Instruction (Part 4) № 10

“LOCUST ARMY” TESTIMONY PERIOD

Summer’s opening is marked by the “Locust Army” Testimony Period, during the whole month of June. It is a movement of Jehovah's “locusts” against religion by a campaign to increase yet more the subscription list of The Watchtower. The unusual offer in effect during the campaign will operate greatly to that result, to wit, one year’s subscription for The Watchtower together with the premium of a choice of any bound book and a self-covered booklet on a contribution of but one dollar, foreign countries, $1.50. This Testimony Period is the final of a three-month campaign with The Watchtower. Now is not too late to arrange for some part therein, as to territory, equipment, time, supplies, distributor’s copies, etc. If unacquainted with an organized company of publishers in your locality, notify this office of your wish to get in touch with such for this Testimony. Those in foreign countries should write the branch office having supervision. The Informant (which is free) goes into greater detail on this.

THEOCRATIC CONVENTION OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

The manifest leadings of the Lord indicate that all lovers of the Theocratic Government of Jehovah God should assemble in general convention in 1940 Columbus, Ohio, has been selected as the key city for a five-day convention of Jehovah’s, witnesses. The dates will be July 24-28 inclusive. Announcement is made this early in advance in order that Jehovah’s witnesses and all people of good will may have ample opportunity to arrange their affairs so as to be at Columbus, Ohio, or other cities tied in by direct wire communication and loud-speaker equipment By the Lord's grace, the president of the Watchtower Society will be in attendance in person at the key assembly in Columbus. Further details will be published later.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

Week of June 16: “Instruction” (Part 4),

1-18 inclusive, The Watchtower May 15, 1940.

Week of June 23: “Instruction” (Part 4),

19-39 inclusive, The Watchtower May 15, 1940.

Week of June 30: “Instruction” (Part 4),

40-62 inclusive, The Watchtower May 15, 1940.

Vol. LXI  May 15, 1940  No 10

INSTRUCTION

PART 4

"The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way." – Ps. 25: 9

JEHOVAH is good, upright, just and true. He has provided instruction in abundance for those who desire to go in the right way. All men are born sinners, and all need instruction. Those who are of good will toward God desire instruction and are willing and anxious to be taught. Such are meek, and they seek to learn and to go in the right way. On the contrary, the proud, haughty, self-centered, who "know it all’’, refuse instruction. Modern-day religious leaders in “Christendom” are proud, haughty and scornful. They do not fear God. They spurn the instruction that is offered to them from God’s Word. Such haughty, scornful persons are the ones who now exercise rule over the weaker ones. To them God now says: “Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem.” – Isa. 28:14.

2 The present is a day of judgment of the nations by that Mighty One, Christ Jesus, whom God has appointed to sit in judgment. It is also the time of judgment of individuals. Those persons who are of good will toward God receive instruction and by the Lord are guided in the right way in this time of judgment. The prophecy of Jehovah by Zephaniah is given that all may hear and heed the warning if they will do so. The scorners refuse to hear, while the meek gladly hear and obey.

3 In the preceding part of the prophecy of Zephaniah heretofore considered in The Watchtower Jehovah gives warning of a great and terrible day that is approaching. That prophecy was fulfilled in miniature upon Israel. But not many of the Israelites gave heed to the words from the Lord in their day. The prophecy has its final fulfillment upon “Christendom”; and so likewise the warning is today sounded in “Christendom”, but few hear and give heed thereto.

4 A brief statement of the matter considered in this issue of The Watchtower follows. Chapter two of the prophecy of Zephaniah begins with a call to the people of “Christendom”, that is, both the haughty and the meek, to gather themselves together. The haughty and disobedient class will be gathered for destruction. Those of good will toward God, who give heed to the call, will find the place of safety. All are commanded to make a self-examination in the light of Jehovah’s judgments, which were written aforetime. This examination must be done before Armageddon arrives, at which time religion and all religious organizations and all who stick to religion shall be destroyed. “Christendom” does not heed the call for self-examination and obedience to God. Therefore “Christendom” will be destroyed beyond hope of recovery.

5 Jehovah then addresses all the meek of the earth who have not resisted him or scorned his instruction, but who have lined up with God’s judgments as they have been heard and understood. All these God bids to seek him. This part of the prophecy first applies to the “remnant” of the spirit-begotten class, who because of fear of man and their holding to some things religious became negligent and failed to perform their covenant. These must be warned, and God warns them. Then the commandment of the Lord applies to those who will form the “great multitude”, and which people have been kept back from Jehovah by the influence exercised upon them by religionists. All such are commanded now to seek further instruction in meekness and to learn Jehovah's way, that is to say, the right and righteous way. Therefore God says to all such: “The meek will he guide in judgement, and the meek will he teach his way.” All, then, who are thus instructed must be for The Theocratic Government and support it with zeal and joy. The self-important, haughty, self-righteous, know-it-all, will not be able to find a hiding place during the battle of the great day of God Almighty. Only those who continue to ascertain God’s will to earnestly give heed thereto will thus fulfill the Lord's requirements and have hope of being hid from the great destruction that shall be wrought at Armageddon.

6 The prophecy further discloses that not alone will the religious elements be completely cleared out during Armageddon, but also the combination of creatures over whom the demons exercise control and all who worship demons, including the political and commercial elements. These religious leaders are the modern-day Pharisees, and they shall be uprooted and destroyed. The religious combine, led by “Catholic Action", shall cease to function. The faithful remnant and their companions shall come forth from their place of seclusion where they rest during Armageddon and shall, after Armageddon, dispense food from God’s Word to those who worship and serve Jehovah God in spirit and in truth.

THE GATHERING

7 Jehovah has no desire for the nation that has rebelled against him or those who have forgotten him and who have done violence to his faithful servants, who support The Theocratic Government. Therefore Jehovah, by his prophet Zephaniah, says: "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired.” (Zeph. 2:1) The three English words “gather yourselves together” translate just one Hebrew word, which word appears to be derived from the root word meaning chaff, that is, that which has become dry, such as dry straw or the chaff of straw driven by the wind. It refers or applies to that substance, such as stubble, used for burning. The prophecy uses the further words: “Gather together.” Another translation thereof throws light on the subject: “Collect your thoughts, aye, collect them.” (Rotherham) And still another: “Search yourselves through, yea, search.” (Leeser, margin) The prophet Zephaniah was directing his words first to the kingdom of Judah. (Zeph. 1:1) The warning was that they might seek a place of safety from fiery destruction. Only those who would give heed to and obey could hope to be saved. The modern-day application is to “Christendom” and all in “Christendom” who would find the way of escape.

8 Further identifying the ones to whom the prophecy applies, the words are: “O nation not desired [(margin) not desirous].” Other versions of this text are: “O nation without desire (for repentance).” (Leeser) “O nation depressed [(margin) without a longing]!” (Rotherham) This is exactly contrary to the expression at Psalm 84: 2: “My soul longeth . . . for the courts of the Lord.” Another rendering of Zephaniah 2:1: “O nation that hath no shame [ (margin) that hath no longing].” (A.R.V.) “O nation not worthy to be loved .” (Douay) “O shameless nation.” –Margolis.

9 The ancient kingdom of Judah finds an exact counterpart in the present-day “Christendom”. Both Israel and “Christendom” agreed and professed to do the will of God, and both have proved unfaithful to God. The fulfillment of the prophecy in completion, therefore, specifically applies to the present- day religious organizations known as “Christendom”. Having spurned The Theocratic Government under Christ Jesus, “Christendom” is now shameless, without any longing whatsoever for God, without repentance, not worthy of God’s love and not worthy of his consideration; she is fit only for destruction.

10 But within the borders of “Christendom" there are those devoted ones whom the Scriptures describe as God’s “holy nation”. Such nation is not desired by “Christendom” or any part thereof. These must hear and do hear and give heed to the warning of Jehovah. Also there are those held within the confines of “Christendom” and who are sad of heart and who sigh and cry because of the abominations committed by “Christendom”. (Ezek. 9: 4) The religious leaders of “Christendom”, and political and commercial allies, have no desire for the individuals within their borders who disapprove of “Christendom’s” actions and the many abominations committed in “Christendom”. Those persons in “Christendom” who are of good will toward God hear the warning from Jehovah, but receive it sincerely. They need to search themselves and to reason out the matter in the light of God’s Word and come to a proper conclusion. Hence they are called upon to search their thoughts and gather themselves together. Jehovah, through Christ Jesus, who now sits in judgment of all, provides the help for all that hear the Word of God and give heed thereto. The opponents of The Theocratic Government, designated “the goats”, scorn the Word of Jehovah and do violence to those who serve Jehovah and his King. The Lord’s “other sheep” hear and gladly render support to The Theocracy and do good unto those who love, praise and serve the Almighty. The prophecy, therefore, takes in all, and all are commanded to hear what Jehovah has to say from Zion. All have need to give serious consideration to the commandments of the Lord and to examine themselves in the light of revealed truth and meekly seek the righteous way.

11 Why is the prophecy now having fulfillment in completeness? Why should the nations and individuals hear and give consideration to Jehovah’s words, as set forth in the prophecy? When must the selfexamination and the gathering together take place? Jehovah, by his prophet, answers: “Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.” – Zeph. 2: 2.

12 In chapter one of Zephaniah’s prophecy God's decree is summed up. There Jehovah makes known his definite purpose of wiping out unfaithful Judah and Jerusalem. His purpose was carried out or fulfilled in miniature upon Judah and Jerusalem. The prophecy was recorded, and the meaning thereof is now made known for the benefit of those on the earth at the time when God, speaking from the temple, commands all to keep silent and hear. (Hab. 2: 20) It is “Christendom” and all those within the borders of “Christendom” that are commanded to hear, because the decree of Jehovah is about to be executed. The division is taking place, to be followed quickly by the destruction of the one and the preservation of the other class.

13 The words of the prophecy command that this consideration must be given "before the day pass as the chaff”. That clearly shows that the opportunity to gather together and consider the matter is brief and passes swiftly by, like the chaff driven by the strong winds. Privileges wasted and let to slip by unused are gone, and now what is to be done to buy back time or recover from such lost opportunities must be done quickly. There is no time to waste. Those who have walked in obedience to God, having been diligent to hear and to obey his commandments, are strongly contrasted with those who have been negligent, indifferent, and who have failed to take advantage of opportunities to show their love for God and his kingdom. The faithful delight in the law of God and hasten to do his will. (Ps. 1:1-4) Now the final warning is given, and that which is found worthless, like chaff, is passing rapidly away to complete destruction at Armageddon.

14 The warning must be heard and obeyed now, “before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you.” According to Young’s version of this part of the text: “While yet not come in upon you doth the heat of the anger of Jehovah.” That means, before the violent expression of Jehovah’s hot anger, that is, “his strange act,” at the battle of the great day of God Almighty. All the nations are in danger of the coming day of God’s hot anger. “Christendom” is particularly pointed out and the warning specifically given to her. All who have agreed to do the will of God are included within the commandment of the Lord to hear and to obey.

15 Further emphasizing the need of quick consideration and action, Jehovah by his prophet says: “Before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you.” God permitted Nineveh to have forty days in which to repent. (Jonah 3:4) God gave warning for 120 years preceding the great deluge. (Gen. 6: 3) Counting from the thirteenth year of Josiah’s reign, in which Jehovah raised up Jeremiah to prophesy, God allowed forty years before he destroyed Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar, whom He used as his servant. (Jer. 25 : 3; Ezek. 4: 6-8) It was forty years from the beginning of the preaching by Jesus until the second destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans took place. (Luke 21: 20-24) The day of preparation for Armageddon has been in progress for some time. There is now a short period of grace until the battle of God Almighty, and which time brings all creation to the greatest climax ever known. God has shortened the day of tribulation and afforded time and opportunity for his warning to be sounded (Matt. 24: 21, 22), and all the Scriptures and all the physical facts relating thereto clearly indicate that the final conflict at Armageddon is very near. “Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor. 6:2) When the day of Jehovah’s anger in all its fierceness breaks, then it will be too late to flee to the place of safety, and therefore too late to give consideration to the warning God sends to the people by and through his prophet Zephaniah. Armageddon is a time of destruction, and not a time to begin to hear and obey the commandments of the Lord. There will then be no escape for those who have disregarded the warning of Jehovah.

16 A striking example is this: King Zedekiah was warned, and he held out against Jehovah’s warning which was time and again announced to him by the prophet Jeremiah; and he continued to hold out until the Chaldeans broke into Jerusalem. Then Zedekiah tried to escape by night through the king's garden, but he failed. He was overtaken by the executioner, bound securely, his eyes were put out, and he was carried out, exiled, and died in Babylon. He had waited too long. (2 Ki. 25: 3-7) When Armageddon breaks there will be no further hope of finding the way of escape. All who then begin to flee will find that they have waited too long.

THE MEEK

17 Among the religious organizations there are two classes, one made up of the clergy and the principal of their flocks, and who are entirely devoted to carrying out the schemes of the rulers of the nations of the earth. They have no regard for God's kingdom, but are pushing human schemes; and that is particu- larly true with reference to the Hierarchy today All of these are under the influence and power of the demons. The other class among religionists are those men and women who have been led to believe that it is necessary for them to hold on to religion and follow religious leaders in order to be saved. At the same time these sincere ones are thoroughly disgusted and are greatly grieved by reason of the abominable acts committed by the religionists, the leaders and the principal of their flock. They sigh and cry because of such condition. The class first above described are arrogant, haughty and cruel. That class is commanded by the Lord to gather themselves together for the slaughter at Armageddon.

18 The other class above mentioned hear the warning and flee from the wrath of God, which is about to befall “Christendom”. They desire to know the truth, and yet they have been kept in prison by the religious leaders. Now the time is here when all such sincere persons who desire to know the truth must consider the matter, must inform themselves, and must gather themselves together unto the Lord, and for this purpose Jehovah sends his witnesses to them with the message of The Theocratic Government.

19 In the prophecy Jehovah now addresses that class of persons who have desired to know the Lord, and who have a desire for righteousness and truth, that is, the meek and lowly ones. “Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zeph. 2: 3) The meek here addressed must flee from religion and hence come out from the Devil’s organization and do so before Armageddon begins. They seek the Lord in troublesome times and are the ones that ‘come out of great tribulation’, which tribulation is now upon all the nations of the earth. (Rev. 7:14) This is the time for those to flee to the place of safety. Such persons of good will toward God, and who have a desire for the truth, come out from amongst the religionists and out from all the nations and away from them that have turned back from following the Lord and from those who “have not sought the Lord nor inquired after him”. (Zeph. 1: 6, R.V.) The Lord is not in the religious systems, and this is clearly proved by the language of the prophecy. The clergy have entirely failed to serve God, and they have led their parishioners away from God and his kingdom. They have not learned of the kingdom and have failed to tell the people about God’s kingdom. They have turned the people entirely away from God and put them under the control of the demons.

20 Through his prophet God announced his rule which applies to all who sincerely desire to know and to receive the truth and to serve Jehovah. This rule is set forth as follows: “And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith the Lord; and I will turn away your captivity, and I will gather you from all the nations, and from all the places whither I have driven you, saith the Lord; and I will bring you again into the place whence I caused you to be carried away captive.” – Jer. 29:13,14.

21 In this present day prophecy applies in completeness. Who, then, in this time of great distress will have an understanding of God’s purpose? Certainly not the haughty, or cruel and wicked ones. This is the time of judgment of the nations by Christ Jesus, and those who hold to religion or demonism are in darkness and cannot understand. “Evil men understand not judgment; but they that seek the Lord understand all things.” (Prov. 28:5) But the meek, that is, those who are anxious to be taught, will now be diligent to seek the Lord and by him will be properly instructed. “When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek.” – Ps. 27: 8

22 Who are the meek? The meek are those who sincerely desire to be taught righteousness and who are anxious to walk in the right way. They must be meek, as Moses was meek, and cry unto the Lord for help. (Num. 12:1-3) The meek will be diligent to seek knowledge and understanding and to be guided by the Lord’s word, and will not be resisting the Lord’s instruction. (Ps. 25: 9) They will be not only willing, but glad to know of the good news concerning The Theocratic Government. (Isa. 61:1) That means to have a keen desire to be beautified by the Lord’s salvation, as it is written: “For the Lord taketh pleasure in his people; he will beautify the meek with salvation.” – Ps. 149: 4

23 Why do the meek seek Jehovah now? They are depressed and made sorrowful because of the many abominations committed in the earth by those who blaspheme God’s name and who at the same time claim to serve God. These meek ones desire to see righteousness which comes only from the Lord: “The Lord lifteth up the meek; he casteth the wicked down to the ground.” (Ps. 147: 6) None but the meek will now receive satisfaction and joy “The meek shall eat and be satisfied; they shall praise the Lord that seek him; your heart shall live for ever.” – Ps. 22:26.

24 This is the day in which Christ Jesus, the great Judge, has before him the nations, and he is judging both the wicked and the righteous. The righteous are those who are poor in spirit and are anxious to learn Concerning them it is written: “But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth ; and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of Ins lips shall he slay the wicked.” (Isa 11:4) As the meek seek the Lord their joy increases. "The meek also shall increase their joy in the Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel" – Isa. 29:19

25 Those who begin to learn of Jehovah and his purposes and who obey him as the truth is revealed unto them are the meek ones. Those who are of good will toward God, and who receive instruction, quickly discern that this is the day of judgment by the Lord. “The humble shall see this, and be glad; and your heart shall live that seek God. For the Lord heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners.”–Ps. 69: 32, 33.

26 The “remnant”, that is, the anointed of God, must now be meek and continue in meekness and in righteousness; and concerning such it is written: “But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”–Ps. 37: 11.

27 Jehovah God has given Christ Jesus the earth and the fullness thereof. Those who are with him as members of “his body” shall inherit the earth. The people of good will who form the “great multitude” shall abide in the earth forever under the complete supervision of Christ Jesus the Lord. At the Red sea God performed a great miracle when he executed his judgment upon the Egyptians, and which pictured the judgment of the Lord from heaven, now being announced and which shall be executed at Armageddon upon all the world. Concerning this it is written: “Thou didst cause judgment to be heard from heaven; the earth feared, and was still, when God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.” (Ps. 76:8, 9) At that time those who seek meekness shall be delivered.

CONDITIONED

28 A condition precedent to receiving the Lord’s guidance and blessing is that one must be willing to serve the Lord and he must not resist Jehovah. He must gladly submit to the Lord’s judgments written long ago, and which judgments are now being pronounced. Those who seek meekness and find it must be the ones who are anxious to do the will of God. "All ye meek of the earth, which have wrought [worked, practiced or pursued a course of action in harmony with] his judgment.” They hear the truth and then bring themselves into line with God’s judgment against demonism, that is, against all manner of religion and religious practices. They declare themselves on the side of The Theocratic Government. This must be done by those of good will before receiving God's favor. The same rule applies to those of the anointed and also to those who will form the "great multitude”. They must desire to be on the Lord’s side. God’s Word cannot be forced upon anyone, and none will receive it until he desires a better condition than that which he has previously enjoyed.

29 The judgment of the Lord began in 1918, when Jesus Christ came to the temple of Jehovah, and it was only after seeking to conform themselves to the judgment of the Lord that the remnant began to see that the name of Jehovah is of greatest importance. Previous to 1925 the consecrated in general had been looking forward to their individual exaltation. But desiring to learn, they found that the most important thing is the vindication of Jehovah’s name. By the year 1929 the faithful anointed ones had been permitted to have some part in pouring out upon “Christendom” the seven “vials” or judgments of God which are described at Revelation, chapters fifteen and sixteen. They had been used of the Lord in doing something that they did not then understand, and he used them because they were anxious and willing to do his will. From that time on to the present day Jehovah has continued to increase his blessings upon the remnant, that is, the anointed ones who have continued to faithfully serve Jehovah and his King. These faithful anointed ones are identified in the Scriptures as singing praises to the Lord Jehovah, giving glory to his name, after they have been diligent in seeking meekness and righteousness and have been enlightened of the Lord; and to them the following scripture applies: “Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy; for all nations [that is, the great multitude, that survives Armageddon] shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.”–Rev. 15:4.

RIGHTEOUSNESS

30 All who would have God’s approval are commanded to “seek righteousness”. They must not be like the Pharisees, the “elective elders”, and others of like spirit, who stand upon their own righteousness and who try to justify themselves. (Luke 16:15; Ps. 143:2) Those who seek righteousness must gladly come into line with the justification of God’s organization. They must be diligent to know and to do the will of God. (Isa. 60:17) They must obey Jehovah’s commandments and put forth their best endeavors to ‘turn others to righteousness’. (Dan. 12:3) They must be lovers of righteousness and haters of lawlessness. (Ps. 45:7) They must not fail to speak the truth and be fearless and diligent in telling the message of God. “He that speaketh truth sheweth forth righteousness; but a false witness deceit.” (Prov. 12:17) “The righteous considerate the cause of the poor [the people of good will toward God]; but the wicked regardeth not to know it.” (Prov. 29:7) “Light is sown for the righteous.” (Ps. 97:11) Those who are diligent to do the will of God walk in the light and find life. – Prov. 21: 21; Hos. 14-9.

31 “Seek meekness”; that is to say, be anxious and diligent to learn what God is now doing. Christ Jesus defends and protects those who seek meekness and who are therefore anxious to be guided in the right way. (Ps. 45: 4) The following texts apply to all who are diligently obeying the Lord and following his instructions which come from him through his organization: “My praise shall be of thee in the great congregation; I will pay my vows before them that fear him. The meek shall eat [what Jehovah provides] and be satisfied [not complaining]; they shall praise the Lord that seek him; your heart shall live for ever.” – Ps. 22: 25, 26

32 These must be willing to follow organization instructions and not try to run ahead of the Lord and do the work of the Lord in their own way. The following texts also apply: “Wherefore putting away all filthiness and overflowing of wickedness [malice (margin)], receive with meekness the implanted [inborn (margin)] word, which is able to save your souls.” (Jas. 1:21, R.V.) “But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in the incorruptible apparel of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. But sanctify in your hearts Christ as Lord; being ready always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear.”–1 Pet. 3:4, 15, A.R.V.

33 Meekness is the very opposite of pride or selfimportance or the manifestation of that “know-it-all” spirit. One who finds fault with others, and particularly who objects to having organization instructions given to him or called to his attention, is proud, selfimportant, and not meek: “Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly [meek], than to divide the spoil with the proud.” – Prov. 16:19.

34 “Christendom” is not meek, but scorns the instructions that come from God. When the Lord’s Word rebukes “Christendom”, the clergy, instead of being properly exercised thereby, have their “religious susceptibilities shocked” and resent the Lord’s message and persecute those who bring to their attention the judgments of the Lord.

35 Jehovah now commands that those of good will hasten to seek meekness and to seek righteousness. Why? “It may be [(Hebrew) Who knows whether or not] ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger”; that is to say, there is no other way of escape to a safe hiding place, and if one will comply with the divine rule he may be led into that place of safety.

36 God’s enemies try to hide themselves, and so they say: “When the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us; for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves.” (Isa. 28:15) The religious leaders of the Hierarchy and others will be sorely disappointed when Armageddon begins. God foretold what shall be their condition then: “In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, to the moles, and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.”–Isa. 2: 20, 21.

37 The Vatican, the headquarters of the Hierarchy, the big politicians and the commercial giants, and all the principal ones in the flock of the religionists, have sought to fortify themselves against the evil day. They have heaped up earthly treasure for the day of God’s wrath. (Jas. 5:1-3) At the time of Armageddon their earthly riches will do them no good. The Lord tells them what shall come to pass upon all who have taken the selfish and disobedient course: “For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren; and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?” (Luke 23: 29-31) “The high places also of Aven, the sin of Israel, shall be destroyed; the thorn and the thistle shall come up on their altars; and they shall say to the mountains, Cover us; and to the hills, Fall on us.” (Hos. 10: 8) “And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every freeman, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains [earthly organizations] ; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb; for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand ?" – Rev. 6:15-17

38 Their human fortifications will quickly crumble and all human hide-outs will be entirely in vain: “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.” (Jer. 23:24) A vision of God’s wrath upon the enemy who try to hide in their holes was given to his prophet who wrote these words: “I saw the Lord standing upon the altar; and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake; and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword; he that fleeth of them shall not flee away [successfully], and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered [by flight]. Though they dig into hell [dark holes in the ground], thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down.” – Amos 9: 1-4.

39 God provides the only place of safety, and the prudent ones recognize this and pray: "Keep me as the apple of the eye; hide me under the shadow of thy wings, from the wicked that oppress me, from my deadly enemies who compass me about.” (Ps. 17: 8, 9) “For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock.” (Ps. 27:5) “Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man; thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.” (Ps. 31: 20) “I will abide in thy tabernacle for ever; I will trust in the covert of thy wings. Selah.” (Ps. 61:4) “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” (Ps. 91:1) These precious promises from the Lord serve as a guide now, and those who obey God’s commandments may be assured that they will be led into the only place of safety.

“HID”

40 ‘Being hid,’ within the meaning of the prophecy, is to be hid from destruction by Jehovah’s commissioned Executioner, who will execute the wicked at Armageddon. A type of such hiding was that of Noah and his family, who were hidden in the ark. “The Lord shut [them] in.” (Gen. 7:16) Jeremiah was hid; so were Baruch, Ebed-melech, and the Rechabites, the sons of Jonadab, at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem, and this foreshadowed or foretold how the faithful, obedient ones will be hid at Armageddon. – Jer. 39: 8-14; 45:1-5; 39:15-18; 35:16-19

41 The name Zephaniah means “hidden of Jehovah”, both as a treasure and as against his enemies. These prophetic pictures foretell how the faithful ones, who shall compose the “great multitude”, will be hidden and shielded at Armageddon.

42 Another striking example is that of Rahab, who hid the spies from their Canaanite enemies. The modern-day Rahab class are those called “Jonadabs”, who hide now the remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses from their enemies, and at Armageddon the Rahab class, or faithful Jonadabs, shall be hid as she was hid from the enemy at the fall of Jericho. Rahab and the members of her house safely remained in the hiding place and were untouched when Jericho fell. –Josh. 2: 4, 17-21; Josh. 6:22-25.

43 Though some individuals, like Jonathan at the battle of Gilboa, may die at the hands of the enemy at the battle of Armageddon and die because they persist in maintaining their integrity toward God, yet they will not perish, but will receive life in the resurrection. The “great multitude” as a class will survive at Armageddon, although some individuals may die at the hands of the enemy. The Lord’s anger or wrath, there executed by Christ Jesus, will not come upon those who are thus hidden. Jehovah’s anger has now been turned away from the remnant. (Isa. 12:1) And his anger will be turned away from those of the “great multitude” who comply with his commandments. (Rev. 7:14-17) It is therefore imperative for all to seek meekness and seek righteousness before Armageddon begins and to continue faithful and true to The Theocracy if they would find a place of safety.

ENEMIES

44 The cities of the Philistines pictured chiefly the religious organization of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. They inhabited the land of Philistia along the seacoast of the Mediterranean. They seized that territory and held it in violation of God’s commandment, even as the religionists wrongfully claim to be the ones who serve God at the present time.

45 There will be no place of safety for the enemies of God when Armageddon begins: “For Gaza shall be forsaken, and Ashkelon a desolation; they shall drive out Ashdod at the noonday, and Ekron shall be rooted up.” (Zeph. 2:4) The Philistines were the mortal enemies of God’s typical people, and the city of Gaza was a Philistine stronghold from which Samson escaped, carrying away the gate thereof. (Judg. 16:1-3) The stronghold of “Christendom”, particularly the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, which now claims to be a hiding place for the religionists and allies, cannot hide anyone from God’s wrath. Ashkelon, another city of the Philistines, also picturing the organization of “Christendom”, will be completely ruined by the Lord at Armageddon, and none of the enemy shall be hid therefrom. The cities of the Philistines along the seacoast pictured the organization of “Christendom” and allies, and concerning these the words of the prophet apply, to wit: “At the noonday [destruction comes upon the enemy].” That means, at the time when the execution of God’s wrath will be most plainly observed and the enemy will see that it is the hand of God upon them.

46 In support of the foregoing the following prophetic texts refer to the war against “Christendom”: “Prepare ye war against her [organization of Satan and ‘Christendom’]; arise, and let us go up at noon.” (Jer. 6:4) “Their widows are increased to me above the sand of the seas; I have brought upon them, against the mother of the young men, a spoiler at noonday; I have caused him to fall upon it suddenly, and terrors upon the city.” – Jer. 15: 8.

47 The word “mother” in this last-quoted text means the old “harlot”, the religious element of Satan’s organization, particularly the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, and her “young men” are strong, vigorous supporters of religion, including the political and commercial elements. At the height of Armageddon the earthly organization of the enemy shall be completely ruined, and they shall know that the hand of God has done it: “The destruction that wasteth at noonday.” (Ps. 91: 6) As to those who continue faithful to Jehovah, and as contrasted with the fate of the enemy, the Lord says: “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms; and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them.” – Deut. 33:27.

48 The adherents of the religionists, particularly the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, the modern-day Ashdodites, shall be destroyed. The Lord’s judgment executed upon Babylon, the old “harlot”, and her children will be far worse than the affliction of emerods with which he smote the Philistines. (1 Sam. 5: 6, 9, 12) None of the enemy will find a hiding place in that day of the Lord’s wrath. What befell the combined Philistine organizations pictures what shall fall upon the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and her allies, and particularly upon the totalitarian monstrosity, which the modern-day Philistines have brought forth to rule the world. Then the earthly organization shall be slain, even as David slew Goliath, the giant monster of the Philistines.

49 The Philistine cities controlled all the people along the coast of the Mediterranean sea, in that part of the land, which properly belonged to the Israelites. Those on the seacoast carried on a commercial business upon the sea, picturing those who use religion today to further their commerce or traffic. The following texts apply to all such at Armageddon: “Woe unto the inhabitants of the sea coast, the nation of the Cherethites! the word of the Lord is against you; O Canaan, the land of the Philistines, I will even destroy  thee, that there shall be no inhabitant." – Zeph. 2:5.

50 This means that the commercial religionists will find no protection in the day of Armageddon. They shall not be hid from God’s anger. Their wealth and influence and power amongst men will avail them nothing. “The nation of the Cherethites” means the men or organizations of violence, that is to say, those of the world who use religion and the “absolution” which they receive from the religionists, to further carry on their schemes of robbery and violence. These look to the religious leaders to save them, but the religious leaders will not be able to help them at all. The Cherethites, therefore, picture those supporters of the Roman Catholic organization in politics, in commerce, and the “strong-arm squad”, the military class, and others who use religion for their selfish purpose and who act at the bidding of the Hierarchy, and who willingly mistreat and heap violence upon the witnesses of Jehovah and their companions, and who do so at the instance of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy.

51 The “Catholic population” is divided into two classes. One class practices the Catholic religion solely for what material benefit they hope to receive therefrom; and this includes the political and commercial men who rely upon religion to protect them in their unrighteous schemes. The second class are those sincere persons who are led to believe that the Catholic religion is the only means for their salvation. This latter class of sincere persons, upon hearing the truth and giving heed thereto, will flee from religion before Armageddon begins, and then if they faithfully obey God’s commandments they have the promise of finding a place of safety in the day of God’s wrath at the battle of Armageddon. This division between Catholics is now progressing, and many sincere ones are fleeing from that religious organization and are hurrying to God’s organization under Christ Jesus. They see that religion is a snare and a racket and that the place of safety is with the Lord.

COMPLETE DESTRUCTION

52 Concerning all who hold to or support religion for selfish reasons the Lord says: “The word of the Lord is against you.” (Zeph. 2:5) It is a word of woe from Jehovah against such and is certain to be carried out. Another rendering of this text: “The word of Jehovah is against you, O Canaan, the land of the Philistines.” (A.R.V.) The word “Canaan” came to be understood as “merchant”, or commercial men, who worship their demon-god Dagon. They were venomous persecutors of the Israelites. Therefore they pictured those who follow demon religion for gain and who persecute the faithful followers of Christ Jesus. None of such will find a hiding place at the time of Armageddon.

53 The Roman Catholic Hierarchy, the chief amongst religious organizations, claims that the “Catholic population” numbers approximately 300 million. The chief ones of the organization consist of the Hierarchy of Authority, and of the principal ones of the Catholic flock who use the Catholic religion for personal gain and who hold in subjection and control many of the lower people. The Hierarchy has now brought forth the giant monstrosity, the totalitarian rule or form of government, which regiments and controls the people. This modern-day monstrosity includes religious, political, commercial and military elements. It includes individuals which go to make up the present-day “inhabitants” of that godless, demon-controlled system, and concerning all of which Jehovah, by his prophet, says: “I will even destroy thee, that there shall be no inhabitant.” (Vs. 5) It has long been the boast of the Roman Catholic organization that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against us”. At Armageddon that boast shall end for ever and every vestige of that religious organization shall perish, so that “there shall be no inhabitant” thereof throughout the whole earth. “Catholic Action” will perish for ever. Not one part of that organization shall find a hiding place in the day of God’s wrath.

BLESSINGS FOR THE OBEDIENT

54 The enemies of The Theocracy being cleared out at Armageddon, as stated in verse five of the prophecy, there will be a complete change of conditions, and then the faithful servants of God shall come into possession of things which the enemy have previously occupied wrongfully: “And the sea coast shall be dwellings and cottages for shepherds, and folds for flocks.” (Zeph. 2:6) Another rendering of this text is: “And the sea-coast shall be pastures, with cottages.” (A.R.V.) This part of the prophecy shows that the survivors of Armageddon will be those, and those only, who have taken their stand on the side of The Theocratic Government before Armageddon begins. These will include the “remnant” and those who will compose the “great multitude”. The religious element and supporters at the present time fleece the flock of God and rule the people with an iron hand. At Armageddon that unrighteous action shall cease for ever. (Ezek. 34:2-10) Dictators and religionists will be for ever disposed of and then the survivors of Armageddon will feed God’s flock: “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.”–Ezek. 34: 23, 24.

55 The “flocks” of the Lord are the “other sheep”, to whom Jesus says: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” – Matt. 25:34-40; John 10: 16.

56 True Judeans are those who praise and serve Jehovah and his King. When the tribe of Judah was assigned its territory by Jehovah its boundaries took in the seacoast then occupied by the Philistines and within which territory were the cities of Ekron, Ashdod, and Gaza. (Josh. 15:1-47) In the antitype the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and their religious organizations claim the right to rule the world, and thus occupy the territory that does not belong to them. In the language of God’s Word, ‘they stand in the place where they ought not to stand,’ and are an “abomination of desolation”. (Mark 13:14) Jehovah through Christ Jesus will completely oust all of them. Then the meek 'Judeans’, that is, those who truly serve and praise Jehovah, will inherit the earth. “But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” (Ps. 37:11) “Blessed are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth.”–Matt. 5: 5.

57 The earth was created by Almighty God as a permanent place to be occupied by righteous men. (Isa. 45:12, 18) The enemy having been completely destroyed at Armageddon and thereby completely deprived of its possession, then the righteous ones, the meek, shall come into their own: “And the coast shall be for the remnant of the house of Judah; they shall feed thereupon; in the houses of Ashkelon shall they lie down in the evening; for the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.” – Zeph. 2:7.

58 Armageddon having ended, everlasting peace shall reign. The faithful “princes” will then be on the earth. (Ps. 45:16; Isa. 32:1) Those who have fled to the “city of refuge” will be there.

59 At the present time the “remnant of her seed”, that is, the faithful servants of God now on earth, are dispensing the spiritual food from the Lord’s table to his “other sheep”. Says the prophet: “They shall feed.” This feeding applies specifically after Armageddon has ended. There appears some evidence that should give much joy both to the remnant and to the great multitude. It is the faithful Judeans, “the remnant of the house of Judah,” that do the feeding. This is proof at least that part of the faithful, spirit-begotten “remnant” ones will survive Armageddon and for a time thereafter will continue to dispense food from the Lord’s table to those of the “great multitude”, and in this they will, no doubt, act in connection with the faithful “princes” on the earth. That will be a joyful and happy organization on earth. Some of the royal family, together with the princes of the earth, will be participating in the work of rendering aid to the “great multitude”, all to the praise of the Great Theocrat and his government of righteousness, resting upon the shoulders of Christ the King.

60 The prophecy says: ‘They shall feed thereupon, lying down in the evening.’ Ashkelon was the city where Samson spoiled the Philistines. (Judg. 14: 19) The modern-day Philistines having been destroyed, their house shall be completely desolated. (Zeph. 2:4) No more will there be any thieves and racketeers. The cities once occupied and controlled by the religious, political and commercial oppressors will be for ever gone, and then, as stated by the prophet, the faithful of God shall “lie down in the evening”. That would clearly indicate peace and rest and safety. No more shall they fear the beastly giants, like Goliath, the antitype of whom is the monstrosity, the totalitarian rulers. The people of good will who then are obedient to God’s command shall receive his blessings These are the ones that have sought righteousness and meekness and who may “be hid”, and then they shall dwell in peace and security forever on the earth.

61 The further words of the prophet are: "For the Lord their God shall visit them, and turn away their captivity.” The faithful, spirit-begotten ones were in captivity to Babylon, that is, the Devil’s religious organization, and were continuously subjected to the vicious assaults of the Devil and his agents. In 1918 Jehovah visited his people by sending Christ Jesus to the temple, who then turned away their captivity. Later, at Armageddon, all those who faithfully have served Jehovah shall be completely delivered. Into the mouth of his people Jehovah has put this truth : “Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people; 0 visit me with thy salvation; that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance.” (Ps. 106:4, 5) This prayer will have been fully answered at the end of Armageddon. The faithful servants of Jehovah now by faith have sought deliverance or salvation, and they sing: “My heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.” – Ps. 13: 5.

62 Jehovah relieved Job from captivity by causing the Devil’s assault upon him to cease. (Job 42:10) At Armageddon Jehovah will fully deliver all who have faithfully served him from those who have persecuted them. While the servants of Satan are now being gathered together for destruction the gathering of Jehovah’s faithful servants is also taking place for their salvation. All who take their stand on the side of The Theocratic Government and continue to serve the great Theocracy, under Christ Jesus, shall be fully and completely delivered at Armageddon.

63 It appears from the prophecy of Zephaniah that “Christendom”, that is, those people who practice what they have called “the Christian religion”, will first be disposed of at Armageddon and then God’s faithful servants will be fully delivered from them. The clearing out of all who have opposed and who continue to oppose must proceed until every enemy is destroyed. Jehovah’s purpose is to make the earth a fit place in which faithful human creatures shall remain. Those who continue in righteousness shall abide in the earth forever. Jehovah’s purpose shall be fully performed, and therefore the destruction of the wicked will result in cleansing the earth and thereafter it shall be filled, according to God’s purpose, with a righteous race of people. In this part of the prophecy God therefore shows the course and the end of those who oppose his government, and the right way for those who are of good will toward him, and what shall be their happy condition following Armageddon. The prophecy further discloses that which shall come upon every part of earth’s organization.

(To be continued)

FIRST REFUGEE FOR THEOCRACY

THE land from which he fled was a place of totalitarian rule, religion, commercialism, militarism, and aggression, according to the earliest records describing the land of the Chaldees, or Chaldea. For the sins thereof the inspired prophet says: “And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 13:19) Babylon, or Babel, in the plains of Shinar, was the beginning of the kingdom of Nimrod, the wanton slayer of men and beasts. (Genesis 10:8-10) The country was called “the land of Nimrod”. Concerning the rapacity of the inhabitants thereof the servant of Job of the land of Uz says: “The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.” (Job 1:17) From Babylon, the beauty of the Chaldees’ excellency, came the one who wrecked the temple at Jerusalem and took “the vessels of the house of God, which he carried into the land of Shinar, to the house of his god; and he brought the vessels into the treasure house of his god”. - Daniel 1:2, 1.

Disregarding the several traditions as to the cause of the flight of the refugee, such as the tradition that “for [his] doctrines, when the Chaldeans and other people of Mesopotamia raised a tumult against him, he thought fit to leave that country”, the inspired historian writes: “Thou art the Lord the God, who didst choose Abram, and broughtest him forth out of Ur of the Chaldees, and gavest him the name of Abraham.” “By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles [tents] with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a city [The Theocracy] which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” – Nehemiah 9:7; Hebrews 11:8-10

It was 350 years after the flood dried up that Noah died, and during that time the descendants of Noah increased rapidly. (Gen. 9:28, 29) Almost all the people had by that time fallen under the influence and control of “the prince of this world”, Satan the Devil, and the other devils or demons. Two years after the death of Noah Abraham was born. Abraham was then residing in the land of Ur of the Chaldees, under the domination of Babylon He loved and served the Almighty God, Jehovah. Abraham, whom God later called His “friend”, fled from the political, religious government of Babylon, hoping for the Theocratic Government, which God promised to come in the then far distant future. When Abraham was seventy-five years old, at the command of Almighty God he moved into a foreign land, Canaan. As recorded at Genesis 12:1-5: “Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee; and I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt be a blessing: and I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee; and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. So Abram departed, as the Lord had spoken unto him; and Lot went with him: and Abram was seventy and five years old when he departed out of Haran [where they had temporarily stopped after leaving Ur of the Chaldees]. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their substance that they had gathered, and the souls that they had gotten in Haran; and they went forth to go into the land of Canaan; and into the land of Canaan they came.”

Abraham went to Canaan to be a witness for Jehovah. Since Adam’s rebellion at Eden God has had some faithful witnesses on the earth, although very few in number, compared with earth’s population. God began to make known that no man would have his blessing unless that man had faith in God and obeyed his commandments, and so He began to preach or proclaim the good news or gospel unto Abraham. The Scriptures, at Galatians 3:8,9, declare: “And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before [hand] the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.”

When Abram was ninety-nine years old God appeared unto him and said: “I am the Almighty God: walk before me, and be thou perfect. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham [meaning ‘father of a multitude’] ; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.” – Gen. 17:1, 5-8

“And God said, Sarah thy wife shall bear thee a son indeed; and thou shalt call his name Isaac; and I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant, and with his seed after him.” (Gen. 17:19) When Sarah had passed the time according to women, and Abraham was one hundred years old, God counteracted these seemingly unfavorable conditions and caused Sarah to bear a son; and he was named Isaac. Thereafter the Lord made the promise to Abraham: “In Isaac shall thy seed be called.” (Gen. 21:1, 12) That Isaac foreshadowed the King of Jehovah’s Theocracy, the real Seed of the promise, through whom the blessings must come to men of good will, is clearly stated by the divine record at Galatians 3:16: “Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.”

At this point God made a living picture which foreshadowed the unfolding of a part of his purpose. In this living motion picture Abraham as father was used to represent God the Father, while Isaac, Abraham’s only son by Sarah, was used to represent the only begotten and beloved Son of God, who was afterwards called by the name of Jesus. In making this picture the Lord God directed Abraham to take Isaac, his only son, whom he loved dearly and in whom he had all his hopes centered, and to go to Mount Moriah and there offer up his son as a burnt offering. Because God had told Abraham that “in Isaac shall thy seed be called” and that the blessings shall come through him, this was a crucial test, to offer up as a sacrifice this only son. In obedience to the Lord’s command, Abraham provided wood for the altar, fire, and a knife; and with this provision he and his son Isaac journeyed to Mount Moriah. Abraham built the altar, laid the wood in order, bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar upon the wood, and then stretched forth his hand and took the knife to slay his son. In another instant the knife would fall and his son would be dead! God’s purpose here was to test and prove Abraham’s faith. Abraham having now met the test, the Lord God arrested the hand that would have slain the son. The record reads:

“And the angel of the Lord called unto him out of heaven, and said, Abraham, Abraham: and he said. Here am I. And he said, Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him: for now I know that thou fearest God, seeing thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, from me. And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and, behold, behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns, and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son. And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovah-jireh [that is, Jehovah will see, or, provide] : as it is said to this day, In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen [(Am. Rev. Ver.) In the mount of Jehovah it shall be provided]. And the angel of the Lord called unto Abraham out of heaven the second time, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord; for because thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son; that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore, and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies: and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed because thou hast obeyed my voice.” – Genesis 22: 11-18.

The prophetic shadow made by this living motion picture was afterwards carried out in every particular. As stated at John 3:16, 17, 18, by the Greater Isaac himself “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned,” Thus Abraham’s offering of Isaac upon the altar foreshadowed that the Son of God would be offered as a great sacrifice to provide a sin-offering for the benefit of such of the world as believe on him as Jehovah’s provision, to the end that in God’s due time the believers out of “all the nations of the earth” might be delivered from the enemy, from his wicked influence and from his wrongful acts which had brought death upon the human race. Abraham did not understand what the picture in which he was an actor meant. With him it was purely a matter of faith. God commanded him what to do, and that he did. It was a test of Abraham’s faith, but he trustingly met the test and God rewarded his faith.

Afterwards Rebecca became the wife of Isaac, and Rebecca was barren. Then Isaac entreated the Lord for his wife, and Rebecca conceived. Twin sons were born and were named Esau and Jacob. God made it clear that Jacob should succeed to the promise, and that through him should the Seed for the blessing of mankind come. Like a refugee, Abraham “became a sojourner in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise”. They might have returned to Ur of the Chaldees; but not so. Of the faithful witnesses of Jehovah it is written: “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth For they that say such things make it manifest that they are seeking after a country of their own. And if indeed they had been mindful of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly [The Theocracy]: wherefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God; for he hath prepared for them a city [The Theocratic Government], By faith Abraham, being tried, offered up Isaac: yea, he that had gladly received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; even he to whom it was said, In Isaac shall thy seed be called: accounting that God is able to raise up, even from the dead; from whence he [Abraham] did also in a figure receive him [Isaac] back.” –Hebrews 11:9, 13-19, Am. Rev. Ver.

Jehovah’s unconditional promise to Abraham is called the Abrahamic Covenant, for the reason that Abraham served to picture Jehovah himself, while Sarah his wife served to picture Jehovah’s organization, which brings forth the Seed for Jehovah’s purpose. That is a unilateral or onesided covenant. It is a declaration of the unchangeable purpose of Jehovah to do a certain thing, and the result thereof does not at all depend upon what the man Abraham or any other creature might do or fail to do. That is the covenant that announces God’s provision for man to obtain life, for the reason that therein it is plainly stated, “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed.” (Gen. 22:18) The blessing of the families or peoples of the earth means that God will give them opportunity to live, and such opportunity must come in his appointed way, to wit, by and through the promised Seed, which is Christ Jesus.

There is no Scriptural reason to conclude that the man Abraham and his fleshly descendants will inherit the earth. God's promise to Abraham was long ago fulfilled in miniature and in a typical manner, but the greater fulfillment in completion is to those of Jehovah’s capital organization, of which Christ Jesus is the Head. “For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.” (Romans 4:13) Jehovah is the Greater Abraham. “The earth is Jehovah’s, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein.” (Ps. 24:1, A.R.V.) Satan, who as Lucifer was the original invisible overlord of the earth, has now been cast out of heaven; the overlordship of the earth now belongs to Christ Jesus, the Seed of Abraham, whose right it is to rule, because Jehovah has given it to him. Christ Jesus is Jehovah’s heir of all things, and those of Jehovah's royal house of sons are joint-heirs with

Christ Jesus. (See Romans 8:16,17.) When God said to Abraham, ‘I will give unto thee and unto thy seed after thee the land,’ clearly the meaning thereof is that Abraham in type was given the land and that the Seed of Abraham, “which is Christ,” will possess it for ever.

The position of Abraham and the other faithful witnesses of old, when resurrected from the dead in a “better resurrection” than that of the rest of the dead, will be that of “princes in all the earth”, that is to say, the visible governors of earth under the invisible Theocratic Government, the direct representatives of Christ Jesus, to whom God has given the earth as his inheritance; and as such princes these resurrected witnesses of old will rule under Christ and will rule in righteousness. (Note Psalm 2: 6-8; Hebrews 11:35; Psalm 45:16; Isaiah 32:1?)

The patriarch’s original name Abram means “exalted father”, which name the Lord changed, calling him Abraham. The name Abraham means “father of many nations” This is proof that Abraham was here used as a symbol to represent Jehovah God himself, who alone is the Giver of life, hence the great Father of all those of the families and nations of the earth that live under The Theocracy, and that The Seed is Christ Jesus, by and through whom Jehovah gives life to man. (Rom. 6:23) When Jehovah said to Abraham, “I will . . . make thy name great,” manifestly God meant that he would make his own holy name great (Gen. 12:2) The dealing of Jehovah with the natural descendants of Abraham, the fleshly Jews, was for His. Jehovah’s, own name’s sake. (Ezek. 20:9) The purpose of the Abrahamic covenant, therefore, was not primarily for man’s benefit, but was and is for the vindication of Jehovah’s name; and this conclusion is abundantly supported by the Scriptures. A long period of time has been permitted to elapse during which period of time Jehovah God permits Satan to remain and carry forward his nefarious work in order that He, Jehovah, in his own due time may have a testimony given in the earth concerning his name and Theocracy and then may exhibit his power at the battle of Armageddon to convince all creation that he is the Supreme One, the great Theocrat. Let it be kept in mind that the salvation of creatures is entirely secondary to the great purpose of Jehovah by this Theocratic Government.

MOTHER RELIGION IN MAY

"MOTHER’S DAY” began to be observed in England, in 1913. That same year the United States Congress, by resolution, made the second Sunday in May of each year a national holiday, “dedicated to the memory of the best mother in the world, your mother.” That sounds nice, and on the face of it looks nice; but is it sincere? and what is the real purpose thereof? Do the men of England and America love their mothers better since that than they did before? Certainly not. Is it true that every man’s mother is the “best mother in the world” ? Everyone knows that is not true.

“Mother’s Day” was first observed in America in 1914, the very year that the “times of the Gentiles” expired and Satan’s uninterrupted worldly rule ended, at which event he knew his time was short to get ready for the great battle of Armageddon between his organization and The Theocratic Government. To induce the people to bestow special honor and worship upon mothers would be one step toward turning the people away from the worship of the great Theocrat, Jehovah God; just another one of Satan’s means of preparing for Armageddon. In all the religious organizations today much is made over “Mother’s Day”, but in not a single one of them are the people told that in respect of the commandment to honor father and mother God is the Father of those that live and His “woman”, to wit, his organization, is the mother of those that receive life from God, and that all honor and worship are due to Jehovah God. On the contrary, the men of “Christendom” are taught to pay their honor to creatures, and not to the Creator, and this is taught by clergymen, whose duty and obligation is to teach the people the truth of God’s Word. For example, note the following:

The New York Times published the following under the date line ‘Rome, April 17, 1940’: “Today, as he did a year ago, the Pope issued a world-wide appeal for a month of prayer to the Virgin Mary ‘for the restoration of peace among the nations.’ . . . ‘Through you [pastors], we bade the whole Catholic world to offer in the month of May, then close at hand, prayers and fervent aspirations to the Great Mother of God that she might conciliate her Son, offended by our many sins, and that the just settlement of opposing interests and the restoration of confidence to men’s minds might effect the return of peace among nations. Now that the situation is worse, and that this terrible war has broken out, bringing with it already untold harm and suffering, we cannot but call again on our children scattered through the world to gather around the altar of the Virgin Mother of God daily during the next month [May], consecrated to her, to offer her suppliant prayer ’ ”

The month of May and of Mother’s Day is understood to be named after Maia, a demon worshiped by the pagans. “Her name marks her as the ‘fruitful mother’. . . . Maia became by Zeus the mother of the god Hermes.”–The Encyclopaedia Britannica.

On the face of it the arrangement of Mother’s Day seems harmless and calculated to do good. But the people are in ignorance of Satan’s subtle hand in the matter, and that he is back of the movement, to turn the people away from Jehovah God The slogan is: “The best mother who ever lived", the purpose being to establish creature worship, or at least to divert the attention of man from the proper worship of God. There have been many good mothers of men, and many bad ones. Not every man has the best mother that ever lived; and therefore the slogan is false. The woman that dishonors Jehovah God and blasphemes his name is not a good woman, regardless of how many children she may bear; whereas some of her children may be faithful servants of God. The good mother is the one who serves and honors Jehovah and teaches her children to do likewise, and who renders her proper motherly duties in the home. Real men have great respect and great love for such mothers, but their worship is given to Jehovah God.

Neither the man nor the woman should be worshiped for doing right, because such doing of right is their duty. Creature worship of any kind is wrong and is an abomination in God’s sight. – Luke 16:15

In “Christendom” men have formed the habit of quoting their mothers as authority for their course of action and of utterly ignoring God’s Word. In “Christendom” women teach, preach and prophesy in religious houses, and predict and prophesy in affairs of state concerning peace and war Women are seducing and misleading men, causing them to mix politics and religion and to compromise their duty toward God in order to comply with the rules of Satan's unrighteous world. Such conduct is “fornication” in the Scriptural meaning of that term, as set forth at Revelation 2:20: “Thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols " Such is contrary to God’s rule, as stated at 1 Timothy 2:12 “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.”

When men and women follow the Devil’s subtle scheme, they turn away from Jehovah God; and the farther they go, the more trouble they get into.

LETTERS

RESOLUTION

Dear Brother Rutherford,

The publishers of the Chicago [Ill.] company, South unit, assembled at a regular service meeting Thursday, October 19, extend to you love and greetings, and pass the following resolution .

“Understanding that everything that can be shaken shall be shaken from the Lord’s Kingdom Organization, and having received warning from the Lord that in ‘this last day’ unfaithful ones within the organization would be led to believe a he and to cause division and strife among the brethren (2 Thess. 2:11 and Rom 16:17,18)

“We firmly resolve to give no heed to such evil and unfaithful ones, nor to any manner of information which does not come through the channel provided by the Lord’s Theocratic Government, but to be always alert to receive information and instruction from the temple and in the spirit of Christ to act promptly and in full obedience thereto, thus manifesting love and devotion to our King. (1 Cor. 1:10; Acts 3:23) Salvation belongeth to the Lord!

“We resolve to do with our might what our hands find to do and use the equipment provided by the Lord with which to bring the message of hope and salvation to those of good will, or ‘other sheep’, and joyfully anticipate a most marvelous increase in Kingdom publishers this new year (the Lord will provide the increase).

“We extend to you, dear Brother Rutherford, and to the Bethel family, our utmost confidence and appreciation for the unstinted and faithful devotion you manifest unto the Lord and for your zeal and courage in leading us, at the direction of the Lord, in fighting this battle against the enemy (Ephesians 6:12) ‘They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you for the battle is not yours, but mine, saith the Lord!’

“Deaf and blind to all but the Kingdom interests, we pray the Lord’s rich blessing upon you and ‘all who are willing in this the day of the Lord’s power’.”

EVIDENCE OF INCREASED JOYS

Dear Brother Rutherford,

We, the Bloomfield, New Jersey, company of Jehovah's witnesses, appreciate your thrilling letter of January 20, concerning the new quota for publishers. It seemed to have an electrifying effect upon us, in more fully realizing our grand privilege in putting forth a greater effort in searching out those who are truly lovers of righteousness.

Your letter, which showed us, as never before, our opportunities of serving in The Theocracy, spurred us on to a wonderful climax of the three-bound-book witnessing period of January Our report for the month of January is given in further evidence of our increased joys in The Theocracy: thirty-four publishers placed a total of 1,144 bound books; of these there were 358 combinations of three bound books. Note the most interesting of all: we made a total of 410 back-calls, or an average of 12 back- calls per publisher. Thus we mark the results, and now we are conducting 55 model studies each week.

We together send greetings in the Great Theocrat’s name, desiring to do this one thing, that is, serve faithfully in the Theocratic Government, as your brethren and fellow publishers

IN A BRITISH PASSENGER-TRAIN COMPARTMENT

“Traveling north from London. As the journey wore on and I looked around my six fellow passengers in my compartment were all reading novels, magazines, and newspapers. The train rattled on and I was getting desperate about how I could start a witness, when we slowly stopped at a station, two passengers getting out and two soldiers getting in. The Tommies are always ready for chatter, so I asked them about conditions in the army, how they liked it, etc., etc., and they began explaining in gruesome detail how they had to do a bayonet charge; so I remarked, 'What a wonderful world this is, to be born, grow up to the prime of life, and then learn how best to kill one’s fellow creatures!’ At this the lady next to me piped up from behind her magazine, and said: ‘I wonder none of you men object to this war business on religious grounds.’ There was my opening, and I got in quick with the Truth till all the carriage was bursting with remarks and comments. The lady, a young girl really about 22, was a Roman Catholic, and before the journey had gone much farther I was explaining to her the soul, ‘trinity,’ remission of sins, ‘purgatory,’ and most other false doctrines. The other five in the compartment were sitting bolt upright listening with amazement. One of the Tommies said: ‘Are you a Sunday-school teacher?’ Showing the difference between religion and Christianity, I told him if I were a teacher I wouldn’t be explaining these things as I was. He was a Spiritualist. His beliefs he tried to justify by saying that Christ appeared to Mary after His resurrection as a spirit and therefore other humans could appear after death; but he couldn’t prove anything at all and the Roman Catholic girl backed me up: evidently she had no likes for Spiritualists.

“Two hours passed by in witnessing. We drew into a big station (Darlington) where all got out except one lady opposite me, but before the train stopped this Catholic girl stood up and pointed to me and said: ‘What this lady has told us is absolutely true, and if I had half her courage I would leave my religion tomorrow.’ Then she came to me and said: ‘May I leave you my address so you may send me one of those little books where you learnt all you know?’ We parted. The sole remaining occupant of the carriage traveled on to my journey’s end with me and we finished the conversation and she ended in taking two Consolation and Kingdom News from me, which I had in my bag ‘in case’! Next day I wrote to the Catholic girl and sent her Salvation and Where Are the Dead? and Uncovered, and a catalog, telling her to read with an unbiased mind and not to listen to contrary advice from others which she would probably get. I also gave her a short resume of world conditions and the cause thereof. Yesterday I had this reply from her:

“Thank you very much for your kindness in sending the books. I will certainly read them. I have already read the one entitled Where Are the Dead? with great interest, and I must admit that I find Judge Rutherford’s views far more logical than the teachings of the Church. I still feel rather reluctant to reject the beliefs that I was taught from childhood, and I am sure you will understand what a big step it is to take. You see I have very little leisure time in which to study the Bible and, to be honest, I have not thought about God and religion much until just recently. You say in your letter that the world goes on forever, but you also say that we are living near the end of the world. What does this mean? How will the world end? Will God destroy it in order to clear out evil and then create it again? Or are we in actual fact living during the process of the cleaning up? I showed your letter to my friend, who was very interested. She had heard of the Bible Tract Society before, but I never have, and religion has been causing me a lot of fear and unhappiness. I thought I was being wicked for thinking God unfair because he made us imperfect and then burned us forevermore for our human faults, and I think in a way it made me defy religion. I tried to love God, but I could not; how can one love something one is terrified of? When I finish the books I have, I would be glad if you would select others which you think will be most helpful to me, and if you will Jet me know the price of them I will send the money as you kindly offered to send them to me. I hope you can understand my letter, as I have not your gift of expression, and I do hope you will write me if you have time. Yours sincerely, M. McC.”

FIRST PUBLIC LECTURE IN EIRE

“I report on the public lecture given in Dublin yesterday. As this is the first time that a lecture of Judge Rutherford’s has been given in a public meeting in this country– Eire–you will appreciate just how the publishers here have been kept in a state of keen anticipation as to the results Advertising by means of the ‘Government and Peace’ Landbill was done in a quiet and orderly way. The publishers called on the Protestant people in their homes and gave them a personal welcome to the lecture, leaving the handbill with each one. Many were sent by post to the people of good will living farther afield. A notice was also inserted in the public press, which informed the people that a free Bible lecture on “World Events and Bible Prophecy’’ ’ was to be given in the Northumberland Hall on Sunday February 11 at 3:30 p.m. This advertising work took us two weeks to complete, for the majority of the work was done by four pioneers along with the zone servant.

“As we have no electrical transcription machine in Eire we had to use other means of reproducing the speech A good wireless set was given to us on loan and we used a separate pickup along with it so that the operators could be out of sight in another room. This gave very good results

“By the time the lecture commenced there were 70 people present, which included 50 strangers. These all paid rapt attention to all that Judge Rutherford had said in his lecture at Madison Square Garden. Everyone stayed to the finish, except one old lady who was deaf, and it was clearly evident that they had been much impressed. After the concluding announcement the meeting was left open to questions. Further interest was quickly shown by the man; questions then asked. Besides leading questions from Jehovah’s witnesses there were further questions from eight of the public. All were given a warm invitation to attend the weekly meetings of Jehovah’s witnesses, and as the people left the hall each one received a copy of Kingdom News No. 5 and a copy of the schedule of meetings.

“When we realize that Eire is 93 4 percent Roman Catholic (according to the latest figures obtainable) we can appreciate how the boldness of the publishers in advertising and arranging this lecture has been well rewarded, and we give all praise to Jehovah for the privilege of serving Him in this dark land.”