The Watchtower, October 1, 1975

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The Watchtower — October 1, 1975

Source: jw.org

Contents

The End of 6,000 Years of Man-Rule Approaches—What Has Been Accomplished?

Almost 6,000 Years of Witnessing for Jehovah

6,000 Years of the Grand Outworking of Jehovah’s Purpose Toward Mankind

Why Delay?

Things Which the “Kingdom of the Heavens” Is Like

The Exposing of the False Kingdom Refuge

Flight to the True Kingdom Refuge

1914—A Turning Point

The End of 6,000 Years of Man-Rule Approaches—What Has Been Accomplished?

SINCE a new Jewish lunar year began in September 1975 a significant point in human history was reached. What was that? According to the Bible’s count of time, mankind then completed 6,000 years of existence on earth. Yes, the first man Adam, if he had chosen to remain obedient under God’s rulership, would have still been alive and 6,000 years old in September of this year.

Does this mean, then, that mankind has now reached 6,000 years into the 7,000-year period that God ‘blessed and made sacred’ as his great “rest day”? Does it mean that Christ’s millennial Kingdom rule, as the final 1,000 years of that “rest day,” is to be reckoned from September 1975?—Gen. 1:27, 31; 2:2, 3; Rev. 20:1-6.

No, it does not mean that. Why not? Well, the Bible record shows that God’s creations on the “day” just preceding that 7,000-year “rest day” did not end with Adam’s creation. It shows a time lapse between the creation of Adam and that of his wife, Eve. During that time, God had Adam name the animals. Whether that period amounted to weeks or months or years, we do not know. So we do not know exactly when Jehovah’s great “rest day” began, nor do we know exactly when it will end. The same applies to the beginning of Christ’s millennial reign. The Bible provides us no way to fix the date, and so it does us no good to speculate when that date may be.—Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 24:42, 44.

However, the Bible’s time clock does indicate to us that 6,000 years of human history end in this year 1975. Early in God’s “rest day” Adam became a rebel against God-rule. Thus, for the most part, the first 6,000 years of man’s history have been marked by man-rule. What did man’s independent rulership accomplish during those six millenniums of time, or six spans of 1,000 years each? Let us take a panoramic view of those millenniums, each in its turn.

First Thousand Years

Man’s happiness in the paradise of Eden ended as Adam and Eve rebelled against the sovereignty of their Creator, Jehovah God. Justly, God expelled the man and his wife from the garden into the uncultivated earth, to fend for themselves under the independent government of their choice. Probably that became a form of patriarchal rule. But during the 900-and-more years that remained of Adam’s life, sin-tainted mankind became involved more and more in violence, murder, false religion and a permissive way of life that ended only in death.—Rom. 5:12; Gen. 3:12, 16-19; 4:10, 11, 23, 26.

Second Thousand Years

Under man-rule, “the badness of man” abounded to the point that God, after giving due warning, brought a global deluge to destroy those who had “ruined” the earth and filled it with violence. Though God preserved alive faithful Noah and his family because of their righteousness, their descendants became involved in human politics in defiance of Jehovah God. Less than 200 years after the Flood, Nimrod became a ruthless dictator and king. He exalted himself against the Most High God, so that there came to be a saying, “Just like Nimrod a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.” His hunting exploits no doubt included the killing of men, as well as of animals, so that he established a tyranny over mankind. When his rebellious course culminated in building a city, Babel, and “a tower with its top in the heavens,” Jehovah performed the miracle of confusing the language of mankind. This forced them to abandon their building program, and to be scattered over the earth. The first human dictatorship disintegrated in defeat!—Gen. 6:4, 5, 11; 10:8-12; 11:1-9.

Third Thousand Years

There were wars among mankind, tribe against tribe, city-state against city-state and kingdom against kingdom. Egypt became the dominant world power, but was punished by God because it oppressed his people, Israel. The people of the nations drifted deeper into pagan idolatry, even to the point of offering child sacrifices. Oppressive dictatorships arose and the common people suffered as pawns of the rulers.—Gen. 14:1-16; Ex. 1:8-11; 6:1-6; 14:26-31; Deut. 18:9-12.

Fourth Thousand Years

In Egypt’s wake, a procession of world empires, ruled by ambitious kings, arose in succession. These became prominent in the fourth millennium. Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome—each, in turn, fought with its mighty armies and gained world domination. They were also permitted to gain and wield sovereignty over the nation of Israel. The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation both liken such mighty political powers to “beasts.” False religion was always prominent in its support of these cruel dictatorships.—Dan. 7:2-8, 17; 8:3-8, 20-22; Rev. 13:1, 2; 17:3-8, 11; Ezek. 21:25-27.

Fifth Thousand Years

Imperial Rome now held sway over many lands. In the domain of Rome, John the Baptist was beheaded, Jesus Christ was impaled, the imperial armies destroyed Jerusalem and Christians were persecuted—all this within the first century of our Common Era. In the fourth century C.E., the unbaptized Caesar Constantine organized Christendom with its clergymen and the politico-religious setup of Rome, and the Catholic Hierarchy brought on the Dark Ages, with all their miserable oppression of the common man, and particularly of those who sought to serve God. The Church-and-State combine was glorified in 800 C.E. when the Roman pope crowned Charlemagne as ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.—Mark 6:25, 27; 15:25, 37; Luke 21:20-24; 2 Thess. 2:3.

Sixth Thousand Years

The Roman Empire fragmented into rival and oppressive European states. These sent their warships abroad to seize and colonize the so-called “pagan” areas of the earth. Great Britain became the dominant world power. Colonial America declared and gained its independence from Britain, but continued close alliance in an Anglo-American world-power arrangement. The eighteenth century was a time of industrial revolution, and the twentieth century started an era of world wars, which embraced nearly all political nations, supported by the leading religions. The domination of the democratic “king of the south” was challenged by the Germanic “king of the north,” but dictatorial Germany has now been superseded by the Communist giant as “king.” None of these forms of political government have brought real happiness or security to their subjects. And now a nuclear arms race threatens the annihilation of mankind. Revolution and rebellion against authority, the mushrooming of a permissive society and the rapid growth of crime and pollution have added to man’s problems.—Dan. 11:27-40; Rev. 11:18.

Panoramic Survey

This 6,000-year period of man’s existence was early marked by the loss of paradise. Since then, frustrated mankind has tried many kinds of government in an effort to regain at least some form of material paradise. But what has been accomplished? The result is world confusion. Mankind faces ruination, just as Jesus foretold concerning our day: “On the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out . . . while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.” But God’s Word holds forth hope!—Luke 21:25, 26.

Almost 6,000 Years of Witnessing for Jehovah

THE rebellion of man and woman in Eden raised a great issue. Would humans out of sheer love for Jehovah loyally choose to render sacred service to their Creator and Sovereign God. “The original Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan,” had set out to mislead the entire inhabited earth. By challenging Jehovah’s sovereignty, he implied that not even one of mankind would prove faithful to God. Satan claimed that man was inherently selfish—that man would serve God only for what he could get out of it in a material way.—Gen. 3:1-5; Rev. 12:9; Job 1:7-12.

In his great wisdom, Jehovah determined to prove once and for all time the rightness and righteousness of his sovereignty. He foresaw that there would be those of mankind, of the offspring of Adam, who would rejoice to uphold His sovereignty under whatever kind of test Satan might bring upon them. Once this issue had been settled beyond any doubt, the vindication of Jehovah’s sovereignty would thereby stand proved for all eternity. This would be a touchstone against which any future challenge could immediately be tested and turned back. But it would take a period of time, some 6,000 years, to settle this issue. And what have 6,000 years of human history shown thus far? Have there been integrity-keeping witnesses of Jehovah on earth during all that time, to prove that God is true and that Satan is a liar?—Prov. 27:11.

First Millennium

Abel was the first integrity-keeping witness of Jehovah, upholding His sovereignty. (Heb. 11:4) Because he offered an animal sacrifice acceptable to Jehovah, while Cain’s offering was not acceptable, Abel was murdered by his brother Cain. “The founding of the world” took place when Adam and Eve began to have sons and daughters. Abel was the second reported son. Enoch, the seventh man from Adam, also ‘walked with God’ as a faithful witness, and prophesied concerning Jehovah’s judgment of ungodly men. Because of his faithfulness, after 365 years, “God took him” from the land of the living in such a way that he did not see death in the same way that others do.—Gen. 4:1-15; 5:1-4, 21-24; Luke 11:49-51; Jude 14, 15; Heb. 11:5.

Second Millennium

Early in this millennium, Methuselah’s son Lamech was inspired by God to utter a prophecy that his own son Noah would bring comfort to mankind. Born in 1056 A.M. (anno mundi), Noah, as a man of towering faith, lived 944 of his 950 years in this millennium. Although angelic sons of God disobediently took up married life on earth in his day and mankind became prone to violence, Noah “walked with the true God” and proved to be “faultless among his contemporaries.” As evidence of his faith, at God’s direction he constructed a huge “ark for the saving of his household [of seven other faithful ones]; and through this faith he condemned the world” of ungodly men. He was “a preacher of righteousness,” and later he offered sacrifices to God in thankfulness for deliverance during the Flood. In serving faithfully in obedience to Jehovah, Noah and his family provided living proof that Satan is a liar, to the chagrin of that wicked one.—Gen. 5:28-31; 6:9; Heb. 11:7; 2 Pet. 2:5.

Third Millennium

Noah lived six years into this millennium. Two years after his death, Abraham was born. Because Abraham truly believed God, putting obedience to his Creator ahead of physical comfort and even demonstrating faith that God could restore to life by a resurrection, he was richly blessed by Jehovah. As “Jehovah’s friend,” Abraham received God’s promise that the Messiah would come through his family line. Abraham, his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob (later named Israel) all showed exemplary faith, not attaching themselves to any human kingdom but dwelling in tents in a foreign land as they awaited the symbolic “city” that Jehovah would build. Jacob’s twelve sons became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. Of these sons, Joseph showed great loyalty to God by following high moral principles and in rescuing his father’s family (in whom the Abrahamic promise centered) in a time of famine. Later, Moses chose to champion the worship of the true God, rejecting personally the glory of Egypt. Steadfastly he obeyed Jehovah in leading God’s people out of Egyptian captivity to be organized into a typical “holy nation.” A contemporary, Job, was prominent in refusing to break integrity to God, even when afflicted with material losses and impairment of health. Joshua, Caleb and the judges of Israel were also outstanding fighters for righteousness. As this millennium drew toward its close, David, the son of Jesse, proved to be ‘a man agreeable to God’s heart,’ and because of his unswerving allegiance God made with him a covenant for an everlasting kingdom.—Gen. 9:28, 29; 11:26; 12:1-3; Jas. 2:23; Acts 13:22; Heb. 11:8-32; Job 1:8; 27:5.

Fourth Millennium

Following the death of David’s son Solomon, the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. Faithful kings were in a minority. However, there were many integrity-keepers to be found among Jehovah’s prophets, such as Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and many others. It was reported in Elijah’s time that seven thousand faithful ones in the northern Israelite kingdom had “not bent down to Baal.” In the southern kingdom, at Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem, thousands of individuals, including many loyal priests, continued to worship the true God. When the northern kingdom went into exile, many God-fearing Jews who had come from the north continued to worship at Jerusalem; and when Jerusalem itself was desolated, faithful exiles in Babylon—Ezekiel, Daniel and others—continued to uphold true worship. After seventy years, nearly 50,000 devout Jews and associates returned to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem, and restore Jehovah’s worship there. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged them in this. Also, Nehemiah and other faithful Jews worked hard at instructing God’s people in the Law, so that they could appreciate that “the joy of Jehovah” is indeed a “stronghold.” Faithful scribes, too, worked painstakingly at making handwritten copies of the Scriptures, and God’s Word multiplied and spread.—1 Ki. 19:18; Neh. 8:9, 10; Hag. 1:12-14; Zech. 1:1-3; Heb. 11:32-38.

Fifth Millennium

This millennium opens with the Bible’s mention of Jehovah’s blessing and favor on Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, Simeon, Anna and other true worshipers. John the Baptist came ‘preparing the way of Jehovah,’ and his fearless service led to his death as a martyr. But fear for his own safety did not make him compromise. The promised Messiah himself appeared, to set the perfect example of integrity. Oh, how Satan strove to find some flaw in Jesus’ constant loyalty to Jehovah’s sovereignty! But he failed in this, miserably. Jesus’ faithfulness under the most excruciating trials, right down to a cruel death, gave the complete and conclusive answer to the challenger. The apostles and other early Christians followed in Jesus’ footsteps. But after the close of the first century, as foretold, the “weed” class of false Christians, sown by Satan, began to persecute the “wheat” class, the true Christians. About the fourth century, some who rejected the pagan Trinity doctrine were labeled “Arians.” Others who held faithfully to celebrating the Memorial of Christ’s death on Nisan 14 were termed “Quartodecimans (or, Fourteenthers).” In the seventh century some who held to “genuine apostolic Bible-Christianity” were called “Paulicians.” But this name-calling, along with persecutions, did not deter faithful anointed Christians from keeping their integrity!—Luke chapters 1 and 2; Matt. 13:24-30.

Sixth Millennium

Amidst Christendom’s vast domain of imitation Christians, the true anointed Christians continued to remain loyal in the face of sadistic tortures and martyrdom at the hands of the Catholic priesthood. From the twelfth century C.E., the “Waldenses” in France rejected Catholic traditions in favor of adhering closely to the Bible. Many of these became martyrs. One of them said: ‘The Cross should not be prayed to but loathed as the instrument of the Just One’s death.’ Starting in the sixteenth century C.E., the Reformation resulted in a breaking away from the authority of the Catholic Church on the part of many individuals and countries. In the 1870’s, the modern Christian witnesses of Jehovah began preaching vigorously as an organized group. Despite opposition from the ‘weedlike’ clergy of Christendom, this “wheat” class was separated out, and down to this year of 1975, they have witnessed in 207 lands by their preaching. Particularly during the two world wars, these Christians were bitterly persecuted. Many of them died in Nazi concentration camps rather than renouncing their faith in Jehovah God, and Jehovah’s witnesses continue to face trials in Communist and other lands. But through it all they keep integrity, and continue wholeheartedly to proclaim the good tidings of the Kingdom throughout the entire earth. Since 1935, the few thousand anointed ones have been joined by over two million others in witnessing to God’s kingdom, and these are truly a “great crowd” looking to Jehovah as their Universal Sovereign and to his Son as their Messianic King!—Rev. 2:10; 3:10; 20:4; 7:9, 10.

Jehovah Vindicated

As the millenniums have passed on into history, Jehovah’s side of the issue raised in Eden has been convincingly proved. In all ages, Jehovah has had his faithful witnesses on earth, and they are here on earth in rapidly growing numbers today! At the close of this sixth millennium, they are thankful to God for all his marvelous provisions, including the gift of life itself and the glorious prospect of everlasting life in his new order. All of this has been made possible by the sacrifice of his integrity-keeping Son, the Messiah-King, Jesus Christ. They believe that Jehovah’s sovereignty is the right sovereignty. Their one desire is to follow his righteous ways. They are determined that Satan will never swerve them from the path of integrity. They rejoice to have a share in proving Satan to be a liar and they press on with unshakable faith in making known the modern “magnificent things of God.” What joy they have in knowing that Jehovah himself is about to act to uphold righteousness and to magnify His own sovereignty by removing Satan, his adherents and all his wicked works in the impending great “day of Jehovah’s anger”!—Acts 2:11; Zeph. 2:2, 3.

6,000 Years of the Grand Outworking of Jehovah’s Purpose Toward Mankind

WHEN Adam openly rejected Jehovah’s rightful sovereignty, Jehovah dealt with mankind in a merciful, loving way. He did not put Adam to death immediately and start all over again by creating a replacement for him here on earth. Rather, God chose to allow Adam to continue living and to commence producing the human family. This family that stemmed from Adam was “subjected to futility” by God in that, through inheritance from Adam, it came under condemnation of death. Of itself, humankind could find no way of release from this unhappy condition. However, this subjection to futility was “on the basis of hope,” in that God, out of his incomparable undeserved kindness, purposed a way out for faithful ones among Adam’s descendants. In this manner they might be “set free from enslavement to corruption” and be delivered into a “glorious freedom” as restored children of God. This grand hope was expressed in a prophecy that Jehovah himself spoke back in Eden. Examine now the record, millennium by millennium, as to whether there has been any slowness on God’s part in carrying forward his purpose to bring release for humankind.—Rom. 8:20, 21; Gen. 3:15; 2 Pet. 3:9.

FROM 4026 TO 3026 B.C.E.

During the millenniums preceding man’s creation, God had shown deep love and interest by preparing a paradise home for the human family. But when man in Eden rebelled, Jehovah, as the Sovereign Ruler, held court, sentenced Adam and Eve to death, and expelled them from the garden of pleasure. Jehovah acted in accordance with his quality of justice. But he did not carry out the sentence in such a way as to blot out the human race. He allowed the first pair, though now sinners, to produce children. When sentencing Adam and Eve, Jehovah also declared that he would raise up a “seed” or offspring to bruise Satan and his followers. This indicated that he would act with mercy toward Adam’s offspring, so that they could have hope of recovery and life through this promised “seed.”—Gen. 3:8-24.

When Cain murdered his brother Abel, Jehovah made clear that mankind is to be held accountable for bloodguilt. This just God inspired faithful Enoch to prophesy that Jehovah would come “with his holy myriads, to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds.” So Jehovah made it clear that he would always act justly and in righteousness against the wicked, but in his mercy he held out a glorious hope for those who would honor him.—Gen. 4:9-11; Jude 14, 15; Ex. 34:6, 7.

FROM 3026 TO 2026 B.C.E.

Early in this millennium Noah was born. Jehovah used Noah in acting out a prophetic portrayal of the deliverance that He would at last bring to mankind. In what way? Jehovah brought the cataclysm of the Deluge as his execution of judgment upon the ungodly. Only Noah and his family survived, along with specimens of all the animal kinds, in the ark, to emerge in due course into the cleansed earth. More than two millenniums later, the Messiah, Jesus, explained the prophetic meaning of the Deluge. He said: “For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” In this way the “Son of man,” Jesus himself, pointed forward to the purposed “day and hour” when Jehovah God would bring the “great tribulation” upon the earth, ridding it of ungodly men.—Gen. 6:13-22; Matt. 24:36-39.

Following the Deluge, when granting man permission to eat animal flesh, Jehovah declared life to be sacred and he prohibited the eating of any blood. But even while Noah yet lived, the cleansed human society became corrupt and showed disregard for God’s law, as Nimrod, a wanton hunter, set himself up as earth’s first king. Jehovah had purposed that human society should spread abroad in all the earth. When Nimrod defiantly opposed this purpose by trying to centralize the world of mankind under himself as dictator and “god,” Jehovah acted! By confusing the language of mankind, Jehovah enforced the scattering of mankind “over all the surface of the earth.” Thus he showed that no one who tries to tamper with his stated purpose will succeed.—Gen. 9:1-7; 10:9, 10; 11:1-9; Isa. 55:11.

FROM 2026 TO 1026 B.C.E.

Jehovah had made known that the promised “seed” and Deliverer for mankind would come through the family line of Noah’s son Shem. In this line there appeared Abraham, a man who was counted righteous because of his strong faith. God made a covenant with Abraham, stating that by means of Abraham’s seed, all nations of the earth would “certainly bless themselves.” By having Abraham go to the point of attempting to offer his son Isaac in sacrifice, God portrayed not only the future sacrifice of his own Son as a ransom for mankind but also the glorious resurrection hope. God also used Abraham’s great-grandson Joseph in Egypt to picture how the Messiah would be raised up as a savior for mankind. In the nearby land of Uz, Job’s “holding fast his integrity” in proving Satan to be a liar foreshadowed how the Messiah, as well as other faithful servants of God, would endure much persecution in vindication of Jehovah’s purposes.—Gen. 22:3-18; Heb. 11:17-19; Gen. 47:21-27; Job 2:3.

At the halfway mark of this millennium, Jehovah led Israel, under Moses, out of Egypt and told them: “You yourselves will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” God gave a detailed law to Moses, together with instructions for the tabernacle, its service and the priesthood. All of this provided foregleams of Jehovah’s future administration of matters for uniting all things under the Messiah. As this millennium drew to its end, God made a covenant with faithful King David, which gave promise that Messiah, as the ‘seed of David,’ would sit upon the throne of God’s kingdom forever. As this millennium closed, David’s son Solomon completed the building of Jehovah’s grand temple in Jerusalem. Indeed, the outworking of God’s purpose was moving grandly forward!—Ex. 19:5, 6; Eph. 1:9, 10; 1 Chron. 17:11-14; 2 Chron. 5:1.

FROM 1026 TO 26 B.C.E.

The dedication of the glorious temple of Jehovah built by Solomon was held in the opening year of the fourth millennium. This was at the halfway point between Adam’s creation and our present day. Fittingly, Solomon prayed that the temple at Jerusalem would become a house of prayer for all nations. But Jehovah had specially chosen Israel to be the instrument by means of which He would reveal His divine purpose in restoring mankind, and through them He continued to make prophetic patterns of future events.—1 Ki. 8:1-66; Mark 11:17.

However, Israel fell into apostasy. In 740 B.C.E., Jehovah used Assyria as ‘the rod of his anger’ in punishing and sending the northern kingdom of Israel into exile. In 607 B.C.E., he likewise used Babylon in desolating Judah and Jerusalem. After seventy years a faithful remnant of Jews returned from exile in Babylon to rebuild the temple and restore true worship in Jerusalem.—Isa. 10:5-11; Jer. 25:8-14.

God used the prophet Daniel to prophesy that “Messiah the Leader” would appear sixty-nine weeks of years after the going forth of the command to rebuild Jerusalem itself, which command was issued in 455 B.C.E. Therefore Messiah, God’s Anointed One, would be due to appear in 29 C.E. God also indicated that the Gentile domination of earth, as permitted by God, commencing in 607 B.C.E., would last for 2,520 years, ending therefore in 1914 C.E.—Dan. 9:24-27; 4:16, 23, 25, 32.

The written canon of the Hebrew Scriptures was completed in this millennium, by the end of the fifth century B.C.E. But language barriers were not to hinder the spread of the vital information contained in those sacred scrolls. During the third century B.C.E., the Greek Septuagint version of the Hebrew Scriptures began to be made in Egypt; this was prepared for the benefit of Greek-speaking Jews scattered in other lands.—Rom. 3:1, 2; 15:4.

FROM 26 B.C.E. TO 975 C.E.

Events of the first century C.E. are of tremendous significance for mankind. From the spring of 29 C.E. John the Baptist was used to “prepare the way” before the Messiah. In the fall of this year, John baptized Jesus, at which time Jehovah anointed Jesus “with holy spirit and power.” Jesus thus became the Messiah, Jehovah’s King-designate and High Priest, for bringing everlasting salvation to mankind. By preaching and performing miracles during a special three-and-a-half-year ministry, Jesus demonstrated how he would carry out Jehovah’s purpose when he gained the promised Kingdom rule. This would include raising the dead, and healing and restoring mankind to perfection in an earthly paradise. Jesus was impaled on a torture stake, condemned by the Jewish priests and Roman authorities. After his death and burial, Jehovah declared him to be altogether righteous by resurrecting him from the dead to heavenly life. Then the value of that perfect human sacrifice was presented to God in heaven by Jesus as High Priest, that its benefits might be applied on behalf of humankind.—Matt. 3:3, 13-17; Acts 10:37-43; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 9:24-28.

On the day of Pentecost, 33 C.E., Jehovah poured out his spirit on Jesus’ assembled disciples, bringing them as a spiritual Israel into the new covenant, mediated by Christ. Starting with the conversion of Cornelius and his household in 36 C.E., Christianized Gentiles were also brought into this “Israel of God.” Before this “little flock” of anointed Christians lay the grand prospect of sharing with Christ in his heavenly kingdom!—Acts 2:1-4; 10:24, 44-48; Heb. 9:15; Gal. 6:15, 16.

During the first century C.E., the Christian congregation became firmly established. Several apostles and other disciples of Jesus wrote down the Christian Greek Scriptures. By the end of that century the Bible canon was complete. The grand purpose of Jehovah God had now been written down in its entirety. The inspired Scriptures showed how many prophecies of God had been fulfilled or were in course of fulfillment. They held forth the certain hope of fulfillment of all of Jehovah’s promises through the kingdom of his Son.—Acts 9:31; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21.

The good news in its purity was preached by anointed Christians in ‘all creation under heaven.’ But after the death of the apostles the foretold great apostasy set in, and the Christian congregation was contaminated through the infiltration of “wolves”—“ungodly men”—who spurned the undeserved kindness of God. In 325 C.E. apostates established hypocritical Christendom under the patronage of pagan Rome, and this brought a deep spiritual darkness. The fifth millennium drew to its close with understanding and appreciation of Jehovah’s glorious Kingdom purposes at a very low ebb. But God’s promises stood sure! He does not lie.—Col. 1:13, 23; Acts 20:29, 30; Jude 4; Titus 1:2.

FROM 975 C.E. TO 1975 C.E.

During the sixth millennium Jehovah continued to test his true anointed ones as they endured persecutions. At last, curtains of darkness began to lift as the Bible was translated into the common languages of the people and began, especially from the sixteenth century, to circulate throughout Christendom. In the 1870’s there started a thrilling restoration of appreciation of basic Bible truths. Jehovah began to gather his anointed ones. These, as a “faithful and discreet slave” class, again became prominent in carrying out a great spiritual feeding program. Devout Christians began to look forward with keen anticipation to the year 1914 C.E., for this would mark the end of the Gentile Times. Indeed, it was in 1914 that Jehovah enthroned Christ Jesus in the heavenly kingdom, on heavenly Mount Zion, with possession of “the kingdom of the world.” All the features of Jesus’ prophesied “sign” indicating his presence in heavenly glory and the “conclusion of the system of things” became clearly evident as these features started to be, and continue to be, fulfilled. This has given true Christians great cause for rejoicing and has led to their vigorously proclaiming God’s established kingdom.—Rev. 20:4; Matt. 24:3-14, 32-34, 45-47; 25:31-33.

From 1919 on, a spiritual paradise under Christ’s headship was restored for God’s anointed remnant on earth. And beginning with 1935 a “great crowd” of other humble worshipers came into evidence, joining with the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s Kingdom class in singing Jehovah’s praises throughout the earth. For forty years the ingathering of this “great crowd” has proceeded. Now more than two million of these servants of God look forward to passing through the fast-approaching “great tribulation” into a cleansed earth, where a literal paradise will be restored throughout this globe, and for all eternity! In some 35,000 Christian congregations, in 207 lands of the earth, God’s zealous people are being prepared for survival—prepared also for the united work that lies ahead of them in connection with the literal paradise on earth.—John 10:16; Rev. 7:9, 10, 14, 15; compare Isaiah 35:1-10; 65:17-23.

JEHOVAH ACTS PROGRESSIVELY ON BEHALF OF MANKIND

Truly, Jehovah is a progressive God. He is not slow in carrying out his majestic purpose in all its aspects for the blessing and good of his creatures. Ungodly men may ridicule the good news that the promised “presence” of the Messiah as reigning King has taken place in our day. But their words of ridicule will be turned right back on them at the “day and hour” that Jehovah has chosen to reveal “the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels.” That will mean fiery destruction and “vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” Of this we can be sure—“Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise.” While patiently awaiting “Jehovah’s day” for action, we can be happy that the “great crowd” that is to survive the “great tribulation” continues to increase rapidly. Surely we can exert ourselves vigorously on their behalf.—2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2 Pet. 3:3, 4, 9; 1 Tim. 4:10.

The parade of divine acts that has just been recounted, and that leads to man’s restoration, stirs our hearts. With full confidence that all of Jehovah’s grand purpose will be fulfilled toward those who love him, we will follow his leadings and those of his King, Jesus Christ, clear through the “great tribulation” into the yet future millennial Kingdom rule. Yes, Jehovah God has done and continues to do “surpassingly” for mankind.—Isa. 12:2-5.

Why Delay?

● It has been said that the lazier a man is the more he says he is going to do “tomorrow.” If something needs to be done, why delay doing it? Now is the time to be busy in the service of God. About the lazy man the Bible says: “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding your arms to lie abed—and your poverty shall come like a prowler.”—Prov. 6:10, 11, The Bible in Living English.

Things Which the “Kingdom of the Heavens” Is Like

“What is the kingdom of God like, and with what shall I compare it?”—Luke 13:18.

1, 2. By using illustrations in his teaching, what prophecy did Jesus fulfill?

ILLUSTRATIONS or parables were a prominent part of the teaching method of Jesus Christ nineteen centuries ago. In this way he fulfilled a Bible prophecy. Of this we are assured in the life account of Jesus Christ as written by his apostle Matthew Levi. This biographer tells us:

2 “All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds by illustrations. Indeed, without an illustration he would not speak to them; that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet who said: ‘I will open my mouth with illustrations, I will publish things hidden since the founding [of the world].’”—Matt. 13:34, 35; Ps. 78:2.

3. What might illustrations bearing on God’s kingdom be called, and how did Jesus introduce them?

3 Those illustrations or parables that specially bore on God’s Messianic kingdom might well be called Kingdom illustrations or parables. At times these were introduced with the words, “The kingdom of the heavens is like,” or, “With what are we to liken the kingdom of God?” or, “With what shall I compare the kingdom of God?”—Matt. 13:47; Mark 4:30; Luke 13:20.

4, 5. (a) How many illustrations did Jesus give, and what series of them did he give in Matthew, chapter thirteen? (b) According to Luke 13:17-21, under what circumstances did Jesus relate the illustrations of the mustard grain and the leaven?

4 Jesus is reported as giving thirty illustrations or parables. According to the thirteenth chapter 13 of Mt Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus once gave a series of seven Kingdom illustrations in close connection with one another. First was the illustration of the sower, then that of the wheat and the weeds, the mustard grain, the leaven hid in the batch of dough, the treasure hid in the field, the pearl of high value and the dragnet. (Matt. 13:1-50) The Gospel writer Luke introduces the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven in a different way, and says:

5 “Well, when he said these things, all his opposers began to feel shame; but all the crowd began to rejoice at all the glorious things done by him. Therefore he went on to say: ‘What is the kingdom of God like, and with what shall I compare it? It is like a mustard grain that a man took and put in his garden, and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of heaven took up lodging in its branches.’ And again he said: ‘With what shall I compare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three large measures of flour until the whole mass was fermented.’”—Luke 13:17-21.

6. Since Jesus gave the parables after the rejoicing of the people over the things done by him, what might one be inclined to think that Jesus wanted to illustrate by the parables?

6 Because “all the crowd began to rejoice at all the glorious things done by him,” one would incline to think that Jesus reacted to the rejoicing of “all the crowd” by telling two prophetic illustrations to picture how God’s kingdom would not be made up of only a “little flock,” as Jesus had indicated earlier, in Luke 12:32. Instead, it would grow to great size and all the world of mankind would be like birds by their lodging in the refuge provided by the Kingdom. Also, that the great mass of mankind would become impregnated with the true teachings of Christianity. For instance, the Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of Matthew, by H. A. W. Meyer, Th.D., English edition of 1884, says on page 259, paragraph three:

The parable of the mustard seed is designed to show that the great community, consisting of those who are to participate in the Messianic kingdom, i.e., the true people of God as constituting the body politic of the future kingdom, is destined to develop from a small beginning into a vast multitude, and therefore to grow extensively; . . . “being a small flock, they were increased into a countless one.” The parable of the leaven, on the other hand, is intended to show how the specific influences of the Messiah’s kingdom (Eph. iv.4 ff.) gradually penetrate the whole of its future subjects, till by this means the entire mass is brought intensively into that spiritual condition which qualifies it for being admitted into the kingdom.

7, 8. What serious question does Luke record after that, and what Kingdom parable of Jesus?

7 However, there is a fact that is here worth considering as significant. It is this: Right after recording those two parables of Jesus and telling how thereafter he went teaching from place to place, the Gospel writer Luke injects the question of a certain man: “Lord, are those who are being saved few?” Did Jesus’ answer seem to agree with that suggestion? Did it indicate a kingdom of a “little flock”?—Luke 13:22, 23.

8 Listen: “He said to them: ‘Exert yourselves vigorously to get in through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will seek to get in but will not be able, when once the householder has got up and locked the door, and you start to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, “Sir, open to us.” But in answer he will say to you, “I do not know where you are from.” Then you will start saying, “We ate and drank in front of you, and you taught in our broad ways.” But he will speak and say to you, “I do not know where you are from. Get away from me, all you workers of unrighteousness!” There is where your weeping and the gnashing of your teeth will be, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves thrown outside.’” (Luke 13:23-28) So, as many as do get in through the “narrow door” will have to ‘exert themselves vigorously.’—Note also Luke 13:5-9.

9. In a contribution to the Watch Tower issue of April 1881, how did J. H. Paton explain the parable of the leaven?

9 Back in the issue of Zion’s Watch Tower dated April 1881, on page 5, there appeared a contribution by J. H. Paton, on the parable of the leaven. In the course of his discussion he said:

This work of progression and glorious success, seems to be illustrated by the Saviour’s parable, in which He compared the kingdom of heaven to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened. Matt. 13:33. A very plausible and we will add, forcible objection to this application of the parable, is based on the fact that leaven of bread and of doctrine are spoken of in the Bible as elements of impurity and of corruption. Would the Saviour represent the kingdom of heaven by an element and process of corruption? We understand the Saviour here uses one feature of the leaven only, in His illustration, that is its permeating power. It does not cease until the work is done, so God’s kingdom will not cease its operations until the curse is removed.

10. How did the Watch Tower issue of May 15, 1900, comment on the parable of the leaven?

10 However, Zion’s Watch Tower, under date of May 15, 1900, page 154, took exception to that view. Under the subheading “The Parable of the Leaven,” it said: “Leaven represents corruption throughout the Scriptures: In every other instance of its Scriptural use it is represented as an evil, an impurity, something that is defiling. . . . It would not seem reasonable that our Lord should use the word leaven here as Christian people generally suppose, in a good sense, as implying some grace of the holy spirit. On the contrary, we recognize consistency in all of his teachings, and we may be as sure that he would not use leaven as a symbol of righteousness as that he would not use leprosy as a symbol of holiness.”

11. How did The Watch Tower under date of June 15, 1910, explain the parable of the leaven?

11 The Watch Tower, under date of June 15, 1910, page 205, pursued that same line of thought. It said, under the heading “Leaven Hidden in the Meal,” the following: “The parable of the ‘leaven’ (Mt 13:v. 33) illustrates the process by which, as was foretold, the church would get into the wrong condition. As a woman would take her batch of flour for baking and put leaven (yeast) in it and the result would be that the mass would become leavened, so it would be with the church of Christ; the food of the entire household would become leavened or corrupted. Every portion would become more or less vitiated with the leaven of false doctrines which would permeate the entire mass. Thus today nearly every doctrine inculcated by Jesus and his apostles has become more or less perverted or twisted by the errors of the dark ages.”—See also The Watch Tower as of June 15, 1912, pages 198, 199, under the heading “Parable of the Leaven.”

LEAVEN AND WINE

12. In objection, what might the aforementioned Watch Tower contributor insist upon, and what illustration of Jesus concerning wine and wineskins might he mention?

12 Now, if J. H. Paton, like the Watch Tower editor C. T. Russell, were alive at the time, he might have objected to those articles in the Watch Tower issues of 1900, 1910 and 1912. He might have insisted that The Watch Tower stick to the “one feature of the leaven only, in [Jesus’] illustration, that is its permeating power.” As the permeating power lies in the fermentation that is caused, he might have argued that fermentation is fermentation, something to be viewed objectively. So he might have referred to Matthew 9:17, where Jesus says: “Neither do people put new wine into old wineskins; but if they do, then the wineskins burst and the wine spills out and the wineskins are ruined. But people put new wine into new wineskins, and both things are preserved.”—Also, Mark 2:22; Luke 5:37, 38.

13. (a) In what sense, then, is the fermentation of the wine used as a symbol? (b) In view of that, what question arises as to the symbolic significance of fermentation caused by leaven?

13 The still-continuing fermentation of the new wine causes gas bubbles and bursts the old, nonresilient wineskins. The wine fermentation operates to a good end, and so here fermentation is used in a good way and symbolizes something good. But does that argue that the fermentation caused by leaven is used as a symbol of something good in the parable of the woman that hid leaven in three large measures of flour until the whole mass was fermented? And so is there an exception or two to the Bible’s use of leaven as a symbol of what is bad and wicked? Does the Bible use leaven as a symbol in a twofold way, both as a symbol of what is good and righteous and also as a symbol of what is bad and wicked?

14. What fact shows that the Bible does not treat wine fermentation as on the same level as fermentation caused by leaven added to a batch of flour?

14 How, though, can it be rightly argued that the Bible uses the leaven of dough in such a twofold way, when, at the celebration of the Passover and of the seven-day festival that followed, wine was allowed to be drunk whereas all leaven of bread was forbidden, banned, under pain of death for a violator? (Lev. 23:5-13; Luke 22:7-20) So, does the Bible treat all fermentations and their permeative power alike? Does the Bible treat only the permeating power caused by fermentation as the one factor that is to be considered, regardless of what causes the fermentation? The Scriptural answer is No! Otherwise, we would not find the apparent discrepancy at the celebration of the Passover and of the week-long festival of unleavened bread that followed the Passover.

15. In the matter of fermentation, what is the determining factor, and so is the parable of the leaven on the positive side or not?

15 It is apparent, therefore, that fermentation with its permeating power is, in itself, not the determining factor so that it occupies a status either good or bad as regards its symbolical meaning. Rather, the thing that is added to promote the fermentation is the determining factor. In the Holy Scriptures, the fermentation (as a factor) is not isolated from what causes it. Consequently, the fermentation that is naturally caused in wine making is not classified as being the same as the fermentation that is promoted in flour dough by an additive, yeast, namely leaven or sour dough.a Hence anyone’s referring to the fermenting new wine put in new wineskins in order for him to show that leaven (sour dough) added in bread making is a symbol of what is good and righteous fails to make the point. His argument is not Bible-based. For this reason the argument used by J. H. Paton in the April 1881 issue of Zion’s Watch Tower does not hold good. The inspired Scriptures do oblige us to make a distinction in the case of leaven (sour dough) as a symbol. Accordingly, the parable of the leaven is not an illustration on the positive side; to the contrary, it is on the negative side. But we shall present more on this matter of leaven later on in our discussion.

“THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS IS LIKE” VARIOUS THINGS

16, 17. Why might someone object to the foregoing because of how the parables of the mustard grain and of the leaven are introduced? But what kind of introduction is given to the parable of the dragnet, used in what operation?

16 Does the former explanation in the 1900, 1910 and 1912 issues of The Watch Tower on the parable of the leaven hold good today, when Jesus’ parabolic illustrations are reaching the climax of their fulfillment? Yes, indeed! Some students of the Bible might incline to object, because, say they, it is “the kingdom of the heavens” that is said to be like the leaven and like the grain of mustard seed. (Matt. 13:31-33) Yes, but it is also true that, in the seventh and last parable of the series in Matthew, chapter thirteen, Jesus said:

17 “Again the kingdom of the heavens is like a dragnet let down into the sea and gathering up fish of every kind. When it got full they hauled it up onto the beach and, sitting down, they collected the fine ones into vessels, but the unsuitable they threw away. That is how it will be in the conclusion of the system of things: the angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the righteous and will cast them into the fiery furnace. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be.”—Matt. 13:47-50.

18. (a) So, what questions are raised with regard to the parable of the dragnet and that of the wise and foolish virgins? (b) Evidently Jesus meant what by “the kingdom of the heavens is like”?

18 Now we know that those making up the “kingdom of the heavens” or the Messianic “kingdom of God” are the Lamb Jesus Christ and his 144,000 spiritual Israelite followers. (Rev. 7:4-8; 14:1-5) So we are here obliged to ask, Did Jesus mean that this Kingdom class of 144,001 are like a dragnet that holds within itself “wicked” and “righteous” individuals and that it is manipulated by angels inferior to Jesus Christ? We remember, too, that Jesus introduced another parable, saying: “Then the kingdom of the heavens will become like ten virgins that took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were discreet.” (Matt. 25:1, 2) Are we to understand that the Kingdom class of one hundred and forty-four thousand and one is divided up into half of foolish individuals and half of discreet ones? Never could this be the case! Evidently, then, by the expression “the kingdom of the heavens is like” Jesus meant that, in connection with the kingdom of the heavens, there is a feature like this or like that. Or, matters in connection with the Kingdom will be like such and such a thing.

19, 20. (a) To arrive at the proper understanding, what do we have to know about the purpose of the parable series? (b) According to his own words, why did Jesus speak to the people in parables?

19 This understanding of the meaning of expressions allows for Jesus to illustrate bad as well as good developments with respect to the “kingdom of the heavens” or the Messianic “kingdom of God.” To arrive at the proper understanding, we have to take into account the purpose for which the parable or series of parables was given. Jesus himself advised us of that purpose. After he had publicly given the parable or illustration of the four kinds of soil upon which the seed of the sower fell, his disciples asked him: “Why is it you speak to them by the use of illustrations?” Let us note, now, this reply of Jesus:

20 “To you [disciples] it is granted to understand the sacred secrets of the kingdom of the heavens, but to those people it is not granted. For whoever has, more will be given him and he will be made to abound; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them by the use of illustrations, because [to quote from Isaiah 6:9, 10], looking, they look in vain, and hearing, they hear in vain, neither do they get the sense of it; and toward them the prophecy of Isaiah is having fulfillment, which says, ‘By hearing, you will hear but by no means get the sense of it; and, looking, you will look but by no means see. For the heart of this people has grown unreceptive, and with their ears they have heard without response, and they have shut their eyes; that they might never see with their eyes and hear with their ears and get the sense of it with their hearts and turn back, and I heal them.’”—Matt. 13:10-15.

21. (a) By Jesus’ use of parables, how was Isaiah 6:9, 10 fulfilled in the case of Israel? (b) How did the parable of the four kinds of soil illustrate that same fact?

21 This was the stated purpose of Jesus in speaking to the people of Israel by the use of parables, to fulfill Psalm 78:2; and by means of the parables Jesus showed that the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9, 10 would be fulfilled, namely, that comparatively few, a remnant, would accept his true message and become real Christians worthy of the “kingdom of the heavens.” For example, in the parable of the sower he spoke of four kinds of soil, but three out of four proved to be unproductive. Only the fine type of soil produced abundantly, thirtyfold, sixtyfold, a hundredfold, in proclaiming the message of the Kingdom. (Matt. 13:3-8) Thus in the very first parable of the series the negative aspect as regards the “kingdom of the heavens” predominated.

22. In Jesus’ parable of the wheat and the weeds, toward which class is Isaiah 6:9, 10 fulfilled?

22 In the next given parable of the wheat and the weeds, the enemy oversowed the wheat field with weeds, so that, when the harvesttime came, the field was marred by the presence of the abundance of weeds. Jesus explained that the “fine seed” are the true anointed Christians, “the sons of the kingdom.” The weeds are the opposite of this, they are imitation Christians, in fact, “the sons of the wicked one,” the Devil who sowed them. The harvesttime is the “conclusion of a system of things,” where we now find ourselves. As we look out over the spiritual harvest work that has been going on since the spring of 1919 C.E., what do we observe? The “sons of the kingdom” who are harvested under angelic guidance are a mere remnant, today numbering around ten thousand partakers of the emblematic bread and wine at the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Since the year 1948, when the report shows such ones numbered 25,395, they have been decreasing in number. On the other hand, the imitation “sons of the kingdom,” the ones toward whom the prophecy of Isaiah 6:9, 10 is fulfilled, are around one thousand million members of the churches of Christendom.—Matt. 13:24-30, 36-43.

23. In the parable of the hidden treasure, how many take positive action?

23 In the parable of the treasure hid in the field, it is only one man that discovers this treasure and “sells what things he has and buys that field.” All the others have their sense of values applied in a different direction because their eyes were as if ‘pasted shut’ and did not see the hidden value in that field.—Matt. 13:44.

24. In the parable of the pearl of high value, how many traveling merchants were willing to pay the price for it?

24 In the parable of the “one pearl of high value,” it is only one “traveling merchant” that craves having the rarest pearl that can be found. He is the only one that “went and promptly sold all the things he had and bought it.” All the other traveling merchants were looking for something else that they considered valuable, likely something that would not cost them all that they had in order to get the purchase price.—Matt. 13:45, 46.

25, 26. (a) At what time do the parables of the dragnet and of the wheat field come to the climax of their fulfillment? (b) How are the prophecies fulfilled toward the “righteous” ones and toward the imitation Christians?

25 In the parable of the dragnet, this mass fishing instrument, handled by fishermen who picture “the angels,” collects “fish of every kind,” fish suitable for Lawkeeping Jews to eat and other fish forbidden by the law of Moses. Only the suitable fish were collected into vessels, and the rest were thrown away as abominable.—Matt. 13:47-50.

26 It is here on earth, in the “conclusion of the system of things,” where we find ourselves since the year 1914 C.E., that the parable of the wheat field comes to the climax of its fulfillment. So as operations go forward, to “separate the wicked from among the righteous,” under the invisible guidance of God’s holy angels, what do we observe to be the facts of the case in connection with the “kingdom of the heavens”? Are the “righteous” ones who are called to the heavenly kingdom in the overwhelming majority? They are, to the contrary, an insignificant spiritual “remnant,” whereas the church members of Christendom who expect to get to heaven at death are estimated to be in the hundreds of millions. The prophecy of Isaiah 6:9, 10 is fulfilled toward these imitation Christians. These will be cast into the “fire” of the “great tribulation” that is just ahead. (Matt. 13:47-50) So Christendom, the counterfeit “kingdom of the heavens,” is not the place for anyone now to seek refuge.

[Footnotes]

“The process of alcoholic fermentation requires careful control for the production of high quality wines. . . . Grape skins are normally covered with bacteria, molds, and yeast. The wild yeasts such as Pichia, Kloeckera, and Torulopsis are often more numerous than the wine yeast Saccharomyces. Although species of Saccharomyces are generally considered more desirable for efficient alcoholic fermentation, it is possible that other yeast genera may contribute to flavour, specially in the early stages of fermentation. Saccharomyces is preferred because of its efficiency in converting sugar to alcohol and because it is less sensitive to the inhibiting effect of alcohol.”—Encyclopædia Britannica, Volume 19, edition for 1974, page 879, under “Fermentation.”

The Exposing of the False Kingdom Refuge

1. What was the intent of Jesus in giving the parable of the mustard grain, in harmony with what prophecy?

WHAT, now, must be the intent of Jesus’ parable of the mustard grain, a seed very tiny in its embryonic condition but developing into a tree? The intent must be to show something in harmony with the reference made by Jesus to the negative picture given in Isaiah 6:9, 10. (Matt. 13:13-15) In giving this third parable in a series of seven, Jesus said: “The kingdom of the heavens is like a mustard grain, which a man took and planted in his field; which is, in fact, the tiniest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the largest of the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of heaven come and find lodging among its branches.”—Matt. 13:31, 32.

2. In likening the mustard-grain tree to the nominal church, how did Zion’s Watch Tower as of May 15, 1900, interpret the lodging of the birds of heaven among the tree’s branches?

2 The issue of Zion’s Watch Tower under date of May 15, 1900, page 153, said: “The third parable-picture of the kingdom in its present embryonic condition of development is intended to show that from a very small beginning the nominal church of this Gospel age would attain to quite considerable proportions. . . . Yet this large development does not necessarily signify advantage or anything specially desirable, but on the contrary it becomes a disadvantage, in that the fowls of the air come and lodge in its branches, and defile it. The ‘fowls of the air’ in the preceding parable of the sower represented Satan and his agents, and we are, we think, justified in making a similar application here, and interpreting this to mean that the church planted by the Lord Jesus flourished rapidly and exceedingly, and that because of its attainments, strength. etc., Satan through his agents, came and lodged in the various branches of the Church. They have been lodging in the branches of this Gospel church for these many centuries, and are still to be found in her, a defiling element.”

3. What did The Watch Tower under date of June 15, 1910, say that the “tree” at its full development represented, along with birds?

3 Presenting a view similar to that just quoted, the issue of The Watch Tower for June 15, 1910, page 204, went on to say: “So then the teaching of this parable would lead us to conclude that the church of Christ, at one time, was so unimportant in the world that it was a shame and a dishonor to belong to it, but that ultimately it would become honorable and great and the adversary’s servants would have pleasure in its shade. This development the Scriptures represent as being Babylon, declaring that, as a whole, with the various branches and denominations, the nominal church of Christ is Babylonish. Hearken to the Lord’s words: ‘She has become the hold of every foul spirit and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird.’”—See also The Watch Tower as of June 15, 1912, page 198, under the heading “Like a Mustard Seed.”

4. (a) What did those two Watch Tower articles not say that the symbolic “tree” was? (b) As to time and location, what kind of picture and scene does the mustard-grain parable not illustrate?

4 Here we are now, in this year 1975, and the big question is, What does that grown mustard-seed tree picture? Babylon the Great, say the above-quoted two issues of the Watch Tower magazine. They do not say that this vegetable tree pictures the Kingdom class of 144,001 enthroned Christians in heavenly power. But what must we of today say? For one thing, we must bear in mind that this illustration of the mustard grain does not present a millennial picture, to show the final number of the Kingdom class reigning in heavenly glory and with all mankind taking refuge under this Messianic kingdom. It does not present a heavenly scene with regard to the heirs of the “kingdom of the heavens.” It pictures an earthly state of affairs at a particular period of time.

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The Watchtower, October 1, 1975