His "Work" and His "Act" (Part 5) № 21

Vol. LVIII

November 1, 1937

No. 21

HIS "WORK” AND HIS "ACT”

“As I have done to Shiloh.” – Jer. 7:14.

PART 5

JEHOVAH often sends his message by an imperfect man. The fact that Jehovah uses a man does not mean that the man is perfect, or even blameless so far as the man himself is concerned. The man whom Jehovah uses must be loyal and faithful to God in order to be pleasing and acceptable to him. No man is perfect in his organism, but he can be perfect in heart; that is, he can and must love God if he pleases the Most High. That means unselfish devotion to Jehovah. What men may think of God’s servant is not at all material. The faithful servant always considers how he can please the Lord, and he is indifferent to everything else. Jeremiah was that kind of a man. Other faithful men, whom Jehovah selected and sent as his prophets to deliver his message to the people, were also that kind of men; that is to say, they were perfect in heart and unselfishly devoted to Almighty God. Because of their faithfulness to God the Devil and bis visible agents bitterly opposed them and induced the people to treat both the messenger and the message with contempt. Such has ever been the course that faithful men have had to take, and the insults they have had to endure. The result, as in ancient times, still is, that comparatively few men hear and give heed to the Word of God. The religionists are the most reprehensible of all who have turned the people away from Jehovah. Speaking to the people of Judah and Jerusalem, Jeremiah now said: “And the Lord hath sent unto you all his servants the prophets, rising [up] early and sending them; but ye have not hearkened, nor inclined your ear to hear.” – Jer. 25: 4.

2 The prophets Hosea, Micah, Zephaniah, and other holy and faithful men, were raised up and sent by Jehovah as his prophets to deliver his message before the day of the coming of Jeremiah; and twelve years after Jeremiah delivered the message committed to him Ezekiel was raised up as a prophet and sent to Chaldea. (Ezek. 1:1-3) And so Jeremiah said to the people: ‘The Lord sent his prophets early to you, and ye have not hearkened nor inclined the ear.’ It is even so today. The people of “Christendom” have had many and favorable opportunities to hear the truth, but comparatively few have hearkened thereto or inclined the ear, and the reason is that the Devil, operating through his clergymen and religionists, has induced the people to treat the message of God with contempt. Those clergymen desire to have the honor and praise that is due to Jehovah, and hence they scorn his message and messengers. But in this day of enlightenment the people must bear their part of the iniquity, because they have opportunity to hear. If they fail or refuse to hear, then they are largely responsible.

3 Again Jeremiah reminded the people that they had been warned by the prophets of old to turn away from their wrongful course and follow the right course: “They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the Lord hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever.” (Jer. 25:5) The leaders of the Jews, who practiced their religion, stood before the people and with solemn faces and trembling voices would say: “We are the sons of Abraham, and you are also the descendants of Abraham. We were chosen first of God, and we know that God would not send a message to us and to you by such a common man as Jeremiah; and the message he brings is not worthy of consideration.” But the fact that those men were the descendants of Abraham according to the flesh was no guarantee that they would never be ousted from the land promised to Abraham and his seed after him. This matter is made clear by the inspired words of the apostle, who said: “For they are not all Israel, which are of [fleshly] Israel: neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God [whom Abraham typified]: but the children of the promise [to Abraham] are counted for the [spiritual] seed.” (Rom. 9:6-8) “Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.” (Gal. 4: 28) “So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.” (Gal. 3:9) A man may say that he is a Jew, but that is no evidence whatsoever that he is a Jew. A Jew, within the meaning of the Scriptures, is one who is devoted to Jehovah and serves and praises Jehovah God.

4 Like the fraudulent clergy of the Jews, so today the Roman Catholic Hierarchy crowd presumptuously claim to be the only favored ones of God and they fraudulently and falsely act to keep the people in ignorance of God’s Word. They seek the honor and praise that is due Jehovah. As a sample of how these self-constituted servants of God act the following is cited. The Ottawa Journal of February 1, 1937, published what is called “a pastoral letter, issued by Archbishop Forbes”, which letter says, amongst other things, the following: “Certain publications, which contain heretical doctrines attacking Christian truths, which are circulated throughout the city and district, . . . we prohibit in our diocese, these writings, booklets, pamphlets, circulars. They are not allowed to be published, read, kept, bought or sold, nor to be translated into other languages nor to be passed about in any way. They are to be destroyed. To be perfectly clear, we wish without excluding all the rest of the same type, to point particularly to the writings of the so- called Witnesses of Jehovah.” Forbes feels his very great importance and exalts himself above Jehovah God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Jehovah’s witnesses are the only people on earth that publish the unvarnished truth, as contained in the Bible, and that is the reason why the Roman Catholic Hierarchy presumptuously assumes to prevent the people from having those publications. No Catholic priest or other official of the Hierarchy has any right or authority to destroy the property of another, and certainly no right to prohibit the people from hearing the Word of Cod. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy well know that God’s Word exposes the crookedness of the Catholic system, and for that reason, and that only, they wish to withhold from the people the truth, which exposes the crooked Catholic system.

5 Let those clerics take notice of what the Scriptures say, to wit, that they are not the children of God and not his representatives merely because they claim so to be. Many of them lay claim to such, and the Lord rejects them. (Matt. 7: 21-23) Credulous and ignorant Catholics will obey the command of Forbes, but all sincere Catholics of good will toward God, and who lose righteousness and hate iniquity, will get their eyes open and learn that Forbes and his associates are frauds, and then these people of good will will flee from the abominable Hierarchy organization, and will find refuge in the Lord’s organization under Christ Jesus. The bold, arrogant and scornful men of the Hierarchy, such as Forbes, will in the future find the same fate that befell the religionists of Jerusalem.

6 As Jeremiah proceeded with his work in the face of all the opposition, so now Jehovah’s witnesses must continue to proclaim God’s message, regardless of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy or other agents of the Devil. The people must be given an opportunity to hear, and then those who refuse to give heed must bear their own iniquity. Of all the bigoted, scornful, arrogant and self-exalted men that have ever been on the earth, the breed of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy stands in the front row, and to them surely the words of Jesus apply when he said: “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers! how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” – Matt. 23:33.

7 As Jeremiah delivered Jehovah’s warning and admonition to the Jews, even so now Jehovah’s witnesses must continue to deliver Jehovah’s message of warning and admonition to the people, that they may have an opportunity of fleeing from idolatry and idolatrous worship of the Devil and his crowd: “And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt.” – Jer. 25:6.

8 The Jew religionists, particularly the leaders, drew nigh to Jehovah God with their mouths in formal or ceremonial worship, but they were utterly void of any heart devotion to Jehovah and they induced the people to follow their unrighteous course. They led the people to believe that formal worship was all-sufficient and that, consistent therewith, they must give all their means of service and worship and praise to the clergymen amongst the Jews. Even so today the Catholic Hierarchy, and particularly the chief men thereof, hold a great powwow, during which, garbed in lace curtains, golden beads and fish-god hats, they pray before the common people and go through certain forms of ceremony or unreasonable actions, which they call “worship”, and in which they permit people to have some part, and that part of the people is to kiss the toe or the ring of someone of the Hierarchy. They induce the people to believe that such formalism is all that is necessary, so far as God is concerned, and that the people must give their time and honor and money to the mighty ones amongst the Hierarchy and hail them as gods and bow down before them. They also teach them that they must likewise honor the mighty men who work with the Hierarchy in polities and say to them: “Heil Hitler”; “Viva Mussolini”; and all like mighty men or so-called “rulers”. They teach the people to believe that such are the higher powers to which they must render full obedience, and that the Hierarchy itself is the highest amongst the higher powers. The Hierarchy induces the people to believe that if they do these things in the name of God they are thereby rendering unto God the things that are God’s, and that therefore they are safe. They can do all the devilment they wish aside from that. So the clergy and the principal of their flock say: “Why should God hurt us with death or hell? Why should he send upon us and our nation a great calamity? Such a message is nonsense”; and the people look upon it as strange. In flagrant violation of God’s law the clergy bow themselves before images and they teach the people to how before such images, which the clergy have provided, and induce them to believe that this constitutes a part of their worship. The people are therefore led to indulge in Devil worship and Devil religion, which turns them away from Jehovah and the way of life. Jehovah warned the Jews by the mouth of his prophets that they must repent, that is, turn away from such Devil worship; and likewise Jehovah now warns the sincere people, Catholic and non-Catholic, through the message he sends them by his faithful witnesses, that they must repent, that is, turn away from the devilish religious organization that reproaches Jehovah’s name.

9 For twenty years now the Lord Jesus has been at the temple, sitting in judgment, and during that time he has sent forth witnesses to deliver Jehovah’s message to the people, even as Jeremiah repeatedly testified in the presence of the Jews. The failure of the Jews to hear and to hearken, and their continued practice of Devil religion, provoked Jehovah to anger, and Jeremiah so informed the people: "Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the Lord; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.”–Jer. 25: 7.

10 The people of Judah were led by the clergy amongst the Jews to believe that for them to hearken to Jeremiah and to other prophets of God was merely to give heed to men. The people therefore fell and blindly followed the lead of the priests or clergymen and principal of the flock, who turned a deaf ear to the message of Jeremiah which he brought from Jehovah. The failure of the people to hear Jehovah’s word, and their yielding to the influence of the clergy, the Jewish leaders, had provoked Jehovah to anger, and the result was hurt to the people themselves. It is exactly that way at the present time. The "big clergymen”, such as cardinals, bishops and priests, who arrogantly "strut their stuff” and use words of high-sounding authority, induce the people to scorn the message of God; and the result is hurt to the people themselves. Those clergymen of the Hierarchy have no love for the people, and certainly no love for God. They are looking out for themselves. When Jehovah’s "strange act” begins, the religionists, who thought themselves safe by following the clergy, will then exclaim that had they known that the message was from the Lord they would have shown respect and given heed thereto, and many of those religionists will say, as Jesus stated, ‘Lord, have we not done wonderful works in thy name?’ but Jesus will push them away. It will then be too late for them. But the responsibility is now upon Jehovah’s witnesses and all of those of good will, the Jonadabs, who have the message of the truth, to see to it that the people have opportunity to hear, that the people may be without excuse in the day of their visitation. For that reason the commandment of the Lord must be obeyed, to wit, ‘ This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world as a witness, and before the end,’ and before Jehovah expresses his wrath upon "Christendom” and those associated therewith.

11 There is no reason for any person who receives a knowledge of the Bible to rely upon man, because God’s express command is that such reliance upon man is to the hurt of those who do so rely; as it is written: “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.” (Ps. 146: 3) Everyone who learns that the Bible is God’s Word is duty-bound to give heed to his Word, and if he does not he must suffer the results. Hence Jeremiah said, upon authority of his commission from God: "Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts, Because ye have not heard my words,” then God will visit you for your hurt.– Jeremiah 25:8.

12 For a long period of time Jehovah gave opportunity to the Jews to hear his warning message with their ears, but they refused to listen and to give heed to what they did hear with their natural cars. Had they been ignorant through no fault of their own, God would not hold them chargeable and punishable. In order that they might know, and in order that they might not plead ignorance of his cause, Jehovah commanded Jeremiah to take a place where he would come in contact with the religious-practicing people and to speak God’s message in their hearing. So likewise today with "Christendom”. For many years God has caused his faithful witnesses to go among the people from house to house and to call attention of the people to his Word of warning. Millions of books and other publications explaining the Bible have been brought to the attention of the people. A wide witness has been given by verbal proclamation, by radio, and by public meetings in theaters and halls, and the people of "Christendom” cannot now plead ignorance, even though their clergymen have opposed the message of the Lord. The comparatively small number, people of good will toward God, who do give heed and flee to the place of safety, are blessed of the Lord, but the far greater number continue to follow the leadership of the hypocritical clergy, and, says Jehovah through his prophet, ‘those clergy preach lies, and my people love to have it so.’ Every person who thinks seriously well knows that such is the condition that now exists within the borders of "Christendom” and the people who are associated with "Christendom”. Multitudes of people claiming to be Christians have turned their hearts wholly away from God and to Devil worship.

13 The Jews refused to give heed to God’s message, and the time came for God’s warning to them which must be uttered in their hearing, and he caused Jeremiah to utter that warning and to tell the people that, because they had not heard his words, "Behold, I will send and take all the families of the north, saith the Lord, and Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon, my servant, and will bring them against this land, and against the inhabitants thereof, and against all these nations round about, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, and an hissing, and perpetual desolations.”–Jer. 25:9.

14 Let all take notice that the final warning was not man’s message; but, as it is written, “Thus saith the Lord of hosts [the God of battle], . . . behold, I will send and take all the families,” and so forth. How did Jehovah send, and whom did he send to execute his warning in the first instance? Jeremiah’s prophecy may have been communicated to Nebuchadnezzar by some agent. But even so, that would not be the controlling power that induced the king of Babylon to act. It appears to be certain that God sent his holy angels to put into the mind of Nebuchadnezzar, whom he had chosen to be the executioner of Jerusalem, the conclusion and determination to go and make war on Jerusalem. The question before the mind of Nebuchadnezzar at that time was, Should he first make war on Ammon and the allied heathen nations, or should he first go to Jerusalem and attack it? Nebuchadnezzar appealed to the Devil and his angels, because he was a Devil worshiper, and he sought advice from the Devil that he might decide the question before his mind. Without a doubt, however, Jehovah had his angels on the spot and Jehovah employed his supreme power to control Nebuchadnezzar and cause him to decide to first go to Jerusalem and attack it. (See Vindication, Book One, pages 283-285; Ezekiel 21:19-23.) Thus Jehovah, by his prophetic picture, shows that it is his purpose to first destroy “Christendom” and then to destroy the remaining parts of Satan’s organization. For that purpose he sends his Executioner, Christ Jesus, against “Christendom” first. It was Jehovah who brought disaster upon Jerusalem, and it is Jehovah, acting by his Executive Officer, Christ Jesus, who will bring destruction upon “Christendom”, which Jerusalem foreshadowed. In passing it is worthy here to note that if Jehovah would employ his power through his angels to put in the mind of a heathen the conclusion to act in a certain way, then certainly Jehovah would employ his power through his angels to put in the minds of his servants to take the course that he would have them take. God is directing the way of his people, who in all their ways acknowledge him. – Prov. 3: 5, 6.

15 Jehovah declared that he would “take all the families of the north” and bring them against Jerusalem. Nebuchadnezzar had brought the “families of the north” into his army cither by subduing them and drafting them or else by winning them to his side. Jehovah had given Jeremiah a vision of what was to come to pass, and which is specifically set forth by reason of the vision God had given, and explained to him now what was coming to pass, just as Jehovah’s witnesses today know what is coming to pass by reason of what God has revealed to them through his Word. “The families of the north” picture the hosts of heaven, that is, those who follow Christ Jesus in the battle of the great day. (Rev. 19:14) With Christ Jesus the Chief they utter God’s judgments and put it into the mind of the political and other earthly elements of Satan’s organization to fight against the religionists when God's due time comes to destroy the religionists.

16 Jehovah declared he would bring against Jerusalem “Nebuchadrezzar the [new] king of Babylon, my servant”, and his host. Mark this, that Jehovah did not speak of Nebuchadnezzar as “his worshiper”, because Nebuchadnezzar was a Devil worshiper. God called Nebuchadnezzar “my servant”, because he used him to picture his great Servant and Executioner, Christ Jesus. The name “Nebuchadnezzar” means “Nebo is the protector”, and therefore the name properly applies to the Lord Jesus Christ, that great Prophet, who is the protector and savior particularly of his people, whom he protects from the assault and injury by his foes. (See Vindication, Book Two, page 129.) Nebuchadnezzar pictured the One concerning whom Jehovah said: “Behold my servant, whom I uphold.” (Isa. 42:1) He is the one to whom the “nations” that survive must and do look and hope for protection and salvation. (Matt. 12:18-21) The declaration of Jehovah was: “I . . . will bring them [1] against this land”; that is to say, against modern Jerusalem, which is “Christendom”, the clergy and the “principal of the flock”, and will utterly destroy the religious system, because it is devilish and an abomination unto the Most High; and then, (2) “against all these nations round about, and will . . . destroy them”, that is, all the nations listed in the prophecy of Jeremiah 25:18-26. All of such in the prophecy picture all of Satan’s visible organization inside and outside of “Christendom”. In the miniature fulfillment of the prophecy Jerusalem and Judah fell and, after seventy years, were recovered; and therefore the words of the prophecy, to wit, “will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, [to look at], and an hissing [by those who pass by], and perpetual desolations,” must refer to and do apply to “Christendom”, which will suffer complete and perpetual desolation. The Devil’s religious system will go down at the beginning of Jehovah’s “strange act” and will never rise again, because such is the declaration of the Lord.

17 Doubtless the people of Jerusalem boasted and reveled in the fact that they were the favored people of the earth ; and hence they were given over to mirth and hilarity, and Jehovah informed them that the end of such mirth and hilarity was at hand: “Moreover, I will take from them the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones, and the light of the candle.” (Jer. 25:10) Having adopted the Devil religion in the place and stead of the commandments of Jehovah, the Jews were grinding out meal for cakes to the “queen of heaven”, that is, to the Devil’s organization, and now the sound of their millstones must cease. The flambeau torches or candles illuminating their resorts of hilarity must go out, and they must be in complete darkness, and the sound of gladness and shouting would cease, and there would be no more bridal processions, and no more feasts or night celebrations at the temple. In this way Jehovah foretells what shall shortly come to pass upon “Christendom” when he begins his “strange act” and the lighted candles in the habitation of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy will become darkness. No more public processions, led by men wearing lace window-curtains for dress or lace gowns, with small boys carrying the trains, will be seen. No more "Heil" ing the dictators of the Roman Catholic organization or any of her supporters, political or otherwise.

18 With the beginning of the “strange act” the witness work of Jehovah’s servants will have been done throughout “Christendom” by Jehovah’s faithful witnesses, who since the death of the man Jesus have held forth the light of the world, letting their lights shine before men to the praise of Jehovah. The faithful followers of Christ Jesus know these things are coming to pass soon, because Jehovah has so declared and he is certain to perform his purpose. To be reassured now strengthens their faith, and their praises are to Jehovah God as they press on in the face of vicious opposition, knowing that victory is near.

19 is interesting here to note a comment made by a Hebrew writer regarding this prophecy, and particularly as to its miniature fulfillment, and which says: “Traveller’s remark, that in the East, everywhere in the morning may be heard he noise of the mills, which often awakens people; for they generally grind every day just as much as may be necessary for the day’s consumption. Where, then, the noise of the mill is not heard in the morning, nor the light of the candle seen in the evening, there must be an utter desolation.’’ – Leeser, footnote.

20 The Hierarchy big moguls send out their “blackbirds” daily to gather in the shekels, and they grind what is necessary for that day and they light their candles for each day. But when this visiting to the offices and factories by the poor deluded women ceases, and when the candles of the Hierarchy are extinguished, it will mark utter desolation amongst the religionists of “Christendom”. That day is near.

21 There will be some who will survive Armageddon, as Jehovah has declared, and to all such “Christendom” will appear as a complete desolation: “And this whole land shall be a desolation, and an astonishment [an object of astonishment]; and these nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years.” (Jer. 25:11) By this means Jehovah will show how terrible are his judgments when executed against his enemies, and all who survive will know that he is truly the Supreme One, to be greatly feared and not be reproached with impunity.

22 Judah and Jerusalem suffered first, and God made it clear that not only they, but also all nations round about, should suffer. This shows not only that “Christendom” will be wrecked at the beginning of Armageddon, but that the wrath of God will then be continued and will extend to all the nations of the earth. Says the prophet of God: “These nations shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years”; that being symbolic of “all their lives”. “The days of our years are threescore years and ten.” (Ps. 90:10) Call to mind again what Jehovah caused Jeremiah to say: “And now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, my servant; and the beasts of the field have I given him also to serve him. And all nations shall serve him, and his son, and his son’s son, until the very time of his land come; and then many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of him.”–Jer. 27: 6, 7.

23 The “seventy years” mentioned in the scripture here are prophetic and mean forever, or for all time. All who survive Armageddon must serve the King, Christ Jesus, whom Nebuchadnezzar foreshadowed in the prophetic drama. The people of good will, forming the “great multitude”, come from every nation, kindred, people and tongue, and they must serve Jehovah and his King for ever: “I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” – Dan. 7:13, 14.

24 The destruction of “Christendom” means the destruction of the nations outside as well as inside of her, and that destruction will serve as a vindication of Jehovah’s name and kingdom. Such are the “vessels of wrath” and by the Lord doomed to destruction, and upon whom Jehovah shows his almighty power at the battle of Armageddon; which “strange act” he will cause to be performed by Christ Jesus his King. There will be no recovery for “Christendom” or for any of the other wicked nations. This is further foretold by the fact that at the end of the seventy literal years neither Judah nor Jerusalem, nor any of the nations involved, regained their independence, but were subject to Medo-Persia, which overthrew Babylon, and whose kings, Darius and Cyrus, pictured Jehovah God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

ENLARGED PICTURE

25 The complete and everlasting destruction of “Christendom” and all other parts of Satan’s organization is implied by the language of verses 12-14 of this chapter of the prophecy. A different picture now here appears, which is enlarged over that which we have heretofore been considering. “And it shall come to pass, when seventy years are accomplished, that I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation, saith the Lord, for their iniquity, and the land of the Chaldeans, and will make it perpetual desolations.” – Jer. 25:12.

26 At the end of the literal seventy years “Jerusalem” passed out of the picture and a new prophetic picture or drama appears. At the end of the seventy years Nebuchadnezzar had been succeeded by Belshazzar, and the latter was in no wise used as the servant of Jehovah, but, on the contrary, he misused the sacred vessels of the Lord to grossly reproach Jehovah’s name. It was then that Babylon was “weighed in the balances, and . . . found wanting”. (Dan. 5:27) From that point and forward Babylon symbolized exclusively the Devil’s organization, and her king Belshazzar, the head thereof, is a symbol of the Devil. The end of the seventy years pictured the climax of Armageddon. This does not mean that the battle of the great day of God Almighty will last seventy years, but rather it symbolically says Armageddon shall come and end with the destruction of every visible part of Satan’s organization that is on the earth. Then what shall follow? The wrath of God will be expressed against the invisible part of Satan’s organization, and including Satan himself. Says the prophet of God: “I will punish the king of Babylon, and that nation [the Devil’s hordes invisible now to human eyes].” Belshazzar, the king of Babylon, and who represented the Devil, is designated in the prophecy as “the king of Sheshach”. The Devil is the real king of Babylon. (Dan. 2: 37,38) At this point of the prophecy of Jeremiah “that nation” is the same as that described by the prophet Ezekiel as “Gog, of the land of Magog”. (Ezek. 38:2, 3, A.R.V.) (See Vindication, Book Two, page 311) Their punishment is “for their iniquity”; which shows that the king of Babylon and his nation stood for the Devil and all of his angelic or invisible forces. That wicked horde must be and will be whipped and punished and brought under the feet of the great Conqueror. After Christ Jesus cast Satan and his angelic hosts out of heaven and down to the earth (Rev. 12: 9), about 1914, they were put under the feet of Christ Jesus. At Armageddon, the great battle of God Almighty, Christ Jesus and his heavenly armies will trample under foot Satan’s organization, visible and invisible, and Satan’s organization will become a complete desolation. “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.” (Rom. 16:20) “And he laid hold on the dragon, that old serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be loosed a little season.” (Rev. 20:2,3) No recovery will ever take place for the Devil’s organization, for the reason that when he is loosed for a “little season” then he will be completely annihilated. – Rev. 20:7,10.

27 Jehovah emphasizes his purpose to destroy Satan’s organization so that no creature will have reason to doubt its destruction: “And I will bring upon that land all my words which I have pronounced against it, even all that is written in this book, which Jeremiah hath prophesied against all the nations.” (Jer. 25:13) What was “written in this book”, as prophesied by Jeremiah, was recorded at chapters fifty and fifty-one of Jeremiah’s prophecy, and is a corroboration of the prophecy uttered by Isaiah about 100 years previous, and which is recorded at chapters thirteen, twenty-one, and forty-seven. Jehovah foreordained and declared that his word and name shall be vindicated at his appointed time; and to creatures it seems a very long time, but it is certain to come at the right time. Jehovah has given to Satan full time and opportunity to carry out his boastful threat or challenge.

28 The prophet Jeremiah was commanded to prophesy against “all the nations”, and he did so against all visible parts of Satan’s organization. Jehovah issued to Jeremiah this specific command, to wit: "I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. See, I have this day set thee over the nations, and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down.” (Jer. 1: 5,10) That commission to Jeremiah foretold the commission which Jehovah issued to Christ Jesus, who will execute it fully; and all his faithful ones, including the remnant, will have a part therein, and their part is to declare the “judgments written” before they are executed.

29 For more than 6,000 years Jehovah has suffered Satan to go on in his wickedness; but the time nears when there shall be a complete end of him and his wicked organization. The hosts of heaven, led by Christ Jesus in the great conflict of Armageddon, will vindicate Jehovah’s name. That will be a mighty host of warriors that will not back down and will know no defeat. Concerning that great host it is written: “And the number of the army of the horsemen were two hundred thousand thousand: and I heard the number of them.” (Rev. 9:16) “The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands upon thousands: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the sanctuary.” – Ps. 68:17, A.R.V.

30 Jerusalem’s desolation foreshadowed the beginning of Armageddon; and following that the words of Jeremiah’s prophecy apply. “For many nations and great kings shall serve themselves of them [Babylon and the Chaldeans] also: and I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.” (Jer. 25:14) The “great kings” are Jehovah, the King of Eternity (Jer. 10:10. margin), and Christ Jesus, the “King of kings, and Lord of lords”. (Rev. 19:16) These great Kings were foreshadowed by Darius and Cyrus when the Babylonish kingdom was divided and fell. (Dan. 5:28) These mighty Kings shall "serve themselves of them [the Chaldeans]” by whipping them to a complete standstill, of an everlasting destruction, and thus vindicating Jehovah’s name and his word upon "the Chaldeans”, that is, the spirit members of Satan’s organization, including the Devil himself. The deeds of that wicked one and his hordes have reached the limit, and so the Lord God says: "I will recompense them according to their deeds, and according to the works of their own hands.” Satan and his wicked angels now use the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and other fanatical religionists to commit the most indescribable deeds of wickedness, and particularly against those who serve Jehovah. The Hierarchy being the chief instrument of the Devil on earth, the Devil uses the same to reproach Jehovah’s name by the practice of gross hypocrisy, deceiving the people, and by wickedly persecuting faithful men and women who serve Jehovah God; and concerning that devilish organization God, through his prophet, says: "And I will render unto Babylon, and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea, all their evil that they have done in Zion [God’s organization, of which Christ Jesus is head] in your sight, saith the Lord.” – Jer. 51:24.

31 From the time of Abel to this very day the faithful servants of Almighty God have been foully murdered by Satan and his cohorts. At the present time this cruel, foul and malicious murdering goes on in such countries as Germany, and concerning those who are thus attempting to destroy Jehovah’s servants Jehovah causes his prophet Jeremiah to say: "As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.”–Jer. 51:49.

32 The Roman Catholics’ day of wicked persecution and defamation of God’s name draws near to an end. Jehovah will see to it that Satan and all his agents, and particularly the Hierarchy, pay the full measure of penalty. "Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup [cup of bitter dealings] which she hath filled, fill to her double. How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her; for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” – Rev. 18:6, 7

33 At the present time the old "harlot”, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy organization, describes herself as queen and goes forth and sings the harlot song. (Isa. 23:15-17) Let her boastful men take warning now that their days of hilarity are brief and soon the Lord will visit them with what is due to them. To be sure, the Hierarchy will have some of its crowd to read what is here published, that they may keep in touch with what is going on. Let them not attempt to excuse themselves by saying: "These are the words of some earthly creature.” The quotations are from the Word of God; and God, having declared his purpose, is absolutely certain to perform it.

34 It was in the nighttime that the Medes and Persians sacked the stronghold of Belshazzar’s kingdom. "In that night was Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans slain. And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.” (Dan. 5:30, 31) For a long period of time the Devil has operated, and he still operates, through the religionists, and particularly through the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, to keep the people in ignorance of God’s gracious provision and therefore in the dark. Now the time has come when, in the language of the prophet of God, ‘darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people.’ (Isa. 60:2) Such darkness is the result of Satan operating through his wicked agents upon the earth, to wit, the religionists, led by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. Satan’s wicked woman, the old "whore”, is now singing and lulling to sleep the political rulers of the world by turning their attention entirely away from God, and the same is the result upon all the people who willingly give heed to and support the Hierarchy organization. Soon the song of the harlot, however, will cease and the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and her supporters will come to a bitter end. That will necessarily be in a time of great darkness, and in that dark time Christ Jesus, the great King, acting for Jehovah, the King of Eternity, which great Kings were foreshadowed by Darius and Cyrus, will push forward and crush Satan’s entire organization, even as the Chaldeans were crushed. The fall of Babylon under Belshazzar foreshadowed what is soon to come to pass.

35 While the faithful followers of Christ Jesus now on the earth continue to suffer from increasing indignities and cruel assaults upon them by the religious representatives of the Devil, Jehovah graciously unfolds to his faithful witnesses the meaning of his prophecies, showing them that long ago he had his faithful ones in mind, and that he made and caused to be recorded his prophetic dramas, which now he unfolds that the faithful may receive comfort and increased hope in these perilous times. Let all, therefore, who love the Lord Jehovah God and his King, Christ Jesus, be of good courage and rejoice that they have a part in filling up the sufferings of Christ Jesus left behind that they may ere long participate with him in the glory and joyful satisfaction of seeing the vindication of Jehovah’s name.–Col. 1:24.

WORK OF THE FAITHFUL PORTRAYED

36 A word picture is now drawn by the Lord, dramatically outlining the work that must be done by Jehovah’s faithful servants upon the earth. Christ Jesus is “the faithful and true”, and those who follow him faithfully unto death are of the class embraced in this word picture. To those who have devoted themselves to Jehovah the Lord has given his truth. This he has done, not that the recipients of the truth may hold it only for their own mental satisfaction, but that they may know and understand what duty and obligation is laid upon them and what service they must perform. Even today there are those who think that they are following Christ Jesus and who, in accord with the words of the apostle, are “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”. (2 Tim. 3:7) Such persons will not appreciate the prophecy of Jeremiah and what is here said concerning it, but will occupy the time by continuing to argue about questions that have long ago been made clear and plain to those who love God. Those who truly love the Lord will appreciate, and do appreciate, the unfolding of the prophecy and will see their duty and will joyfully undertake the performance thereof. Shortly after 1918 Jehovah began to make known to his servants the meaning of some of his prophecies. The faithful ones discerned the Lord Jesus had come to the temple of Jehovah, not a temple made with hands, but to the gathering together unto himself those who are truly devoted to God and who are in Christ Jesus. They saw the overwhelming Scriptural proof that the resurrection of the faithful, who died in faith, must begin about or shortly after 1918; they saw that Christ Jesus, enthroned and sent forth to rule, had cast Satan and his angels out of heaven and down to the earth; they then saw and appreciated the two great organizations in opposition, that is, the organization of Satan and the organization of Jehovah. Since then, as God has unfolded to them his prophecies, these faithful ones have joyfully fed upon them, which are “meat in due season” to them, and to them their commission and duty have been clarified. Now they sec the clear distinction between religion and Christianity; that religion is fraudulent and originated with the Devil and is practiced by those whom the Devil has deceived, and that thus “Christendom” has grown into a powerful organization of the Devil, and which organization holds the people in blindness to God and his gracious provision for them. The faithful have a keen desire to know what is the present duty to be performed by them, and when they see it they will do it, by the grace of the Lord. The lukewarm, however, are still musing over what little they learned years ago. They have looked upon themselves as great and wise, and so such continue to argue about the question of the Lord's coming to his temple, and the resurrection of the saints. They have gotten so far behind that they no longer see the unfolding of God’s purposes. Those who are devoted to the Lord are concerned about what he would have them do. What, then, is the duty’ of the remnant now and of all those who are associated with them in the service of Jehovah God ?

PASSING THE CUP

37 Jeremiah played a part in the great prophetic drama, picturing those who are truly devoted to God

and his kingdom. What Jehovah commanded Jeremiah to do is now the command of the Lord to his faithful witnesses on earth. Let all the witnesses of Jehovah now take heed and give careful consideration to the commandment that Jehovah gave to Jeremiah at this point in the prophetic drama: “For thus saith the Lord God of Israel unto me, Take the wine cup of this fury [the cup of the wine of this fury (A.R.V.)] at my hand, and cause all the nations to whom I send thee to drink it.”–Jer. 25:15.

38 This does not mean that those who are servants of Jehovah now must take a literal cup of wine and carry that to somebody. The cup of wine which Jeremiah was commanded to take was a symbol representing what God would present to the people. Jeremiah was playing a part in the prophetic drama or a vision, just as John the apostle did later when he took a little book out of the hand of the angel and ate it up, and found it sweet to his taste but bitter to his stomach. (Rev. 10:8-11) Ezekiel also performed a like part in one of God’s prophetic dramas. (See Ezekiel 2:9,10; 3:1-4.) In the vision of Jeremiah a cup contained “the wine of this fury”, hence not literal vine, but the fury of Jehovah God against his enemies. The cup was a vessel holding a potion, and therefore pictures the vessels which Jehovah uses to present “the wine of this fury” to those who must drink it. lienee the cup pictures (1) Jehovah’s faithful witnesses under Christ Jesus, who are sent forth to the nations to bear witness, which nations include “Christendom”; and (2) Christ Jesus, the great Vessel, the mighty Executioner, and all his holy angels with him and associated with him in the execution of Jehovah’s judgment.

39 The cup contained “the wine of this fury”, which contents picture respectively (1) the judgment message of Jehovah delivered by Christ Jesus the Head of his organization at the temple through his faithful servants and witnesses, that is, Jehovah’s witnesses, such message having heretofore been dictated to and uttered by Jehovah’s holy prophets foretelling the outpouring of God’s fury at the battle of the great day of God Almighty; and (2) the actual execution by Christ Jesus and his associated heavenly forces of the judgments in which God’s fury upon the whole of Satan’s organization and its works are poured out in fulfillment of the prophecies previously written. This message is now proclaimed by Jehovah’s witnesses and is in the “cup” which is taken “at my hand”, that is, at God’s hand; and therefore the “cup” pictures Jehovah’s servants. It is in reality God’s “hand” that presents the cup to those who are made to drink its contents. The contents of the “cup”, therefore, are handed to them, first by Jehovah’s ‘sent’ witnesses, and then by his ‘sent’ Executioner, Christ Jesus.

40 The command is a comprehensive and sweeping one and says: “Cause all the nations to whom I send thee to drink it.” Why all? Because all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them are claimed by Satan and are a part of his organization, and therefore all such and all the elements thereof are enemies of God, whom He will search out now and destroy. ‘‘Thine hand shall find out all thine enemies; thy right hand shall find out those that hate thee.” – Ps. 21:8.

41 Take note of this, that Jehovah’s witnesses, whom Jeremiah pictured, now are not permitted to except or pass up or excuse any peoples or nations. The duty of the witnesses is to declare the message of Almighty God as it is written. The religionists of “Christendom” are astounded and greatly offended because Jehovah’s witnesses classify, not just one religion or church system, but all religions and religious systems, as devilish and therefore wrong and dishonoring to God. Jehovah’s witnesses must carry the message and proclaim it, regardless of any organization. All these organizations draw nigh to God with their mouths, but their heart devotion is not to him and his kingdom. All such are a part of this world and therefore a part of Satan’s organization, used to dishonor and reproach the name of Jehovah God. Because this message of the Lord God is publicly proclaimed the religionists set up a mad howl and shout: “Jehovah’s witnesses say every religion is wrong except their own”; but the facts are, Jehovah’s witnesses have no religion whatsoever; they stand solidly and entirely upon the Word of Almighty God and point out from the Scriptures the authoritative words of Jesus and the apostles that religion is of the Devil, the purpose of which is to make void the Word of God. The religious leaders, and particularly the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, brand Jehovah’s witnesses as self-conceited and bigoted and as disturbers of the peace. Jehovah’s witnesses are merely bringing the message of the Almighty God and are not claiming any credit whatsoever to themselves. It is impossible for Jehovah’s witnesses to make “Christendom” drink the contents of the cup, but they bring the message to “Christendom”, informing them of God’s purpose. Jeremiah could not “cause all the nations ... to drink”, but he delivered the cup with its contents, which Jehovah compels those to whom it is presented to drink. And so it is today. Jehovah’s witnesses bring the prophetic message of God to the attention of the people and the nations, and it is the Almighty God who will compel them to drink of the cup of this fury. The present-day duty of Jehovah’s witnesses is therefore plain and strictly in accord with the command which Jesus gives to them, to wit: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” – Matt. 24:14.

42 Jehovah’s great Prophet, Christ Jesus, is uttering this command by authority conferred upon him by the Almighty God; and it is written that it shall come to pass that everyone who does not obey this prophet shall be destroyed. (Acts 3:23) Jehovah’s witnesses and servants, therefore, have no alternative. They must obey the commandments of Jehovah, and they delight to obey them. No one person can perform service for another person, but each one who is a witness of Jehovah must perform his part.

43 The religionists, and particularly the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, now vehemently rage against Jehovah’s witnesses and desperately attempt to stop these servants of God from carrying out the commandments of the Most High. There is no power that can stop this message and the execution of God’s purpose. The Lord Jehovah says to Jeremiah (and which now applies to Jehovah’s witnesses) as to what they must do and what shall follow, and what the nations will be compelled to do: “And they shall drink, and be moved, and be mad, because of the sword that I will send among them.”–Jer. 25:16.

44 The religionists cannot escape the drinking now, even if they do take away the license of the radio stations that broadcast the truth, and coerce the owners and operators of other radio stations and compel them to cease broadcasting God’s message, and employ other drastic means to stop the proclamation of the truth. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and allies are now enacting all manner of laws and ordinances, and wrongfully enforcing the same, for the purpose of preventing the people’s receiving the truth. They attempt to stop the use of sound equipment to proclaim the message of Almighty God; they have enacted and have enforced laws preventing the freedom of speech and the importation into the various countries of the printed message of God’s Word. They make these laws to stop Jehovah’s witnesses from going from house to house to preach the gospel of the kingdom, and they punish with heavy fines and imprisonment the faithful men and women who do continue to go about proclaiming the message, which the Almighty God has commanded they must proclaim. But all their cruel, Godless and vicious efforts to suppress the message of the Lord cannot succeed in stopping it, nor can these nations of “Christendom” and her “great men” escape drinking the cup, because Jehovah says: ‘They shall drink, and be moved, go mad, and reel to and fro.’ They are very mad now. They arc not merely offended at those who bear the message of the Lord to them, but they are beastly drunk and gone mad, like a mad dog frothing at the mouth, and seeking to bite everyone who comes to them with God’s message. Jehovah says they shall drink ‘because of the sword that I will send among them’. This shows that “wine of this fury” is equivalent to (1) the “sword of the spirit, which is the Word of God”, expressing the furious message of Jehovah, and (2) the destructive sword of execution wielded by Christ Jesus at the battle of Armageddon. The ‘wine in the cup’ and the “sword” both picture what is God’s will before and at Armageddon. His will shall be accomplished.

45 This part of Jeremiah’s prophecy is in strict accord and harmony with the words of the Lord at Obadiah 1:1: "Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.’’ Can anyone who really is on the Lord’s side and who loves God and his kingdom have any doubt now as to what is the present duty of the faithful? Jehovah God’s time is at hand when his name must be proclaimed throughout all the earth, and such proclamation must be done and must be completed before he exhibits his supreme power.–Ex. 9:16, Leeser.

46 If we find that Jeremiah lay down on the job and concluded to wait until some other and more favorable time to carry the message pictured by the "cup” to those who should drink, then we may conclude that Jehovah’s witnesses at this time will be justified in lying down on the job and waiting until what might seem to them a more favorable opportunity or time to declare God’s message, as commanded. What course of action did Jeremiah take? and what shall Jehovah’s witnesses, who are faithful, do now?

(To be continued)

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY

1. How has Jehovah from time to time had his message delivered to the people? With what result or response?

2. Show that the statement at Jeremiah 25: 4 was true at the time it was spoken, and that it was also prophetic.

3-5. With related scriptures, explain whether the leaders of the Jens were truly Jews. In what facts is the foregoing seen to have been prophetic?

6. Point out the present-day application of the words of Jesus at Matthew 23: 33.

7, 8. Justify the words of winning and admonition at Jeremiah 25: 6 (a) at the time when spoken, (b) At the time of their prophetic appreciation.

9, 10. Account for the Jews’ having failed or refused to hearken to the message sent by Jehovah through his prophets, as recorded nt verse 7. Show that it is exactly that way at the present time.

11, 12. Show that in the time of Jeremiah Jehovah gave the people ample opportunity to ‘hear His words’; also that the same is true of the present time.

13, 14. What was the result to the Jews of not having given heed to God’s message through his prophets? How did Jehovah send, and whom did he send to execute his warning at that time? What is seen therein as to the manner and order in which Jehovah directs his work now and will accomplish his purpose at Armageddon?

15, 16. What was foretold in the record at verse 9?

17-20. Apply the prophetic declaration of verse 10.

21-24. When and to whom will “this whole land’’ be a desolation and an astonishment? How will “these nations’’ “serve the king of Babylon’’ “seventy years’’?

25,26. What is implied by the language of verses 12-14 of this chapter of the prophecy? What took place at the end of the literal seventy years? How will Jehovah “punish the king of Babylon’’ and “that nation’’?

27. To what does Jehovah refer by the words (vs. 13) “all that is written in this book’’? How and for what purpose will ho bring this “upon that land”?

28, 29. What was Jeremiah's commission from Jehovah? and of what was it prophetic?

30. How shall “many nations and great kings” “serve themselves” of “Babylon and the Chaldeans”? According to what deeds and what work?

31-33. Explain the turn of affairs foretold at Jeremiah 51: 49. 34. What was foretold in the record at Daniel 5:30, 31?

35. To whom and for what purpose does Jehovah now make known the meaning of his prophecies?

36. Point out some of the many important truths already seen by the faithful, the understanding of which is essential to their appreciation of further prophecy being unfolded by Jehovah in his appointed way.

37, 38. Why is it so important for those devoted to God and his kingdom to understand tins prophecy of Jeremiah now? What was the cup mentioned in verse 15? Of what was it a symbol?

39, 40. What was pictured by the contents of the cup? By whom are the contents of the cup handed to the nations? To what nations is the cup sent, and why?

41, 42. How are the contents of the cup regarded by those to whom the cup is sent? What, then, is plainly the duty as well as the privilege of Jehovah’s witnesses today? Is this a collective or an individual responsibility?

43, 44. What does the cup contain? How do the religionists attempt to escape thinking?

45, 46. Jehovah having unfolded his prophecies and provided  examples of faithfulness by Ins servants of times past, what will each one now do who is on the Lord's side and loves God and his kingdom?

IDOLATERS

WHAT Jehovah’s prophet Ezekiel saw in the defiled temple at Jerusalem foreshadowed what God’s "faithful servant” or remnant would see shortly preceding the battle at Armageddon, in which "Christendom” shall be destroyed. According to the God-given record (Ezek. 8:13,14), after seeing the "image of jealousy” and the idolatrous portrayals on the temple walls, the inspection continued and more abominations were seen by the prophet. “He [Jehovah] said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.”

"Tammuz” was the name of a Phoenician god, which the Devil had provided, of course, to deceive the people. Whatever the Tammuz represented, it is certain that women adored and idolized it and worshiped the creature and ignored the Creator, and that death overtook it, and they wept bitterly. This fits the so- called "fundamentalists”, who worship their church organizations and give no heed to the kingdom of God under Christ. They profess to be defenders of the Word of God and the followers of Christ Jesus, but their devotion is entirely to their organization, which Tammuz fitly represents. These church organizations are patronized chiefly by women. Their men look upon religion as taught in the orthodox churches as being fit only for women and children and weak-minded persons.

The women well pictured the Epworth League workers, the managers of church affairs, and like organizations within the church, which they idolize and worship because they are attached to the church. Those represented by the women have for some time seen the steady decline of their church organization, and they weep because the church is dying or practically dead, and they know that soon it must die. They believe that with the passing away of these churches morality and human reformation will die also, and the entire world will be lost. They pretend to make much over Jesus, who died, but they have no time for nor interest in the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ as the means of vindicating and honoring Jehovah God’s name and for the blessing and uplift of the human race. The second coming of Christ and the establishment of his kingdom do not interest them. Their interest is centered in doing the work of their organization. They think that, because some selfconstituted “wise” men have said that ‘the church must clothe the earth in the moral achievements of man, so that Christ can come’, the work of the church therefore is to carry out this announced slogan and clean up the world. And now seeing that the church is in a dying condition, and is practically dead, they weep and wail. They look to the clergy of their church to clean up and save the world, and the clergy go to the political rulers and ask for instruction as to what they shall do to accomplish this purpose. Hence the members of their church look upon their organization as dying and almost dead.

The fundamentalists, while claiming to support the Bible, ignore every part of it with reference to God’s kingdom, and ally themselves with this world and are led by the god of these world powers, the Devil. They are deceived, to be sure; and this statement is made here because it is a fact, and in order that those of good will may get their eyes open to a realization of the facts. The preachers themselves have ‘become as women’. They sense the end of their organization, and they weep. All of them have great cause to weep, because they have drawn near the Lord with their mouths while their hearts are far removed from him and now no more is the blessing of the Lord with them. They have allied themselves with Satan’s organization and looked to the League of Nations, the Epworth League, and other leagues and peace pacts, to accomplish the desired end or reformation and upbuilding of the human race. They are therefore an abomination in the sight of the Lord.

The inspection continues and more abominations are exhibited to Ezekiel, and hence more abominations are revealed to the temple class. “Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man! Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.” (Ezek. 8:15) It is a well-known fact that in modern times human intellectuality, or “the wisdom of this world”, is placed before and above the worship of Jehovah God. The clergy, acting as Satan’s instruments and hypocritically claiming to be God’s representatives, are chiefly responsible for this condition in the nations called “Christendom” or “organized Christianity”. From the pulpits discourses are regularly delivered, not in explanation of the Bible, but upon what is called “scientific matter”, and the Word of the Lord is ignored. Ezekiel 8:16 reads: ‘‘And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house [the temple]; and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar [the place of sacrifice, and near the location of the laver, which symbolizes the Word of God by which one is made clean, and which is ignored by the clergy], were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the cast.”

In this modern day, called by the self-wise “the brain age”, young men are required to take a course in the secular colleges and there have all faith in God and his Word destroyed, before they are admitted to the theological seminary. By the time they have finished their education in the theological seminary and are turned out as clergymen and labeled with a high- sounding title, although they occupy a place in a church called ‘the house of the Lord’, their worship is of the creature and to the utter disregard of the Creator. Modern colleges and theological seminaries are therefore mere hatcheries of infidelity. It is these worshipers of so-called ‘intellectual power and great men and their institutions’ that arc put forward as the saviors and deliverers of the world. These modern “brain-age” men, together with their institutions, are held forth to the people as the “sunlight of the world”. As Ezekiel was shown this condition in the temple, even so the class whom he represented, God's faithful anointed ones, had a vision thereof in fact and so declared themselves.

On August 29, 1925, in convention assembled at Indianapolis, the consecrated passed a resolution known as the “Message of Hope”, and sent it forth to all people of good will of “Christendom”. Among other things, that resolution said:

“World powers, science and philosophy, commerce and religion, have each in turn offered their respective remedies for man’s relief. In the name and under the guise of democracy, these combine in offering their joint and several powers to meet the requirements of man. Together they claim to be the sunlight of the world, holding forth all the light that shines to enlighten  and guide the human race.

“Intrigue, duplicity, and trickery are freely resorted to by the political and commercial powers; science and philosophy are marked by vanity and selfsufficiency; while the religionists, both Catholic and Protestant, are conspicuous by their arrogance, selfconceit, impiety and ungodliness. Therefore, it is apparent that the remedies offered by any and all of these aforementioned elements are vain, impotent, and powerless to satisfy man’s desire.” (See Light, Book One, page 130.)

The twenty-five men that Ezekiel saw at the door of the temple of the Lord represent the modem clergymen and the principal of their flocks, who are the chief ones in the organization of the religion of “Christendom” and hence claim to be in the house of the Lord. While they claim to be the representatives of God, they are in fact the servants of Satan the Devil, and hence are constantly practicing hypocrisy before men. These self-wise “sun worshipers” (meaning those who worship intellect, science and power) greatly defame and reproach the name of Jehovah God. They are an integral part of Satan’s organization. It is the solemn duty and obligation laid upon every member of the “servant” class to tell the truth concerning such hypocrites, that by the grace of the Lord the truth may sweep away the lies and expose the hiding place thereof, that the people may know that Jehovah is the only true God and that their hope rests entirely with him. For any of the Lord’s anointed ones to slack his hand in declaring the truth concerning Satan’s organization and the visible representatives therein would be to show unfaithfulness to God and to his covenant.

It is a fact well known to all that since the ending of the World War a great crime wave has swept over the land called “Christendom”. Who is responsible among men for this great crime wave? The prophecy of Ezekiel lays the responsiblity for the crime wave at the door of “organized Christianity” by reason of its perversion of the true worship of God and the forsaking of his Word. This was pictured in the false religious practices that Ezekiel saw going on in the temple at Jerusalem. The clergy and the principal of the flock of “Christendom” claim to represent God and Christ and to rule by divine right, and yet they pursue a course of unrighteousness and have brought great reproach upon God’s name and upon the name of his Christ. They have attempted to induce the people to believe that Jehovah approves of them. The people know that they are hypocrites, because they claim to be for God and righteousness and at the same time practice unrighteousness. They claim to be advocates of the law, while they themselves break the law. By reason thereof the people have lost respect for law and order and have no regard for God and the Bible. The sanctity of human life is no longer held by the great mass of mankind, and hence “the everlasting covenant” (Gen. 9:1-6) is transgressed and frequently broken.

This was shown to Ezekiel, and foreshadowed the condition existing today in “Christendom”: “Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger; and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.” (Ezek. 8:17) “The land is full of bloody crimes, and the city [‘Christendom’, Satan’s organization on earth] is full of violence.” (Ezek. 7:23) “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.’’ – Isa. 24:5

REBELLIOUS

JEHOVAH sent his prophet Ezekiel to the nation of Israel, a rebellious people that were impudent and stiffhearted. (Ezek. 2:3,4) He warned Ezekiel not to be afraid to speak to them nor to be afraid of their words. “And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions; be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear; for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee: Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house; open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.” – Ezek. 2: 5-8.

This well corresponds to the truth that the Lord permitted his people to understand in 1919, that they were to go forward to “organized Christianity” with the message of truth and to deliver it fearlessly, 'whether they were heard or whether they were not heard.’ It was also a warning to the “servant” class to be not rebellious before the Lord as “Christendom” was and as some who were then in the truth were, but that those who would please the Lord must be bold and fearless in the proclamation of his message of truth. The Watchtower warned the prominent ones of companies against a rebellious course and pointed out the necessity of fearlessly engaging in the Lord’s service, and where some showed fear and refused to do the work the opportunity to do it was given to others.

About the autumn of 1922 the organization of God’s people on earth was more fully completed, and it was then, at a general assembly of his people at a convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, that they got a better vision and appreciation of God’s purposes concerning them and their commission, and then they went to the work with a real zeal. Isaiah’s vision seems clearly to have foreshadowed this particular time. Isaiah had a vision of the Lord at his temple and came to a realization that he as a servant of the Lord was a man of unclean lips, and he cried unto the Lord, and the Lord sent to him his invisible messenger with a coal of fire from off the altar with which Isaiah’s lips were made clean. Concerning this it is written: “And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.” – Isa. 6:7-9.

From 1919 to 1922 others had come to a knowledge of the truth and had responded to the call for the kingdom. It was on the occasion of that Cedar Point assembly that all the faithful who were present saw the opportunity and necessity of carrying the message of the kingdom to the people, and there was a tremendous response such as never to be forgotten by those who witnessed the demonstration at that assembly. The spirit and zeal of the Lord were upon that people. It was doubtless about that time that ‘the holy spirit was poured out on all flesh’, meaning that all who had responded to the call for the kingdom, and who were brought into the temple, were commissioned and commanded to carry the message of truth to the people, regardless of sex or previous position in the church. (Joel 2: 28, 29) The cleansing received by Isaiah foreshadowed the fact that God’s “faithful servant” class would come to a realization that the proper zeal had not been shown in proclaiming the truth and thus the sin was upon their lips. The cleansing of Isaiah’s lips by a coal of fire pictured the fact that God cleansed the lips of his people and sent them forth to do his work of witnessing to the truth, and that all then who were faithful were anointed of the Lord, and that these constituted thereafter God’s “faithful servant”, otherwise called “the remnant”.

Prior to the Lord’s coining to his temple for judgment there were a number who had received the truth and responded to the call for the kingdom but who because of selfishness had rebelled against the light and began to fall away. The “rebellious” ones mentioned in the prophecy therefore would include all such who began to fall away about 1917 and who were gathered out and formed the “evil servant” class. Such claimed to be Jews (that is to say, devoted to God’s praise and service of his King), and, says the Lord, ‘They are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan.' (Rev. 2: 9; 3:9) ‘They are those that rebelled against the light? (Job 24:13) It was the duty of The Watchtower to speak with plainness to such, and by the Lord’s grace this was done. Those who failed to heed the Lord’s warning found themselves in the “evil servant” class and the “man of sin”.

The commission to Ezekiel, and therefore to the “faithful servant” class, was also to warn “such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the Host High”. (Ps. 107:10-16) As Ezekiel was commanded by the Lord to warn the rebellious Israelites, so God’s “faithful servant” class is commissioned to warn those who profess to be the children of the Lord and who are rebellious. When the warning to such rebellious ones was published in The Watchtower the prophecy of Ezekiel was not then understood. (See The Watchtower 1926, pages 323-328, 339, 340; 1929, pages 134, 147.) This is mentioned here as further evidence that the Lord uses his people to fulfill prophecy and afterwards advises them thereof by revealing the meaning of the prophecy. It is an evidence that the Lord feeds his people upon food convenient for them and directs the way they shall go, and to the Lord is due all glory. God commissions his people to do his work and sends the obedient ones forth upon that mission; and he directs their way, using them as his instruments, and all in the temple give him glory therefor and sing forth his praises. – Prov. 3:5,6; Ps. 29:9.

As further proof that the truth is not the product of the “servant” class or of any man, but that all truth proceeds from the Lord, it is written, by the prophet Ezekiel: “And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; and he spread it before me ; and it was written within and without; and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.” (Ezek. 2:9, 10) God’s due time had come to send forth his message; and ‘a roll of a book in a hand’ shows that this truth comes by the spirit and power of God, and not by any creature, and that it is God’s product. The roll or book spread out before Ezekiel shows that the time had arrived for God to send forth his “servant” to deliver a message to his people. This time especially dates from and after 1922, when the Lord had provided his people with a means for witnessing to the truth. When the prophecies are understood it will be found that they are all in exact harmony; which is another proof that they all proceed from God.

The statement of Ezekiel is in exact harmony with Revelation 10:1, 2, which says: “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, . . . and he had in his hand a little book open.” Thus is shown that God’s time had come to make known his purposes and he sent forth his message of truth to his people. (See Light, Book One, page 174.) God’s judgment written must be declared before the execution thereof. “Organized Christianity,” or “Christendom”, pictured by Jerusalem, must be told the truth and be warned of God’s impending judgment against her. Also those who had been in line for the kingdom and had fallen away must be warned. “Organized Christianity,” or “Christendom”, is pictured by Jerusalem and is more reprehensible than the heathen nations; hence God’s judgment is written against her.

The roll of the book exhibited to Ezekiel contained the message of ‘the day of the vengeance of God’ against Israel; and likewise now that which the Lord reveals to his people contains the truth concerning the day of the vengeance of our God, which must be declared to “Christendom”. (Isa. 61:2) Let the fearful and rebellious refuse to declare God’s righteous indignation against Satan’s organization, if they will; but all who are of the “faithful servant” class will without hesitation declare God’s truth and expose to view the enemy and the hideous agencies of his organization. Those who were once in line for the kingdom and who fail and refuse thus to do put themselves in the class with God’s enemies. (Ezek. 2:3) It is comforting and gratifying to see how Jehovah uses his people to do his work and then later shows them what he has done; and this is further proof that prophecy was written to make brighter the hope of those who are in the covenant for the kingdom and who obey the terms of that covenant. (Rom. 15:4) For several years God’s faithful people on earth have been doing, and are now doing, a work which was foretold by the prophet and the meaning of which the Lord is now pleased to reveal to his faithful ones.

It is observed that almost a hundred times the Lord addresses Ezekiel as “son of man”. That is one of the titles given to Jesus Christ; lienee the class whom Ezekiel pictured and foreshadowed must of necessity be those who arc of the body of the anointed One. The title does not apply to any individual, but applies to the body members of Christ anil takes in all the faithful anointed ones of the earth. It is this class that the Lord uses in proclaiming his Word and also in connection with the fulfillment of his prophecy.

The third chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy opens with the statement: “Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou findest; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.” In harmony with this God first causes his own people to feed upon his truth and to grow strong thereby, and then their strength must be used in obedience to his commandment to the glory of the Lord by speaking these truths to others. This is in harmony with Revelation 10:8,9: “And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. . . . And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up.” These prophecies of Ezekiel and Revelation concerning the eating of the roll or book symbolically represent God’s anointed servant receiving the truth to be used to the glory of the Lord.

This is further corroborated by Jehovah’s words to the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah also pictures the “faithful servant” class to whom the Lord Jehovah says: “I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.” (Isa. 51:16) The message of the Lord he puts in the mouth of his “servant” not merely to feed upon for his own benefit, but that it might be used in accordance with God's commandments by proclaiming it to others. “So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to cal that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.”–Ezek. 3: 2, 3.

These words last quoted from Ezekiel picture the faithful people of the Lord who were hungry for a further revelation of his Word, whom the Lord Jesus began to feed when he came to the temple of God. It took some time to fill them up and for them to digest the food before they were ready for the fight, and when the time came they were made strong in the Lord and went forth in obedience to his commandments. This is in exact accord with Revelation 10:10,11, which says: “And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and as soon as I had eaten it my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Thus is shown God’s provision and his preparation of his people for a campaign that shortly thereafter began, and is now in progress, the purpose of which is to proclaim the King and his kingdom and to announce the day of God’s vengeance.

LETTERS

JOY IN JEHOVAH’S SERVICE

Dear Brother Rutherford:

The Brownwood (Texas) company of publishers wish to assure you of our joy in the service of Jehovah, and of our appreciation of being able to cat the food, which we find most “convenient”, at the table furnished by the Lord for all the willing ones now on earth.

Let this message, brief though it must be, convey our warm personal regard and loyalty to you in this hour of stress. Daily we remember you at the Father’s throne of grace, and ask that you so remember us.

AN INQUIRY, AND THE ANSWER

My dear Brother Rutheiuord:

I am a young girl aged fourteen years, and have been a publisher for Jehovah for four years now.

I was told the other day by a brother that I am not a Christian, as I claim to be a Jonadab. On asking other brethren I find there is a big difference of opinion amongst the brethren, and I should like to know definitely if I am a Christian or not. If not, would you please give me two scriptures to prove I am not; and if not a Christian, what can I say if someone asks me at a door what I am?

With much love,

Your fellow publisher in Jehovah’s service, Constance A. Wood, England.

My dear little Sister:

Because you love Jehovah and obey his commandments in the way Christ Jesus obeys, that constitutes one a Christian. Both the anointed and the Jonadabs (great multitude) are the Lord’s sheep, and all must be of one fold. (John 10: 10) Watchtower article “Companions”, August 15, 1937, explains.

With much love,

Your fellow Christian,

J. F. Rutherford.