His "Work" and His "Act" (Part 7) № 23

“VINDICATOR”

The concluding united service period of the year 1937, the nine days December 4 to 12 inclusive, is called the ‘“Vindicator” testimony period. The feature offer of this period will be the new book Enemies, to be placed on the usual contribution of 25c. All those desiring to be for a vindication of Jehovah’s name will act upon this announcement and will now see to making all due preparations for a vigorous part in this testimony. Consult the most recent issues of the Informant for additional details and instructions. Your prompt report at the close of the testimony will be appreciated by this office.

“ENEMIES”

This new book, written by Brother Rutherford, and first announced and released at the recent general convention of Jehovah's witnesses at Columbus, Ohio, is now available for all who are for Jehovah and his King and against his enemies. It is a grand work, of 384 pages, excellently bound, gold- stamped, with color illustrations and a comprehensive index The initial edition is the autographed edition and contains, in facsimile, a letter written by the hand of the author and addressed to all the Lord’s servants. Due to the limited quantity of this author’s edition a contribution therefor of 50c a copy is asked to offset the special expense of publishing this edition.

YEAR BOOK FOR 1938

The Year Book for 1938 will embody the features that have made the issues for previous years so valuable to all who declare themselves on Jehovah’s side and who are actively interested in and participating in the publishing of his name and his kingdom. The president’s report contained therein gives an accurate and comprehensive account of the state of the Lord’s work in the various lands throughout the earth, showing in considerable detail the activities and efforts put forth during the service year just ended and the results thereof. Then there is the year text for 1938 and a pointed comment thereon. This, together with well chosen daily texts and explanatory comments thereon from The Watchtower, makes this Year Book one of everyday help and use for all the Lord’s faithful. The edition thereof is limited, and hence the contribution of 50c per copy is received therefor. Company groups should combine individual orders and send same in through company servant, to reduce mailing expense.

1938 CALENDAR

The text for the calendar year 1938 is: 'Be not afraid: the battle is God’s.’ (2 Chron. 20: 15) The calendar art picture was specially painted to fit this text and beautifully illustrates it and its action. Beneath the picture on the calendar base appears a letter from the president of the Society setting forth the several united service periods for the year and serving as a ready reference for the kingdom publishers. The calendar pad also indicates the dates of these testimony periods. Company servants should send in a combination order for all in the company wanting calendars. Remit, with order, at 25c each, or $1.00 for five.

Vol. LVIII

December 1, 1937

No. 23

HIS "WORK” AND HIS "ACT”

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

PART 7

JEHOVAH’S judgment day is a time of first cleansing his sanctuary and then destroying everything that is an abomination in his sight. Jehovah’s judgment is carried forward by and through his Chief Officer, Christ Jesus, whom Jehovah has installed at his temple for the purpose of judgment. (Mal. 3:1-3) The time of judgment is from 1918 onward. The time and manner of judgment is definitely fixed, as stated in the Scriptures: “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?” (1 Pet. 4:17,18) The execution of Jehovah’s judgment against the wrongdoers begins with those who have taken the name of God in vain, proving unfaithful and against God and his kingdom.

2 The organized religion falsely and wrongfully called “Christianity”, or “the Christian religion”, has taken the name of God and Christ Jesus, and that great combined religious system is headed by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. That religious institution has presumptuously assumed the name of God and falsely claims to be the direct representative of God and Christ on earth, and yet every part of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy institution is hypocritical. The Hierarchy has brought greater reproach upon the name of Jehovah than any other institution that has existed on the earth. It has carried on the most flagrant and cruel and vicious racket of any criminal institution that ever existed. This is particularly true because that institution has practiced a great fraud upon the people in the name of God and of Christ, deceiving them and robbing them of their property and destroying their opportunity for life everlasting.

3 Where, then, should it be expected that evil or adverse judgment will begin? The Lord God, through his prophet Jeremiah, answers that question specifically: “For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name, and should ye be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.” – Jer. 25:29.

4 The Roman Catholic Hierarchy in particular, and all the so-called “Christian” religionists in general, for centuries have induced billions of persons to believe that such religious institutions represent God and Christ, and those billions of people have gladly followed the hypocritical and blasphemous leaders. Because the religious leaders have boldly claimed that they represent God and Christ, and because they have exhibited the greatest amount of hypocrisy, millions of honest men have rejected God and the Bible, his Word, and Christ Jesus, the Savior, and have reproached God for apparently having such an organization of hypocrites on earth to represent him. Seeing the hypocrisy of the clergy, which particularly was exhibited during the World War, millions of young men, as well as older ones, have turned entirely against God and anything that pertains to him and his kingdom. The religious leaden by their false doctrines and their wrongful and immoral conduct have made God to appear as a fiend and as a party to their crimes. They have collected money upon their announced claim that God would hear their prayers and forgive cruel and wicked crimes and criminals. The honest men have said: ‘We want nothing to do with such a God, who is a party to such wickedness’; and thus the religionists have greatly reproached the name of God and Christ Jesus.

5 The word “evil”, as used in the text above quoted from Jeremiah, means a calamity befalling a creature or organization for wrongdoing. It is written that Jehovah creates evil. (Isa. 45:7) That means that Jehovah has provided for the punishment of wrongdoers by sending upon those wrongdoers a calamity. That calamity is an evil or a punishment to the wrongdoers. Now Jehovah definitely and plainly states: “I begin to bring evil [calamity] [at or] on the city upon which my name is called.” – Margin.

6 God’s judgment upon the new Jerusalem, that is, upon the faithful remnant on earth, brings no evil upon them, because he approves them and clothes that faithful company with the robe of his righteousness that they may offer unto him an offering in righteousness; and hence he puts his name of approval upon them. (Mal. 3:3; Isa. 61:10) But there is an organization which calls itself by the name of the Lord, that is, the so-called “Christian religion”, which religion is claimed to worship God and Christ but does not. ‘Upon that city [organization]says Jehovah, ‘ “upon which my name is called,” but which is unfaithful to me,’ he begins the evil. God puts his curse, that is, his expressed wrath, upon or against that organization. The clear distinction is made between the true followers of Christ Jesus and those who practice religion in the name of Christ. Even the faithful ones of God were partially “drunken” and were unwillingly guilty of much deflection before the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple, and this was due to their ignorance and to the ignorance that had been forced upon them by the religious systems, out of which they came. They were honest of heart and truly endeavored to do God’s will as well as they knew, and upon the coming of the Lord to the temple for judgment they were cleansed; and concerning such it is written: “And there shall be no more curse [on the faithful remnant for being negligent]: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants [those of the ‘elect servant’ class] shall serve him.”—Rev. 22: 3.

7 The organization that has presumptuously assumed the name of God and Christ and brought great reproach upon that name and continued to do so is exactly in a contrary position. Upon that unfaithful crowd God inflicts full punishment, and that punishment is the beginning of Armageddon, and hence the beginning of God’s “act, his strange act”.

8 To the religionists who hang on to what they call the “Christian religion”, whether they be of the laity that go to church and indulge in certain religious forms and ceremonies or arc non-professors of religion but who think the church organizations are necessarily a part of the governments and must be tolerated for that reason, all these the Lord includes when he says: “Should ye be utterly unpunished!” Otherwise stated, the Lord’s words are: ‘Are you guiltless with respect to the organized religion and religionists who practice in my name? Have you not also reproached Jehovah’s name?’. Such persons have joined with the leaders of religion in persecuting God’s faithful servants, upon whom the Lord has truly put his name, and thus they have added further insult to injury. They join in the persecution of such faithful ones to reproach God’s name out of malice, and because they hate God and righteousness and hate anything that pertains to him and his organization. Have not such persons in the past acted, and do they not continue in the present to act in conjunction with the hypocritical leaders, that is, the clergy, in doing violence to God’s people, and in reproaching his name? Such persons have received the warning from God’s Word, which has been delivered to them by his witnesses, and they have shown themselves to be of the “goat” class, by joining the religionists in the persecution of God’s faithful witnesses. Those persons have no regard for what is right and just. They operate with the religious leaders and do so for political and commercial gain; and so with the fall of the religious systems those men will be next in order upon whom the wrath of God will be executed. The Scriptures therefore clearly show that at first the clergy and like hypocrites receive punishment and then their supporters suffer a like punishment.

9 The so-called “Christian religion” will be no protection to any creature or nation when Armageddon begins. To those who claim such protection the Lord says: “Ye shall not be unpunished: for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.” Christ Jesus, the great Sword or Executioner, will quickly and promptly respond to the call of Jehovah and will move into action against all that are a part of or supporters of the Devil’s organization; and concerning this it is written: “And I am very sore displeased with the heathen that arc at case; for I was but a little displeased, and they helped forward the affliction.” (Zech. 1:15) “For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion.” (Isa. 34:2,3,8) By those scriptures it is seen that Jehovah’s record of prophecy is really history in advance by which he advises those who serve him what they may expect to come to pass in the near future.

10 Having expressed his determination to visit his calamity or punishment upon all the nations of the world, Jehovah then gives Jeremiah positive command to tell the people about it: “Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.”— Jer. 25:30.

11 Here Jeremiah pictures Jehovah’s remnant as a whole, and each one thereof; and upon each one rests a like responsibility. All who will be faithful unto God and prove their integrity toward him will quickly and gladly obey this commandment. No one can obey this commandment by substituting some other person for himself. It is an individual responsibility. It is an opportunity for each one to prove his devotion to Jehovah. Some may be incapacitated physically or otherwise as to going from house to house, but such will avail themselves of every possible opportunity that comes their way to get the message to others. One’s responsibility is in proportion to his opportunity. Some are concerned with preparing the material for the field workers, and in doing this they thereby share in the service of the Lord. All of Jehovah’s faithful people are now to be at unity in making known Jehovah’s purpose upon the nations of the earth, and each one performing his assigned duty is having part in the service, whether he be in the office, in the factory, or in the field, or preparing food for others. God’s people must now be wholly and completely devoted to him and his cause, and be blind to everything else. The Jonadabs will remain in the city of refuge and show their devotion and faithfulness to God by joining in the proclamation of the message of the kingdom as opportunity is afforded them. It is now war time, and the witnesses of the Lord must now be engaged in that war, and their part therein is singing the praises of Jehovah and his King; and that song of praise sung in full confidence to the Lord strikes terror to the heart of the enemy. The Lord’s invisible forces will do the inflicting of the mortal punishment.—2 Chron. 20:15-25.

12 The Scriptures indicate that the enemy may for a time put to silence the earthly witnesses. The purpose of the enemy now is to rid the earth of Jehovah’s witnesses and the message which they bring from the Lord. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and her allies, when gaining control of all the nations of “Christendom”, almost certainly will clamp down on the witness work. That is exactly what the Devil’s organization has done recently in Germany. Then the religious crowd will felicitate one another and say: ‘Peace and safety; now we have everything our own way.’ Then the Lord acts; as it is written: ‘Sudden destruction shall come upon them, and they shall find no way to escape.’ (1 Thess. 5:3) Says the prophet: “The Lord shall roar from on high”; that is, from the top of his universal organization, because he is the Supreme Power, the Most High. Jehovah’s roar will be most terrible and appalling to the enemy and will drown out everything else and fill the ranks of the enemy with dismay. Jehovah, in righteous indignation, goes into battle action by his chief representative, Christ Jesus, who takes the lead of the heavenly host to completely crush out the enemy. “The Lord shall go forth as a mighty man, he shall stir up jealousy [zeal, great heat of battle] like a man of war; he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his enemies. I [Jehovah] have long time holden my peace; I have been still, and refrained myself; now will I cry like a travailing woman; I will destroy and devour at once.”—Isa. 42:13,14.

13 Zion is the habitation of Jehovah. It is his capital organization, chosen for himself. (Ps. 132:13) Jehovah shall “utter his voice from his holy habitation”. (Jer. 25:30) This he does by proxy through Christ Jesus, his great Judge, who is now at the temple. He utters his voice by his Logos, the Head of the capital organization. He does not utter his voice from “the city which is called by my name”, for the reason that that city or organization is unholy and has been spued out of the Lord’s mouth. God is against the unholy organization of “Christendom”, and it is against that organization he begins his “strange act”; and he begins that “strange act” by Christ Jesus, who utters the voice of Jehovah. “Christendom” is entirely of the earth, being completely removed from things spiritual. It is written: ‘At his voice the earth melted.’ (Ps. 46:6) That will be the effect upon the religious systems. They shall melt and pass away.

14 “He shall mightily roar upon his habitation [na-vah (Hebrew), meaning, ‘at home’; (Rotherham) over his home].” “Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation [na-vah (Hebrew): home].” (Ex. 15:13) Jehovah thus manifests himself as being on the side of his faithful people, that is, the temple company, wherein he resides and rests by his spirit. ‘‘For ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (2 Cor. 6:16) His roar shall be against his enemies, and not against his own people, but shall be through them,

15 That will be the time of his triumph, and “he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes’’; that is, a shout of joy and vindication. The treaders of grapes make wine, which is of good cheer; but, on the occasion of treading, Jehovah by Christ Jesus treads out the blood of Satan’s “vine of the earth”. (Rev. 14:18-20) Such is the time of destruction to the enemy, and the time of vindication and joy to the Lord. The treading begins at “Christendom” but does not stop until it embraces or takes in all the enemy. The treading is “against all the inhabitants of the earth”, and therefore all must be trodden in “the great winepress of the wrath of God”. “And he [Jehovah’s Word, Christ Jesus] treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” (Rev. 19:15) “I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people [all the inhabitants of the earth] there was none with me; for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come. And I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth. ” — Isa. 63: 3, 4, 6.

16 Desolation usually causes a tumultuous noise, and so Armageddon is described as such: “A noise [(Leeser) A tumultuous noise] shall come even to the ends of the earth: for the Lord hath a controversy with the nations; he will plead with all flesh; he will give them that are wicked to the sword, saith the Lord.”—Jer. 25: 31.

17 A tumultuous noise, which accompanies the battle of Armageddon, betokens wasting, destruction, and desolation. Furthermore the Lord, by his prophet, says concerning his wrath expressed against the nations of earth: “Because the Lord hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered: because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken; every one of their bows is broken; for the Lord God of recompences shall surely requite.”—Jer. 51: 55, 56.

18 That great and terrible destruction begins on the religious system and extends to all nations; and this is further shown by the following prophecy, to wit: “But I will send a fire upon Moab, and it shall devour the palaces of Kirioth [Moabite city] ; and Moab shall die with tumult [a great noise], with shouting, and with the sound of the trumpet. ” (Amos 2:2) The hypocritical organization called “Christendom” shall be first, and this is shown by the following prophecy: “Therefore shall a tumult arise among thy [‘Christendom’s’] people, and all thy fortresses shall be spoiled, as Shalman spoiled Beth-arbel in the day of battle: the mother was dashed in pieces upon her children. ’’—Hos. 10:14

19 These scriptures show conclusively that the old “whore” must go down first. Relating to the same thing, says the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of noise from the city [unfaithful ‘Christendom’, or ‘organized religion’], a voice from the temple, a voice of the Lord that rendereth recompence to his enemies.” (Isa. 66:6) Mark the clear distinction here between the voice of noise from “Christendom” and the voice of the Lord. The voice of the Lord is beautiful and harmonious and it is his voice from the temple that fills unfaithful “Christendom”, or organized religionists, with dismay, and the latter makes a great noise of confusion and tumult. The noise that begins at “Christendom”, a noise because of destruction, will go around the entire earth, with no nation being omitted, and it “shall come”, as Jeremiah states, “even to the ends of the earth.” The voice of the Lord from the temple is now being proclaimed and strikes dismay into “Christendom”, and this comes in fulfillment of his commandment: ‘This gospel of the kingdom must be preached to all the nations as a witness’; then comes the end in the great tribulation. (Matt. 24:14, 21) The nations that are warned shall feel to the fullest extent the wrath of Almighty God. Comparatively only a few of earth’s population have heard, believed and given heed to the warning message of the Lord. Few have faith; and those who have no faith and who are in “Christendom” are in that condition largely because the clergy, the Devil’s agents, have destroyed their faith. In harmony with this the apostle quotes from the prophet: “But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report [(margin) believed the hearing of us]? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. But I say, Have they not heard? Yes, verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.”—Rom. 10:16-18.

20 The reason is assigned for this great tumultuous noise that accompanies the calamity, to wit: “For the Lord hath a controversy with the nations.” The Hebrew word here for the word “controversy” is rib, and in other places is rendered “plead”. In the following texts it is rendered: “Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel; for the Lord hath a controversy [ (Hebrew) rib] with the inhabitants of the land [of ‘Christendom’].” (Hos. 4:1) “For it is the day of the Lord’s vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy [rib (Hebrew)] of [in behalf of] Zion.”—Isa. 34: 8.

21 Further describing Armageddon, Jeremiah says: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together, and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go. Their Redeemer is strong; the Lord of hosts is his name; he shall thoroughly plead [(Hebrew) rib] their cause, that he may give rest to the land [of his faithful witnesses on the earth], and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon. A sword is upon the Chaldeans, saith the Lord, and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.” (Jer. 50:33-35) “Arise, O God, plead [(Hebrew) rib] thine own cause: remember how the foolish man reproacheth thee daily. Forget not the voice of thine enemies: the tumult of those that rise up against thee increaseth continually.”—Ps. 74:22,23.

22 The nations of earth, and particularly of “Christendom”, have scorned the message of Jehovah and have ill-treated his witnesses, whom Jehovah sent to deliver his messages ; and for that reason the controversy is forced. The clergy of “Christendom” have raised the questions: “Who is Jehovah? Is his message true, or even worth listening to? Who gives these so-called witnesses authority to speak?” Jehovah will convince that proud and scornful crowd of hypocrites, and they shall know that it is Jehovah.

23 Now the nations are gathered before the Lord for judgment, and none are passed by unnoticed. Christ Jesus, acting for Jehovah, hears the cause and renders judgment. Concerning this the prophet Jeremiah says: “He will plead with [(Hebrew) shaphat; that is, judge and pronounce sentence, to punish, or to avenge] all flesh.” (Jer. 25:31) The text is otherwise rendered: “Himself hath entered into judgment with all flesh.” (Roth.) Again: “He holdeth judgment over all flesh.” (Leeser) The pleading then will not be printed or written documents, setting out the issue, nor will it be by word of mouth, but will be the application of the facts to the law, and the execution of the decision rendered, and which is otherwise called God’s “act, his strange act”, or “sword” of execution. “For by fire and by his sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many.” (Isa. 66:16) The “sword” will begin with religionists and extend to the utmost ends of Satan’s visible and invisible organization. “And I will call for a sword against him [Gog] ; . . . And I will plead against him with pestilence and with blood; and I will rain upon him, and upon his bands, and upon the many people that are with him, an overflowing rain, and great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. Thus will I magnify myself, and sanctify myself; and I will be known in the eyes of many nations; and they shall know that I am the Lord.” — Ezek. 38:21-23.

24 All the lawless ones shall perish; as it is written: “He will give them that are wicked [lawless (Roth.)] to the sword, saith the Lord” (Jer. 25: 31): the “evil servant” class, all religious hypocrites, and particularly the Roman Catholic Hierarchy crowd, who have so cruelly persecuted Jehovah's witnesses. This will particularly apply to the wicked agents of the Hierarchy operating in Germany, New Jersey and all other parts of the earth who have so openly shown themselves to be “goats”, working against Jehovah’s witnesses. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy have been wanton and not only have scorned the message of warning but have willfully and wickedly persisted in persecuting God’s faithful ones who have carried the message of truth to them. The Hierarchy has no excuse and will find no way of escape. It is written concerning the Lord Jesus, the Executive Officer of Jehovah: “For he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.” (Rom. 13:4) Jehovah’s witnesses, in obedience to God’s commandment and for the good of those to whom they have been sent, have carried the message to the people and the clergy of the Hierarchy, and the Hierarchy have refused to hear and have prevented many people from hearing. With malice the clergy have persecuted Jehovah’s messengers. All their wicked deeds the Lord counts as done unto himself; and the Lord Jesus, the great Judge, says concerning them, those on his left hand of his throne of judgment: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels [Gog and all of his crowd].” “And these shall go away into everlasting punishment [cutting off].” – Matt. 25:41,46.

25 The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and their allied clergy have had ample warning of Jehovah’s purpose. Although they claim to be the custodians of the Word of God, and the interpreters thereof, they ignore Jehovah’s Word of warning and continue to scornfully rule over the Catholic population and to browbeat and coerce many others. Some of the Hierarchy’s hired agents will read what is here said; and those reading, let them take warning. You have been warned, and therefore cannot plead ignorance.

26 Jeremiah spoke first to Judah and Jerusalem, and his words apply first to the unfaithful so-called “religionists” who practice what they call “the Christian religion” in the name of Christ Jesus, and which religious organization is headed by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. Through his prophet Jehovah now speaks to them and says: “Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Behold, evil [calamity (Roth.)] shall go forth from nation to nation, and a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.”—Jer. 25:32.

27 That calamity is the righteous judgment of Jehovah God executed with a vengeance and to the vindication of his holy name. Jehovah creates such evil or calamity, that is, he brings it upon those who merit punishment. (Isa. 45:7) That punishment will begin with the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and will then extend to all other visible parts of Satan’s organization, taking in the numerous governments or nations and the parts thereof, to wit, the political, commercial, military and industrial systems of the world, and which are pictured in “all the nations” to which Jeremiah, at the command of the Lord God, handed the cup of His fury. The nations will then begin to crumble and fall, and from one to the other the calamity will pass on until all earthly things of Satan's crowd shall perish. The last “nation” to which the calamity comes, as God through his prophet declares, is Sheshach. “The king of Sheshach shall drink after them.” (Verse 26) This includes all of Satan’s organization invisible to the human eyes, that is, Gog, and all the angels of wickedness in the “land of Magog”, and thereafter Satan himself. First seeing his power and his supporters gone, he then must drink the cup of calamity. “And the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air [things invisible; that is, Satan and his wicked angelic crowd] ; and there camo a great voice out of the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done.”—Rev. 16:17.

28 By the Lord’s grace his people, in convention assembled at stated times, have publicly proclaimed the message by adopting and distributing Resolutions, and the last one of these was in 1928 and was labeled “A Declaration Against Satan and for Jehovah”. Jehovah directs his people, who are faithful to him; and to him is given all the glory and honor. (Prov. 3: 5, 6) Without a doubt Jehovah directed the Resolution above mentioned, against the king of Sheshach, the Devil.

29 Continuing the description of the terrible battle of Armageddon, which will be a victorious fight by the Lord Jesus Christ and his armies, Jehovah, by his prophet, says: “And a great whirlwind shall be raised up from the coasts [the uttermost parts (R.V.)] of the earth.” That terrible storm comes from beyond the utmost parts of Satan’s organization on earth, and therefore it is not Satan’s judgment but is raised up and comes from Jehovah God, by his Executive Officer, Christ Jesus. It is God’s storm, which wrecks Satan’s organization completely. Jehovah has recorded in his Word prayers suitable for his faithful servants to utter unto him, and this for the manifest purpose of showing what is God’s will and purpose concerning the enemy, and the proper course for his servants to take.

30 The eighty-third Psalm records a conspiracy formed by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy with other members of the Devil’s crowd and in which conspiracy all of “Christendom” participates. The prayer of the psalmist shows the purpose of Jehovah; as it is written: “So persecute them with thy tempest, and make them afraid with thy storm. Fill their faces with shame; that they may seek thy name, O Lord. Let them be confounded and troubled for ever; yea, let them be put to shame, and perish: that men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth.”—Ps. 83:15-18.

31 The religionists are particularly reprehensible because they have the Word of God and might know its meaning if they would hear and obey the Most High. They claim to be servants of God, but have not served him, but, on the contrary, have served the Devil, and for that reason they are wicked or lawless, and of them the prophet says: “Behold, a whirlwind of the Lord is gone forth in fury, even a grievous whirlwind: it shall fall grievously upon the head of the wicked.” (Jer. 23:19) “Behold, the whirlwind of the Lord goeth forth with fury, a continuing whirlwind [that is, a cutting whirlwind (margin)] ; it shall fall with pain upon the head of the wicked. The fierce anger of the Lord shall not return, until he have done it, and until he have performed the intents of his heart: in the latter days ye shall consider it.”— Jer. 30:23, 24.

EFFECT OF ARMAGEDDON

32 Jehovah has caused a number of his prophets to announce his purpose to clear the earth of all wickedness at the battle of Armageddon. This is not a symbolic, but a real cleansing. Why has Jehovah repeated this fact by several of his prophets and so many different times? Manifestly for the purpose of thoroughly impressing the fact upon those who would hear, that they may know and understand that it is Jehovah’s act. Human creatures are so inclined to forget, and God prevents man from having any excuse to plead ignorance. The destruction at Armageddon is not the vengeance of any one class of individuals expressed against another class. Armageddon is the battle of the Lord God Almighty, with Christ Jesus as the Field Marshal leading that fight to complete victory, and the slaughter will be so great that all will be convinced that it came from the Lord. “And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.”—Jer. 25: 33.

33 Nor does the Lord leave any doubt as to where the slaughter will begin. As Jeremiah was directed first to present the cup to the people that pretends to be the Lord’s servants, that is, “Christendom,” even so the slaughter begins upon “Christendom”, and particularly upon its leaders and chief ones, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. In corroboration of this another prophet of Jehovah records: “And begin at my sanctuary,” my professed people; that is, organized religion, called “the Christian religion”. “Then they began at the ancient men [the high ones in the religious organization, the clergy and other so-called ‘dignitaries’] which were before the house [worshiping the sun toward the east]. And he said unto them, Defile [with blood] the house, and fill the courts with the slain; go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city [‘Christendom’].”—Ezek. 9:6,7.

34 The slain will not be just a few, but, as God by his prophet says, “the slain of the Lord shall be many.” (Isa. 66:16) During the World War the slaying was confined chiefly to Europe and Asia Minor; but when Armageddon begins and progresses, the slaying will be not only in “Christendom”, but, as stated by the Lord, “from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth.” (Jer. 25:33) It will necessarily include all the nations of the world, which arc upon the face of the earth (vs. 26), because such shall drink of the cup of this fury, as the Lord declares. The great deluge or flood in the time of Noah was a picture of the destruction that shall come at Armageddon; and the destruction in the flood was world-wide, and so shall it be at Armageddon. Jesus must have had this fact in mind when he said: “But as the days of No'e were, so shall also the coming [parousia] of the Son of man be. . . . The flood came, and took them all away: shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”—Matt. 24: 37-39.

35 Weeping for the destruction of the wicked is now and always will be out of order. “They shall not be lamented”; because that is Jehovah’s commandment to the anointed people and to those of good will, who alone will survive that day of slaughter. It is the will of God that those who arc on his side and fully devoted to him shall pray for the destruction of the wicked who oppose Jehovah and his kingdom; and the slaying of such wicked ones, instead of being a cause for lamentation on the part of God’s faithful ones, will be a cause of joy, because such see the vindication of Jehovah’s name and his word. To the faithful ones it will be as meat or spiritual food; and such is pictured by the birds and animals of prey that come and feed upon the slaughtered ones. (Ezek. 39:17-20; Rev. 19:17-21) Nor will there be any hired mourners at the funerals, for the reason that there will be no funerals and none to hire to do the weeping. The prophet of Jehovah says concerning the slain that “they shall ... be ... neither gathered, nor buried ” ; not merely because the slain will be of such numbers that to bury them would be impossible, but also, and that chiefly, because they are not worthy of a decent burial; and they shall not be accorded one. The survivors will be few, compared with the number of the slain, and they shall not defile themselves by providing a burial for the wicked. It is Jehovah’s express will that the Devil’s crowd shall be further and completely reproached by not having a decent and honorable burial.

36 God will duly recompense them and, as is stated in his Word, they will get ‘like for like’ for what they have given the faithful servants of Jehovah. In 1918 in particular not only were God’s faithful people in the world, and the work in Jehovah’s name, killed, but they were not permitted to have a decent burial; as symbolically stated in the Scriptures: “And they of the people, and kindreds, and tongues, and nations, shall sec their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.”—Rev. 11:9.

37 The dead bodies of the wicked slain at Armageddon shall be left exposed to putrefaction and be devoured by carrion birds and beasts in retaliation for mankind’s terrible violation of “the everlasting covenant”, which forbids the willful slaughtering of animals for selfish gain or pleasure. (Gen. 9:1-6) The wild beasts of the jungles have been hunted and slaughtered for no good reason whatsoever and without any excuse, and those who have cruelly violated the everlasting covenant by so slaughtering shall die, and their bodies, like those of the other wicked, “shall be dung upon the face of the ground.” (R.V.) That will be a crushing humiliation upon Satan’s selfglorified organization. Nimrod, who began the practice of religion at the instance of the Devil, was given an exalted place and honor amongst men because he was a slayer of wild beasts in violation of God’s covenant. Others since have tried to follow his example. God, in the exercise of his “strange act”, will express his indignation against all who have followed Nimrod’s course and who have ‘defiled the earth by breaking the everlasting covenant’. (Isa. 24:5) “For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies: he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out [not buried], and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.” — Isa. 34: 2, 3.

38 Jezebel was a type of the Devil’s organization, while Ahab pictures Satan, the husband; and what befell those two foreshadows what shall come to pass upon Satan’s organization and those who form it. It was written concerning Jezebel (and antitypically applies to Satan’s crowd): “The dogs shall eat Jezebel by the wall of Jezreel. Him that dieth of Ahab in the city the dogs shall eat; and him that dieth in the field shall the fowls of the air eat.” (1 Ki. 21:23, 24) “And the carcase of Jezebel shall be as dung upon the face of the field in the portion of Jezreel; so that they shall not say, This is Jezebel.” (2 Ki. 9:37; Ps. 83: 9,10) The religionists of “Christendom” have grossly sinned against God and shall pay the penalty; as it is written: “And I will bring distress upon men, that they shall walk like blind men, because they have sinned against the Lord: and their blood shall be poured out as dust, and their flesh as the dung.” — Zeph. 1:17.

39 The “shepherds” are the clergy, who claim to shepherd the flocks or their respective congregations. These shepherds could not howl after they are dead; and therefore they howl now, because God has decreed they shall howl: “Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.”—Jer. 25: 34.

40 The howl here mentioned docs not come from the pagan clergy, but comes from the clergy and “elective elder” class of “Christendom” and who call themselves the leaders and shepherds of the flock, and to whom Jehovah refers also as those who have assumed to use his name. They were foreshadowed by the Jewish eccleciastical crowd of hypocrites who practiced the Jews’ religion. For some time now the clergy have been howling and importuning selfish politicians and commercial men to help them to make a great fuss and to prevent Jehovah’s witnesses from telling the truth about them. The clergymen howl because the truth of God’s Word now proclaimed exposes them and puts them in the class where they properly belong, that is, of fraudulent hypocrites, and because truth is sweeping away the refuge of lies behind which they hide. They will not attempt to publicly defend their lies, because they well know they have no defence; and therefore they choose to howl against God’s message and to say His witnesses are bigots and should be silenced, because the message, say they, “shocks our religious susceptibilities.” They induce the politicians and courts of some jurisdictions to say: “The truth, as proclaimed by Jehovah’s witnesses, is subversive and seditious.” The clergy made similar charges against Christ Jesus and the apostles, and it is to be expected that the clergy of the present time will likewise accuse the faithful followers of Jesus. Jehovah says they will howl, and he is seeing to it now that they do howl.

41 For years those shepherds or so-called “clergymen” of the Catholic Hierarchy and other religious practitioners have been blind (and they are still blind) to everything except their own selfish gain, and therefore Jehovah says of them: “His watchmen [that is, the pretended and unfaithful shepherds] arc blind; they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand; they all look to their own way, every one for his gain from his quarter.”—Isa. 56:10,11.

42 Jehovah now commands his witnesses to rise up with others of his great organization and give battle to the wicked organization of Satan; and this work proceeds, and the hypocrisy of the religionists is exposed and the people are to be made acquainted with the coming of the “strange act” of Jehovah. The clergy howl still more because of the proclamation of this message, and when Armageddon begins their howl will reach its climax.

43 Howling and in great mental agony, the shepherds wallow themselves in the dust. In the Authorized Version of the text the words “in the ashes” are supplied, and therefore Rotherham’s rendering of the text is correct: “And roll in the dust, ye illustrious [ones] of the flock”; (Leeser) “ye leaders of the flocks”. Those once arrogant and proud-crowing roosters, who have posed as noble persons, are like the ones described by the prophet in these words: “But their nobles put not their necks to the work of their Lord.” (Neh. 3:5) For many years now the clergy class have posed before the peoples as noblemen and as men endowed with authority and powers to bring to them spiritual nourishment, but at the present time they arc devoid of truth and they have no spiritual nourishment from the Lord; and they arc thus described by the prophet, to wit: “Judah morneth, and the gates thereof languish; they arc black unto the ground; and the cry of Jerusalem is gone up. And their nobles have sent their little ones to the waters: they came to the pits, and found no water; they returned with their vessels empty; they were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.” (Jer. 14: 2, 3) After the old “whore” is burned, then those who have materially profited by associating with her will set up a great howl. — Rev. 18:8-19.

44 Speaking of what will come to pass, as though it already had come to pass, the Lord says, according to the Revised Version of this text (Jer. 25: 34), that the howl is general for the reason ‘‘the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are fully come”. “For your days for slaughter arc fully, come, and I will break you in pieces.” (E.R.V., margin) “Because your days for being slaughtered arc fulfilled, therefore will I break you in pieces.” (Rotherham) Their slaughter and dispersion will be done by the “six men” symbolically described by Jehovah’s prophet, each one of which wielded “a weapon of his breaking in pieces” in his hand. (Ezek. 9:2, margin) The “six men” picture Christ and his army invisible to human eyes. To Christ Jesus Jehovah says concerning the enemy nations: “Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” (Ps. 2:9) “The Lord of hosts is his name. Thou [Christ] art my battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations; and with thee will I destroy kingdoms. I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers. And I will render unto Babylon, and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea, all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the Lord.” (Jer. 51:19,20,23,24) Here it is expressly stated that God brings this calamity upon the religionists and their supporters as a recompense for what they have done against him and his organization.

45Then the prophet of the Lord describes how these religious leaders will fall. (Jer. 25:34) A “pleasant vessel” is one much desired by selfish creatures who use such things for selfish purposes or personal gain. According to the Hebrew this part of the prophecy says: “Ye shall fall like a vessel of desire.” (Margin) Satan is now using many “vessels” which are willingly used for his purpose and which he desires for his purpose, and at the beginning of Armageddon he will see these vessels fall and be crushed, and this before he is cast into the pit. For years Satan has kept some of his “vessels” in positions where they claim to represent God and Christ Jesus. Those clergymen occupying such positions have posed as God’s representatives, while at the same time doing exactly contrary to God’s Word because they believed not the truth. Jehovah has permitted them to have plenty of rope to go on in their hypocritical and wicked course, and thus he has “endured [them] with much long-suffering” as “vessels of wrath fitted to destruction”. (Rom. 9: 22) That day of execution is near at hand.

NO ESCAPE

46 For many years the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and other clergymen have assumed the office of shepherds of the various flocks, and have told the flocks that they were Christians, but who in fact have been merely practitioners of religion. The clergy have been able to keep the dupes of their flocks entirely blind to the truth, because the clergymen have taken refuge behind a great pile of lies. They have become very bold, arrogant and reckless, and they have said and continue to say amongst themselves: “We have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.” (Isa. 28:15) They have assumed the position of stability, and hold that they are invulnerable. But Jehovah now says to them, through his prophet: “And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.”—Jer. 25: 35.

47 With the beginning of Armageddon the shepherds will find that their avenue of escape is closed: “Then shall place of refuge vanish from the shepherds.” (Roth.) “And lost shall be the place of refuge for the shepherds.” (Leeser) Why shall their refuge disappear and their way of escape be gone? God has decreed that his hail (hard and unbreakable truths) shall sweep away the refuge of lies behind which the Roman Catholic and other clergy have found refuge; and when their lies are swept away, those shepherds will have no place to hide themselves and no refuge to which they can flee. God’s “strange work”, when finished, will have completely exposed them. Then they cannot take refuge with the “ten horns” of the “beast” on which the old “whore” rides, because those “horns”, that is, the ruling force, will turn upon and rend the old “whore”; and those clergymen who survive for a time, later to be destroyed, will not be able to find any refuge anywhere by reason of the fact that they have been clergymen. On the contrary, they will attempt to hide their identity. They will quickly remove their “lace pants” and other glamorous garb and don a pair of overalls and say to the people who accuse them of being of the clergy: ‘We are not clergymen; we are keepers of the swine or of the cattle.’ (Zech. 13:4-6) Their accusers will know such clergymen as liars and will show them no mercy. No time then for the Roman Catholic Hierarchy clergy and their allies to find refuge with the Lord, nor will deathbed repentance do them any good. Burning of candles and splashing of holy water and pounding things with their fists will not bring them any aid. The so-called “last rites”, by which they have deceived many people, will be of no aid to them. They will have no one to administer such foolish ceremonies. Those fellows have never been among the ones who in the acceptable time of the Lord have said: “O Lord, my strength, and my fortress, and my refuge in the day of affliction, the [nations] shall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and shall say, Surely our fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things wherein there is no profit.” (Jer. 16:19) It will be the Jona- dabs that will then be able to apply this scripture to themselves, and they only of all the people of earth, aside from the remnant, will find refuge in the Lord.

48 And how about the “principal of the flock”? They will find no way of escape. The religious practitioners, who have embraced religion (so-called “Christian religion”) for personal and pecuniary gain, and have used the same and their positions in the organization to oppress the people, will be caught in the same dragnet that will destroy the clergy. After the destruction of the clergy, the “shepherds”, then the Godless “principal of the flock” will continue to fight against all who arc on the side of Jehovah, and therefore they shall receive due recompense from the Lord. They will fail utterly to find any escape, but their end is destruction. (Rev. 19:19-21) Describing the “strange act” of Jehovah the prophet says: “Let none thereof escape.” (Jer. 50:29) All the “goat” class, whether they be of the clergy or be small practitioners in their flocks, shall suffer complete destruction according to the decree of the Lord. That decree is written and is certain to be executed.

49 Even now the clergy, or “shepherds”, and the ‘principal ones of their flocks’ are frightened because of existing conditions with which they are surrounded, and they make a great bluff in trying to accomplish their wicked designs. The flood of truth flowing to the people, according to God’s command, is cutting away the foundations of the Hierarchy and their tools, and concerning such the prophet of Jehovah says: “A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard: for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture.” — Jer. 25:36.

50 First the clergy cry out, and then the howling of the “principal of the flock” follows. Jehovah orders them to howl, and they cannot get away from doing it, and the reason is, “Because Jehovah is laying waste the grounds where they fed.” (Roth.) The hail and flood of truth now being proclaimed throughout the earth is wasting the feeding places of the Hierarchy and other clergymen. Millions of honest and sincere persons of good will are hearing the truth and are fleeing from the bondage of “organized religion”, and such movement is drying up the once fat pasture fields of the clergy, and for this reason they set up a great howl and say: “Our religious susceptibilities are shocked, and these people are bigots, and their message is subversive.” Even though millions of sincere persons flee from the wicked organization of religionists, many more millions of persons will remain, to be exploited by the Hierarchy and other religionists. The complete spoiling of the pastures of the religionists will take place at the beginning of Armageddon, that is, God’s “strange act”, when by his great Officer, Christ Jesus, he breaks the power of the religionists completely. Seeing their institutions quickly crumbling, the Hierarchy and the principal of the flock let out a tremendous howl of despair.

51 The execution of judgment brings desolation upon them: “And the peaceable habitations [the prosperous pastures (Roth.); homes (Hebrew) ; pasture-lards of peace (Leeser)] are cut down, because of the fierce anger of the Lord.”—Jer. 25: 37.

52 So long have those of the Hierarchy and other hypocritical clergymen been entrenched in their refuge of lies that they have been quite at home there in their religious systems and have felt secure in their jobs, and that the people are for ever their pastures or fields which they may continue to commercialize and upon which to continue to live wantonly. The Scriptures strongly indicate that the Hierarchy and their supporters will come to the point where apparently they have succeeded in suppressing the witness work of Jehovah, and, feeling that they have triumphed over opposition, they will then think themselves secure and will say: ‘We are in peace and safety.’ (1 Thess. 5:3) But their safety will be for a very brief period of time, because God will suddenly bring destruction upon them.

53 Says the prophet of Jehovah, “In silent desolation lie the pasture-lands of peace, because of the fierceness of the anger of the Lord.” (Leeser) “Then shall be silenced the prosperous pastures, because of the fierceness of the anger of Jehovah.” (Roth.) No more shall the clergy and the principal of the flocks lord it over the gullible people. Only those who have devoted themselves wholly to Jehovah have the promise of finding refuge in the day of his anger. In striking contrast with the calamity that is certain to befall the religionists Jehovah says to those who have found refuge in his organization: “I will surely assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, I will surely gather the remnant of Israel, at once will I make them like sheep in distress, like a flock in the midst of its pasture shall they hum with men.” - Mic. 2:12, Roth.

54 Such have the promise that they shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger. (Zeph. 2:3) As to the faithful remnant, they shall be safe in the land of the Lord God: “As the holy flock, as the flock of Jerusalem in her solemn feasts, so shall the waste cities be filled with flocks of men; and they shall know that I am the Loan.” (Ezek. 36: 38) “And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd. And I the Lord will be their God, and my servant David a prince among them; I the Lord have spoken it. And I will make with them a covenant of peace, and will cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land; and they shall dwell safely in the wilderness, and sleep in the woods.”—Ezek. 34:23-25.

55 What results from Jehovah’s “strange act”? “He [Jehovah] hath forsaken his covert, as the lion: for their land is desolate, because of the fierceness of the oppressor, and because of his fierce anger.” (Jer. 25:38) Jehovah has become as a fierce lion in the execution of his judgments. Jehovah is the Father of “the Lion of the tribe of Juda”, who executes His judgments and vindicates Ills name. (Rev. 5:5) Jehovah refers to himself as the One who is all-just, symbolized by a lion. He justifies and vindicates himself in righteousness by destroying his enemies, that the universe may be clean, and all who live shall do righteousness. — Zeph. 3:8; Hos. 13:6,7.

56 Jehovah gives full warning to “Christendom” and others who associate with “Christendom”. He sends forth his witnesses now and proclaims to “Christendom” that warning, even as Jeremiah did in his day. He also caused Isaiah to proclaim his prophecy concerning the day of his fierce anger. (Isa. 13:1-22) The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and her allies in religion have been warned, and yet they continue to mock God and to persecute his faithful witnesses. Having warned them, now Jehovah says to them: “Now, therefore, be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth.” (Isa. 28:22) Every part of Satan’s organization shall fall. As Jeremiah warned the people, so now the faithful ones on the side of Jehovah, who proclaim his truth, must continue to warn the people during the progress of Jehovah’s “strange work” and until its finish. To them Jehovah says, and they must say to others of good will: "My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the Lord.” — Jer. 51:45.

57 It is in this present day that Jehovah says to his people: “Arise ye, and let us rise up against her in battle.” The time has come for all who love Jehovah to boldly take their stand and perform their duties in his organization. Those who really love God will now obey this commandment and go forth fearlessly, and therefore with boldness in the Lord, and proclaim the truths, and thereby have some part in the tearing away of the mask of lies behind which the religionists now hide. This they must do in obedience to God's commandment, that the people may have opportunity to intelligently flee to the only place of refuge. In obedience to this commandment of Jehovah those engaging in this work are having some part in God’s “strange work”, which work must be completed before his “strange act” begins. Everyone who is now wholly devoted to Jehovah must and will “lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us” (Heb. 12:1,2), and, being blind to everything save that of the kingdom of God and its interests, will joyfully and amidst increased opposition push forward in the battle and lift high the standard of the Lord. It is the day of battle and of victory, and let all those who love Jehovah rest in him with full assurance. As Jehovah God did to Shiloh, so shall he certainly do to “Christendom” and all other parts of Satan's organization in the very near future. Rejoice now that we have a part in his “strange work” and thus a part in the vindication of his glorious name, and look forward with ever-increasing joy to his “strange act”, which will completely and for ever vindicate his name.

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY

1. Jehovah’s judgment day is appointed for what purpose? How is that judgment carried forward? When does that judgment begin, and where?

2. How has the Roman Catholic Hierarchy distinguished itself as the outstanding example of the wicked institutions that have existed on the earth?

3. Why is “the city which is called by my name” so particularly marked for adverse judgment?

4. How have the religionists caused millions of honest persons to reject God and his Word and Christ Jesus the Savior, and greatly reproached the name of God and Christ Jesus?

5. Does Jehovah create evil? Why?

6,7. Explain whether the “city’’ mentioned in verse 29 is the new Jerusalem. How and when does Jehovah “begin to bring evil on the city’’? When and how will he punish that “city”?

8. The question, “Should ye be utterly unpunished?” is addressed to whom? Why are all these included?

9. Who are “the heathen that are at ease”? and how have they “helped forward the affliction”? What is seen in the form of expression of Isaiah 34: 2, 3, 8?

10, 11. What is the responsibility, collective and individual, of all of Jehovah’s people in carrying out the work of ‘prophesying’ as commanded at verse 30?

12-14. When and for what purpose will Jehovah “roar from on high”? How will he “utter his voice from his holy habitation”? How and why will he “mightily roar upon his habitation”?

15. Why is it stated that “he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes”?

16-18. The “tumultuous noise” (vs. 31) betokens what? Its coming “even to the ends of the earth” is of what prophetic significance?

19. Distinguish between the “voices” mentioned at Isaiah 66: 6. What is the message of the “voice from the temple”? The purpose of that message? Account for the “voice of noise from the city”.

20. “The Lord hath a controversy with the nations.” Why? What is that “controversy”?

21-23. How will Jehovah “plead with all flesh”, and why?

24. Who are the wicked? How and why will those here referred to be ‘given to the sword’?

25. Compare the claims of the clergy with their course of action. Does this prove that they have not had ample warning?

26-28. To whom did Jeremiah speak as recorded at verse 32? To whom do those words have prophetic application? “Evil shall go forth from nation to nation.” How will this be brought to pass? How is “the king of Sheshach” involved in the warning and in the drinking of the cup?

29, 30. What is the “great whirlwind” here mentioned, and how is it “raised up from the coasts of the earth”? Apply the prayer recorded at Psalm 83: 15-18.

31. What is the “grievous whirlwind” (Jer. 23: 19), and upon whom does it fall? Why upon them?

32. How, and why, has Jehovah so definitely and repeatedly foretold his “strange act”?

33, 34. Where will the slaughter begin, and how far-reaching will it be?

35. “They shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried.” Why? Show whether this is in harmony with other scriptures.

36-38. With related scriptures, show that the wicked will be getting ‘like for like’.

39, 40. Identify the ‘ ‘ shepherds ’ ’, and the ‘ ‘ principal of the flock”, prophetically addressed at verse 34. How and why do they ‘howl and cry’?

41. Apply Isaiah 56: 10,11.

42, 43. The ‘ rising up against her in battle ’, by those to whom that command is given, has what effect upon the “shepherds” and the “principal of the flock”? How does Jeremiah 14: 2,3 have fulfillment?

44,45. Explain the prophetic statement, (a) “The days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished.” (b) “Ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel.”

46-48. From what or to what will the “shepherds” have no way to flee or escape? Why shall their refuge disappear and their way of escape be gone? How about the “principal of the flock”?

49,50. How do the “shepherds” and the ‘principal ones of their flocks’ now feel and act because of the conditions with which they are surrounded? How has the Lord been ‘spoiling their pasture’?

51, 52. Apply verse 37.

53,54. Contrast the position of the clergy and the ‘principal of the flocks’ with that of those who have devoted themselves wholly to Jehovah.

55, 56. When and how will Jehovah have “forsaken his covert, as the lion”?

57. To whom is the commandment at Obadiah 1 given? Who will obey that commandment? How? To what end?

VENGEANCE

JEHOVAH lays responsibility for the present crime wave at the door of hypocritical religionists, and any attempt on the part of his “servant” class to hold back the truth of and concerning that religionist part of Satan’s organization would be a mark of disloyalty to God.

Anyone who now professes to be in the truth and a follower of Christ Jesus, and who fails or refuses to declare the vengeance of our God against Satan and his organization, thereby gives evidence that he is not anointed by the spirit of Jehovah but, in fact, is God’s enemy. All who are anointed of the Lord are specifically authorized and commanded to declare the day of the vengeance of our God. (Isa. 61:2) Such must declare the vengeance of God against Satan’s organization, and since Satan’s visible organization is composed of false religious leaders and the principal of their flocks, the anointed of God cannot prove faithful except by speaking the truth concerning them. It is not a question as to whether some might become offended and refuse to hear the truth.

The sole question for determination by the “servant” is: ‘What has my Lord commanded, and am I obeying his commandments?’ The “servant” must declare the truth regardless of whether anyone is offended and refuses to hear or many hear and turn to the Lord. Let the remnant or anointed “servant” class, therefore, keep always in mind that obedience to the commandments of God is what is required. Saul, once anointed as the king of Israel, did not lose his anointing by reason of disobedience, but he was cast away from the Lord and joined the Devil’s crowd. (1 Sam. 15:16-29) Those who are anointed will not lose their anointing and fall back into any “tribulation class”, but, if unfaithful to that anointing, such will be cast away from Jehovah and destroyed with the Devil and his other followers.

“Organized Christianity,” under the influence of the Devil and practicing the Devil religion, is responsible for the great crime wave, particularly in America, where crime has increased most rapidly in recent years. Within a few years fifteen hundred were shot to death, many of whom were entirely innocent, upon the pretext that they had in possession or were using intoxicating liquor. This practice must be a stench in the nostrils even of many supporters of “organized Christianity”. The ancient Persians are said to have held an incense to the nose while worshiping the Devil or practicing Devil religion; and now likewise those who indulge in such Devil practice in the name of God and approve bloody crime and induce other crime, says the prophet, ‘put a branch to their nose,’ and this evil practice they do in the name of Jehovah and ‘have provoked God to anger’, and he declares that he will visit his anger upon them. “Therefore will I also deal in fury; mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; and though they cry in mine ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.” (Ezekiel 8:18) The breaking of the everlasting covenant by the shedding of innocent blood at the instance of the leaders in “Christendom” is bad enough, but the worst of all is for them to do so and claim that God approves their action and that it is done in his name. This defamation of God’s name he declares shall not go unpunished.

Jehovah, by and through his chief executive officer, Christ Jesus, executes his commandments. Since the prophecy of Ezekiel here considered has to do with the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, which foreshadowed the destruction of Satan’s organization, particularly “Christendom”, it is certain that the Lord Jesus Christ is in command acting under the direction of Jehovah God. This conclusion is abundantly supported by the 110th Psalm and other scriptures. Jehovah gave promise to the Lord Jesus that he would put the enemy under foot and that Christ Jesus must wait until the due time thus to do.

The period of waiting ended, and God sent forth out of his organization Christ Jesus and commanded him to rule amidst all his enemies. Necessarily that means that Christ must destroy the enemy, Satan’s organization. This is further supported by the words of the prophet: “The Lord [Jehovah] at thy [Christ Jesus’] right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the [nations], he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads [of Satan’s organization] over many countries.” (Ps. 110: 5, 6) According to another translator, “He will judge among the nations; there shall be a fulness of corpses, he crusheth heads on a widespread land.” (Leeser) Another renders the text: “He judgeth among the nations, full of dead bodies! [and] hath crushed the head over a wide land.” (Rotherham) Whether the word “head” means the Devil alone or includes other heads, either construction is in harmony with the Scriptures. The Devil’s organization is made up of divisions, each division of which has a head; and this applies both to the invisible and to the visible. Since the destruction of the city refers to “Christendom” in particular, then the application to the leaders or “heads” thereof is proper and in harmony with other scriptures.

Christ Jesus comes forth to this work of judgment and is attended by a host of angels. “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” (Matt. 25:31) “The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all.” (Jude 14,15) The inspection completed, as described in the eighth chapter of the prophecy of Ezekiel, then Ezekiel heard a loud voice that cried out: “He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.” (Ezekiel 9:1) The language used shows that the cry was a loud and threatening command, and that it was sharp and powerful, and that it had a striking effect upon Ezekiel’s ears. That thunderous command was not to Ezekiel, but was given to “them that have charge over the city [‘Christendom’]”, to destroy it, “those . . . that have charge to punish the city.” (Leeser) This work of destruction will not be done by the “servant” class on earth, whom Ezekiel foreshadowed, but, as the Scriptures show, it will be done by the Lord Jesus Christ and his holy angels acting under his command. It was this angelic army of the Lord that fought against Satan and ousted him from heaven. (Rev. 9:16; 12:7) Undoubtedly in this army are also included those faithful overcomers whom the Lord has raised to life upon coming to his temple.

The commandment or cry which Ezekiel heard, therefore, was from Christ Jesus the executive officer of Jehovah. The cry or command directs the organization of the Lord to prepare for the final assault upon the enemy organization. They are told to draw near, not with their weapons sheathed, but with their weapons of destruction drawn and ready for offensive action. Those weapons that will be used for destruction by violence are held by the Lord Jesus Christ and the invisible members of the organization under him. The visible part of his organization on earth will do no part of the destroying. The work assigned to the earthly division, to wit, God’s “faithful servant” class, is to sing forth the praises of Jehovah’s name before and while the fight is in progress.

Those to whom the commandment was given responded, and Ezekiel beheld them approaching. “And, behold, six men came from the way of the higher gate, which lieth toward the north, and every man a slaughter weapon in his hand; and one man among them was clothed with linen, with a writer’s inkhorn by his side ; and they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar.” — Ezek. 9: 2.

These six men that approached were fully equipped for the slaughter that must follow. Six is a symbolic number denoting incompleteness, while the number seven symbolizes or denotes completeness. Jehovah’s organization is one, and is therefore complete, and is pictured by the number seven. There were six men armed and one clothed with linen. The entire number of seven men manifestly represented Jehovah’s complete organization, both that which is invisible to man and that which is visible and on the earth. The six men represent all of the invisible organization, with Christ Jesus, and including the risen members of his body, cherubim, seraphim, and angels. The “one man” represents the anointed “servant” class on the earth, and which is the only part of the organization that is visible to human eyes. The fact that the division shows six to one would further mean that the greater and more important part of the work assigned to the organization must be done by the invisible division, while the lesser work thereof is assigned to and must be done by the earthly division, represented by the one.

The six men had ‘slaughter weapons in their hands' (R.V.); “every man with his weapon of destruction.” (Roth.) The marginal rendering of this authority is: “Dashing weapon [that dashes to pieces] ; shattering weapon.”

The prophet Nahum, prophesying concerning the preparation of God's organization to make assault upon the enemy, says: “He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face.” (Nah. 2:1) This further and definitely identifies Christ Jesus as in command and as the one who cried with a loud voice and who was heard by Ezekiel. Six men approached from the way of the north, which is the appropriate direction from which judgment should and does come. Without doubt the six men in the vision represent ‘the armies which are in heaven', under the command of the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore that part of God’s organization which is invisible to man. This is supported conclusively by the fact that they proceed from the north, the seat of authority and judgment, and that they have charge over “Christendom” to destroy it, and that they are armed with weapons of destruction and are under the command of Christ Jesus, who is commissioned to dash to pieces Satan's organization.

SLAUGHTER

JEHOVAH GOD now makes known to his witnesses the meaning of his prophecies. He sends forth his witnesses to give warning and to serve notice upon “Christendom” of her impending destruction. Facts that arc well known, when applied to the prophecy, enable us to determine whether or not we have the correct understanding of the prophecy.

In the year 1918 the Lord Jesus Christ suddenly came to the temple of Jehovah. lie came for judgment and as Jehovah’s great executive officer and to execute judgment. As such officer he gives commandment, saying: “Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.” — Hab. 2:20, A.R.V.

Jehovah, as represented by Christ Jesus, is in his temple. This means that the people must lie told of God’s purposes to judge “Christendom” and to destroy it. Otherwise there would be no occasion to command that all the peoples of earth give ear. It means that there must be a world-wide public witness work done by the ‘faithful servants’ of Jehovah. Jehovah’s standard for the people must be lifted up. This gospel of the kingdom must be preached as a witness, to the end that those who would hear may hear and take their stand on the side of Jehovah and his kingdom of righteousness. Such is not a “harvest” work, but it is a work of the Lord of ‘separating the sheep from the goats’; and his “servant” class is permitted to give the testimony which causes the people to take sides for or against Jehovah and his kingdom.—Matt. 25: 31-46.

It was early in the year 1918 that, for the first time, the message was sounded: “Millions now living will never die.” Within a very short time after a public lecture on this subject was delivered, “the goats” got busy and shut up many of Jehovah’s “servant” class in prison and for a time effectually stopped the work. Then in the year 1919 Jehovah again revived his work and brought forth those devoted to him to engage in it. Shortly thereafter, to wit, in the year 1920, the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society published a book under the title “Millions Now Living Will Never Die”. This book was printed in a number of languages, and millions of copies were distributed throughout “Christendom” and put in the hands of order-loving people. With the coming of the year 1922 the witness work of Jehovah was getting well under way, and within a short time there was a world-wide witness given by public lectures on the subject “Millions Now Living Will Never Die”.

Furthermore Jehovah provided the radio to broadcast the truth, and for several years, in spite of much opposition, the message of the kingdom was more widely broadcast than any other information given by radio. Within the past few years the message of the kingdom of God, put in book form, has had a wider circulation and publication than any message ever issued by any other organization on earth. Many persons of good will who are under the power of Satan’s organization have received the truth and accepted it as true, and arc thus marked in their foreheads, that is to say, have been given an intelligent understanding of and concerning God’s purpose to establish his kingdom for the vindication of his name and for the blessing of the people. A great multitude of such are giving heed to the message and taking their stand on Jehovah’s side. The duty of Jehovah’s “servant” is to obey the commandment and go throughout “Christendom” and do the ‘marking’. It must be remembered that this work of giving the testimony is not for the purpose of converting the people of the world and bringing them into some organization, but it is to make known the fact that those who desire to flee from the wicked organization of “Christendom” may do so and declare themselves on Jehovah’s side, and thus be in line to be brought through the time of trouble, when the slaughtering begins.

The work of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is not spoken of in a boasting manner from the standpoint of men, but those who are privileged to have a part in it do ‘boast in the Lord’ and give honor and glory to his name. They rejoice in the fact that the time has come for the establishment of God’s kingdom; and therefore faithful men and women are given some part in telling others of this good news.

The fact that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is bitterly opposed by the “man of sin” and by the clergymen and the principal of their flock, who are members of the Devil’s organization, is further proof that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is doing the work which Jehovah commanded should be done and which was foreshadowed in the vision given by Jehovah to Ezekiel. Individuals who have part in that work are greatly blessed, but no in dividual is singled out and made more prominent than another. The “servant” of Jehovah is one. The “servant”, therefore, sees God’s purposes, and each one of the “servant” class sees eye to eye with the others, and they are going on performing this witness work according to Jehovah’s commandment. When it is recognized that this witness work or ‘marking’ is the work of Jehovah, and being done under his commandment, then those who thus recognize it will know that no power or opposition can stop it. The ‘marking’ work must be continued until it is completed; and when it is completed, the other order given by the Chief Commander, as heard by Ezekiel, will be performed.

Ezekiel heard Jehovah give order to the “six men”, which six men represent the organization of Jehovah (aside from the small number on earth) and are invisible to man. As soon as the witness work is completed, then the following order is due to be carried out, to wit: “And to the [six] others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite; let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity; slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women; but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain; go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.”—Ezek. 9:5-7.

Please take note that the order from Jehovah is to slay, and to spare none, “but come not near any man upon whom is the mark,” that is to say, those who are on Jehovah’s side are marked and are not to be slain. The slaughter begins “at the ancient men”, that is, with the elders and leaders, the clergy and the principal of their flocks. This slaughter is without regard to age or sex. “Organized religion” and the entire organization of Satan must be destroyed. Seeing that the slaying by the six begins with the clergymen, and none are spared, then surely the man with the writer’s inkhorn, that is, the “faithful servant” class, must not for pity or policy spare the clergy, when declaring the day of the vengeance of our God. It must mean that it is the duty and obligation laid upon the “servant” class to boldly declare the truth of God’s judgment against the hypocritical organization called “organized Christianity”. The “servant” class cannot be faithful in the performance of duty unless the truth is plainly and boldly told. Those who would oppose the bold proclamation of the truth, therefore, give evidence they are not of Jehovah’s organization.

Verse eight of the ninth chapter of Ezekiel strongly indicates that the remnant will stand by after the witness work is completed and watch Jehovah finish the wicked organization. Ezekiel prostrated himself before Jehovah and propounded a question. The attitude of falling down or prostrating oneself before Jehovah is the proper one for the creature to take before the Almighty Creator. The question propounded by Ezekiel while in that prostrate condition docs not at ail indicate that the “servant” class cries out in horror at the slaughter and begs for mercy, but rather that the “servant” speaks to Jehovah, as the prophecies show, to call forth a statement of Jehovah showing that the slaughter is entirely justified. Hence it is written: “And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah, Lord God! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?” (Ezek. 9:8) The battle of that great day of God Almighty, at Armageddon, will witness the complete downfall of “Christendom”, and that without any quarter or pity from Jehovah. The reply given to Ezekiel from Jehovah proves this fact: “Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness; for they say, [Jehovah] hath forsaken the earth, and the Lord seeth not. And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity; but I will recompense heir w ay upon their head. ’ ’ — Ezek. 9: 9, 10.

The order-loving people of today plainly see and well know that the nations called “Christendom” are full of injustice and wickedness. Many of the clergy tell the people that God has forsaken them because of their indifference toward “the church” and their neglect to support the same, while other clergymen tell the people that there is no Almighty God, the Creator of heaven and earth, and that the Bible is unworthy of belief. God will not spare them but wiil fully recompense them for their wickedness. He will make a clean-up of the whole outfit, in order that all who survive may know Jehovah is the only true God.

To each division of God's organization a certain part of the work of ridding the earth of Satan’s organization is assigned, and it will be required that each division be faithful in the performance thereof. In Ezekiel 9:11 it is written: “And, behold, the man clothed with linen, which had the inkhorn by his side, reported the matter, saying, I have done as thou hast commanded me.” Manifestly the matter is so stated in this text of the prophecy to show that the “servant” class faithfully perform the work assigned to them and, when it is done, in some way make report thereof. That means that the witness work must be done and will be done, and every one who hopes to have the final approval of the Lord as one of his remnant will joyfully participate in the witness or ‘marking’ work. The faithful remnant will joyfully obey the commandments of Jehovah and will receive his approval.

This scripture further indicates that some of the remnant will be on earth when the work is done, and will witness Jehovah’s battle at Armageddon from their vantage point under his protection. These will maintain their integrity toward Jehovah, and by their faithfulness will be a testimony to the supremacy of the Most High and to the honor of his name.