Drama of Vengeance (Part 1) № 22

“COURAGE” TESTIMONY PERIOD

This special Period which occupies the entire month of December is marked by the term “Courage”, a quality which Jehovah repeatedly exhorted Joshua to exercise in driving out the enemies of the theocracy, for an example to us today. December should shatter all previous records in booklet distribution, due to the almost unbelievable offer of seven of any of the Society’s booklets on a 10c contribution. If possible, every packet of seven should include the latest booklet, Conspiracy Against Democracy. A special wrapper, provided by the Society, helps make the 7-booklet combination all the more attractive. All this will require special advance work, so start preparing now. Especially, attend the weekly service meeting of the local company of Jehovah’s witnesses, where the details of the work of “Courage” Testimony Period will be discussed. If you are not in touch with such, write this office for references. Keep accurate record of your activities and report same fully at close of December.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

Week of December 22: “Drama of Vengeance” (Part 1), fl 1-25 inclusive, The Watchtower November 15, 1940.

Week of December 29: “Drama of Vengeance” (Part 1), fl 26-49 inclusive, The Watchtower November 15, 1940.

“SATISFIED”

In these days of increasing dissatisfaction with everything of the world, the title of this new booklet, “Satisfied,” strikes the reader with a strong appeal. The contents of this 32-page booklet show how and by whom the heart’s desire of all men of good-will shall early be satisfied. The front-cover picture visualizes the setting of the story as related by the author, Judge Rutherford Satisfied is now being mailed to all contributing 5c per copy. Date of its release for general distribution is announced elsewhere

1941 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

In the face of an almost impossible year the publication of the 1941 Yearbook of Jehovah’s witnesses represents an accomplishment made possible only by Jehovah’s power. Confirmation of this you will find when you read the comprehensive report, as written by the Society’s president, covering the world-wide activities of Jehovah’s witnesses, under continuous enemy fire, during the past service year. Besides this amazing report the Yearbook also offers the president’s comment on the 1941 yeartext and a text with a Watchtower comment thereon for each day of the new year. The edition of the Yearbook is always limited, thus enhancing the costs involved; hence a contribution of 50c per copy is stipulated there- (Continued on page 351)

ANNOUNCING JEHOVAH’S KINGDOM

Vol. LXI

November 15, 1940

No. 22

DRAMA OF VENGEANCE

PART 1

"Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people; for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people.”—Deut. 32:43.

JEHOVAH caused his servant Moses to record the  prophecy of the foregoing text and determined  that the fulfillment thereof should be at the time appointed. That appointed time is just at hand, as the physical facts show. Let all who faithfully obey the Almighty God be assured that he will completely carry out his announced purpose. Having purposed it, he will do it.—Isa. 46:11.

2      These are days of peril, and therefore “the last days”. Knowing that his time is short, the Devil now would destroy all persons who have declared their purpose to serve Jehovah God. The fight is totalitarianism against The Theocracy. It will be a fight to the finish and must shortly take place. Who shall win ? “According to your faith be it unto you.”

3      The faithful servants of Jehovah know that The Theocracy shall completely triumph and everything that survives and breathes will forever praise Jehovah’s name. All the fearful will fall under the control of Fascism, which is another name for totalitarian rule or demonism, and the leaders and the multitudes that follow that wicked rule will perish together. They are all blind as to God’s purpose and all headed for the antitypical Dead Sea of complete annihilation. Those who remain true and steadfast in the Lord will share in the victory of The Theocratic King. Let these truths be burned into the mind of everyone who loves righteousness and hates iniquity.

4      As Jehovah through Joshua spoke to his typical covenant people, so now by Christ Jesus, the Greater Joshua, he speaks to his covenant people, to wit; “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed ; for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”—Josh. 1: 9.

5 To be of good courage means to know and to completely rely upon the great truth that we are backed up by almighty power, overshadowed by the banner of love, and led by perfect wisdom. Then with full confidence the faithful press forward, doing with their might the work which the Lord has committed into the hands of his devoted people. The cruel action of religionists against the servants of Jehovah God will in no wise cause those faithful servants to be dismayed. Courageously they march on! Jehovah God, whom we serve, will deliver his servants. Seeing the prophecies unfolding so marvelously before our eyes, this is the time to “look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh”. (Luke 21: 28) It is the time to rejoice. Now God will show his mercy to all who fully trust him and serve him. He will bless their condition, pictured by “the land”. He will preserve and bless his people. He will fight their battles against their adversaries. He will lift the faithful ones high up and make them rejoice. Let all those who love righteousness now be diligent to seek righteousness and seek meekness and be always very courageous.

6      The people of The Theocracy realize that they are rapidly approaching the mighty climax, and they look back over the experiences of the few years just past and rejoice that they have been privileged to be on the side of Jehovah and his King, advertising the name and the kingdom of the Most High. During the past twenty years the faithful servants of Jehovah have been proclaiming the message of his kingdom, and by so doing the truth has uncovered the filth and dirt of the religious racketeers and defamers of God’s holy name. This has enraged the enemy and caused them, under the leadership of the Devil, to form a mighty crowd of “goats”, carrying on wicked deeds against the Lord’s “sheep”, and themselves hurrying on to destruction. The work which the people of God has been privileged to engage in has served to open the vision of many honest persons who are held in bondage to the religious systems, and these honest ones have joined themselves to the army of the Lord.

7 Recently the Most High, through Christ Jesus, has revealed to his people the meaning of the prophetic drama made long ago, and in which Ehud played an important part. This revelation God has given to his people now in the closing hours of his “strange work”. That revelation has been and is a great comfort to the faithful servants of the Lord. The great Theocrat and his King are safeguarding the supporters of The Theocracy and are looking well to their interests. The Lord has in store still more comforting food to be ministered unto those who love him. He is the God of all comfort and the Father of all mercies, and those abiding in his love receive his mercy and comfort and rest. Blessed is their portion! Amidst the greatest turmoil that has ever afflicted the earth up to this time God’s people serenely march forward, never breaking their ranks. Their complete unity was foreshadowed in the drama concerning Ehud. Their complete unity was manifested in the convention held in July 24-28, 1940. It is a day of rejoicing. And those now devoted to The Theocracy can say, and do so, by the grace of the Lord: “Rejoice, 0 ye nations, with his people.” The only joy on earth for the people of any nation can be found in the Lord. It is now our blessed privilege amidst the storms that beat upon mankind to carry the message of consolation and comfort to the people of good will, pointing them to The Theocracy.

8      The opposers of the great Theocracy are not idle. Satan and his chief officer, Gog, leading the legions of invisible demons, are supported by a mighty crowd of visible, demonized religionists on the earth. Of these the Roman Catholic religionists are the most subtle, and they with their religious allies, the Nazis, Fascists, and Communists, and other demonized agents made up of fanatics and hypocritical “goats”, are all opposing viciously those who support The Theocracy. This is to be expected, and the servants of God are in no wise dismayed or disappointed. Never in the history of the nations has there been such an unwarranted and vicious world-wide persecution of God’s servants as now. All of Europe has suppressed the publication of the Kingdom message. Only England continues to show favor to Jehovah’s witnesses. Canada, contrary to the will of the people of that nation, has installed in office a Roman Catholic dictator who, without regard to reason or right, makes and enforces his orders in council, particularly directed against those who advertise The Theocratic Government, the only hope of humankind. The publication of the Kingdom message is prohibited in Canada for the sole reason that the Hierarchy, acting as the chief agent of the Devil on earth, demands that it shall be suppressed. Let the good people of Canada rejoice, because this is further corroborative evidence that the day of deliverance draws nigh.

9 In the United States the persecution of the followers of Christ Jesus viciously goes on for no reason whatsoever. Faithful witnesses of Jehovah are indicted for high treason because they advocate The Theocratic Government, the only hope of the world. The Theocracy the Devil and all his agents hate, and hence those agents utterly disregard the laws of the nations and the states. Public officials, sworn to do their duty, join fanatical mobs. Catholic priests, who falsely claim to serve God, participate and many times lead those mobs, and these demonized creatures destroy the property of Jehovah’s witnesses, drive them from their homes, and cruelly persecute them. And why? Because those faithful servants of the Almighty declare his name and his kingdom. These are the days in which the words of Jesus apply and are fulfilled toward Jehovah’s faithful servants: “Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” (Matt. 24:9) “They shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues [religious rulers], and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.” (Luke 21:12) “But take heed to yourselves; for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the synagogues ye shall be beaten; and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.”—Mark 13:9.

10 These prophetic utterances of Christ Jesus are now daily being fulfilled upon the faithful servants of God, and that wicked persecution in fulfillment of these prophecies is carried on in the land that boasts of freedom of worship and freedom of speech. Religionists, demonized, fanatically sing patriotic songs and wave the American flag, while engaged in violating every rule or principle for which that flag stands. And why? Because the demons have besieged and possessed the religious practitioners. Why does the Lord permit the same to be done? many may ask. Manifestly for two primary reasons: to afford an opportunity for all persons who so desire to put themselves on the side of the Devil and become opposers of the great Theocracy; and, a stronger reason, to afford opportunity for the servants of God to prove their integrity toward him. It is a crucial and fiery test. Christ Jesus was put to the severest test, and now his faithful followers on earth must have a like test, and they delight to fill up some of the sufferings of Christ “left behind”, sharing in his trials and persecutions, and to thereby prove their faithfulness and integrity that they might share in his great and eternal blessings. Deliverance of his faithful servants is certain and will be soon, and the prophecy which God caused Moses to utter long ago is certain now to be fulfilled.

11    The Most High is not unmindful of his people. From the very beginning Jehovah God knew that these present days of stress and turmoil would come. (Acts 15:18) Centuries ago God caused prophetic dramas to be enacted that these, in his due time, might serve to be understood by and to comfort those who truly love him. Using the Israelites and others to make these dramas, he caused them to be recorded that his faithful servants now on earth, seeing their fulfillment, might have comfort and hope. (Rom. 15:4) Jehovah is the God of light, and his light is sown for the faithful servants of The Theocracy. (Ps. 97:11) His light is now shining into the mind of each one of those who wholly devotes himself to God and his kingdom. Jehovah is revealing his purpose to very soon “avenge the blood of his servants” and to “render vengeance to his adversaries” and to make manifest his mercy and blessing to “his land [the condition of those who support The Theocracy]” and to bless all “his people”. God, by the hand of Christ Jesus, has led his people, particularly since 1918, when Christ Jesus appeared at the temple. Now in this year 1940 he permits them to look back over the way he has led them and to see how he has used his faithful servants, and he now lets them visualize the approaching vindication of his holy name. This knowledge is now a great comfort to his people, and it is clearly the will of God that they should keep before their minds what he has done for them in order that their comfort might continue and that their hope might increase.

DRAMA OF VENGEANCE

12    Dramas of the Bible are practical, moving pictures, made and recorded by the Lord for the aid and comfort of his people, disclosing to them in advance his purpose, which he will perform in his own due time: “Vengeance” means, primarily, vindication. The great issue for determination is the supremacy of Jehovah, and hence the vindication of his name. The execution of vengeance necessarily means the punishment of all the enemies of God by completely wiping them out, which destruction will take place at “the battle of that great day of God Almighty”, which battle will be led by Christ Jesus, Jehovah’s vindicator. Preparation has been in progress for some time for that battle, and it is certain to be fought in the very near future. That will be the end of wickedness in the earth, and that end “shall be at the time appointed”.—Dan. 11: 27.

13    The record of the drama of vengeance here considered is found in the Bible, at Judges chapters four and five. The prominent parts of that drama were performed by the typical people of God in connection with the enemies of God, and we are specifically informed that such dramas or prophetic pictures were performed for the special benefit of those faithful servants of God now on the earth: “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.”—1 Cor. 10:11.

PLAYERS

14    In this prophetic drama here considered the principal players are as follows, to wit:

Barak, who played the part particularly picturing Christ Jesus, the Vindicator of Jehovah God.

Deborah, the prophetess, who played the part picturing Jehovah’s organization.

Jael, picturing the people of good will who support Jehovah’s witnesses and put themselves under the protection of the great Theocratic King.

15 Set over against these faithful servants was Jabin, the Canaanitish king, who pictured the Devil and also Gog, the Devil’s chief-of-staff and active leader or captain of the forces of demons.

16 Sisera pictured demonism, particularly the religious organizations, including the Hierarchy, and the political, commercial and military forces made manifest specifically in the totalitarian rule that is now overrunning the earth.

17 In the fulfillment of the prophetic drama those pictured by the opposers are adversaries of The Theocracy and are shown to have formed a conspiracy against the great Theocrat and his servants and are now doing overt acts in the performance of that conspiracy and hence are attempting to bring about the destruction of Jehovah’s witnesses and all supporters of the great Theocratic Government. The purpose of the conspiracy and what shall be the result is emphasized by the prayer of God’s faithful servants, which prayer God long ago caused to be recorded and now puts in the heart and mouth of each one of his servants who utter that prophetic prayer, and which prayer is set forth in the eighty- third Psalm.

18 The primary purpose of the prayer recorded at the eighty-third Psalm is the vindication of the name of the Most High: “Whose name alone is JEHOVAH.” (Vs. 18) That of itself is conclusive proof that the prayer set forth in this Psalm is a prophecy, which Jehovah God has purposed to fulfill and is certain to fulfill. That prayer and prophecy is directly related to the events that came to pass upon Israel, the typical people of God, when Deborah was prophetess and when Barak led the assault upon the combined enemy. The climax in the fulfillment of both of these prophecies is “the battle of that great day of God Almighty”, which battle hosts of the Most High will be led by Christ Jesus, the vindicator of Jehovah’s name, and will result in the destruction of the opponents. That battle and its results are pictured by the prophecy set forth in the song sung by Barak and Deborah and recorded in the fifth chapter of Judges.

19 Since the year 1922 Jehovah’s faithful servants have actively engaged in proclaiming this gospel of the Kingdom, that is, the message of The Theocratic Government. (Matt. 24:14) About that time a conspiracy was formed by the enemies of God on the earth, the purpose of which is to wipe out of existence Jehovah’s witnesses and to prevent the functioning of The Theocracy. Of course, the Devil organized that movement and blinded men to carry it forward in opposition to The Theocracy. As the zeal and activity of Jehovah’s servants have increased in advertising God’s kingdom, the viciousness of the enemy against them has increased. The prophetic Psalm eighty-three, telling of the conspiracy, enumerates various nations conspiring together to bring about the destruction of God’s chosen ones. In fulfillment of that prophecy now it is clearly seen that the religious, political, commercial, military and others have joined together in a movement for the destruction of those who stand for The Theocracy. It is now that the prophecy uttered by Jesus, “Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake,” is having its most marked fulfillment. Communists, Nazis, and Fascists are carrying on their back the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, and these together with their dupes are all bent upon doing mischief to Jehovah’s servants. In proof of this it is only necessary to refer to the cruel and unwarranted treatment administered to Jehovah’s servants throughout the United States by Catholic clergymen leading mobs of hoodlums against Jehovah’s witnesses, in which mob action many public officials participated. The unprecedented opposition to the public assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses and companions in convention put forth by their enemies in 1940 is conclusive proof that the conspiracy is reaching a climax. In the face of that opposition Jehovah showed his favor upon his servants and his protection of them by causing his servants to assemble in the greatest convention ever held by Christian people on the earth, and which was held at Detroit and other cities joined together by land wires, July 24-28. This is also proof that it is now most timely for Jehovah’s witnesses and companions to utter the prayer set forth in the eighty- third Psalm, to wit: “Keep not thou silence, O God; hold not thy peace, and be not still, O God. For, lo, thine enemies make a tumult; and they that hate thee have lifted up the head. They have taken crafty counsel against thy people, and consulted against thy hidden ones. They have said, Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation; that the name of Israel may be no more in remembrance. For they have consulted together with one consent; they are confederate against thee.”—Ps. 83:1-5.

20 The result of “the battle of that great day of God Almighty” is foretold by the prophecy of that Psalm, and also by the song of Barak and Deborah. A careful study of these prophecies will now be of real aid to the people of God and will make strong their hope.

The Watchtower will endeavor to aid God's faithful servants in this study.

THE DRAMA

21 Repeatedly the Israelites, the typical people of God, fell under the influence and power of religion or demonism. For his own name’s sake Jehovah showed his mercy to the Israelites when they repented, and then he delivered them from their enemies. Among those whom God used to show his power against the demonized religionists and oppressors of his chosen people was Ehud, the record of which prophecy has previously been considered in issues of The Watchtower. After the death of Ehud the Israelites again fell away to religion or demonism. Let it be kept in mind that the Israelites were the typical covenant people whom God used to set up a typical Theocracy. Moses was the mediator between Israel and Jehovah. Moses was a picture or type of Christ Jesus, the Greater Moses, the great Prophet through whom salvation will be ministered to all who are saved. (Acts 3: 22, 23) The Israelites, therefore, pictured consecrated Christians who are now in a covenant with Jehovah God through their great Mediator, Christ Jesus. “And the children of Israel again did evil in the sight of the Lord, when Ehud was dead.”—Judg. 4:1.

22 That part of the prophetic drama must have and has had fulfillment upon those covenant people who agree to do the will of God covering a period of years prior to 1916. Prior to that time there were a number of Christians who proclaimed the coming of Christ the King and the setting up of his kingdom. They looked forward to 1914 as that great and important date. The year 1914 was kept prominently before the people, when the Kingdom would be set up. Charles T. Russell, better known as Pastor Russell, was the most prominent one amongst those consecrated ones He was a faithful follower of Christ Jesus, and died in the year 1916, and died in the faith and faithful. Every Christian who knew Brother Russell loved him and delighted to serve with him. They bear witness to his devotion to God and to his King. Following the death of Brother Russell there began to appear a cleavage amongst those who had been associated with Brother Russell in the work of proclaiming the gospel. Some of them had a desire to be honored of men, and, themselves hoping that they might get some honor, they professed to attribute everything concerning the truth to Brother Russell, and hence by their words and actions set up a man as an object of great honor, adoration and worship. They failed entirely to see that the name of Jehovah God is of supreme importance and that all praise and worship should be given to the Almighty God and to Christ Jesus, the “express image” of Jehovah. (Heb. 1:6) The practice of honoring men in the manner mentioned is a form of religion, and could not be pleasing to the Lord.

23 Up until 1918 all the consecrated had more or less contaminated themselves with religion and religious practices, giving honor and praise to one man in particular and to as many other men as got in the limelight and were looking for praise. With religious awe and fear many showed terror of the political powers of this world, fearing that they might offend political powers if they were too strong in their proclamation of the kingdom of God. By means of this practice of religion many were sidetracked from the true worship of Jehovah God and his King, the chief of The Theocracy. A great trial came upon the consecrated from 1917 to 1919 in particular.

24 In 1918 Christ Jesus came to the temple of Jehovah to test and to judge the consecrated, the purpose being, as announced in the prophecy (Mal. 3:1-3), that the approved ones might “offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness”. That judgment of the Lord brought about a complete division between the approved ones, whom the Lord designates as the “faithful and wise servant” class, and the others who continue to practice religion and whom the Lord designates “that evil servant” class. (Matt. 24: 45-49) The latter class continue to practice religion and to acknowledge the rulers of this wicked world, that is, the political, financial and religious rulers, as the “higher powers”; otherwise stated, as a part of what is known as “organized religion”. Such religionists continue to say that The Watchtower has “repudiated Pastor Russell, the founder of Jehovah’s witnesses”. That claim is entirely false. The Society recognized Pastor Russell, or Brother Russell, as a true and faithful follower of Christ Jesus, but Pastor Russell was not the founder of Jehovah’s witnesses. Jehovah God alone is the founder of Jehovah’s witnesses. (Isa. 43:10-12) Christ Jesus is Jehovah’s "Faithful and True Witness” and is the chief witness of the Most High, and all the members of “his body” are witnesses of Jehovah. (Rev. 1:5; 3 :14; Col. 1:18) From Abel to John the Baptist the faithful servants of the Most High God were witnesses of Jehovah. The true followers of Christ Jesus do not follow or worship any man, nor do they regard any man as the founder or leader of God’s organization. Christ Jesus is the Head of Jehovah’s capital organization, and is the duly appointed, anointed and chief and leader of Jehovah’s witnesses. It is contrary to the will of God that men be worshiped. (Rev. 22: 8, 9) The true followers of Christ Jesus are wholly and completely devoted to the great Theocrat, Jehovah, and to his King, Christ Jesus, and no human creature or thing do they worship. Well knowing the subtle schemes of the Devil to entrap the covenant people of God, faithful Christians avoid everything pertaining to religion. They recognize that it is religion and religious practices to honor and praise men and give men credit for things that belong exclusively to the Lord. It was religion that caused the Israelites, the typical people of God, to 'do evil in the sight of the Lord’. And what happened to them! “And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, that reigned in Hazor; the captain of whose host was Sisera, which dwelt in Harosheth of the Gentiles.” —Judg. 4: 2.

25 Here the typical, prophetic drama begins to foreshadow what has come upon the consecrated ones who practiced religion. It will be helpful to here consider somewhat in detail the facts relating to the parties involved in this prophetic drama.

26    As stated in the prophecy God sold the Israelites into the hand of the king of Canaan. That sale, however, was not beyond the right and power of Jehovah to redeem the Israelites from the receiver, the Canaanite king. It was a temporary letting of them go. God was angry with the Israelites because they had been unfaithful to their covenant, and hence he turned them away and over to the heathen king to have them dealt with as slaves. God had redeemed the Israelites from Egypt; therefore they belonged to him. (Amos 3:2) He “sold them” to Jabin without money and without price consideration. Jabin paid nothing, and hence God held the title to the Israelites and the right to hold the takers or receivers responsible for their treatment. The Canaanite keeper had no permanent right or claim on the people taken over from the Lord. Jehovah retained what we might technically call a “lien”, which he had a right to exercise at any time. Thus was left open a clear way for God to redeem the Israelites when they had shown a desire and disposition to repent and to serve him.

27 Jabin’s forefather was Canaan, the one who was cursed by Noah. (Gen. 9: 25) He was a practitioner of demonism, or religion. Jabin was condemned to death at the hand of Jehovah’s executioner, represented in his typical theocratic nation Israel. Concerning this Jehovah says to his executioner: “But of the cities of these people, which the Lord thy God doth give thee for an inheritance, thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth; but thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the Lord thy God hath commanded thee; that they teach you not to do after all their abominations, which they have done unto their gods; so should ye sin against the Lord your God.” (Deut. 20:16-18) That judgment of Jehovah God against his enemies is final and unchangeable.

28    King Jabin’s rule was anti-theocratic, and in taking over a temporary control of the Israelites Jabin was an aggressive one and his was not an act of good will toward God, as was the case of the Gibeonites in the days of Joshua. Due only to the laxity and unfaithfulness of the Israelites after the death of Joshua and his faithful associates did Jehovah permit the king of the Canaanites to remain in the land after placing his typical theocracy there: “And the anger of the Lord was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice, I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died; that through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the Lord, to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.” (Judg. 2:20-22) “Now these are the nations which the Lord left, to prove Israel by them; even as many of Israel as had not known all the wars of Canaan; only that the generations of the children of Israel might know, to teach them war, at the least such as before knew nothing thereof; namely, five lords of the Philistines, and all the Canaanites, and the Sidonians, and the Hivites that dwelt in mount Lebanon, from mount Baal-hermon unto the entering in of Hamath.”—Judg. 3:1-3.

29 Jabin ruled at Hazor, which was situated north above the Sea of Galilee and west of the waters of Merom, the lake from which the Jordan river flows into Galilee. In Joshua’s day Hazor was the chief town or capital of a number of local kingdoms or states, and in the day of Joshua the ruler’s name was Jabin. That Jabin the First was defeated in a battle by Joshua: “And Joshua did unto them as the Lord bade him; he houghed their horses, and burnt their chariots with fire. And Joshua at that time turned back, and took Hazor, and smote the king thereof with the sword; for Hazor beforetime was the head of all those kingdoms. And they smote all the souls that were therein with the edge of the sword, utterly destroying them; there was not any left to breathe; and he burnt Hazor with fire. And all the cities of those kings, and all the kings of them, did Joshua take, and smote them with the edge of the sword, and he utterly destroyed them, as Moses the servant of the Lord commanded.”—Josh. 11:1,9-12.

30 During the time of Israel’s backsliding to demonism the Canaanites rebuilt the town of Hazor and there Jabin the Second ruled as king. Aside from being named Jabin, that king does not appear to take an active part in this recorded drama of vengeance. His general Sisera occupies the center of the stage in that drama. King Jabin appears therefore to picture the Devil himself, or Satan’s foremost demon prince, Gog, acting today against The Theocracy. (Ezek. 38:2,3) Gog has a visible representative on the earth now, prefigured by Captain Sisera.

31 The name “Sisera” appears to mean “battle array”. That name well befits an army captain. Sisera was a practitioner of religion or demonism, and he therefore pictured or represents demonism or what today is generally called “organized religion”. It is organized religion that is leading the visible fight against Jehovah’s Theocratic Government under Christ Jesus. It is organized religion that is inciting all of the political, commercial, judicial and military element against Jehovah’s witnesses because those witnesses proclaim The Theocratic Government as the ruling power that will bless mankind.

32 Sisera’s mother was living in that day and she looked for him to gain the victory and was disappointed. (Judg. 5:28) She pictured the demon organization, of which Satan, the chief of demons, is the head, and which organization the Devil uses to mother and to bring forth religion and to organize and operate in the earth against The Theocracy. That opposition has now reached the height of its power, and the great and final conflict must soon take place.

33 At all times religion has been employed to oppose The Theocracy. Religion and religionists were employed by the Devil in violent opposition and action against Christ Jesus, the King of The Theocracy. By that means Satan brought about the death of the Lord Jesus on the tree at Calvary. Of all religions now on the earth the Roman Catholic Hierarchy of Authority is the most outstanding and powerful, and it assumes the leadership in the “battle array” against The Theocracy as proclaimed by Jehovah’s witnesses. The Hierarchy really rides on the back of the beast totalitarianism, as pictured in the 17th chapter of Revelation.

In the “abomination of desolation” foretold by both Daniel the prophet and Christ Jesus, the great Prophet, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy of Authority is the controlling group or element.—Dan. 11:31; Dan. 12:11; Matt. 24:15,16.

35 The city of Harosheth, the dwelling place of Captain Sisera, was on the north bank of the river Kishon about fifteen miles northwest of Megiddo. The city’s name means “workmanship of the nations”. It was an industrial center, highly commercialized and doing business with the nations round about. Well did it picture the Roman Catholic Hierarchy of Authority, situated at Vatican City, which claims to be universal, is highly commercialized, and in the name of religion carries on its money racket with all the nations of the earth: “For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies." (Rev. 18:3) "With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” (Rev. 17 : 2) “And the children of Israel cried unto the Lord; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron; and twenty years he mightily oppressed the children of Israel.”—Judg. 4: 3.

36 The Israelites, the typical people of God, cried unto Jehovah, repenting of their wrongful course; and thus the drama foretold what came to pass upon the antitypical people of Jehovah. The proclamation of the Kingdom message ceased during the World War as a result of the servants of the Kingdom yielding to the terrorizing action of religionists, led by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and fully supported by their allies in opposition to the people of Jehovah. The oppressed people of God, in 1919, raised a cry of repentance and with prayers and supplication sought the favor of the Lord. This was also foretold by Jehovah through his prophet Joel: “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered; for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant [of the consecrated, who afterward served in the temple] whom the Lord shall call.”—Joel 2:32; see also Romans 10:13.

37 Jabin, the Canaanite king, had nine hundred chariots of iron, with which his captain Sisera made war and kept the Israelites under the iron rule of that potentate. Thus we are reminded of the great tanks and other iron instruments of the present time, with which the totalitarians carry on their terrorizing war against people and nations. The tanks of the present time are very effective in a plain country, but not so in a mountainous country like Norway or in the waters of the English channel. Likewise Jabin’s iron chariots were found to serve well in the valley country, but they could not go well over the mountains or through the water. “And the children of Joseph said, The hill is not enough for us; and all the Canaanites that dwell in the land of the valley have chariots of iron, both they who are of Bethshean and her towns, and they who are of the valley of Jezreel.”—Josh. 17 :16.

38 The Israelites were not equipped to meet the enemy oppressors on equal terms. Jabin’s nine hundred chariots were too much for them. Only Jehovah God could deliver the Israelites. Today the religionists, led by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and fully supported by the totalitarian armies, have all the weapons of oppression, and they use them against all who support The Theocracy. Only Jehovah our God, by Christ Jesus, can deliver his people, and those who are really devoted to him have full assurance that God will deliver them and will avenge them in his own due time.

39 For twenty years the Canaanites had oppressed the defenseless Israelites. Likewise for twenty years and more the religionists have oppressed the supporters of God’s kingdom under Christ. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy was in the lead of the persecution of Jehovah’s witnesses in the suppression of their work from 1917 to 1919, during the World War, and are still in the lead in that persecution. As a reminder of some of the cruel deeds of those religionists mention is made of a few as follows: It was “Judge” Martin T. Manton, a Papal Knight of St. Gregory the Great, who, while sitting on the federal bench and selling justice to the highest bidder, oppressed Jehovah’s servants and denied them an opportunity to give bail bond that they might be released from prison pending their appeal. They were held in prison for nine months; about which imprisonment, wrongfully done, the Hierarchy continues even to this day to howl and falsely claim that those imprisoned men were “convicts” and are now ex-convicts. They do this in the face of the fact that the judgment wickedly rendered against the servants of the Lord was reversed, they were discharged, the case was dismissed, and they were fully restored to all their rights, even under the law. It was the Hierarchy that boosted Hitler to the front and then induced that cruel dictator to punish Jehovah’s witnesses, to interdict their work and to destroy their property in Germany and in other countries. Cardinals and bishops of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy in America have in the past twenty years wickedly oppressed Jehovah’s witnesses; they have caused many radio stations to forbid the use of their facilities to broadcast the Kingdom message; and they have used coercion and threats to accomplish that purpose. They have caused many sworn law officers to cut telephone lines to prevent the carrying of the message, and to otherwise interfere with the meetings and the proclamation of the Kingdom message. The Hierarchy has caused organized mobs to destroy the property of God’s faithful people on earth and to drive them like wild beasts from place to place. The Hierarchy has not only opposed the witness work, but caused many wrongful assaults upon Jehovah’s witnesses, the arrest of men, women and children, and imprisonment and much ill-treatment. The Hierarchy has wickedly interfered with the holding of conventions and assemblies of Jehovah’s witnesses for the study of the Bible, and in this many public officials have acted with them in utter violation of the fundamental law of the land. Against all such cruel persecution Jehovah’s servants have been practically powerless. True, they have taken advantage of their rights to defend themselves in courts and otherwise, but with small results. They know that only Jehovah God by Christ Jesus can and will deliver them. They suffer persecution for righteousness’ sake, the sake of Jehovah’s name and his kingdom, and they have full assurance from the Lord that he will avenge them in his due time and in his own good way. Note what God did in the typical drama, foreshadowing what shall come to pass: "And Deborah a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, she judged Israel at that time.”—Judg. 4:4.

40    Many scriptures show that a woman is used to picture Jehovah’s organization. It was so with Deborah. Her name means "bee”; that is, a swarm, or swarmers. Bees are very energetic and wise in defense. It is well known that when bees attack they go in a well-organized body, led by one. The bee is not only a symbol of sweetness and noted for its honey, but particularly noted for organized action and work, and especially in united assaults upon opposers. In support of this conclusion, note the following scriptures: “And the Amorites, which dwelt in that mountain, came out against you, and chased you, as bees do, and destroyed you in Seir, even unto Hormah.” (Deut. 1:44) “They compassed me about like bees; they are quenched as the fire of thorns; for in the name of the Lord I will destroy them.” (Ps. 118:12) “And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria: and they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes.” (Isa. 7:18,19) Thus is well pictured how God’s organization acts in full and complete unity.

41    Deborah, true to her name, put forth her efforts in due time to cause the Israelites to swarm like bees against their oppressors. God used other women as prophetesses: “And Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.” (Ex. 15:20) “My God, think thou upon Tobiah and Sanballat according to these their works, and on the prophetess Noadiah, and the rest of the prophets, that would have put me in fear.”-Neh. 6:14.

42    Deborah was a prophetess raised up of the Lord, as such, not to “usurp authority over the man”, but for the purpose of picturing God’s organization and playing a certain part or role in this prophetic drama foretelling what God in his due time will do by and through his organization. Deborah, being a prophetess, pointed forward to the time when God ‘poured out his holy spirit upon all flesh’, that is, upon all in the flesh consecrated and devoted to the great Jehovah God, as foretold in Joel 2:28, 29. As to that prophecy of the result of pouring out God’s holy spirit upon his servants, as it is there stated, “Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,” it has been literally fulfilled and is continuing to be fulfilled to the joy of the faithful women and others who have participated in the witness work of prophesying or preaching the message of the Kingdom and who have suffered great persecution at the hands of religionists for so doing.

43 Deborah was the wife of Lapidoth, whose name means “lamps, torches, or light”; that is, instruments of enlightenment. Deborah’s husband does not appear to have played any part in particular in this drama, but doubtless mention is made of him as Deborah’s husband to show that she was not a widow, forsaken and abandoned, hence she was not a sorrowing woman. Amongst the Israelites it was a reproach to be a widow; she was counted as a sorrowing woman. Deborah’s husband’s name meaning ‘‘lamps, light”, he well pictures Jehovah God, "the Father of lights,” the Husband of his (God’s) organization, which organization is pictured by his woman. (Jas. 1:17) Now God causes the salvation of Zion to shine forth “as a lamp that burneth”. (Isa. 62: 1) Deborah therefore pictured Jehovah’s organization, and Jehovah, as the husband of his organization, was pictured by Deborah’s husband. To his organization, pictured by his “woman”, Jehovah says: “Fear not; for thou shalt not be ashamed; neither be thou confounded ; for thou shalt not be put to shame; for thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widowhood any more. For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.”—Isa. 54:4, 5.

44    Jehovah’s King, Christ Jesus, is the Head over His church, and the chief member of Jehovah’s capital organization, called “Zion” and pictured by God’s woman. The church of Christ Jesus is called “the Lamb’s wife”, and hence the temple company is a part of that organization. It was in 1918 that Christ Jesus came to the temple of God and there began to gather unto himself and test the integrity of and to prove the faithful, and it was then that he brought the approved ones unto himself into the temple and they were made a part of God’s capital organization, hence are represented in Christ.

45 Deborah “judged Israel”. Thus God used her to picture how He would judge his people on earth and do it through his organization Zion, which judgment is conducted by the Head of Zion, the Chief One of his organization, that is, Christ Jesus. This he does at the temple and attended by his holy angels. (Mal. 3:1-3; Matt. 25: 31; 1 Pet. 4: 17) In Israel Deborah pronounced judgment according to what God inspired her to say; concerning which it is written in the prophecies: “The inhabitants of the villages ceased, they ceased in Israel, until that I Deborah arose, that I arose a mother in Israel.”—Judg. 5: 7.

46    It does not appear that the Israelites called her “mother”, but the drama shows that she pictured Zion, God’s organization, which is mother of spiritual Israelites. “My son, keep thy father’s commandment, and forsake not the law of thy mother; bind them continually upon thine heart, and tie them about thy neck.” (Prov. 6: 20, 21) Likewise the members of “the body of Christ”, his organization, pronounce the judgment written by the Lord and recorded in his Word. (Ps. 149: 5-9) “And she dwelt under the palm tree of Deborah, between Ramah and Beth-el in mount Ephraim; and the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.”—Judg. 4: 5.

47 Deborah was as much associated with the palm tree as was the feast of tabernacles celebrated in the temple of God. (Lev. 23: 39-43; Neh. 8:15) Again the palm tree came into evidence when Christ Jesus rode into Jerusalem and presented himself as king to the house of Israel, thereby being laid as the Chief Corner Stone of Zion. (John 12:12-15; Isa. 28:16) The “great multitude” hailed the King by waving palm branches. (Rev. 7:9,10) This background of the palm tree clearly locates the time of the fulfillment of this prophetic drama as taking place from and after 1918, when Christ Jesus, the Chief Head of God’s capital organization and the Chief Corner Stone of the temple, was laid and when he came as great Judge and began judgment. It was thereafter that the “great multitude” began to come into sight. God’s organization is greater than Deborah and is likened to the palm tree with which Deborah was identified, and pictures righteousness; as observed by the following texts: “The righteous shall flourish like the palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon.” (Ps. 92:12) (See also Canticles 7:7; Jeremiah 10:5.) The palm tree pictured the righteous standard of judgment and thus shows that Deborah pictured that righteous judgment, according to the will of God.

48    The dwelling place of Deborah was “between Ramah [evidently in the territory of Benjamin] and Beth-el”. (Josh. 18:21,25) The town of Bethel was assigned to the tribe of Ephraim the son of Joseph. (See Judges 1: 22-25.) Bethel became a part of the territory of Ephraim. Deborah was probably of the tribe of Ephraim. Because she pictured God’s woman or organization Zion, these names were connected with her. “Ramah” means “the height”, and “Beth-el” means “house of God”; “Ephraim” means “double fruitfulness”. Deborah dwelt in the hill country ; therefore she dwelt in the heights. The Israelites went up to her for judgment. By doing so they turned away from lawlessness and debasement of religion or demon worship, which had caused them to be under Jabin, and they went up to God’s organization, pictured by his woman or organization, there to receive instruction and righteous judgment. In the fulfillment of this part of the picture, since 1918 the faithful servants of God have abandoned religion, completely turned their backs upon it, and have gone up to God’s organization to submit themselves to the righteous judgment of his organization, pronounced and executed by Christ Jesus, the Head and Judge thereof. There they have received instruction and guidance in the way they should go, and this is according to God’s promise. “The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way.” (Ps. 25:9) “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?” (1 Pet. 4:17) Deborah did not set herself up above any written law of God. but she did as commanded by God’s law. Likewise Jehovah’s organization proceeds strictly in conformity to the divine law and refuses to make any compromise with any earthly organization.

49    The drama up to this point identifies God’s organization as well as the other players in connection therewith, and from this point on shows preparation for and the carrying out of Jehovah’s purpose to avenge and fully deliver his own people.

(To be continued)

AFTER 1260 DAYS

WRITES a distinguished monsignor in The Catholic Telegraph-Register, of October 13, 1939: “The events in Europe, with two dictators of enormous power, both distinguished for their hatred of Christianity, gathering nation after nation under them, will undoubtedly make many wonder whether we are not seeing the gradual fulfillment of certain mysterious prophecies of the Apocalypse. Chapter twelve relates that a great sign appeared in heaven—a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of 12 stars. . . . She brought forth a man-child, who was to rule all nations with an iron rod: and her son was taken up to God and to His throne. The woman fled into the wilderness, and there was a great battle in heaven, where Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and that great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, who seduceth the whole world. When the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman. Commentators [Catholic] believe the woman is the [Roman Catholic] Church and her Son is Christ.”

The above human interpretation of divine prophecy is contradicted by the fact that Hitler, dictator referred to above, is a Roman Catholic and is favored agent of the pope of the Roman Catholic Church to re-establish the so- called “Holy Roman Empire” and universal rule of the pope by means of totalitarian dictators. God is his own interpreter, and in A.D. 1925 he revealed that the “woman” is his universal organization, which in his due time brings forth the “man child”, to wit, the Kingdom, or Theocratic Government, under Christ Jesus. As members thereof, Jehovah’s faithful anointed witnesses are children of God’s woman or organization, and of them there is a remnant on earth at this time. After bringing forth the Kingdom at the end of “the times of the Gentiles” in A.D. 1914, God’s “woman” travailed during the persecution of faithful, conscientious Christians in the World War of 1914-1918.

It is written, at Isaiah 66:8: “Shall a nation be bom at once? for as soon as Zion [God’s woman, his organization] travailed, she brought forth her children.” On earth there was brought forth a “remnant of her seed”, who must bear testimony or witness to the Kingdom born. In the “wilderness” was an appropriate place for the remnant of her seed to be brought forth and made a part of God’s temple and anointed with his spirit as his commissioned witnesses. For example, when Elizabeth learned that she was to be the mother of John the Baptist she went and hid herself for a season. (Luke 1: 24) God’s “woman”, Zion, brought forth her children in the “place” or condition that he had prepared for her, and then he fed them upon the spiritual food convenient for their growth as his witnesses. This seems to picture the Lord’s faithful people on earth preparing for and beginning the witness work as foreshadowed by the prophet Elisha.

Revelation 12:6 states that the period of time in the wilderness is 1260 days: “And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.” In verse 14 the time is mentioned as “a time, and times, and half a time”: “And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent.” Thus the Lord demonstrates that the period here is three and a half years; that is to say, a “time” being a year of twelve months of thirty days each, then three and a half years would equal forty-two months. The two periods of time mentioned in the above-quoted verses 6 and 14 are one and the same.

The outcome of the war in heaven found Satan and his demons entirely excluded therefrom and he could take no further offensive operations against the heavenly host. His wrath was great against God’s “woman”, that is to say, God’s organization “which brought forth” the Kingdom in A.D. 1914, and therefore the Devil was obliged to exercise his vengeance against those on earth who represented God’s organization or “woman”, to wit, “the remnant of her seed.” Hence it is written that the Devil “persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child”, or kingdom. (Rev. 12:13) The Kingdom having been brought forth in 1914, Satan and his official family must have been hurled out of heaven and down to the earth sometime thereafter and before 1918, when Christ Jesus came to the temple. After this battle in heaven Satan must have been so dazed for some time that he did not realize what had happened to him. The expression “when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth” shows that it required some time for him to wake up to the fact. When he did, he realized that the woman (Zion, God’s organization) still had some people in the earth; and he set about to persecute these witnesses of Jehovah. In the spring of 1918 this persecution became so great that many of the Lord’s children of Zion were imprisoned and some were killed. The Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society, proclaiming the Lord’s kingdom, was disrupted, its officers at headquarters were imprisoned, and the entire witness organization throughout the earth was restrained and greatly discouraged, as pictured by the death of the two witnesses. (Rev. 11:7-10) With the happening of these events brought about by Satan and his earthly religious representatives, evidently he reasoned that he was rid of this “pestiferous” company that stood in his way and exposed his wickedness. But on the 26th day of March, 1919, the imprisoned officers of the Society were released, and the next day, to wit, on the 27th day of March, 1919, they began to formulate plans for the aiding of God’s “remnant” and the furthering of the witness to the Kingdom. From that time dates the fleeing of God’s “woman” into the wilderness.

When Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days, God specially shielded and protected him there (Mark 1:13) A place symbolizes a condition. In Revelation 12 the wilderness seems to symbolize the condition prepared by divine providences for the “remnant” of the seed of God’s woman on earth; and under these divine providences she was fed or nourished by the food which Jehovah graciously provided in his chosen way. The “two wings of a great eagle”, which were given her to fly into the wilderness, seem clearly to symbolize divine provision made for Zion’s protection, as when Jehovah said to his chosen people: “Ye have seen what I did unto the Egyptians, and how I bare you on eagles' wings, and brought you unto myself.” (Ex 19:4) The two wings, or divine providences, may properly be said to be God’s love and power exercised for the benefit of Zion’s faithful remnant to feed, shield and protect them from the enemy’s wiles. The food upon which the remnant of Zion was made to feed was the message of Kingdom truth provided by Jehovah through The Watchtower and kindred publications, which He provided on his table for his people’s benefit.

The members of God’s organization or “woman” must be fed and nourished and prepared for action Jehovah and his beloved Son, Christ Jesus, working through other invisible members of His organization, made provision for His witnesses on earth. The prayer of these was, “Feed me with food convenient for me.” (Prov. 30: 8) The promise of Jehovah is: “He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those [God’s woman, Zion] that are with young [the remnant of her seed].” (Isa. 40:11) And concerning Christ the reigning King it is written: “And he shall stand and feed [God’s people] in the strength of the Lord [Jehovah], in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.”—Mic. 5: 4.

This feeding, done by Christ Jesus then at God’s temple, was the providing of the sustenance for the building up of Jehovah’s organization, and corresponds with the work of building up the organization on earth that proceeded from the spring of 1919 until the climax was reached in 1922, when the witness organization, equipped for service, went forth in Jehovah’s “strange work”.

Early in that period of 1260 days Jehovah revealed to his people that the Elisha witness work must be done, and preparation for doing it progressed. In that period of time the abandoned “Bethel Home” at Brooklyn, N. Y., was again made habitable and the office headquarters of the Society were returned to Brooklyn, and preparation was made for the publication of literature with the Society’s own equipment. Jehovah was giving proof that he had not forsaken Zion, as assured at Isaiah 49:15,16. This special provision for feeding and preparing Zion was to continue 1260 days, or for “a time, and times, and half a time”, or forty-two months.

In September, 1922, Jehovah caused his people to gather in convention at Cedar Point, Ohio. Those consecrated to Jehovah God came from Canada, the United States and Europe. Some time previous, and without any thought of the fulfillment of the prophetic dates, Friday, September 8, was designated on the convention program as “The Day”. It was on that day, at the meeting of the convention, that the presence of Jehovah’s Messenger, Christ Jesus, at the temple was proved from the Scriptures (Mal. 3:1-4), and then, amidst great enthusiasm and zeal for the Lord, the slogan was announced, “Advertise the King and the Kingdom” ; and from that day forward the organized witness work began. Jehovah’s devoted people took it as the keynote of the convention that the real privilege and duty of the consecrated ones now on earth is to advertise the presence of Christ Jesus, the great King of kings, and that his kingdom is here, and that this is the most important thing for them to do and the most necessary thing for them to do in order to prove their love and loyalty to the Lord God. Each one present was thoroughly impressed with the fact that the obligation is laid upon every one of the consecrated from this time forward to act as a publicity agent for the King and the Kingdom.

That date was exactly the end of the 1260-day period in the wilderness experience. Jehovah’s organization on earth had come out of the wilderness and the time had arrived for the beginning of the ‘sounding of the trumpet by the first angel’, as foretold at Revelation 8:7. God’s “woman” in the wilderness had given birth to her “children”, and it would now seem to be an appropriate time for them to be anointed with God’s holy spirit and thus commissioned as His witnesses. What then occurred marks the second ‘outpouring of the holy spirit upon all devoted flesh’, as described by the prophet Joel (2:28-32) and by the apostle Peter. (Acts 2:16-21) It was then that the remnant of faithful followers of Christ Jesus in an organized body heard and appreciated the call to go forward to the service. Their lips had now been cleansed and now the time had come to give the witness down to the conclusion thereof; all which Jehovah had foreshadowed by the experience of his prophet Isaiah (6:6-11). It was then that they began to see the great “serpent” organization as in existence and to appreciate its great wrath against God’s organization and the necessity of being true and faithful to the Lord.

The enemy’s name “Serpent” means deceiver; and it may always be expected that his actions are for the purpose of deceiving men and to turn them away from God. “And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood, after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away of the flood.” (Rev. 12:15) The word for flood is by some translators rendered river. (Diaglott; Am. Rev. Ver.) This ‘flood of water' coming out of the mouth of Satan symbolized doctrines talked about, schemes and various palaver intended to deceive. Satan used every available instrument to accomplish that purpose. In the fiery times of 1917 and 1918 a number who had pretended to be in the truth and to be followers of Christ broke away from God’s organization and immediately began talking and publishing their own views in divers and numerous ways and taking special care that from that time forward those who remained faithful and held fast to God’s organization received copies of these messages. Their publications that began about that time increased and continue. The purpose manifestly was and is to draw others away from the Society. Thus Satan used these as instruments.

From the spring of 1919 on and thereafter there flowed a great “flood” of talk and schemes such as peace treaties, conferences, parleys, and political propaganda and a cavorting by the religious clergy, all of which was directing the common people away from God to Satan’s schemes The greater portion thereof came from Britain and America and the ‘forgotten harlot’, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. (Isa. 23:15-17) Politicians, Big Business and the clergy of religion joined together in the promulgation of these schemes. It may well be said that the Devil has been using all “seven mouths” of the Dragon’s seven heads, symbolically meaning all his instruments, to thus turn loose a flood of schemes upon the people. Satan’s purpose was to sweep the “woman” (God’s organization) on the earth along with the current or worldly opinions and talk and to coerce her thereby to worship the “beast” (Satan’s visible organization on earth) and “his image” by taking part in some of these schemes.

Quite a number of those claiming full consecration to the Lord were swept away by the flood, but the faithful remnant could not be swept away. This should be a complete warning to God’s people. It is only Jehovah’s organization that Satan is trying to injure and destroy. Other organizations, religious, political and commercial, Satan has under either his control or his influence. (1 John 5: 19) “By their fruits ye shall know them,” says the Lord. “The fruit of the spirit is love.” (Gal. 5:22) That means that those who love God put self in the background and devote their all to the Lord and to his glory. Such bring forth the fruits of the Kingdom, meaning a full and complete devotion to the Kingdom and the serving of His truth to others. That proves beyond all question that all those who oppose the Kingdom and the giving of the testimony concerning that Theocratic Government, and advertising of it, are being used by Satan, whether they realize it or not. They are against God and his Christ and manifest the fruits of the enemy, to wit, opposition to the Kingdom work, Jehovah’s “strange work”.

But would the “woman”, Jehovah’s organization, yield to the pressure of this “flood” and drink thereof by going along with the advocates of a policy of compromising to wards Satan and his organization! No! the Devil did not succeed and could not succeed in sweeping the true followers of Christ, Jehovah’s witnesses, off their feet. Such schemes as the League of Nations, prohibition, worldly reforms of various kinds, peace treaties, peace pacts, having the appearance of righteousness, have all been religious schemes to turn away Jehovah’s people from him.

This “flood” of schemes and palaver that has flowed out of the mouths of the Devil’s organization was “swallowed up” by “the earth”, that is, the peoples of earth drank it in. (Rev. 12:16) The extremes to which the peoples have gone in their abortive effort to carry out such schemes have demonstrated to God’s remnant the absolute necessity of remaining entirely aloof from the world and standing firm for the Lord. With them there can be no compromise. And thus, as written, “the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed up the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth.” The remnant see that Satan’s flood has deceived many, but it cannot deceive God’s elect.

God’s servant class is blind and deaf to everything except the Kingdom interests. (Isa. 42:19) The faithfulness and persistence of this remnant in giving the witness to Jehovah’s name and speaking forth his glory greatly enrages Satan and his organization. Therefore Satan and his organization go forth to make war against the woman, God’s organization, and her remnant now on the earth. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” —Rev. 12:17.

Jehovah God committed to Christ Jesus the great work of giving the testimony concerning Himself and his Theocratic Government. The honor of giving this testimony Christ Jesus shares with those of the temple class who are made a part of Jehovah’s “servant”. (Isa. 42:1) These faithful ones know that Jehovah’s commandments to them are: 'Ye are my witnesses that I am Jehovah; make mention that my name is exalted; the Kingdom is born, which is good news to all those who love righteousness. This gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached to all nations as a witness, and then the end shall come.’

FAILURE OF COMMERCIALISM

ONE of the outstanding signs of the times is the failure of commerce or commercialism. Such was foreshadowed thousands of years ago by the last of the three signs given to Moses to perform to prove that he was truly the prophet sent of Jehovah to deliver his people from the bondage of an oppressive commercial power, Egypt. The first sign was performed with Moses’ rod, and hence had to do with rulership and thereby affected politics. The second sign was made with Moses’ hand and had to do with the power and means to worship and serve God, and hence was against religion. The third sign was performed with water drawn from Egypt’s great artery of commerce and traffic, its famous river, and hence was directed against commercialism. Concerning this last sign Jehovah said to Moses: “And it shall come to pass, if they will not believe also these two signs, neither hearken unto thy voice, that thou shalt take of the water of the river, and pour it upon the dry land: and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.”—Ex. 4: 9.

It was out of the river Nile that Moses took the sample of water on his return to Egypt. That nation depended upon that river for her wealth, business and commerce, and hence it pictured particularly the commercial part of Satan’s organization, of which organization Egypt was a visible part, its ruler Pharaoh representing Satan “the god of this world”. Satan the Devil claimed that he made that river and that it belonged to him. (Read Ezekiel 29: 1-3.) It was chiefly the commercial support of Satan’s organization. In modern times it was chiefly the commercial element that Satan used to bring about and carry on the World War of 1914-1918. The commercial part of his organization has afflicted the world with its doctrines of propaganda, and it is Satan’s commercial element that is chiefly responsible for the economic difficulties and distress now upon the people, causing them much hardship and suffering.

For some time Jehovah’s anointed people, in declaring his testimony against the enemy organization, confined their work to the religious element, but in more recent days the commercial part of Satan’s organization has come in for attention. In the prophetic picture made by Moses he took up the water out of the Nile and poured it on the dry ground; and now the Greater Moses, Christ Jesus, and the faithful remnant of his footstep followers yet on earth take a sample of Satan’s organization, represented by the water, and give attention thereto. As the people of Egypt thought the Nile waters were good for drinking purposes, so the people of the world, including many professing Christians, have thought that the commerce of the world is vitally essential and is refreshing and life-sustaining; and hence some of those consecrated to God have engaged in the commerce of the world and later have come to sorrow

The water which Moses took out of the Nile he poured upon the dry land. At that time many people resided in Egypt who were no part of the official organization thereof Today there are many people in the world who form no part of the official organization of Satan and who are completely out of heart sympathy with that organization. These include the class of persons of good will whom the Good Shepherd Christ Jesus gathers as his “other sheep” and who will form the “great multitude” that shall survive the battle of Armageddon and dwell in the “new earth”. At Haggai 2:6,7 the Scriptures mention the “dry land” in contrast with the “sea”, the restless peoples alienated from God and that bear up and support Satan’s commercial organization. Therefore the “dry land” well represents those consecrated to God and those order-loving people on earth who have a sincere desire to see righteousness established among men. Bear in mind that Moses’ performance of the three signs was primarily for the purpose of establishing the faith of the oppressed Israelites, foreshadowing God’s covenant people on earth, and that the later performing of two of them in Pharaoh’s presence was secondarily for the purpose of serving notice upon Satan’s representatives. Thus Jehovah showed first his anointed people that commerce is the mainstay of Satan’s visible organization, and this he did in order that the people might be strong in faith and active in proclaiming the truth against that part of the enemy organization. This proves that the witnesses of Jehovah must pour the truth upon the “dry land”, that is, upon the order-loving people of good will, and must do so in the presence and hearing of Satan’s representatives in order that all may have an opportunity to know that Jehovah is God. Jehovah’s anointed people now know that the commerce of the world is not life-sustaining, and also the people of good will are learning the same thing.

To Moses Jehovah said: “The water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land.” Thus today Jehovah shows his people, and those of good will, that commerce originated with the Devil, that it is the most powerful part of Satan’s organization visible, and that Satan has employed it to carry on his bloody and deathdealing work for centuries past upon the nations of the world. This being true, that water is not fit to drink, and those who are in a covenant to do God’s will and who then drink it shall die and not live. Not only God’s anointed remnant, but also the Lord’s “other sheep”, see that if they would live they must flee from Satan’s oppressive organization and take their stand on the side of Jehovah and his Theocratic Government. For the benefit of his covenant people Jehovah caused to be written, at 1 Timothy 6: 9,10, this warning: “But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.” But religionists who call themselves by the name of the Lord have disregarded this warning and have turned to commercial methods, and concerning their house of religion Jehovah prophetically said: “Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the Lord.” (Jer. 7:11) Jesus later quoted these words when easting the money-changers and commercial religionists out of the temple at Jerusalem.—Matt 21:12, 13 ; Mark 11: 15-17.

That commerce or Big Business is a part of Satan’s organization and is oppressive and death-dealing Jehovah began to make known to his people first in 1927, when the booklet Freedom for the People was issued. (See pages 23-28.) The books Prophecy, Light and Vindication, issued since, more fully brought these truths to the fore. Thus Jehovah has instructed his own people and has shown them that it is his testimony that they must give against Satan's organization and they must be zealous and active in declaring it against every part of Satan’s organization.

Ancient Egypt more particularly magnified the commercial and military part of the modern Satanic organization But, like a gigantic tree before the ax of the woodman, that commercial nation fell before Jehovah’s executioner. (Ezek. 31: 2-15) Many have long ago concluded that the prosperity of the people in general depends upon Big Business, but such has not prevented widespread business depression, and many complain and mourn. With the complete fall of the commercial power of the world there will be much mourning among the small as well as the great commercial dealers Many of the clergy have forsaken the Lord to engage in a commercial business, which commerce has become the welcome ally of “organized religion” and is the mainstay of big politics. Religionists envy the big tree of Big Business and have for selfish reasons tried to imitate the big tree and profit thereby. They will mourn when their idol falls

It is a common saying that when the commercial power goes down the governments will go with it. This must be true now, because Big Business controls the governments of the nations. When God uproots the commercial elements of Satan’s visible organization, everything else in the way of politics and militarism will go with it. Everything co-operating with or giving support to Satan's big business commercial power will fall before the forward march of Christ Jesus, Jehovah’s Executioner. The Lord God will clean the earth of everything that defiles, and his kingdom will make the earth a fit place in which obedient men may live in happiness for ever.

JEHOVAH’S LOVING-KINDNESS

Dear Brother Rutherford:

Jehovah is never tired of dispensing new gifts to his children to make them happy. I venture the opinion that nothing has been written since the Light books were published that will cause so much rejoicing amongst the “remnant” as the new book Religion. While it is a terrible indictment and exposure of religion and its supporters, Almighty God shows throughout its pages his loving-kindness towards his faithful servants, and comforts their hearts and minds

Personally I am of a phlegmatic nature, but every now and then while reading this book exclamations of joy would escape me. The words of Paul came to my mind “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” As The Theocratic Government is expanding, so also is the joy of the Lord expanding in the hearts of those who serve that government faithfully. A sentence on page 232 of the book sums up the matter. It reads “Those who have labored joyfully, looking always to the praise of Jehovah, have received their pay.”

May Jehovah continue to guide you, through Christ Jesus, as you serve him and his people.

Your brother in The Theocracy,

J. H. Cork, Eire.

(Continued from page 338)

for. Organized companies should combine the orders of all individuals therefor and send such through the company servant.

1941 CALENDAR

The 1941 Calendar is exceptionally beautiful and expressive. Under the yeartext, to wit, “Salvation unto our God . . . and unto the Lamb” (Rev 7.10, A.R.V.), the artist portrays with Scriptural symbolisms and modern details Jehovah’s “strange work” of judgment now fast reaching its climax among all nations The Calendar date pads mark the special testimony periods for 1941, and also give field service suggestions for the intervening months A contribution of 25c per copy is asked therefor, or $1.00 for five copies mailed to one address. Companies do well to send in combination orders through the local company servant.

FIELD EXPERIENCES

JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES UNDER AIR-BOMBING

“A witness called at a home in London, and a soldier came to the. door. She presented the testimony card and asked if he would like to hear the Bible message from her phonograph. He immediately asked if it was anything to do with the people he had recently met with at Dunkerque, France. The witness said she did not know, but that it was a work carried on by Jehovah’s witnesses. The soldier immediately showed great interest and told of his experiences at Dunkerque. He had recently returned from France and related the terrible experiences on the beach as the soldiers and civilians were being evacuated. Said he: ‘We were all gathered on the shore, and the Nazi bombers were over. We had to dig ourselves in on the sand, and near by was a small group of refugees who were doing the same; but as soon as the bombers passed over, this small group came up from their shelter and played over records to the soldiers and others gathered there awaiting the boats to take them to England. Time and again they came forward from their hole in the sands and moved amongst the others, playing their records and comforting the others. I’ll never forget the incident. They were marvelous in the courage they displayed and the wonderful help they gave to the children. Scores were gathered there, and all in great fear of the bombers that were coming over time and again, and with each lull in the bombing these good people moved amongst the others and rendered real practical aid, especially to the children. If those books have anything to do with that, I want some. Their courage and help to the others was an inspiration.’ Amongst the many refugees it is known that there were several of Jehovah’s witnesses, and the incident related above tells of the effect their faithful work and courage had upon one who witnessed it.”

MODEL STUDIES IN JAIL

“We were in jail ten days, but we had the wonderful privilege of conducting Model Studies with the prisoners. We placed one Salvation, one Refugees, and one Model Study booklet, and three magazines. Before we were turned over to the matron we played ‘Remedy’ at the sheriff’s request, also the Kingdom songs. I gave him the latest issues of The Watchtower and Consolation. He said he would be glad to read them. We had ten in sound attendance. The sheriff asked questions, but I told him the publications would give him the answers better than I could. I heard him say later, we should not be there at all. The great Theocratic Convention really has given my sister and me more courage and zeal to continue in this ‘strange work’ until Jehovah permits the enemy to stop us again.”

THE STINGING TAIL OF THE LOCUST (REV. 9:10)

“Housewife and husband stated they were not interested. I excused myself, handing them a Kingdom News No. 6, stating it showed the fulfillment of prophecy (Isaiah 60: 2). Leaving the next house and getting into the car, I heard a woman yelling. Turning around, I saw the man running, at the same time yelling loudly, ‘Hey, wait!’ Coming up to the car, breathing very heavily and in his stocking feet, he stated he could not take any chances of our calling back, but wanted the book we spoke of. He hands us a quarter contribution, grabs the book Salvation, and starts back to his house all smiles, telling us to call again.”

CATHOLIC ACTION, STANDISH, LANCASHIRE

“The zone servant makes the following report, for Sunday, May 26: ‘I had a setup with the sound-car in some council houses and had played the lecture “Model Prayer”. After the lecture we worked the street without interference (three publishers visiting from house to house). Just as we were finishing, some Catholics came from their houses and started using abusive language and shouting about C. O’s (conscientious objectors). None of us had said a word about C. O.’s when working, but evidently they assumed we were such. Since we had finished that section, I moved the car down, and the other two followed, walking. I had another setup some way down, using the same record, “Model Prayer.” There was a Catholic church near by. At that moment a large number of people were coming from it and passing the car as the lecture was played. Some stopped farther on to listen. People were standing at their doors all the way down, listening. Two women approached and immediately started using provocative language and attempting to start trouble. Within a very short time a large number of people had gathered round the car, shouting abusive language and threatening to smash the equipment. One leader of the mob gave witness Finney a violent blow with his clinched fist across his face. Several then rushed for me at the back of the car, threatening to smash the equipment. Finney pushed his way in front of me to keep them off. The man who had struck him then jumped at the loudspeaker, which was strapped to the roof, and ripped at the cable. I grabbed a stick which I keep in the back of the car and struck him a blow across his shoulder. He turned and gave me a sharp blow across the face, making my nose bleed. I immediately jumped in the car and drove away while my two companions managed to hold the mob and then clear off. We quickly reported the matter to the police and took out a summons against the leader, Mr. Cheetham, 105 Pepper Lane, Standish. June 18 the case finally came up at the court at Chorley. All charges were dismissed (In the meantime Cheetham had made a complaint against the zone servant.) However, our opponents have been let in for at least three guineas for their solicitor’s fees. The hearing took approximately one hour and a half. All our witnesses spoke extremely well, corroborating each other’s testimonies, and very clearly impressed the court when compared with the testimonies of the Catholic witnesses. I think we should have won easily if we had only had one or two outside witnesses. It seemed amazing how any person could stand before the court after taking the oath and tell the lies that were told. Not only did they deny striking any blows at all, but even swore that we assaulted them first. However, the last witness they called let the cat out of the bag, because she was deaf and had not heard what her fellow witnesses had said at all. Her testimony was a complete contradiction When we cross-examined her, she started shouting and abusing us, and had to be restrained by a police officer. In our testimonies we emphasized the fact that it was that woman who had started inciting the mob, and when she came on at the end of the hearing and started doing it in court it was obvious to everyone. I myself cross-examined Cheetham. He made his denials in subdued tones, gazing at his feet, and never once looking me in the face.”