The Watchtower, April 1, 1952
Download: PDF — The Watchtower, April 1, 1952
The WATCHTOWER
Announcing
JEHOVAH'S
KINGDOM
APRIL 1, 1952
Semimonthly
IS GOD RESPONSIBLE FOR
WORLD DISTRESS?
PINNING THE BLAME ON THE
ONE RESPONSIBLE
THE QURAN—A LITERARY MIRACLE?
GOOD NEWS FROM KOREA!
AN INTERNATIONAL ASSEMBLY
IN ROME
©WTB&TS
“YOU ARE MY WITNESSES,” SAYS JEHOVAH.—Isa. 43:12 THE PURPOSE OF "THE WATCHTOWER"
Literal towers in Bible times were elevated vantage points from which watchmen could observe happenings, warn of danger, or announce good news. Our magazine figuratively occupies such a vantage point, for it is founded on the very pinnacle of wisdom, God's Word. That elevates it above racial, national and political propagandas and prejudices, frees it from selfish bias. It is not bound by any traditional creed, but its message advances as the light on God's purposes and works increases.-Habakkuk 2:1-3.
It sees things Scripturally. When it observes this generation afflicted with greed, delinquency, hypocrisy, atheism, war, famine, pestilence, perplexity and fear, and persecution of unpopular minorities, it does not parrot the old fable about history repeating itself. Informed by Bible prophecy, it sees in these things the sign of the world's time of the end. But with bright hope it also sees opening up for us just beyond these woes the portals of a new world.
Thus viewed, "The Watchtower" stands as a watchman atop a tower, alert to what is going on, awake to note signs of danger, faithful to point out the way of escape. It announces Jehovah's kingdom established by Christ's enthronement in heaven, feeds his kingdom joint-heirs with spiritual food, cheers men of good will with glorious prospects of eternal life in a paradise earth, comforts us with the resurrection promise for the dead.
It is not dogmatic, but has a confident ring in its voice, because it is based on God's Word. It does not privately interpret prophecy, but calls attention to physical facts, sets them alongside prophecy, and you see for yourself how well the two match, how accurately Jehovah interprets his own prophecy. In the interests of our salvation, it keeps sharp and faithful focus on Bible truth, and views religious news generally.
'Be watchful in these perilous times,' God admonishes. So keep on the watch by regularly reading "The Watchtower".
PUBLISHED BY THE WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY
117 Adams Street Brooklyn 1, N. Y., U. S. A.
N. H. KNORR, President GRANT SUITER, Secretary
"They will all be taught by Jehovah."—John 6:45, NW; Isaiah 54:13
CONTENTS
Is God Responsible for World Distress? 195
Pinning the Blame on the One Responsible 201
A Small Christian's Big Decision 207
The Jubilee Trumpet 208
The Quran—A Literary Miracle? 209
Good News from Korea! 213
An International Assembly in Rome 217
Vatican's View of the Ambassador 222
Questions from Readers 223
Announcements 224
Abbreviations used in "The Watchtower" for the following Bible versions
AS - American Standard Version LXX- The Septuagint Version
AT - An American Translation Mo - James Moffatt's version
Da - J. N. Darby's version NW - New World Translation
Dy - Catholic Douay version Ro - J. B. Rotherham's version
ED - The Emphatic Diaglott RS - Revised Standard Version
Le - Isaac Leeser's version Yg - Robert Young's version
Unless otherwise indicated, the Bible used is the King James Version
Printing this issue: 1,310,000 Five cents a copy
PUBLISHED IN THE FOLLOWING LANGUAGES
Semimonthly Monthly
Watch Tower Society offices Yearly subscription rate
America, U.S., 117 Adams St., Brooklyn 1, N.Y. $1
Australia, 11 Beresford Rd., Strathfield, N.S.W. 8s
British West Indies, 21 Taylor St., Port of Spain, Trinidad$ 1.72
Canada, 40 Irwin Ave., Toronto 5, Ontario $1
England, 34 Craven Terrace, London, W. 2 7s
Jamaica, 151 King St., Kingston 7s
New Zealand, G.P.O. Box 30, Wellington, C. 1 7s
South Africa, 623 Boston House, Cape Town 7s
Italian
Arabic
Portuguese
Afrikaans
Italian
Arabic
Portuguese
Cebu-Visayan
Japanese
Chishona
Russian
Danish
Norwegian
Cinyanja
Slamese
English
Pangasinian
Clwemba
Sikololo
Finnish
Slovenian
Greek
Slovak
French
Spanish
Ibo
Twl
German
Swedish
Kanarese
Ukrainian
Hiligaynon-Visayan
Tagalog
Malayalam
Yoruba
Hollandish
Zulu
Polish
Docano
Remittances should be sent to office in your country in compliance with regulations to guarantee safe delivery of money. Remittances are accepted at Brooklyn from countries where no office is located, by international money order only. Subscription rates in different countries are here stated 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.
Entered as second-class matter at Brooklyn, N. Y., Act of March 3, 1879. Printed in U.S.A.
IS GOD RESPONSIBLE FOR WORLD DISTRESS?
"Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time."—Rev. 12:12, NW.
THE correct Scriptural answer to this question is of vital concern to all persons who hope to gain life anywhere in this universe. We must know what God wants and how we are to conform to his wishes.
2 Today insecurity and trouble threaten the life of the people world-wide. Governments are unstable, fearful and tottering. Wars, famines, disease and disaster are on the increase, and the best efforts of the world's ablest statesmen do not serve to alleviate the situation.
Everywhere the questions are asked: Who is responsible for the mad irresistible surge toward a third world war? Who is responsible for the frenzied conscription of manpower and natural resources for war purposes all over the world? Who is responsible for the fear-inspiring war of nerves which no one claims to want, yet everyone is afflicted with? Who is responsible for the insane development of atomic energy and hydrogen power, poison gas, germs, death rays, and so forth, for the wholesale destruction of humankind? People are fearful and want to know the answers to these questions.
4 The democracies of the Western world disclaim all responsibility for existing conditions and point to the Soviet bloc as the transgressor. The Soviet bloc, on the other hand, claims it is innocent and tries to place all the blame upon the so-called 'imperialistic nations' of the West. And so it goes, leaving the man on the street in greater confusion than ever.
Many religious leaders in all lands say that God is responsible for world distress. They say he is bringing it upon people because of their lack of support and adherence to some particular religious cult. They contend that what the world needs is more religion, and that until people wake up to that fact and embrace some one of the 265 religions of Christendom they cannot hope to have God's favor or blessing. In view of that claim, it seems well to review religion and its accomplishments to date.
Godless communism is sweeping through the earth like a prairie fire. Efforts to suppress it at one point are offset by its breaking out more extensively and intensively somewhere else. Communistic leaders are convinced that they and they alone have the only solution for this world's ills. They believe religion, as it is practiced in the Western Hemisphere particularly, is "the opium of the people". Despite this
1, 2. What threatens the life security today?
What answer do many church leaders have to offer the people who inquire of them regarding the cause of present-day unrest?
3, 4. What questions bother the people now, and what aid do they get from world rulers?
What is communism's position in regard to religion?
claim, the Communists are probably the most religious group on earth today. They worship their state with a fanaticism unknown among any other people on earth. They venerate their human leaders, past and present, with a godlike adoration; and no Bible or holy book is accepted by any other nation with greater finality than the writings of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Stalin are accepted by the Communist.
Yes, the Communists are very religious, despite their claims to the contrary. But theirs is not the pure, godly religion of the Bible. In view of this, why do they so vehemently oppose the religions of the Western world? The facts are that for hundreds of years religion dominated Russia. The
czar was the head of the state and exercised great influence over the Greek Orthodox Church. Between the ruthless state and the avaricious church, the people were
those where church and state, corrupt religious leaders and ruthless politicians have bled the people to the point of desperation. Many of them, in their haste, have rejected God, Christ and the Holy Bible as well as the oppressive shackles of corruption with which they were bound, being unable to distinguish between the truth of the Bible, real Christianity as taught by Christ Jesus, the pure religion, and the
kept in ignorance, exploited and starved until, in sheer desperation during World War I, they turned and rent their oppressors, throwing overboard hypocritical religion and the czarist government. Poland and other predominantly Catholic countries were likewise ruled and dominated by a church-state religious combine, directed by the Roman Catholic Church, that similarly kept the people in ignorance and reduced them to serfdom. They, like the Russians, believing that God and the Bible supported such exploitation, revolted against the whole thing, and they too joined up with godless communism. Other countries, like Italy and France, where communism has made great headway, are
corrupt and altogether devilish practices of these debased religionists and their allies.
8 Then viewing all of these facts dispassionately, we ask, Is God responsible for communism and all of its evils? The
answer must be emphatically No! Communism was begotten, nurtured and brought to maturity by Satan the Devil through the instrumentality of corrupt religion and ruthless politics. Whether they like
it or not, the great religions of the world, particularly those professing to be Christian, are responsible for communism. It is their offspring—this most devilish, Christless and God-dishonoring religion of them all. Yes, their own offspring, which is now rising up to destroy them.
What is the system of salvation that communism is trying to impose upon the whole earth and enslave people to? It is the strange, insane delusion that a godless, Christless, materialistic social order, which wholly ignores the Creator of our planet and the laws he established to govern his creatures, can bring peace, security and salvation to the people. Like wild, unrestrained beasts they impose their ideas and
Why are Communists so unalterably opposed to Christendom?
Who must bear a major portion of responsibility for communism?
What is communism's plan for the salvation of mankind?
wild dreams upon the people behind the Iron Curtain. And the other nations and peoples of the earth have to contend with this.
10 Hitler was obsessed with a similar madness. He was convinced that the Germans were a superrace, destined to rule and enslave all other peoples of the earth. Mussolini likewise had such idea. This is a type of madness that is destroying the entire human race. It has drenched the earth with the blood of millions of soldier boys in two world wars; it has brought death and indescribable anguish to countless thousands of innocent and helpless women and children. And on it goes in its insane drive toward a third world war, sacrificing other millions on the insatiable altar of selfishness.
11 If the position is maintained that communism is responsible for these frightful conditions, then corrupt religion, which gave birth to communism, stands condemned as mankind's greatest enemy. No one can rightly charge God with these conditions. God has had no part in her maneuverings and sinful compromises with politics.
12 Are we of the Western Hemisphere free of corrupt religion and thus the agent of salvation for mankind? According to our newspapers and magazines, our radio commentators and our Senate investigating committees, we in the United States
are controlled by organized crime, corrupt politicians and powerful lobbyists, partly by gangsters within the United States and partly by
gangsters in Italy and other parts of the world. These gangsters make and break politicians at will, corrupt our legislature and our judicial departments; and at some points even invade the executive department of the government itself. They control or exercise a dominating influence in practically every avenue of industry, commerce and labor. They traffic in drugs to a point where they are making drug addicts of untold thousands of the nation's teen-age children, besides the many adults. They drive many of them to commit murder and robbery, and others to prostitution, in order to obtain the supply of drugs necessary to appease the mad cravings such drugs create.
13 When these inhuman gangsters kill off one another in order to protect or perpetuate their devilish traffic, investigation reveals that they too were nurtured under the influences of corrupt religion, which religion joins in glamorizing their trade. Five priests are reported to have participated recently in the funeral of one such executed gangster.
14 No, we are not free from corrupt religion. Our forefathers fled European shores to get away from it and to have freedom to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience. But today false religion's crime-stained hands overshadow our land, corrupting our institutions and our children. Corrupt religion has
caught up with us here in the United States and in every other so-called "democracy" of the earth.
15 Yes, what we have viewed is our democracy in operation. We may eulogize our Bill of Rights and praise our Constitution, but it is the democracy that peo-
10, 11. What effect have such teachings and schemes had on the peoples of the nations now and in the past?
12-15. Are the peoples of the Western Hemisphere free from the influences of corrupt religion? What shows whether?
ple see being carried out in everyday life by which they judge the democratic form of government. Because people in Europe, Asia and Africa see such corrupt dealings in the democratic form of government, they are afraid of it. And who can blame them? This is the thing they think we are trying to superimpose upon the nations of the world.
16 The foregoing factual description of world conditions and their immediate causes is presented dispassionately and truthfully in order to make a proper appraisal of the conditions and ascertain who is responsible for world distress. There is nothing in the evidence so far to indicate in any way that Jehovah God was and is now responsible for world distress.
17 Well, is that the end of the road? Are these frightful conditions to be with us always? Where do we go from here? It will not do to take the position that some do and say, 'I give up, I quit, we cannot do anything about these conditions.' Certainly we cannot turn to alcohol, as some do, or to one of the many kinds of dope to deaden our senses and drown our fears. Nor can we, as some of the younger generation do, throw up our hands, saying, "The future holds nothing worth while for us; so let's live for today, since tomorrow we may be dead." No, rather, this is a time for clear, calm, sober thinking and action.
TO THE BOOK OF ANSWERS!
18 For every effect there must be a cause; and there is a cause for the present world unrest and distress even though world leaders do not seem to be able to ascertain what it is and uproot it. The cause can be discerned and the pathway to security, peace and life uncovered, if we look for
them in the proper place. That place is the Bible, the Word of the true and living God, the Creator of this planet earth and the human creatures upon it. Despite the vacillating and compromising attitude of the so-called "Christian" world leaders, we have no apology to offer for our position in this respect. The Bible alone contains the true answer.
19 Let us turn to it now, not with prejudice or with skepticism, but with an honest and sincere desire to find out what it has to offer in answering our question, "Is God responsible for world distress?" We want to find out if what is said therein is old-fashioned and inappropriate for our modern age, as claimed by some clergymen, or whether it contains logical, practical truth.
20 At Isaiah 1:18 (AS) we are invited thus: "Come now, and let us reason together, saith Jehovah." Our God is not a tyrant, but is a just, wise and loving God, who appeals to our reason. His mind or will for mankind is expressed in his Word, the Bible.
21 Accepting his invitation now, we open up that wonderful Book, and we find that it pulls back the curtain and gives us a glimpse of Jehovah and the marvelous relationship that has existed between him and all his intelligent creation from the time this planet earth was created up to and including the present time. At Job 38:4,6,7 (AS) we read: "Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou hast understanding." "Who laid the corner-stone thereof, when the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?" At that time not one discordant note was to be found anywhere in Jehovah's universal realm. Only joyful acclamation hailed this, the creation of earth, as another of Jehovah's majestic purposes.
Why is this frank appraisal of world conditions made?
What does this time call for?
19, 20. How should we approach the Bible in order to get its correct answer to our question?
Is the cause of present world distress discernible, and, if so, how?
What vision of Jehovah's relationship with his creatures of past times does the Bible reveal?
All acknowledged Jehovah's supremacy and rightful lordship. Peace, unity and oneness of purpose were the heritage of all. One religion, the pure worship of Jehovah, was accepted by all.
22 After the planet had undergone the development processes described in the six creative days, mentioned in Genesis the first chapter, man was created. He was made in the image of God, as expressed at Genesis 1:27, and was made a member of that glorious family of God.
23 Here was something new in God's great creation, a creature, an intelligent, earthly creature in his own image, with procreative powers to reproduce his own kind. This creature Jehovah provided with a perfect companion and a beautiful home in a paradise which provided for all their physical needs. These were all man's; his as long as he acknowledged the fatherhood of God and obeyed his laws. He was provided with a wonderful self-perpetuating body, in that it had the ability to rebuild or repair itself as rapidly as it wore out. But to do that the mind and body of man must function in accordance with the divine laws of Jehovah God. By being obedient to his Creator, it would then be possible for him to live on in perfection forever.
24 He gave man the marvelous faculties of seeing, hearing, tasting, smelling and feeling. When these were exercised in conjunction with his intelligence or ability to reason, they enabled him to enjoy fellowship with his Creator and with the other earthly creatures over which he was appointed to have dominion. Moreover, Jehovah gave him the power of understanding, so man might appreciate and operate according to His own great principles of justice, wisdom, love and power. Indeed it was rightly said that man, in possessing all these
qualities, became the earthly image of his Creator. Yet man was a free moral agent. While he could understand and appreciate these marvelous principles, he was not so made that he could function only according to their operation. No! Using his will and freedom of choice, he could either accept or reject them as he saw fit.
25 Jehovah expressed his will or law which was to govern man. Obedience to it would mean life; disobedience, death and the loss of all the blessing of living. Genesis 2:15-17 (AS) reads: "And Jehovah God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And Jehovah God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die."
26 Jehovah exhorted his human creatures to love one another, to be patient, tolerant and helpful. He denounced injustice, hypocrisy, and all evil deeds of one to another. In addition, he provided these newly created members of his family with an overseer or covering cherub. It was his duty to see that the divine law and requirements of Jehovah were properly respected and, undoubtedly, to instruct and enlighten this human pair on the marvels and wonders of the great family of God, of which they were members, they being the visible earthly part.
27 All of this creative work covered many, many centuries. But throughout it all there is not a thing anywhere to indicate that Jehovah was unjust, unloving or unwise. Nowhere was he responsible for bringing distress upon his creatures. God is love, and justice is the foundation of his
After this planet underwent the development described in Genesis, chapter 1, what happened?
24. Describe some of the wonderful things Jehovah did for man whom he created.
What rule of action did Jehovah provide for man?
What good counsel did Jehovah provide for mankind, and what provision was made to assist him in following Jehovah's law?
Was there anything in the operations of Jehovah up to man's creation to indicate cruel or unjust action?
throne. Wisdom is the essence of his every action, and his almighty power is always exercised in full accord with his wisdom, love and justice.
SOURCE OF WORLD DISTRESS
28 Where then did world distress come from? On this that great book, the Bible, is clear and straightforward. In no way does it try to becloud the issue, for it tells us that the covering cherub, who was placed in Eden as overseer to Adam and Eve, became a rebel. He revolted against Jehovah and his righteous system of things and he drew our parents, Adam and Eve, into the rebellion with him. In Ezekiel 28:12-18 (AS), under the figure the 'prince of Tyre', we are given a frank description of the revolt and Jehovah's judgment against this leader of it.
29 "Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: . . Thou wast in Eden, the garden of God; . . Thou wast the anointed cherub that covereth: and I set thee, so that thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; . . Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till unrighteousness was found in thee. By the abundance of thy traffic they filled the midst of thee with violence, and thou hast sinned: therefore have I cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God; . . Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: . . By the multitude of thine iniquities, in the unrighteousness of thy traffic, thou hast profaned thy sanctuaries; therefore have I brought forth a fire from the midst of thee; it hath devoured thee, and I
have turned thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee."
30 Thus in clear, forceful and understandable phrase Jehovah tells us of the beginning of rebellion in the universe. The first step in the rebel's plan was to turn aside from the service and devotion of God these newly created human creatures of earth. Under the title of 'the serpent' he set out on his deceptive mission. To Eve he accused Jehovah of trying to keep her and Adam in ignorance for a selfish purpose. He contended that Jehovah was actually out to exploit them. Genesis 3:4,5 (AS) reads: "And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: for God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as God, knowing good and evil." Other scriptures indicate that he challenged Jehovah's supremacy, such as Job 1:8-12 and Job 2:2-6, where the record shows he contended that Jehovah could not place upon this earth human creatures who would be faithful to Him under a real test.
31 In all this Satan the Devil was inaugurating a new religion. Here was the beginning of corrupt religion, which professed that security, salvation, peace and happiness were obtainable only by defying God and exalting and worshiping oneself. Because of his joining in this rebellion, man was rejected and cast out of God's holy family. He lost his beautiful home and his perfect faculties; and his senses and sinful body became so degenerated he finally died, as Jehovah decreed he would.
28, 29. What does the Bible have to say regarding the source of rebellion and world distress?
How did the covering cherub set out to deceive man?
What did Satan inaugurate by the course he advocated for Adam and Eve?
PINNING THE BLAME ON THE ONE RESPONSIBLE
THE issue precipitated back there at the beginning of human creation was: Who is right, Jehovah or the rebel Satan? Who is supreme? To whom do we owe allegiance? That issue has faced the human family from that day until the present day. Adam's own family was split on the issue, for his son Abel took his stand on God's side while Cain chose Satan the Devil's side of the issue, even to the point of murdering his brother. Enoch walked on God's side. Noah and his family chose Jehovah's side also. But the great mass of the people set themselves against God and took the Devil's side.
2 Genesis the 6th chapter tells us that some of the angels joined in the issue by leaving their heavenly estate to materialize as men on earth and took wives for themselves from among the daughters of men. Their offspring were hybrids, who became bullies and filled the earth with violence. They too joined Satan's side of the issue. At this time, some 1,500 years after the rebellion and Adam's deflection, Jehovah sums up the situation with these words: "And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. . . And Jehovah said, I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the ground; . . . But Noah found favor in the eyes of Jehovah."—Gen. 6:5-8, AS.
3 Jehovah executed his decree against
wickedness by the great flood, which destroyed all human creatures, except Noah and his family, who found favor in His eyes because they upheld clean worship of Jehovah and obeyed his commands. (Gen. 6:9-18, AS) The flood wiped the slate clean of corruption and debauchery.
4 We pause here to ask, Who was responsible for world distress in Noah's day? Surely not Jehovah. By the execution of his righteous decree, he destroyed corruption and unrighteousness. No, the facts clearly establish that Satan the Devil, who started the rebellion and perpetuated the revolt, was the one responsible. Jehovah, by the execution of his purposes when his due time arrived, exhibited his majesty, supremacy and ability to meet any emergency. Those same events clearly showed up Satan to be a liar, a weakling incapable of helping or preserving those who put their trust in him. Psalm 145:20 (AS) states: "Jehovah preserveth all them that love him; but all the wicked will he destroy."
After the flood the issue continued, Who is supreme? The lessons of the flood were gradually lost sight of. The human family, with the passing of each generation, fell more and more from the perfect standard Jehovah created in Adam. They became easier prey for the Devil. Shortly after the flood they commenced to multiply on the earth again; and as they journeyed eastward, Satan the Devil induced them to defy God again. Once again the Devil's false
What issue has faced the human family from Adam's day until now?
3. (a) Who, in addition to the human family, did Satan draw into this issue? (b) With what effect upon mankind?
Upon whom does the judgment in Noah's day place the responsibility for that world's distress?
Did the flood of Noah's day permanently settle the issue of who is supreme?
religion that salvation comes only by defying God was used. He induced them to build a city with a tower whose top would reach to heaven. They may have reasoned the tower would be so high they could not be destroyed by a flood. They did not believe Jehovah God when he said, at Genesis 9:11 (AS): "And I will establish my covenant with you; neither shall all flesh be cut off any more by the waters of the flood; neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the earth."
6 Jehovah, recognizing that, united with one language, they were only corrupting themselves and co-operating to their own destruction, confused their language and scattered them abroad throughout the earth. With their language confused, it was difficult for them to carry on their evil practice and they were forced to restrain their activity.
7 Through the course of time, Jehovah selected Abraham as his friend and Abraham's seed as the line through which all the families of the earth were to be blessed. Genesis 12:1-3 (AS) reads: "Now Jehovah said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father's house, unto the land that I will show thee: and I will make of thee a great nation, . . . and in thee shall all the families of the earth be blessed." (2 Chron. 20:7) Through Abraham's great-grandson Joseph Jehovah preserved the nation of Egypt from a great famine (Gen. 41), all of which placed Egypt deeply in debt to Jehovah and to the Israelite Joseph, Jehovah's servant. The Pharaoh that then ruled Egypt acknowledged such to be the case, but as time went on another Pharaoh arose who knew not Joseph. (Ex. 1:8) This Pharaoh was also a servant of the Devil and a devotee of false religion, which is
sponsored by the Devil. He chose to defy Jehovah and resist his will. Exodus chapters 1 to 14 describe this resistance in detail. Chapter 5, verses 1 and 2, reads: "And afterward Moses and Aaron came, and said unto Pharaoh, Thus saith Jehovah, the God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness. And Pharaoh said, Who is Jehovah, that I should hearken unto his voice to let Israel go?"—AS.
The Lord God brought nine plagues upon Pharaoh and Egypt, in which he manifested his supremacy, power and majesty. In each plague Pharaoh begged release, assuring Moses and Aaron that he would do as the Lord God directed, only to defiantly change his mind and attitude as soon as the plague was relaxed. Then Jehovah brought the tenth plague upon Pharaoh and the Egyptians, executing the firstborn in all Egypt, from the firstborn of the king on down to the firstborn of the most menial slave in his domain, and even down to the firstborn of the cattle. This jarred Pharaoh loose from his hypocritical complacency. He then let the Israelites go, in fact, he rushed them out. But after the Devil worked on him, stirring up within him retaliatory vengeance and selfishness, he determined to bring them back and to hold them for his expansion program. His avariciousness overcame his fear and he gave chase to bring them back. Jehovah, however, came to the rescue of his people and delivered Israel through the Red sea. Unrepentant and hardhearted, Pharaoh and his Egyptian army were destroyed in the sea. Pharaoh in the practice of devil religion tried to get glory, fame and salvation by opposing and defying Jehovah. He failed miserably.
9 The next world power, Assyria, followed a course similar to that of Egypt.
What steps did Jehovah take to deter the downward trend of mankind?
(a) What did God do for the preservation of Egypt?
(b) How did Egypt later show her lack of appreciation?
How did Jehovah display his majesty and supremacy upon rebellious Egypt?
What was the effect of devll religion on Assyria?
Their king, Sennacherib, after subjugating many nations of the world, except Judah, chose to challenge the supremacy of Jehovah and subjugate Judah also. After giving the Judeans an opportunity to display their faith by standing firm against the bombastic and sacrilegious charges of the heathen monarch, Jehovah sent forth his angel during the night and slew 185,000 Assyrian soldiers and sent their king home in disgrace, where he was murdered by his own sons as he worshiped before his heathen god. (2 Kings chapters 18 and 19; 2 Chronicles chapter 32) Thus another haughty monarch and his nation sought glory and exaltation via devil religion, only to have all their efforts come to nought.
10 The third world power, Babylon, and her king suffered a similar fate and for the same reason. Jehovah exalted Babylon by using her in the days of Nebuchadnezzar as his instrument for punishing Israel for her sins. Nebuchadnezzar himself became puffed up thinking he had made Babylon the mighty nation she was. However, the Lord brought him to his senses by forcing him to dwell with the beasts in the field and to eat their food for seven years until he learned that the Most High Jehovah rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever he wills.—Daniel chapter 4.
11 However, it remained for Nebuchadnezzar's son, Belshazzar, after he became king, to add the crowning insult to Jehovah. On one occasion, when he had a great feast for his princes, his wives and his concubines, which was amidst drunken revelry, he had the sacred vessels of Jehovah's temple (which his father was permitted to carry off at the fall of Jerusalem) brought forth for the celebration. And, to show his contempt for Jehovah, he had all drink toasts to the gods of silver, gold, brass,
iron, wood and stone. But in the midst of the revelry a hand appeared and wrote on the wall "MENE, MENE, TEKEL, UPHARSIN". What was the meaning of this? Daniel interpreted the words and let it be known that they signified Jehovah God had numbered the days of Belshazzar and he and his kingdom would soon be destroyed. He had been weighed in the balances and found wanting; his kingdom was divided and given to the Medes and Persians. In that night Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans was slain and Darius the Mede took the kingdom. (Daniel chapter 5, AS) The Devil's religion failed again.
NOT GOD'S RESPONSIBILITY
12 All of these world-shaking events brought much distress and sorrow to the people. Surely Jehovah could not be held responsible for them or be accused of causing that world distress. In every case he punished the aggressors and delivered the innocent and righteous. In each execution, Jehovah displayed his majesty, power and righteousness, as well as real love, in working for the best interests of all people. While, on the other hand, the Devil and his religion were suffering one ignoble defeat after another.
13 In the days of Jesus, the Devil and devil religion sank to their most despicable depth. During the preceding four thousand years it had been amply demonstrated that the Devil was wholly incapable of fulfilling any one of the defiant claims he had made. On the other hand, Jehovah had met every issue with glorious success without sacrificing principle or honor. Now Jehovah was about to display his great faith in his own arrangement by giving his most valuable treasure, and also the thing nearest and dearest to his own heart, in vindication of
10, 11. How did Babylon respond to the mercies Jehovah accorded her?
Can Jehovah be held responsible for the distress coming upon these world powers?
How did Jehovah demonstrate great confidence in his arrangements in the time of Jesus?
his way and in behalf of condemned humans who were enemies of his through wicked works. Luke 2:8-14 (NW) reads: "There were also in that same country shepherds living out of doors and keeping watches in the night over their flocks. And suddenly Jehovah's angel stood by them . . . and they became very fearful. But the angel said to them: 'Have no fear, for, look! I am declaring to you good news of a great joy that all the people will have, because there was born to you today a Savior, who is Christ the Lord, in David's city. And this is a sign for you: you will find an infant bound in cloth bands and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there came to be with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying: 'Glory in the heights above to God, and upon earth peace among men of good-will.'" Jehovah declared publicly, in advance, his complete confidence in Jesus and the work he would do.—Isa. 42:5-7; 53:11.
14 Surely the Devil, realizing the futility of his efforts, would not let his human dupes go and permit them to gain enlightenment and live. No, not the Devil. As soon as he could he organized his forces to counteract the goodness and mercy shown by Jehovah. With his false beacon star he
boys in Bethlehem two years old and younger murdered. There was no limit to which he would not go in order to do away with Jehovah's provided savior for mankind.
15 From the time of Jesus' immersion onward the real battle began. Jesus came and presented himself to John the Baptist, as foretold by the psalmist (Psalm 40:7,8): "Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart." It was written in the volume of Jehovah's holy book, the Bible, that this deliverer would 'bruise the serpent's head'; that he would 'bless all the nations of the earth' and that he would be the prophet and leader of the people.—Gen. 3:15; 22:18; Deut. 18:18, 19.
led the astrologers to seek the newborn King. They were sent for by Herod for the purpose of helping him vent his hatred and aiding him in his plan for the child's destruction. Outmaneuvered by Jehovah so that his own efforts were frustrated in that regard, Herod became furious and, in his efforts to destroy Jesus, he had all the
16 Now Jesus publicly declared he had come for the purpose of fulfilling all of
The success of that undertaking meant the end of Satan the Devil and all of his plans, and the Devil knew it. From that very moment, commencing with his forty days in the wilderness, until he was impaled on Calvary, Jesus was opposed, persecuted, maligned, and misrepresented by the
Devil and his dupes. The Devil tried desperately to thwart the benevolent purposes of Jehovah and to destroy his Servant. But, as in the past, his efforts came to an inglorious end. Though Jesus died an ignominious death at the hands of Satan's dupes, Jehovah raised him up the third day and exalted him to his own right hand, while the Devil's
After four thousand years of futility, was Satan now willing to permit man to embrace Jehovah's blessings?
15, 16. What precipitated the great persecution at the baptism of Jesus and afterward?
agents who persecuted Jesus, from Judas to the high priest, were wiped out by A.D. 70. All of this brought great distress not only upon the faithful Servant of Jehovah and his associates but upon thousands of others who were being deprived of God's gracious provisions for them. Who was responsible for world distress at that time?
17 From the days of Jesus until now (a period of over 1,900 years) the pages of history run red with the blood of faithful servants of God who, like Jesus, took their stand on Jehovah's side of the issue of supremacy and published Jehovah's provision for salvation through Christ. They were brutally murdered and persecuted in the Roman arena, through the catacombs, under the crusaders, by the demonic Inquisition, in the horrible concentration camps of Hitlerized Germany and at the present time in Russian salt mines. All of these dupes were instigated by the same Devil who inflamed their passion by propaganda and demon influence to oppose God, to murder Jesus, and to hound his followers to death. In all this, faithful men of all ages have proved the Devil a liar and demonstrated that Jehovah God can place men on earth who will be faithful to him.
18 From this angle it is not difficult to appreciate how the ego of men like Kaiser Wilhelm, Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin can be inflamed to believe that they are supermen who can, by adopting devil religion and defying God, rule the world. These are the type of mad world leaders who, in this our day, are drenching the earth in human blood. Each works for the Devil's one purpose: "I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; . . . I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High."—Isa. 14:13, 14, AS.
19 But the next verses of that prophecy will have their fulfillment on the god and invisible ruler of these nations of the earth today just as they did upon Belshazzar, king of Babylon: "Yet thou shalt be brought down to Sheol, to the uttermost parts of the pit. . . thou art cast forth away from thy sepulchre like an abominable branch, clothed with the slain, that are thrust through with the sword, that go down to the stones of the pit; as a dead body trodden under foot. Thou shalt not be joined with them in burial, because thou hast destroyed thy land, thou hast slain thy people."—Isa. 14:15-20, AS.
20 Nations, unitedly or separately, who persist in following the Devil and devil religion are bound for destruction. There is no way of escape. Lest there be any further doubt in that respect let us consider the testimony of Jesus Christ through his servant John, as found in Revelation 16:13-16 (NW): "And I saw three unclean inspired expressions that looked like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. . . And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har-Magedon."
21 The source of these demon-inspired messages is the Dragon, the wild beast and the false prophet. The Dragon is identified by Jesus at Revelation 20:2 as the Devil and Satan. In Revelation, chapters 13 and 14, he identifies the wild beast as the organization of war-mad, godless and wild nations of the earth who superimpose their devil religion upon the people. And the
What have been the experiences of all those who have taken their stand on God's side during the past nineteen centuries?
What is their foretold end to be?
How does this enable us to appreciate how world leaders of the present and immediate past became inflamed with world conquest ideas?
What is their foretold end to be?
20, 21. What does Revelation 16:13-16 (NW) show to be the sources of demonic teachings that are destroying the old system of things?
false prophet identifies itself as the dual world power of Britain and America, who teach and advocate that the combine of the nations of this earth into the League of Nations or United Nations, advocating and practicing devil religion in one form or another, is the only means for salvation. That teaching is false and brands them as false prophets. It is from these combined sources that devilish propaganda comes which is bringing such great distress upon the people. Rather than look to God for direction and help, they exalt man and his ideas. Note how their conduct and teachings contradict the Word of God. Jesus states at Matthew 23:12 (NW): "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." And 1 Peter 5:6 (NW) reads: "Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time."
22 Therefore, after reviewing the evidence and considering the facts, it is very clear that Jehovah God is in no wise responsible for world distress. Rather, the Devil, his demons, the beastly world rule and the false prophet system, which the Devil is using to foist his devil religion upon all the peoples of the earth, are guilty before God and man for world distress. Truly Revelation 12:12 (NW) has said of this time since A.D. 1918: "Woe for the earth and for the sea, because the Devil has come down to you, having great anger, knowing he has a short period of time."
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
23 However, while the obtaining of this information is vital and important, that, in itself, will not bring us salvation. We, as individuals, must do something about it. What? What did Noah and his family do at the time of the flood? (Genesis chapters 6-9) What did Moses, Aaron and the Israelites do in Egypt? (Exodus chapters 5-14) What did Hezekiah, Isaiah and the nation of Judah do when faced by Sennacherib? (2 Kings chapters 18, 19) What did Daniel do when he was called before Belshazzar? (Daniel chapter 5) What did Jesus and the disciples do? Read the testimony and find out for yourself. In terse phrase their attitude is summed up in Genesis 15:6, Romans 4:3 and James 2:23. They believed God and it was counted to them for righteousness. They exercised faith based upon that belief and did what the Lord God directed them to do. That is all you have to do today. Find out what the Lord's will is for you as expressed in his Word the Bible and do it.
24 This is going to take courage, faith, and a strong conviction based upon a knowledge of God and his purposes. Therefore the study of his Word the Bible and the Bible helps which the Lord is now providing through the Watchtower Society is very necessary. These publications alone point to God's kingdom as the one and only hope of salvation. This is going to be no easy task. Those servants of God in past times had to draw courage from their convictions and demonstrate it even to death in many cases. So with you today. Prove for yourself that God is right, and stick to it. What if it does cost you your present life? The issue is: Do you want to die on God's side assured of a resurrection and endless life in perfection in Jehovah's kingdom or die condemned and executed of God as a rebel on the Devil's side without any hope of life in the future? Jehovah is now giving all the privilege of choosing life or death.
25 To the kings and rulers of the world Jehovah now says, as recorded at Psalm
After reviewing all the evidence, what is our conclusion?
Is simply the obtaining of this knowledge all that is required for salvation?
(a) Is the maintaining of integrity easy today?
(b) What must be our stand respecting the issue?
25-27. What is Jehovah's message today to the rulers?
To the meek? To everybody?
2:10-12 (AS): "Now therefore be wise, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve Jehovah with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the son, lest he be angry, and ye perish in the way, for his wrath will soon be kindled. Blessed are all they that take refuge in him."
26 To the meek and humble peoples of the earth who love righteousness he says: "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation that hath no shame; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah's anger come upon you. Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger." —Zeph. 2:1-3, AS.
27 And to everyone he says at Zephaniah 3:8,9 (AS): "Therefore wait ye for me, saith Jehovah, until the day that I rise up
to the prey; for my determination is to gather the nations, that I may assemble the kingdoms, to pour upon them mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy. For then will I turn to the peoples a pure language, that they may all call upon the name of Jehovah, to serve him with one consent." So listen to the pure language of Bible truth that his witnesses are talking and join with them in calling on his name with praise and in serving his cause in vindication of his rightful sovereignty over the earth and all the rest of the universe. In that way you may be hid and preserved clear through the universal war of Armageddon and enter into the new world where righteousness and meekness will be the rule for all humans who live. That world will never come into the calamitous distress of this present wicked world, for it will be the lovely everlasting world of God's creation by Jesus Christ.
محمد
A Small Christian's Big Decision
Hero worship has been long with this world, though not approved by the Bible. It shows that worship is properly given only to Jehovah God and his royal Son, Christ Jesus. (Rom. 14:11; Eph. 3:14; Phil. 2:10, 11) It shows that the Christian must neither bow to images nor make images of even such good men as the apostles. (Ex. 20:3-5; Acts 10:26) Bowing, even to kings, cannot be justified by saying they represent the government. The three Hebrews received God's blessing for not bowing before what was also an image of the government.—Dan. 3:1-30.
Recently this issue produced a big problem for a little 7-year-old Christian named Doreen in Vancouver, British Columbia. She was selected out of 10,000 students to present flowers to Princess Elizabeth. Thrilled over the honor and the large picture of her in a Vancouver newspaper, Doreen's spirits were dampened when she learned that she must bow to the princess in violation of God's instructions. Permitted by her parents to make up her own mind on the matter, she first decided the honor was too great to give up, then reconsidered and told the school authorities that Christ was her King and that she could not bow to creatures.
A Vancouver newspaper (the Daily Province) confused the matter, saying first that her refusal was "because she became frightened", then that she had "probably been influenced by the family's religious views", and finally that it was a disturbing surprise to the school officials. Most certainly Doreen's parents can rejoice to see their daughter turn down false worldly honors to obey her everlasting Father, Jehovah God. In doing so she set an example that all Christians can well follow.
The Jubilee Trumpet
CAUSE the trumpet of the jubilee to sound . . . and proclaim liberty throughout all the land." (Lev. 25:9,10) * That proclamation, according to Jehovah's law given by the hand of Moses, was to be made once every fifty years on the day of atonement. It meant the freeing of Israelite slaves, the returning of ancestral estates to their rightful owners, the reuniting of families and even giving the land a rest. What happiness that proclamation brought with it and how eagerly the Israelites who had lost their land, their liberty or their loved ones must have looked forward to it! The jubilee was prophetic in its meaning and therefore is of great interest to us today.—Rom. 15:4; Heb. 10:1.
Most persons think of the ideal liberty in terms of democracy or self-rule, and particularly since World War I have the peoples of the world clamored for this liberty. But serious flaws are becoming more and more apparent in this liberty, while its very life is being threatened by totalitarian enemies.—2 Pet. 2:19.
Jehovah God is a God of proper liberty, and such liberty he gave to our first parents in Eden. However, due to selfishness they lost their liberty and came into bondage to Satan the Devil, once a mighty angel whom God had placed in charge of man and who made himself Satan by his rebellion against Jehovah. To keep control of mankind he built a powerful organization, consisting of not only selfish human creatures, but also demons, angels who, like himself, had rebelled against God.-Genesis chapter 3; Ezek.28:13-18;2 Cor.4:4.
also brought themselves and their offspring into bondage to sin. "Every doer of sin is a slave of sin." And sin caused death to rule as king over mankind. Surely no human government could possibly offer men liberty from Satan and his organization, from sin and from death. But Christ Jesus can and does: "If the Son sets you free, you will be actually free."—John 8:31-36; Rom. 5:12-14, 20, 21; 6:23, NW.
How is it that Christ Jesus can offer this liberty to man? Because he has both the legal right and the power and authority to do so. By dying on the torture stake he bought the human race with his own blood, thereby providing the legal basis for freeing man from sin's condemnation and its penalty. The pouring out of holy spirit on his followers fifty days after his resurrection was proof of that fact. Since then God has been selecting a body of 144,000 members to share heavenly resurrection and glory with Christ Jesus and to reign with him.—Acts chapter 2; Heb. 9:12, 14; Rev. 14:1, 3; 20:5, 6.
Although at his resurrection Jesus received all power and authority, he had to wait for God's due time to exercise it in behalf of mankind. Bible prophecy shows this time came in 1914, when war took place in heaven and Satan and his demons were cast down to the earth.—Matthew chapter 24; 28:18; Heb. 1:13; Revelation chapter 12.
Soon will come the complete destruction of Satan and all his organization, visible and invisible, and complete freedom for all lovers of truth and righteousness. Now is therefore the time to proclaim liberty to all of earth's inhabitants. Will you do your part?
For further consideration of this subject see The Watchtower, August 1, 1951.
The Quran A Literary Miracle?
"The Watchtower" herewith begins a series of articles dealing with the Quran (Koran), under the following headings: "The Quran-A Literary Miracle?" "The Quran-Confirmatory of Prevlous Scriptures?" "The Quran-Harmonious with Itself?" and "The Quran-of God or of Man?" Throughout this series comparison will be made with the Bible. While these articles deal with the Muslim viewpoint, they will prove of real value to others by reason of the comparison of the Bible with what has been termed its closest rival, the Quran.
SUPPOSE you started out on a long journey, and at a crossroad chanced to meet a friend whose destination was the same as yours. This friend, upon hearing of the route you are taking, at once tries to convince you that you are going in the wrong direction. Would you become angry with him because he implied that you, as well as those with you, had made a mistake, and so strike him a blow, and then continue on in your course? Of course not!
Rather, each of you would calmly state his reasons why he thought his way was the right way and then the two of you would doubtless make a comparison of the sources of your information. For, after all, both of you want to get to your destination, do you not?
The foregoing well illustrates the way we should view this series of articles which will discuss the Quran and compare it with the Bible. Muslims and Christians alike are traveling on life's road, and both are confident that they are going in the direction that leads to eternal life in happiness. Yet they are heading in opposite directions because they are consulting differing sources of information; the one following the guidance of the Quran, the other that of the Bible. Which is right?
Before going any farther let us note that no one should judge the Bible by any of the popular religions of so-called Christendom, for they do not properly represent it. In
fact, Christendom has absolutely no right to the name "Christian", as her doctrines, her crusades, her wars, her politics, her commercial exploitation, her racial discrimination and oppression of the peoples are as far removed from what Christ Jesus taught and practiced "as the east is from the west". So let Muslims not reject true Christianity and ignore the Bible simply because of the abominable record that an apostate Christendom has made upon the pages of history.
The Quran, as all Muslims well know, was given to them by Muhammad, an Arabian who was born in the latter part of the sixth century, in Mecca, and died at Medina, June 8, A.D. 632. At about the age of forty he was convinced that he had received a message from the angel Gabriel together with a call to make known that there is 'no god but Allah [that is, The God] and that Muhammad is his prophet'. For the remaining twenty-three years of his life he professed to receive many more such messages or revelations, which he dictated for others to write down, as he himself, it is held, was illiterate. Shortly after his death these were compiled from white stones, skins of animals, ribs of palm leaves and the breasts (memories) of men, and became known as the Holy Quran.
As copies multiplied various readings sprang up, causing serious disputes. So some twenty years later another official copy was made and all previously existing copies were committed to the flames.
For about twelve centuries the Quran has had very little change in text.
The Quran (Arabic for "the recitation" or "the reading") is not quite as large as the "New Testament" and so is about one-fourth as large as the Bible. It consists of 114 chapters, revelations or suras, which vary in length from three to 286 verses, the verses themselves varying from one to twenty and more lines.
With few exceptions the Quran is written in the first person, with Allah as the speaker. According to its own testimony the "Mother of the Book" exists in God's presence and was revealed to Muhammad "in slow, well-arranged stages, gradually" by "The Holy Spirit [Angel Gabriel, who] brought the revelation from thy Lord in Truth, in order to strengthen those who believe, and as a Guide and Glad Tidings to Muslims". (Muslim, meaning one who has surrendered himself to God) Its being a divine revelation is stressed throughout the Quran. See Sura 2:89, 97; 6:19; 16:102; 17:105, 106; 25:32; 43:2-4, Ali.*
THE QUESTION OF AUTHENTICITY
What proof did Muhammad have to offer that these suras did indeed come from the one true God? Two thousand years before, when Moses was asked to go to his people with a message from God, he immediately saw the question of authenticity: "But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice; for they will say, Jehovah hath not appeared unto thee." Jehovah solved that problem by empowering Moses to perform three signs. Seeing these proofs of authenticity, "the people believed."—Ex. 4:1-31, AS.
And for the next forty years the Israelites witnessed many, many more miracles. Particularly was divine power manifested
at the time of the giving of the law: thunder, lightning, fire, smoke, trumpet sound and earthquake; all combined to testify that Moses was not an impostor but was indeed a divinely commissioned prophet. Exodus, chapters 7 through 15; 19:16- 18; Deut. 8:14-16.
When Christ Jesus came, the same question of authenticity arose, and again it was answered unequivocally. So much so that he was able to send to John the assuring report: "The blind are seeing again, and the lame are walking about, the lepers are being cleansed and the deaf are hearing, and the dead are being raised." And so to the religious leaders of his day Jesus could say: "If I am not doing the works of my Father, do not believe me. But if I am doing them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works."—Matt. 11:5; John 10:37, 38, NW.
Why, even the scoffing, hypocritical and malicious religious leaders received a sign, that of Jonah, or of Jesus' resurrection after he had lain in the grave for three days. And his followers did even greater signs in that they performed them over a wider area and for a much longer period of time.—Matt. 16:1-4; 28:12-15; John 14:12; Acts 1:3-11; 19:11, 12; 1 Cor. 14:22; 15:1-20.
Both Moses and Christ Jesus were used to introduce new systems of things and each established himself as God's prophet by the performance of many signs. But where were the signs establishing Muhammad as God's prophet and proving that God had introduced a new system of things in Arabia in the first part of the seventh century A.D.? Could Muhammad say, as did Jesus: 'If you do not believe my message, believe my works, signs, miracles?' No, he could not, for he had none; none to establish the authenticity of his message.
Time and again this fact is admitted as his listeners accuse Muhammad of impos-
A. Yusuf Ali Version, 1946 Edition.
ture and forgery. See Sura 2:118; 10:38; 11:13; 17:89-93; 21:5,6, Ali. In view of the many signs the previous prophets had performed, did his listeners not have a right to ask: "Why is not a sign sent down to him from his Lord"? (Sura 6:37; 13:7, Ali) But they were told: 'Certainly signs are in the power of God: but what will make you realize that if Signs came, they will not believe?' "We refrain from sending the Signs, only because the men of former generations treated them as false."—Sura 6:109; 17:59, Ali.
…