The Watchtower, October 1, 1954
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"YOU ARE MY WITNESSES," SAYS JEHOVAH.—Isa. 43:12
The WATCHTOWER
Announcing
JEHOVAH'S
KINGDOM
OCTOBER 1, 1954
Semimonthly
LIES LEAD TO LOSS OF LIFE
CHRISTIANS LIVE THE TRUTH
FLEE FOR YOUR LIFE!
THE HOPE OF A NEW EARTH
SEQUEL TO SOLANA ATTACK
©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. KNORE, President
GRANT SUITER, Secretary
"They will all be taught by Jehovah."—John 6:45, NW; Isaiah 54:13
CONTENTS
The Hope of a New Earth
Flee for Your Life!
Lies Lead to Loss of Life
Christians Live the Truth
Chedorlaomer Really Was There
Sequel to Solana Attack
The Watchtower Gives Refugee New Hope
Thirteen-Year-Old Girl Keeps Integrity
Daily Blessing the New World Sovereign's Name
Questions from Readers
Announcements
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
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THE HOPE OF A NEW EARTH
WOULD you not like to see a better world? A world free from the greed, the corruption and the suffering that characterize the present one? Would it not bring true comfort to have a real basis for hoping for such a better world? Surely it would.
There is a sound basis for hoping to see a better world because there is a God in heaven even as all nature testifies. And from his Word, the Bible, we learn that he is a loving, just, all-seeing and all-powerful God. That being so, we can rest assured that he takes note of present conditions and therefore in righteous indignation will make an end of them, even as he foretold some twenty-five centuries ago: "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 all mine indignation, even all my fierce anger; for all the earth shall be devoured with the fire of my jealousy." (Zeph. 3:8, AS) That event is elsewhere in the Bible described as Armageddon.
But perhaps you will ask, What good will that do if in wiping out earth's evil conditions God at the same time destroys the earth itself, consuming it with fire, burning it to a cinder? However, let us not hastily jump to any such conclusion, for God's Word uses figurative as well as literal language.
That we are not to think of the literal earth as being consumed by fire is apparent from many other assurances that God has given us. For example, the one at Isaiah 45:18 (AS) where we read: "For thus saith Jehovah that created the heavens, the God that formed the earth and made it, that established it and created it not a waste, that formed it to be inhabited: I am Jehovah; and there is none else." If God created the earth to be inhabited, then it must endure, must it not? Specifically guaranteeing the permanency of this globe, God's inspired Record states: "A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever."—Eccl. 1:4, RS.
Why, reason alone should tell us that such must be God's purpose regarding the earth, which of all the planets, as far as is known by man, is the only one supporting life. Such a beautiful globe, with its towering, snow-capped mountain peaks, its verdant valleys, its winding rivers and placid lakes, its mighty oceans and glorious sunsets, its stately trees and its endless and colorful variety of flowers and other vegetation, its changing seasons, the phenomenon of the rainbow, not to say anything of the many, many kinds of bird and marine life, its many kinds of beasts of the field, both wild beast and domestic animal! Would an all-wise and all-powerful God destroy all this simply because many of earth's caretakers fail to appreciate how good God is and even begrudge their fellows' enjoying the very things they so much want for themselves?
Is it not far more reasonable to conclude that God would merely rid the earth of those who defile it with their selfishness and wickedness so that he could realize his purpose regarding the earth, which is to have it filled with righteous creatures worshiping him and loving their neighbors as they love themselves? Of course it is. What landlord would burn down his house simply because the tenants occupying it failed to take good care of it? Would he not rather oust the undesirable tenants and rent it out to others who he had reason to believe would prove desirable tenants? Well, that is just what God tells us he is going to do: "Yet a little while, and the wicked will be no more; though you look well at his place, he will not be there. But the meek shall possess the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity."—Ps. 37:10, 11, RS.
Yes, remember the Bible record of the evil preflood days? Did God at that time destroy the earth itself because of the wickedness of man? Why, no, he merely removed the wicked corrupters of the earth by means of a global flood, delivering those who loved God, righteousness and their fellows, together with representatives of the various kinds of the lower animals, from that catastrophe into a cleansed earth. The Deluge did not destroy the earth, it merely rid the earth of its undesirable tenants. So likewise with the rapidly approaching cataclysm of Armageddon; earth's wicked tenants will be destroyed, but it will remain.
What a wonderful place this globe will then be! Concerning that time God promised: "Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind." (Isa.
65:17) The new heavens does not refer to new galaxies of stars but rather to new invisible rulers that will replace the present ones, who are the Devil and his demons, even as the new earth will not mean a new planet but a new system of things upon this earth, a New World society, already being formed.
Regarding the conditions that will prevail in that new earth God's prophet goes on to say: "They shall build houses, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and eat the fruit of them. They shall not labor in vain, nor bring forth for calamity; for they are the seed of the blessed of Jehovah, and their offspring with them. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, and the lion shall eat straw like the ox; and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain, saith Jehovah." (Isa. 65:21, 23, 25, AS) God's Word contains many similar prophetic assurances.
If we would escape the destruction of this old world and enter the cleansed new earth in which righteousness is to dwell, then we must now heed God's prophetic command given at Zephaniah 2:3 (AS) : "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."
So, all you persons of honest heart and good will toward God who long to see a better world, take hope, for Bible prophecy shows that the new earth not only is a certainty but is near at hand. God cannot lie and he is too just and loving to raise hopes in us only to disappoint us by failing to fulfill his promises, the way politicians do. Says he: "I have spoken, I will also bring it to pass; I have purposed, I will also do it."—Isa. 46:11, AS.
FLEE FOR YOUR LIFE!
Would you run from a lion or ignore his roar? This may seem like a foolish question, yet some today are blissfully ignoring the most vital warning in history. Read the startling facts; then take action! That is, if you value your life.
THE lion is a gentleman of the animal world. Slow to anger, knowing that he is supreme in strength, he stalks majestically across the African plains and will seldom attack unless wounded or provoked beyond reason."—From the book Nature's Ways, by Roy Chapman Andrews.
Jehovah, with his lionlike power and majesty, manifests the same gentlemanly restraint in his dealings: "Jehovah is slow to anger, and abundant in lovingkindness, forgiving iniquity and transgression; and that will by no means clear the guilty." (Num. 14:18, AS) In fact, Jehovah's patience even with his enemies, by allowing them to fill the earth with their wicked deeds until this late date, has caused some to doubt that he will ever act to execute judgment upon the guilty.
Today Jehovah's critics sharply demand: "Where is this promised presence of his? Why, from the day our forefathers fell asleep in death, all things are continuing exactly as from creation's beginning." (2 Pet. 3:4, NW) Denying God any part in earthly developments, one modern "wise man" expounded: "The universe apart from man or before his coming lacks and lacked any purpose or plan." He says the present human chaos "is one that only responsible human knowledge can reduce to order," and that man "cannot place responsibility for rightness or wrongness on God or on nature." How like ancient Judah's complacent philosophy: "Jehovah will not do good, neither will he do evil." (Zeph.
1:12, AS) Thus do they push aside and ignore Jehovah's power, failing to recognize any evidence whatsoever that he is now giving a warning of doom.
Thinking Bible students, however, see in present world conditions grave portents for the future. Accepting God's Word as truth, a beacon light for their path, they see in it a warning of imminent death for the present chaotic system of things. (Ps. 119:105; John 17:17) Just as men quail in fear and shout the alarm when a roaring lion runs amuck in the streets, so they now shout aloud their warning of Jehovah's fiery judgments. As the prophet Amos so well puts it: "When the lion roars, who does not fear? When the Lord God speaks, who will not prophesy?"—Amos 3:8, AT.
JEHOVAH SPEAKS
To the smug evildoers inhabiting ancient Samaria in Israel came Jehovah's word through Amos: "Woe to them who are at ease in Zion, and self-confident on the mount of Samaria." Yes, woe to those who lounged around, idly disporting themselves with feasting and strong drink, mentally putting off the evil day, for "'they shall be the first of the exiles to go into exile, and the shout of the revelers shall pass away,' is the oracle of the LORD, the God of hosts." —Amos 6:1-8, AT.
Again today Jehovah's voice speaks forth to those who would self-confidently rob him of his authority over the earth and assume it themselves: "His dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom from generation to generation; and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doesest thou?"—Dan.
4:34, 35, AS.
"Ah yes," say the scoffers, "very pretty words, but what evidence have you to show that God has ever exercised such authority over earth's affairs?" To these Peter answers: "There were heavens in ancient times and an earth standing compactly out of water and in the midst of water by the word of God, and by those means the world of that time suffered destruction when it was deluged with water." (2 Pet. 3:5, 6, NW) There is your answer, Mr. Scoffer, and do not waste your breath protesting that the flood of Noah's day never really happened, for in so doing you would be arguing with more than ninety different historical accounts the world over that attest to the Flood's genuineness, as well as archaeological and geological evidence. Again, as evidence shows, God intervened and asserted his authority in earth's affairs by destroying the wicked cities of Sodom and Gomorrah, and maneuvering the destruction of the nation of Israel in 607 B.C. and again A.D. 70.
SOURCE OF DANGER IDENTIFIED
But why are the afore-mentioned instances of concern to us today? Because those destructions, causing death to countless thousands, came as a punishment for the very same evils now afflicting our modern generation. The men of Noah's day had bad thoughts in their hearts all the time; they had filled the earth with violence. The Sodomites were notorious for their perverted sexual practices. The Israelites were guilty of the same evils and more. (Gen. 6:5, 13; Ezekiel 22; Matthew 23; Jude 7) A glance at today's headlines is enough to convince that modern crimes and violence have reached an alltime high of incidence and an all-time low of depravity. The same conditions now as then merit the same destruction now as then.
But an issue even greater than national sin was involved in those previous cases and is involved now. These were not mere chance events, examples of history repeating itself as a natural course in an evolutionary struggle for survival. Rather, they were merely preliminary skirmishes in a universal "war of the gods" to decide the issue of universal rulership.
Daniel, chapter four, mentions this issue of rulership, using a covering, protective, provident tree as a fit symbol of such rulership. Ezekiel, chapter twenty-eight, tells how the original godly rulership of the earth was corrupted and how the covering cherub who was assigned to that protective, provident post grew ambitious for power like the Creator's and allowed his ambition to lead him into rebellion against Jehovah. Genesis 3:1-7 shows how he enlisted the first man and woman on his side in that rebellion, using a serpent as his earthly tool of deception. The fifteenth verse of the same chapter gives promise that this serpentine deceiver would one day be crushed at the head and thereby destroyed. And finally, Revelation 12:1-10 vividly describes how Christ Jesus, the "seed" of God's "woman" or heavenly organization, debases that archdeceiver from any heavenly authority, confining him to this earth until time for his final crushing in death.
Surely the violent transition from Satan's evil system of things to Christ's righteous kingdom would be a fearful time for all inhabitants of heaven and earth, and especially for the latter, whose life is at stake in this issue of rulership. But when will the complete transition come? Must we worry about such things in our day?
Some say no, because so far history has gone on and no such miraculous thing has happened. But that was also true seven days before the flood, when Noah was warned by God: "Go, you and all your household, into the ark," because "in just seven days more I am making it rain upon the earth forty days and forty nights, and I will wipe every existing thing that I have made off the surface of the ground." (Gen. 7:1-4, NW) Lack of precedent then did not forestall destruction, nor will it do so now.
But again we ask, "When will it come?" Has God given us any time measurement just as he gave Noah to know when to flee destruction? The answer is a definite yes. Turning back to the "tree" of rulership mentioned at Daniel four, we find such a time measurement. Just as Jehovah God spoke to the spirit deceiver in Eden under the symbol of that one's earthly tool, the serpent, so here in Daniel's account He again speaks to Satan the Deceiver under the symbol of another of that one's earthly tools, the king of Babylon. He here refers to Nebuchadnezzar's rule as a "tree" to be cut down and then restored, showing how the rule of Nebuchadnezzar's master, the one-time "covering cherub," was cut down to the ground at the time of his rebellion, thus felling the "tree" of righteous rulership, and yet how in Jehovah's due time that rulership "tree" would again sprout and grow through whomsoever he chose to receive such rulership.—Verses 15-17.
In Nebuchadnezzar's case a definite time period was set, "seven times," or seven 360-day years, during which period his lofty rulership would be debased in beastly insanity. What significance would this period have for his great master, the Devil? Daniel's fellow prophet Ezekiel was given
a similar symbolic time representation connected with the issue of rulership, and to him Jehovah stated the rule: "Each day for a year, have I appointed it unto thee." (Ezek. 4:6, AS) Nebuchadnezzar's seven years of madness being expanded on that Jehovah-assigned basis, then, it would mean that in the complete fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy as many years would be involved as there were days in that earthly monarch's "seven times," or years. Otherwise stated, the righteous rulership abandoned by the Devil would experience a prophetic time period, not of 2,520 days, but rather of that many years.
Those times would not begin counting immediately after Satan's deflection in Eden. Rather, they would begin much later, after Jehovah's line of faithful kings, ruling "on the throne of Jehovah," was completely cut off. (1 Chron. 29:23) That happened in 607 B.C. when Jehovah overturned the rule of Judah's last king, Zedekiah, "until he come whose right it is." —Ezek. 21:27.
Dire calamities came between July 30 and August 3, 607 B.C. If our understanding of the seven prophetic "times" is correct, then approximately the same dates 2,520 years later should witness worldshaking events, should witness events having to do with the "tree" of rulership in the hands of the one "whose right it is." Foretelling one of the things to happen then Jesus said: "Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom." (Matt. 24:7, NW) In time 2,520 years elapsed and the world came to the summer of 1914 (A.D.). What then happened? Almost to the day it came! Between July 28 and August 4 of that year the dazed world was plunged into a mad maelstrom of massacre from which it has never since recovered. The first world-wide war was on!
Truly 1914, the end of Daniel's "seven times," was a marked year. The manyfaceted sign at Matthew 24 has also had fulfillment since that outstanding year.
Famines, pestilence, earthquakes, heartrending fear and anxiety, these and more too now stalk the earth.
WHERE TO FLEE
Nor are all these modern-day historical facts just another phase of history repeating itself. Instead they signal the final part of the great universal "war of the gods," the beginning of the end for Satan and his earthly tools, mad rulers, whose dominion has produced only bitter fruits of immorality, crime and violence. Revelation, chapter twelve, tells us why the earth is now in such a woeful condition: because Christ Jesus, in a violent celestial battle, has thrown Satan down out of his heavenly position, leaving him caged, as it were, in the vicinity of this earth. Like a savage beast, cornered and facing sure death, he seeks to maul and devour everyone he can in the process.—1 Pet. 5:8.
But his end is sure, for at the time of his debasement to earth a shout went out in heaven: "Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ!" (Rev. 12:10, NW) Yes, the woe Satan now brings to earth is a sure sign to us that at last Jehovah's power has again been manifested in the re-establishment of righteous rulership in the person of his Son, Christ Jesus. Destruction has begun upon Satan's wicked system of things, and will not cease until it lies in ruins. Daniel, chapter two, describes it as a God-approved stone smashing world powers to shivers and grinding them to dust. Then the stone grows into a great mountain that fills the whole earth.—Verses 35, 44, 45.
Now is the time, then, when the mountain of Jehovah's house is established on the top of the mountains, "and all nations shall flow unto it."—Isa. 2:2, 3, AS.
Flight to the mountain of Jehovah's house is now of the utmost importance, for all who remain in Satan's "mountains," or governments, will be ground to powder with them.
In ever-growing numbers godly persons are now forsaking Satan's old system of things. Rather than faithlessly abandoning Jehovah's promises for our decisive days they have instead borne fearless witness to his purposes. Through them his roar of warning is now heard sounding throughout the earth, chorusing from a multitude of throats, just as Hosea foretold: "They shall go after the LORD; like a lion will he roar; yea, he will roar; and his sons shall come trembling from the west, they shall come fluttering like a bird from Egypt, and like a dove from the land of Assyria; and I will bring them back to their homes,' is the oracle of the Lord."—Hos. 11:10, 11, AT.
Even while they are in the midst of Satan's dying old system they are becoming part of a new system of things. Knowing that "friendship with the world is enmity with God," they even now live by the righteous principles of Jehovah's new world, thus forming a New World society of people, the nucleus of a righteous earthly rule to come, under the headship of their nowruling heavenly King, Christ Jesus. As Jehovah's dedicated witnesses they earnestly plead with all persons of good will toward God: "Take with you words, and return unto Jehovah: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and accept that which is good." Thus placing themselves under the shadow of Jehovah's protection, they will be spared for eternal life in his endless new world. Jas. 4:4, NW; Hos. 14:2, 7, AS.
Yes, "The lion hath roared; who will not fear? The Lord Jehovah hath spoken; who can but prophesy?" (Amos 3:8, AS) The warning has been sounded! Sudden death impends! Flee for your life!
"These are the things that the Son of God says, . . . 'I am he who searches the inmost thoughts and hearts, and I will give to you individually according to your deeds.' "As for the cowards and those without faith and those who are disgusting in their filth and murderers and fornicators and those practicing spiritism and idolaters and all the liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur. This means the second death."—Rev. 2:18, 23; 21:8, NW.
A LIE is a false statement made by one to another who is entitled to hear and know the truth and which false statement tends toward injury to the other. A false statement made for the purpose of deceiving and working injury to an innocent person is a deliberate and malicious lie. Therefore lies are man's great enemy. History well proves this. Jehovah God appointed the covering cherub as man's overseer in the garden of Eden. Faithfulness to God and duty to man required the covering cherub to tell the truth. Eve, the first woman, was entitled to know the truth. The covering cherub, in effect, stated to Eve that the eating of the forbidden fruit would not result in her death, but that the eating thereof would result in great wisdom to her. By that false statement Eve was deceived and she induced Adam to join her. A false statement resulted in their death and brought suffering and death upon all mankind. The covering cherub's statement to Eve was therefore a deliberate, wicked and malicious lie. It was the beginning of lying.
2 What was the truth? The truth was that God placed the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, in the garden of Eden. Adam was under a test in Eden, a test of his integrity and obedience. This would prove whether he was worthy to live in the paradise of Eden. God declared his law concerning the tree of knowledge of good and bad, making that a forbidden tree. "And Jehovah God proceeded to take the man and settle him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and to take care of it. And Jehovah God also laid this command upon the man: 'From every tree of the garden you may eat to satisfaction. But as for the tree of the knowledge of good and bad you must not eat from it, for in the day you eat from it you will positively die.'" (Gen. 2:15-17, NW) This shows that Adam was not deprived of anything necessary to him by being barred from eating of this tree, for there was plenty of other food for him. But God made the simple requirement that he must not eat of this fruit while it was prohibited. As for having knowledge of good and bad, Adam could leave that safely with God without fear of anyone's accusing him of being ignorant. Actually God allowed Adam freedom of choice, whether he would eat from it or not. God did not tempt Adam to be disobedient or wicked by putting this tree of knowledge in the garden, because there were many other trees to eat from; but God encouraged him to obedience and faithfulness to the supreme Jehovah by warning him of the penalty of eating of the forbidden fruit.
Some may wonder how the perfect creation of God, the covering cherub, could turn away from perfection and become evil and originate lies. We find the explanation in the symbolic words concerning the king of Tyre: "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; and I have destroyed thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire. Thy heart was lifted up because of thy beauty; thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness: I have cast thee to the ground; I have laid thee before kings, that they may behold thee. 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. All they that know thee among the peoples shall be astonished at thee: thou art become a terror, and thou shalt nevermore have any being." (Ezek. 28:15-19, AS) From this we see how the covering cherub in Eden developed an impure heart condition and was lifted up with pride at all the wonderful endowments he received from Jehovah God. He became blinded by this and engaged in a wrongful course. The covering cherub became selfish and wanted to be worshiped just as God was by Adam and Eve. Greedy for selfish gain, he was willing to capture Adam and Eve, take them away from God and sell them into the service of sin for the price of worship of him as god. He did violence to the interests of Adam and Eve by murderously lying to them and turning them to the course that would lead to their destruction and to death of all their offspring. For this great crime the covering cherub, grown proud and selfish, brings destruction upon himself, which was foreshadowed in Ezekiel 28 by the destruction of the king of Tyre. It was not God who created Satan the Devil. The anointed covering cherub in Eden made himself that wicked one.
Thus Satan the Devil, the liar and slanderer, came into existence, and at the time of Adam and Eve's joining together and eating of the forbidden fruit a corrupt world came into existence. Satan the Devil became the god of the corrupt system of things. From that time onward the worlds that have existed have been worlds under the jurisdiction of Satan the Devil, worlds based on lies, deception, violence, greed and murder. Through his lies, violence and deception Satan has maintained control of the wicked system of things and has done everything possible to try to corrupt those whom Almighty God has brought into the worship of himself in purity and truth. The Bible tells us that Satan transforms himself into an angel of light in order to try to deceive creatures. The extent to which this wicked one will go in his activities is shown in his temptation of Jesus, as recorded in Matthew 4. The wicked one went so far as to quote Scripture in an effort to break down the integrity of God's Son, Jesus. Satan showed his dominion or authority over the kingdoms of this world by offering the rulership of all of these to Christ Jesus, but this too was done in deception. Satan was interested only in bringing about the destruction of Jesus, which would have been the result had Jesus turned away from his Father in heaven. It was another wicked and malicious act on the part of the Devil, the old traitor.
But Jesus did not fall for this line of deception practiced by Satan. Instead he used the most powerful force in existence to combat lies, namely the truth, God's Word. And he quoted the Bible, God's Word, in answering every temptation that Satan placed before him.
Because Jesus, the Word of God, had been with his Father in heaven from the time of creation, he was well aware of the activities practiced by this one who had become Satan. He knew that Satan the Serpent is the most fertile of all liars. From the very time when Satan induced Eve to take of the forbidden fruit he became a liar. His first lie resulted in murder. So Jesus stated the truth concerning Satan very well when he said: "That one was a manslayer when he began, and he did not stand fast in the truth, because truth is not in him. When he speaks the lie, he speaks according to his own disposition, because he is a liar and the father of the lie." We do not want to have Satan as our father by becoming liars like him. As a warning to us Jesus told the chief men or clergy of the Jews in his day: "You are from your father the Devil and you wish to do the desires of your father." He that has God as his father sees God's Word and obeys the truth. But those who repeat Satan's lies prove themselves to be the children of the Devil.—John 8:44, NW.
In these days there are many wicked men who speak lies, identifying themselves as of their father the Devil. "The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they are born, speaking lies." (Ps. 58:3, AS) Some of them, like the Devil, try to be bearers of light and they try to add to God's Word in order to make themselves appear to be right and truthful. But Jehovah does not allow these men to get away with their wicked schemes.
He turns the light of truth from his Word upon what they say and his Word of truth reproves wicked men and shows them up to be liars. "Every word of God is tried: he is a shield unto them that take refuge in him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar." Prov. 30:5,6, AS.
Because he is the father of truth, Jehovah God hates a lying tongue or a false witness that speaks lies. Proverbs 6:16-19 (AS) says: "There are six things which Jehovah hateth; yea, seven which are an abomination unto him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood; a heart that deviseth wicked purposes, feet that are swift in running to mischief, a false witness that uttereth lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren." Men may lie, but it is not because Jehovah God wants them to. God is not a liar. He expects men to tell the truth, too.—Num. 23:19; 1 Sam. 15:29; Rom. 3:4; Titus 1:2; Heb. 6:18.
8 Jesus originated with Jehovah, his Father in heaven, so he made a clear distinction between truth and lies. In reply to a question recorded in John 18:37 (NW), he stated the truth. "Therefore Pilate said to him: 'Well, then, are you a king?' Jesus answered: 'It is for you to say that I am a king. For this purpose I have been born and for this purpose I have come into the world that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone that is on the side of the truth listens to my voice.'" Thus representatives of Almighty God hear and speak the truth. They do not lie. They follow in the footsteps of Christ Jesus, who did not lie to anyone.
9 Because truth originates with God and lies originate with Satan, it follows that all doctrine and teachings of men that are contrary to the Word of God are false teachings.
If such doctrines or teachings tend to do injury to others, then such doctrines or teachings are lies. The Word of God is true and that is our measuring rod. What is contrary to the Word of God is a lie and it proceeds from the Devil. It is for our own welfare that we abandon everything having to do with lies and stick close to the truth. Christians should not believe things merely because they are said or printed, but must judge what are true by their conformity to the Scriptures. The Bereans did that, as we read at Acts 17:11 (NW): "Now the latter were more noble minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with the greatest
readiness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so." The advice in 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22 (NW) is that we should not treat prophesyings with contempt, but make sure of all things and hold fast to what is right. Then we shall keep ourselves free from every form of wickedness, including lying.
10 It is only those who do not consider God's Word
who are injured by these false prophets and lying representatives of Satan. One of God's servants is mentioned in 1 Kings 13. He received God's Word but chose instead to follow a false prophet, to follow a lie. The lie worked injury to him and brought about his death. (1 Ki. 13:18, 24) This shows that God's servants should be satisfied with his Word, not go listening to lying false prophets, because lies work injury and lead to death.
false prophets who tried to keep the people from doing what God's prophet Jeremiah told them to do. These false prophets worked injury to the people and brought about the destruction of many. Through his prophet God warned the people against these lies, but yet most of the people chose to listen to the lies anyway. Liar prophets may prosper for a time, but they are doomed by Jehovah's judgment. False witnesses cannot escape Jehovah's just judgments at any time. That happened to false prophets in the days of Jeremiah.—Ps. 101:7,8; Prov. 19:5,9; Jer.27:10,14-16; 28:15; 29:31,32; Hos. 4:1,2.
11 In the days of Jeremiah there were
12 Although false prophets and false witnesses must suffer punishment from Jehovah at Armageddon and will meet death, for a time they may be teaching falsehoods such as purgatory, eternal torment, universal salvation, trinity, evolution, and the use of images. (Jer. 10:14) They may say that God is not interested in what is happening on the earth and that he will never destroy the wicked. (Ps. 10:4,13,15) They may say there will never be a battle of Armageddon such as the
Bible teaches. They may hide themselves behind a great refuge of lies and fool some people, but this will not keep God's hardsmiting truths from exposing them and it will not free them from destruction when God's due time for it arrives. They will not be able to hide from Jehovah.—Isa. 28:15-17.
13 Liars may seem to prosper for a moment, but no one should be deceived. No one should allow lies to turn him away from true worship of Almighty God. Yet many have.
The majority of the people in the world today do not carry on pure worship. Through his Word Jehovah foretold at 1 Timothy 4 that in later periods of time some would fall away from the faith, paying attention to misleading inspired utterances and teachings of demons by the hypocrisy of men who speak lies. The last days are critical days hard to deal with and they are here. "Wicked men and impostors will advance from bad to worse, misleading and being misled. You, however, continue in the things you learned and were persuaded to believe, knowing from what persons you learned them and that from infancy you have known the holy writings which are able to make you wise for salvation through the faith in connection with Christ Jesus. All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work." "Keep holding the pattern of healthful words which you heard from me with the faith and love that are in connection with Christ Jesus. This beautiful trust guard through the holy spirit which is dwelling in us."—2 Tim. 3:13-17; 1:13, 14, NW.
14 Today men must choose whether they will serve God and live or will serve the adversary liar, Satan the Devil, and be put to death. People who have righteous hearts and love true doctrine and righteousness are taking up the pure worship of Almighty God, Jehovah, studying his Word and seeking to do his will. They are defending themselves against lies. On the other hand, there are those who prefer to choose lies and who base their worship on falsehoods. These are such as are mentioned in Romans 1:25, who exchanged the truth for a lie and who practiced the desire
of their hearts, uncleanness. God allows them to go in their evil way, building up a record against them in the time of judgment. They succumb to the lies of Satan. "But the lawless one's presence is according to the operation of Satan with every powerful work and lying signs and wonders and with every unrighteous deception for those who are perishing, as a retribution because they did not accept the love of the truth that they might be saved. So that is why God lets an operation of error go to them that they may get to believing the lie, in order that they all may be judged because they did not believe the truth but took pleasure in unrighteousness."-2 Thess. 2:9-12,NW.
15 Jehovah is not fooled. Jehovah knows exactly what the desire of the heart of each and every individual is, and it is on the basis of this that men are judged. "For Jehovah searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts. If thou seek him, he will be found of thee; but if thou forsake him, he will cast thee off for ever." (1 Chron. 28:9, AS) Those with evil hearts and unclean motives are not going to be able to live in God's new world of righteousness. It is only those who are righteous, clean and truthful that will gain entrance into the new world. "Happy are those who wash their robes, that the authority to go to the trees of life may be theirs and that they may gain entrance into the city by its large gates. Outside are the dogs and those who practice spiritism and the fornicators and the murderers and the idolaters and everyone liking and carrying on a lie." (Rev. 22:14, 15, NW) Those who practice lying and other forms of evil associated together in this old world under Satan are going to have the reward according to their deeds.
Jehovah leaves no question about that. "These are the things that the Son of God says, . . . 'I am he who searches the inmost
thoughts and hearts, and I will give to you individually according to your deeds.'" Rev. 2:18, 23, NW.
CHRISTIANS LIVE THE TRUTH
"Wherefore, now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another."
EHOVAH God now has a New World
—Eph. 4:25, NW.
society in operation. Throughout the world he is selecting people and training them for life in the new world. He expects these to clean themselves and to keep clean, to keep separate from the old system of things under Satan. There is no room among them for practices such as the world carries on. Some of the things to be done are mentioned in Colossians three. Then verses 9 and 10 admonish us: "Do not be lying to one another. Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality which through accurate knowledge is being renewed according to the image of the one who created it." It is a time for Christians to be careful about how they live. To avoid things that will lead into lying and going against the truth is wise. "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show out of his right conduct his works with a meekness that belongs to wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and contentiousness in your hearts, do not be bragging and lying against the truth." (Jas. 3:13, 14, NW) Indeed it is as much as to say that if one has jealousy or contentiousness in his heart, if his heart is not right, it
will not be very long until he is lying. One wrong leads to another; one lie covers up another. But lying should not be found in any form in the congregation of God. It is wrong; it is disapproved by Jehovah.
2 There have been occasions in the past and in modern times where persons have endeavored to lie in the congregation of God, and this has always led to trouble and difficulty, and especially for those who have told the lies. Often the reason for lying, telling falsehoods or the practice of deception is a condition of fear of man or pride in an individual. Acts 5 (NW) tells us: "However, a certain man, Ananias by name, together with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession and secretly held back some of the price, his wife also knowing about it, and he brought just a part and deposited it at the feet of the apostles. But Peter said: 'Ananias, to what end has Satan emboldened you to play false to the holy spirit and to hold back secretly some of the price of the field? As long as it remained with you did it not remain yours, and after it was sold did it not continue in your control? Why was it that you purposed such a deed as this in your heart?
You have played false, not to men, but to God.' On hearing these words Ananias fell down and expired. And great fear came over all those hearing of it." His wife joined him in the lie and met the same judgment. They were engaging in hypocrisy. They wanted to appear before others to be something that they were really not. If they had said the truth, if they had said they were giving part of the price they received, they would have done no wrong. But their hearts were not right. Jehovah searched down into the innermost parts of their hearts to see what their motives were, why they were doing what they had done. He found their hearts were bad. The result to them was the adverse judgment of Jehovah. The case of Ananias and Sapphira shows that people can be disfellowshiped for lying, for Jehovah disfellowshiped them permanently. Lying and falsehood do not pay good wages.
TRUTH AMONG THE BROTHERS
3 When we are dealing with our brothers we must tell the truth. We must keep the congregation clean, pure and truthful. Jehovah God tells us in Proverbs 6:19 that he hates false witnesses that speak lies. If the truth is always told, then right will be done. Perhaps an accused brother would have a hearing before servants in a congregation and a point-blank statement is asked for. There is a question of whether he has done right or wrong. One called to testify will say the truth about his brother even if it should bring a little persecution or rebuke from the worldly-minded. Fear of some form of retaliation must not be permitted to color the testimony. Some primitive worldly people are influenced to lie because of fear of witchcraft, but Jehovah's witnesses do not have such fear; the full armor of God protects them. (Eph. 6:11-20) Nor should family relationships or clannishness—a mistaken idea of loyalty warp testimony to shield a wrongdoer. And some people have a mentality of always wishing to please someone considered a superior by saying what that person might like to hear. But never should the desire to please a man's ears lead one to tell untruths, whether in a hearing before a congregation or at other times. One who pleases Jehovah must come clean with his testimony. Lies and truth do not come from the Christian mouth.Jas.3:10,11.
4 Jehovah does not like a liar whose false testimony may be bought for some false advantage or bribe. In a hearing one must not tell falsehoods in order to get the defendant into trouble. The falsifier becomes hateful to God. By his testimony he may think to gain favor with someone or to gain personal advantage, but he is certainly putting himself in disfavor with Jehovah. "A faithful witness will not lie; but a false witness uttereth lies." (Prov. 14:5, AS) Much evil can be done to a person if when one is testifying concerning him perjury is committed. Naboth suffered death because of perjurers. (1 Ki. 21:8-13) False witnesses came against Jesus and contributed to his death. False witnesses testified against Stephen. Perjury is wrong. It is a form of lying. It is especially evil when it results in harm to others, and it nearly always does.-Matt. 26:60, 61; Acts 6:10, 11.
5 One may choose to overlook idle gossip against him, but when someone commits perjury against you before a court of law it is certainly proper to defend yourself and offer evidence to refute lies that have been told. They should not be allowed to stand in the record against you. The apostle Paul offered his defense when before the rulers.
The case of Jesus was different. He was before a mob and before wicked men who had no conception of justice. Offering a lengthy argument would have done no good. Furthermore, in his case he knew his time had come to give his life.
When the wicked bring their false witnesses against a person it may cause a moment of anger, but yet we should keep control of our faculties and not at any time try to retaliate with lies. We continue to observe God's law and follow his righteous principles and tell the truth. The responsibility is upon the wicked for what they do. Ps.119:69,70.
mind his own business and his business should be in accord with Jehovah's Word; then he will have no difficulty or trouble due to busybodying.—Prov. 16:28; 18:8; Matt. 24:48-51; 1 Pet. 4:15.
There are times when consideration must be given to protecting the interests of the brothers. If questions are asked of a person about his brother, questions perhaps of a personal nature, and the questioner is not a responsible servant in the congregation who is entitled to know at a time of inquiry, then it is best for a Christian brother to mind his own business and protect his brother by saying nothing in reply. Discourage people who try to pry into the business of others. In other words, it is good to avoid gossip, talebearing, starting rumors, or finding fault with the brothers. Remember, Jehovah hates not only a witness who speaks lies, but also one that sows discord among the brothers. Whispering about any brothers is to be avoided. If you think someone has done wrong, very well; if you want to say something about it go directly to him. Do not start a whispering campaign. In plain language the admonition is that one should
7 So when someone of the brothers in need of spiritual aid comes to you to speak
about his problems, his personal difficulties, or something he did many years ago which may have been wrong and yet would not require disfellowshiping, as a mature Christian brother advise him how to straighten out his affairs. Help him in every way. But remember there is a
time for everything. Spare your brothers embarrassment in times of trouble. It is not necessary to tell everything you know to everybody. Help your brother, but do not go telling everybody about his problems and difficulties, his family troubles, or other things about which he may have confided in you in a time of need. Show love for your brother. Do it for the sake of the unity of God's organization.—Prov. 11:13.
If anyone claims to be a Christian, claims to be a lover of God, he must also love his brother. If he does not love his brother he is actually living a lie. "If anyone makes the statement, 'I love God,' and yet is hating his brother, he is a liar. For he who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot be loving God, whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him, that the one who loves God should be loving his brother also."—1 John 4:20, 21, NW.
9 If a brother perhaps twenty years ago made a mistake and confessed his wrong then and was forgiven, it is not necessary for others to bring up these things continually.
That is not showing love for the brother. If you really love your brother you will not be gossiping and talking about him. While it is true that we must say the truth when we speak, we do not have to say everything that we know about our brother. If he has really been forgiven, then the matter is closed, it is finished and it should not come up for discussion every week in a Kingdom Hall or among those in the congregation. Where is the mercy shown by such as continually bear tales about their brother and try to bring out his faults? Where does it bring in unity? Where does it preserve the harmony and spirit of joy of the congregation? If one wishes to speak, there are many Kingdom truths and field experiences to discuss.
10 Those who sow discord through gossiping, profitless talking or deceit through false doctrines are not looking after the interests of Jehovah's organization. At Titus 1:10-12 Paul tells about those who are unruly and profitless talkers and deceiving the mind, showing how they would subvert entire households by their teaching of lies. He mentioned that "Cretans" are always liars. In this connection he showed in verse nine that the overseers in the congregation are required to reprove those
kindness, and to walk humbly with thy God?" (Mic. 6:8, AS) Doing justly or honestly and telling the truth fit in together. They are qualities that must be found among Christians. Christians are brothers who deal honestly with one another and help one another. But there is no need for a merciful Christian to continue to put up with wrongdoing, if someone comes into the organization that does not have good heart motives. Sometimes individuals come to the meetings or associate with Jehovah's New World society who, deep down in their hearts, are not honest people, are not people of truth and righteousness. These are sometimes called "spongers," people who practice fraud and deceit, men who go about seeking to borrow money or goods and possessions of their brothers, and who inwardly have no intention of paying them back and never do pay back. This kind of people make an outward show of Christianity, but their interests are purely selfish. Judas was a thief who showed hypocritical sympathy for the poor.—John 12:6.
11 Jehovah "hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth Jehovah require of thee, but to do justly, and to love
who contradict the truth. The truth must be preserved in God's congregation.
12 It is not always a good practice for brothers to borrow money from brothers. At times it shows love to lend money, but often it leads to trouble in congregations. (Luke 6:35) If brothers do business together, make agreements to pay money or
make certain payments of goods, they should keep their promises, tell the truth and avoid dishonesty. In view of the possibilities of memory failure and to help avoid disputes, it is advisable to make a proper written record of all such transactions.
Swindling, cheating and dishonesty are sins in God's sight. Among the people of ancient Israel Jehovah made provision for atone ment for these sins. It was necessary for the offending individual to straighten himself out with his brother and before Jehovah. "In case a soul should sin in that he has behaved unfaithfully toward Jehovah and has deceived his associate about something in his charge or a deposit in hand or a robbery or he has defrauded his associate, or he has found something lost and has lied about it and has sworn falsely over any of all the things that the man might do to sin by them; then it must occur that in case he should sin and indeed become guilty, he must return the robbed thing which he has robbed or the extorted thing which he has taken by fraud or the thing in his charge which was put in his charge or the thing lost which he has found, or anything at all over which he might swear falsely, and he must make compensation for it in its full amount and he will add to it a fifth of it. To the one whose it is he will give it on the day his guilt is proved. And as his guilt offering he will bring to Jehovah a sound ram from the flock according to the estimated value, for a guilt offering, to the priest. And the priest must make an atone ment for him before Jehovah, and so it must be forgiven him regarding any of all the things that he might do resulting in guiltiness by it."-Lev. 6:2-7; 19:11-13, NW.
keep lies, dishonesty and fraud out of their midst.
13 While we Christians today do not live under the same priestly arrangement as did ancient Israel, nevertheless we are under obligation to be honest and upright and to settle all debts and pledges properly. We do not defraud brothers, but should make things right with the brothers and ask Jehovah's forgiveness for any wrong that has been committed. Brothers will deal justly with one another in all business and
Occasionally reports come to the Society from individual brothers or from congregations showing that some dishonest, immoral persons have slipped into the congregation. (Jude 4) It is clear how to deal with immoral ones, but what about people who go around preying on their brothers, or who appear to be brothers merely for the purpose of taking money, who are as the psalmist says: "The wicked borroweth, and payeth not again"? (37:21) What can be done about them? If a brother in his love and kindness allows another who appears to be a brother to have some of his money or material things for a time and then the borrowing individual, after the time agreed upon has elapsed, refuses to pay back, the brother who made the loan can go to the one who took the money or materials and ask him to make full return. It is proper to go to your brother when you have anything against him and speak to him. (Matt. 18:15-17) If he will not make proper settlement, then the brother involved can speak to the congregation servant and arrange to have a hearing before the committee, with the offender present. At a time like this one will find it to his advantage to have a signed written agreement and it will not be a case of the word of one person against another. If guilt is established, the committee may set a limited but reasonable time for the offender to settle his debts or right the wrongs done.
15 If the offender refuses to make a just and proper settlement, then is it proper for the brother who made the loan to take the debtor brother into court and sue him?
The Scriptures advise us that we should bring such matters before the mature brothers in the congregation and not take a brother before the courts. (1 Cor. 6:1-10) But he may be disfellowshiped from the congregation if he is an extortioner. He should be avoided from then on. Being disfellowshiped by the congregation is the greatest punishment that can come upon such a person at the hands of men, for when mature brothers act according to the advice of the Scriptures they are in fact acting for Jehovah and the judgment is from his Word. Whether or not a defrauded person wishes to take a disfellowshiped person into a court is for him to decide. The disfellowshiped person is no longer a brother and the congregation has exhausted its powers in the case, so the only recourse would be to the law courts of the land. But it is a good thing to consider the costs involved in time and money. Legal suits are expensive and sometimes the result is that the lawyers get everything through their fees. It is also necessary to think of any reproach that might come upon the work through such public action. That is why a brother may not take his brother into court; there is reproach upon the organization. Paul's argument is that it is better to be defrauded than to bring reproach upon the congregation. But with a disfellowshiped person the position is different, although the people in general may not realize that the one sued has been disfellowshiped. If legal action is taken, restitution of what was taken should be the goal, and not revenge. Anyone who would go that far to have a debt paid should have the agreement in writing from the start. Or if the wronged brother chooses to drop the matter it can be left in the hands of Jehovah, who searches the hearts of all men and knows their motives and who rewards those who do right with life.—Rom.
12:17-19; 1 Cor. 5:11-13; Heb. 10:26-31. 16 Mercy must enter into many cases. A person may have borrowed a few dollars and completely overlooked making payment, but without intent to defraud. He ought to be allowed to restore what is due and, if his heart is right, he will wish to clear away his debt to a brother. And some brothers may not be in need and may wish to forgive debts. (Matt. 6:12; 18:23-35; Luke 7:41-43) No one has to expect his debt to be forgiven; it does not have to be, but it may be, through the love in the heart of a brother. The conscience and good heart within the debtor ought to impel him to want to clear away his debts, and he should try, at least. In some small matters a congregation committee may decide to recommend that a debt of an ill, destitute person be forgiven at the time a hearing is held, but it can only be a recommendation and the one who made the loan must finally decide. This shows the importance of having wise, mature brothers as servants in the congregation committee.
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