such a momentary, special gift of knowledge when he exclaimed regarding the approaching Nathanael: “Here is a genuine Israelite! There is no guile in him.” “Nathanael said to him, ‘How do you know me?’” Yes, how did Jesus know him except by the spirit of God? Hence Jesus was able to show how fully he knew Nathanael by answering his question: “When you were under that fig tree, before ever Philip called you, I saw you.” (John 1: 47, 48, Moffatt) Again, after the holy spirit was poured out on the day of Pentecost, when the two disciples Ananias and Sapphira conspired to put on a show of being full contributors to God’s service, the apostle Peter had a timely gift of knowledge. It enabled him to expose the false play. When the man laid down only a partial contribution to create a false impression, Peter knew what was going on. He said: “Ananias, why has Satan tempted thy heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to deduct some of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold did it not remain thine own? and even when sold, was it not under thine own control? Why hast thou conceived this transaction in thy heart? Thou hast not lied to men, but to God.” Ananias fell down dead; and later when his wife Sapphira showed herself a party to the conspiracy Peter said to her: “How is it that you have conspired together to tempt the spirit of the Lord?” She, too, fell dead, but not because of any unloving use of knowledge on Peter’s part.—Acts 5:1-10, Spencer.

    25 One instance of where the apostle Paul had a timely gift of knowledge was when aboard the ship bound for Rome. When shipwreck seemed certain and the military officer and his men were about to desert the ship, Paul said to them: “You cannot be 23« 24. What other knowledge could we have, as Jesus and Peter showed? 25. 26. How did Paul use such knowledge and also comment on knowledge?

    saved unless these men stay on board.” And on the morning of the day of shipwreck Paul said to all on board: “For fourteen days you have been constantly on the watch, without taking anything to eat. I beg you to eat something; it is necessary for your safety. For not one of you will lose even a hair of his head.” “We are to be stranded on some island.” (Acts 27: 31, 33,34,26, An Amer. Trans.) How providential the gifts of knowledge could be, and how wonderful it would be to possess all the necessary knowledge!

    28 Paul well knew the dangers of knowledge, for he could say of himself: “I am no speaker, perhaps, but knowledge I do possess; I never failed to make myself intelligible to you.” (2 Cor. 11: 6, Moffatt) But if we know more than others it is liable to puff us up and so hurt us. And with superior knowledge and the enlightened conscience that it gives, a person could act selfishly. He could exercise his conscientious liberties without caring whether his free actions stumbled others who do not know so much and hence have conscientious fears. So knowledge should be balanced and governed by love. On this the apostle says, when discussing the food problem: ‘With regard to food that has been offered to idols. Here, of course, ‘we all possess knowledge’! Knowledge puffs up, love builds up. Whoever imagines he has attained to some degree of knowledge, does not possess the true knowledge yet; but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. . . . But remember, it is not everyone who has this ‘knowledge.’” (1 Cor. 8:1-7, Moffatt) The knowing ones should lovingly consider the ignorance of others.

    27 Puffed up with what he correctly knows, a selfish person may say: ‘Tm going to enjoy myself. Why should I care what others think of me? I know I’m right in what I am doing. If others are ignorant, I’m not responsible for it. Why should I let their ignorance and unenlightened conscience restrict my liberty and keep me from enjoying what I have a right to?” Since this course would not be for the upbuilding of others but might injure those who are even Christians, it would not be a loving course. Because his own conscience might not prick him, due to his knowledge, he might think he is not hurting himself. But he is doing so, for he is hindering his growth in love and God could hold him responsible for bringing about another’s spiritual destruction for the sake of selfishly acting upon what he knows to be lawful.

    28 Knowledge should help us to express our love in a more helpful way. If a husband knows and understands the case with a woman, he can display his affection for her in a more enlightened way. Peter advises husbands to do that very thing. He

    27, 28. How can knowledge hurt Ita owner? How be made helpful? says: “Ye husbands, in like manner, dwell with your wives according to knowledge, giving honor unto the woman, as unto the weaker vessel, as being also joint-heirs of the grace of life; to the end that your prayers be not hindered. Finally, be ye all likeminded, compassionate, loving as brethren, tenderhearted, humbleminded.” (1 Pet. 3:7,8, Am. Stan. Ver.) In harmony with the superiority of love over knowledge, Peter shows how Christians must grow and act in order never to fail of the heavenly prize, and then mentions love as the climax. He says they must diligently add to their faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and then to knowledge not only self-control, patience, and godliness, but also brotherly affection, and to brotherly affection the crowning quality of love.—2 Pet. 1: 5-7.

    FAITH WITH LOVE

    KNOWLEDGE is the ground for faith. Romans 10:14-17 illustrates this nicely when it says: “But how are men to call upon him in whom they have not believed ? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard! ... So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes by the preaching of Christ.” {Rev. Stan. Ver.) But back in the apostles’ days there could be gifts of faith by the power of God’s spirit, a certain conviction that would be implanted in a Christian by inspiration. Paul says: “For to one is given by the spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit; to another faith by the same spirit.” (1 Cor. 12: 8, 9) Such faith or conviction miraculously bestowed upon certain ones would be needed at the time and would lead to deeds. For their exercise of faith ancient men and women were well reported on in the Bible record. Faith is a very necessary thing to have, for the victory over this world can be gained by a Christian only if he has faith in Almighty God. But in this case, too, love must be coupled with the gift of faith in order for this to work to one’s own eternal good. Why, says the apostle, “if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”—1 Cor. 13:2, Rev. Stan. Ver.

    'True, Jesus did say to his disciples: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you." (Matt. 17:20) But there is no record that either he or any of his disciples ever needed a literal mountain to be taken away. There is no record that, without dynamite or a steam shovel, they put forth faith and prayed Almighty God to remove the mountain, and, presto! it was uprooted and dumped out of sight into the sea. So none of us today should think we shall ever have to pray with unusual faith in order to have a literal mountain taken out of our way. Doubtless the term mountains refers to vast, imposing obstacles and difficulties in the way of our progress which seem almost as unsurmountable and irremovable as literal mountains. As, for instance,

    1. How could one acquire faith, but only have it with profit?

    2. What mountains should we pray to be removed? With what quality? when the prophet Isaiah describes the preparing of Jehovah’s way for his displaced people he says that “every mountain and hill shall be made low”. Or as when the prophet Zechariah tells the Jewish governor Zerubbabel of the organized opposition facing his reconstruction work he then says to the organization of opposers: “What are you, 0 great mountain? before Zerubbabel, become a plain! And he shall bring forth the top-stone with shouts of ’Grace, grace, to it’ ” (Isa. 40:4; Zech. 4:7, An Amer. Trans.) But to pray for the removal of such mountain-like hindrances would call for an extraordinary amount of faith, “all faith.”

    ’What then? Would that not insure that the possessor of such unusual faith would conquer all things in his way, even the world, and eventually gain the prize of everlasting life in the righteous new world? No, says Paul, not unless he has love with faith. Peter said brotherly affection and love must be added to faith. Because of knowledge that Columbus had by certain information and observations, he had faith that our earth was round and he acted on that faith and discovered America; but he did not have love. With his faith he served this world and its national and commercial interests. Because of not seeing Jehovah God, their Creator, Adam and Eve while in Eden were obliged to have faith that he existed, but they failed to meet the test of love for him. Says James: “You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder.” (Jas. 2:19, Rev.Stan. Ver.) Then there was Judas Iscariot. He must have had faith when he joined Jesus’ company and was selected as one of his twelve apostles. He must have had faith when Jesus sent him and his fellow apostles forth as evangelists and instructed them to preach and to perform miracles; and to do this while taking along no extra provisions for their journey. In that connection Jesus told Judas and the rest: “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (Matt. 10:1-22) Judas did not endure in Christ’s footsteps to the end. While he had faith at one time, he lost out on love, and turned traitor to his best friend under God.

    3. How did Adam and Eve and Judas have faith, and yet why lose out?

    * It takes love to stick, because through selfishness we can get offended at the person in whom we have been exercising faith. We may be giants of faith, letting no mountainlike difficulties block our path, but courageously surmounting them. But the faith which causes us to produce such works and feats of faith must be joined with love. It is well said, therefore : “In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which work-eth by love.” (Gal. 5: 6) We may have faith in God that he will provide food and clothing for the brethren whom we see to be in need. But correct as our faith may be, we show a lack of love if we do not do what we can to relieve their need. This failure leads James to say: “What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.” (Jas. 2:14-17) Now if this man professing faith had had love, then he would have tendered his needy brethren some works of relief. Actually, because he did not have true love, his faith did him no good. He failed to be godlike toward his needy neighbors. He came short of the second of the great commandments and so proved to be nothing.

    NOTHING WITHOUT IT

    5 We must not, in every case, mistake charitable works for love, however. No, for the apostle Paul goes on to say: “Even if I give away everything I own, and give myself up, but do it in pride, not love, it does me no good.” (1 Cor. 13: 3, An Amer. Trans.) In this respect we need only remember Ananias and Sapphira. In them we see how persons might make a contribution in pride for the sake of show and to appear like others who were donating all they had, only Ananias and Sapphira did not give away all they owned to the Christian community. There are many selfish reasons for which a man might part with all he possessed in the interest of charity.

    8 The Levite Barnabas, after becoming a Christian, sold his farm and laid the money as a contribution at the apostles’ feet, and he got his name recorded in the Bible for doing so. Not that he did so for this reason, but that another man could donate all he owned and yet have in mind to make a name for himself. So he advertises the donation he is making and he has his name recorded on the historic rolls of the charitable organization as an exemplary contributor, as a self-sacrificing promoter of charity. No matter how generous the contribution might 4. How can one with faith fail of the two mat commandments?

    o, 6. How could one give up everything he had and yet not profit* appear, the motive for making it was not pure, was not real love. In Jesus’ sermon on the mount it was well for Jesus to warn against advertising one’s almsgiving and doing one’s charities for the express purpose of being seen and admired by people. True love on the part of the charitable giver will follow Jesus’ instruction: “But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: that thine alma may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.” (Matt. 6:1-4) It is not the material or financial gift for which the heavenly Father rewards the giver, but it is the love behind the gift that He rewards. So it is love that profits the giver.

    ’ We should never yield to some selfish pressure in making a gift. A campaign of relief may be under way. Everybody about us may be contributing. So as not to be thought stingy and to seem to be just as generous as others or to gain business advantage, we may feel constrained to give at least something. That would be a gift of personal interest and concern, and not a willing one by a cheerful giver. A really loving giver will not give a bare minimum, but give as much as he is able, even denying himself, because he wants to do so out of love for God and his creatures. That is the kind of person God appreciates, and the apostle Paul says regarding relief work in his day: “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver.”—2 Cor. 9:7.

    8 Whether the apostle gave of his own means he, of course, does not tell us, but he did give his own personal services free, and thus there was love behind what he may have given materially. He did not do like many today, who respond to a public charity drive and contribute, say, a thousand dollars to a charity organization and say: “Here, you go and feed and relieve those people in distress.” No, but Paul spent himself in the relief work. In order that his Christian brethren in Greece might render relief in an organized way to their needy fellow Christians in Palestine, he gave instructions on how to get the relief supplies ready. This way it could be handled without loss of time and effort and could be applied in the most effective way in helping their needy brethren. No list of contributors was kept and published, for that would have worked up selfish motives. Everything was done to appeal to their Christian love, and not to selfishness of any kind. Otherwise, the charity demonstrated would have done the contributors no good, developing no love in them. —1 Cor. 16:1-4; 2 Cor. 8:1-24.

    9 A man could part with all his goods to feed it out to the poor, and yet be unwilling to give up 1, 8. How should giving be done, and reUet giving be promoted?

    9, 10. How is self-sacrifice to be done to really profit one? himself in behalf of God’s service and the salvation of His creatures. Hence self-surrender could represent a greater self-sacrifice than mere parting with all one’s possessions for charity. But even here the absence of love might make the self-surrender of no value in God’s sight. Let us not deceive ourselves on this point, for Paul says: “If I give all I possess to feed the hungry, and even if (to say what is boastful) I sacrifice my body, but am without Love, I am none the better!” (1 Cor. 13:3, Twentieth Century N.T.) A self-centered person might court martyrdom. He might look ahead and say: “If I risk my life this way or if I expose myself and die this way, people will admire me and glorify me and long talk about me. I may go down in history as a martyr and have a plaque or monument set up to memorialize me.” That course would be neither loving nor Christlike.

    10 Jesus Christ gave himself up willingly, unmurmuring, like a sheep in the hands of slaughterers, but we do not find him boasting over it. He did repeatedly call attention to his sacrifice. Yet this was never in a boast. It was to show the people the only way by which to gain salvation. He delivered up his body to death because he loved Jehovah God and delighted to do His will. When he came upon the world stage and entered upon his work as God’s High Priest in offering up himself he said: “Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, 0 my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.’’—Ps. 40:7,8; Heb. 10:5-10.

    11 Christ’s spiritual brethren who are called to inherit the heavenly throne with him at God’s right

    11. In place of self-display In sacrifice, what counts with God? hand are exhorted to render up their human lives in His service. Paul writes them to say: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” In doing this we do not need to do something spectacular so as to gain fame as a great martyr. To be faithful we need simply to learn what the good, acceptable and perfect will of God is and then quietly, regularly and steadfastly do that to please and glorify him. Learning this will of His will transform our mind, and we will not try to conform ourselves to this world’s selfish way by seeking to pose as a martyr for self-glory. Our faithful obedience to God’s will and commandments is what will prove our full perfection in love to God, and for this He will count us worthy of preservation forever in the new world. (Rom. 12:1,2) So it is not the grandiose or martyrlike manner of one’s death that makes an impression with God. The unaffected, loyal obedience to him is what counts. This is what proves our love to him and strengthens and perfects it within us. So we repeat the apostle’s warning counsel: “And though I morsel out all my goods, and though I deliver up my body that I may boast, and have not love, I am profited nothing.”—1 Cor. 13: 3, Rotherham.

    12 Assuredly, then, the way of love is the only profitable way with God. Love’s way is more excellent than that of merely carrying on by receiving and using gifts and talents miraculously bestowed upon us by the spirit or active force of God. Now that these miraculous gifts are no longer bestowed today, it is more necessary than ever for us to cultivate love. God’s spirit can help us to do this to perfection.

    12. Love's way is more excellent than what? What helps us In it?

    PROPER RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MEN AND BEASTS

    JEHOVAH God created the beast of the field and the fowl of the air and the fish of the sea and gave them life. (Gen. 1:25) The life of such can properly be taken only as provided by God’s law. The animals and fowls are included in the everlasting covenant. 'I establish my covenant with you, and with every living creature that is with you, the fowl, the cattle, and the beast.’ (Gen. 9: 9,10) Noah took many animals into the ark with him that they might be preserved to produce their species later. When Noah brought these animals out of the ark and set them at liberty they would quickly scatter through the earth and increase rapidly and thus endanger the life of Noah and his family. For the protection of man and to safeguard the animals also, God said to Noah: “And the fear of you and the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every fowl of the air, upon all that moveth upon the earth, and upon all the fishes of the sea; into your hand are they delivered.”—Gen. 9: 2.

    The fear and dread which the beasts had for man caused them to keep out of man’s way and not to molest him. In his law God provided that man eould have the animals for food as he might require, and could kill them for that purpose. (Gen. 9: 3-5) If a man required a beast for food he was permitted to kill it, but the blood of that beast he must pour out on the earth, and not eat it, because the life is in the blood and eating the blood is a violation of the everlasting covenant. The law which God gave to the people through Moses fully supports this conclusion. God specified in that law what hunters must do, and such law shows that no one is justified to hunt animals or fowls for sport, thrills or adventure.—Lev. 17:13, 14.

    It follows to a certainty that the Devil induces men to violate the everlasting covenant in order to turn them from God. As Satan is a rebel, so he attempts to make rebels of men. Noah’s son Ham begot a son and called his name Cush. Nimrod was a son of Cush. Nimrod became a rebel and a violator of the everlasting covenant. Because he is the outstanding one of early times who violated that covenant mention is made of him in the Scriptures. (Gen. 10: 6, 8-10) He was a wanton slayer of beast and fowl. He is the first huntsman mentioned in the Bible.

    The slaying of animals by Nimrod was done in defiance of God’s law and was done at the instance of Satan for the purpose of defying and reproaching Jehovah’s name. It is not Scripturally correct to say, as some critics have said: “The sin of Nimrod and of the people that followed him did not include the wanton slaying of animals, and the Scriptures are silent in the matter; and Nimrod’s sin was solely worshiping the creature instead of the Creator.” Of him the Scriptures state: “And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. He was a mighty hunter before the Lord: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the Lord.” (Gen. 10: 8, 9) If Nimrod was a mere hunter to obtain necessary food, that certainly would not have caused the people to hail him as a mighty hunter “before the Lord”.

    The word “before” does not convey the proper thought. The correct meaning of that word, however, furnishes a key which discloses the kind of man Nimrod was, and shows that he was a willful and deliberate sinner and that one of his great sins was slaying of animals in violation of the everlasting covenant. Other translations of this scripture and the definition of the word “before”, will clarify this matter. According to some authorities “before” means “against”, “in defiance of,” “in opposition to, in defiance of.” (Septua-gint; Fausset’s Encycl.) In Antiquities of the Jews, Book I, chapter 4, fl 2, Josephus says:

    “Nimrod persuaded mankind not to ascribe their happiness to God, but to think that his own excellency was the source of it. And he soon changed things into a tyranny, thinking there was no other way to wean men from the fear of God, than by making them rely upon his own power.” The Commentary, the Targum of Jonathan, says: “From the foundation of the world none was ever found like Nimrod, powerful in hunting, and in rebellions against the Lord.” The Jerusalem Targum says: “He was powerful in hunting and in wickedness before the Lord, for he was a hunter of the sons of men, and he said to them, Depart from the judgment of the Lord, and adhere to the judgment of Nimrod!’ Therefore is it said: ‘As Nimrod (is) the strong, strong in hunting, and in wickedness before the Lord.’ ” The Chaldee paraphrase of 1 Chronicles 1:10 says: “Cush begat Nimrod, who began to prevail in wickedness, for he shed innocent blood, and rebelled against Jehovah.” Nimrod was the founder of Babylon, which partook of his disposition as being the great antagonist of God’s truth and God’s people. We cannot fail to see, in Nimrod, Satan’s first attempt after the Flood to raise up a human universal ruler of men.

    …