Drama of Vengeance (Part 2) № 23

“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 requires special advance work. Especially, attend the weekly service meeting of the local company of Jehovah’s witnesses, where the details of the work of “Courage” Testimony Period are being 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 January 5: “Drama of Vengeance” (Part 2), fl 1-22 inclusive, The 'Watchtower December 1, 1940.

Week of January 12: “Drama of Vengeance” (Part 2), fl 23-45 inclusive, The Watchtower December 1,1940.

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

“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.

(Continued on page 367)

Vol. LXI

December 1, 1940

No. 23

DRAMA OF VENGEANCE

PART 2

"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 executes his fixed purpose exactly on time. His creatures whom he uses in the execution of his purpose he prepares aforetime. Jehovah never deviates one jot or tittle from his fixed purpose. Says the Most High: “I am [Jehovah], I change not.” (Mal. 3:6; A.R.V.) Prior to 1918 Jehovah caused his beloved Son, his Messenger and Executive Officer, to "prepare the way before” Him. Exactly on time Christ Jesus, the Vindicator and great Judge, appeared at his temple. (Mal. 3:1) Since then Christ Jesus, as Jehovah’s Vindicator, has been making preparation for the final battle. That preparation has not been in secret, but openly and aboveboard. In that work of preparation he has used those men and women who are faithfully devoted to and are serving The Theocracy. He gives them some opportunity of serving the great Theocracy in vindication of the name of the great Theocrat. In the time of great stress upon the world, and when the enemy viciously oppresses and assaults the people of God, they are favored by receiving a revelation of Jehovah’s prophecies long ago foretold and recorded. Among such is the prophetic drama of vengeance in which Barak and Deborah played the leading parts. These things having been “written aforetime”, they are for their learning, comfort and hope, and we take great joy in studying the same that we may more efficiently serve The Theocracy. Deborah, who played the part representing Jehovah’s organization, acted exactly in due time under the direction of the Most High, and her action is stated as follows: “And she sent and called Barak, the son of Abinoam, out of Kedesh-naphtali, and said unto him, Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying, Go, and draw toward mount Tabor, and take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali, and of the children of Zebulun?”—Judg. 4:6.

2 Deborah sent the messenger to the north of her place of abode, a distance of forty-five miles into the territory of the tribe of Naphtali and right close up to the Canaanite city of Hazor, the royal residence of Jabin the king. Thus she showed her faith in Jehovah and that she had no fear of the enemy and hence did not consider whether the king, Jabin, might be offended or not. She was doing her duty, fearing only God. This pictures that Jehovah’s organization obeys the Almighty, having full faith and confidence in him and fearing God only. His people know that the enemy is very vicious, but, these devoted servants of the Most High having agreed to do the will of God, they go straight forward doing so, well knowing that Jehovah will cause all things to ultimately work out for the good of his faithful people. Such he has repeatedly promised, and he always keeps his promises.

3      The messenger of Deborah was sent to Barak, calling him into active service. The name Barak means “lightning”. Satan, the mimic god, appears to have adopted the same name for his representative in Germany who now carries on a Blitzkrieg, or “lightning war”. The Devil usually seizes upon the things that Jehovah uses, and tries to mimic them and uses the same to reproach the name of the Most High. In the scripture here under consideration the word “lightning” seems to refer to a weapon of warfare used against the enemies of Jehovah. So far in these modern days the Devil, acting through his earthly agency, the Vatican, and the Nazis speak of their vicious assaults upon others as a Blitzkrieg, or “lightning war”. That war of the Devil’s representatives will avail nothing in the end. The scriptures which show the use and the meaning of the word “lightning” follow: “Bow thy heavens, 0 Lord, and come down; touch the mountains, and they shall smoke. Cast forth lightning, and scatter them; shoot out thine arrows, and destroy them. Send thine hand from above; rid me, and deliver me out of great waters, from the hand of strange children.” (Ps. 144: 5-7) “Yea, he sent out his arrows, and scattered them; and he shot out lightnings, and discomfited them.” (Ps. 18:14) “And he sent out arrows, and scattered them; lightning, and discomfited them.” (2 Sam. 22:15) "If I whet my glittering sword [the lightning of my sword (A.R.V., margin)], and mine hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.” (Deut. 32: 41) “Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished: it is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter [literally meaning: that it may have lightning]; should we then make mirth! it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree. I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied. Ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter. And thou, son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord God concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn; for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering.” (Ezek. 21:9,10,15,28) “And the Lord shall be seen over them, and his arrow shall go forth as the lightning; and the Lord God shall blow the trumpet, and shall go with whirlwinds of the south.”—Zech. 9:14.

4 As the prophetic drama unfolds it will be seen that Barak, whose name means “lightning", played the part picturing Christ Jesus, who appears in two relations: (1) As the captain of God’s faithful witnesses upon the earth engaged in God’s “strange work”; and (2) as the Field Marshal of Jehovah leading the hosts of God in the battle of that great day of God Almighty in the accomplishment of his “strange act”. This the Greater Barak (“Lightning”) said: “For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”—Matt. 24: 27.

5 When that mighty warrior leads the host of Jehovah in the final battle all the enemy will be completely in darkness and only the Lord will cause the light to shine, and “his arrow shall go forth as the lightning” (Zech. 9:14), smiting the terrified enemy. At that time there will be no hide-out for the enemy, and none of the enemy shall in any wise find a way of escaping the death-dealing arrows of the Lord; and then before the arrows smite them they will know that this is the battle of the Almighty, the great Jehovah.

6 The prophecy names the father of Barak, speaking of him as “the son of Abinoam”, which name means “father of pleasantness”. That describes Jehovah God, concerning whose ways of pleasantness it is written: “One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.” (Ps. 27: 4) “Let thy work appear unto thy servants, and thy glory unto their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us; and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it.” (Ps. 90:16,17) Christ Jesus band his faithful remnant on earth today find delight in the splendor, beauty of pleasantness and grace in Jehovah, their heavenly Father. The “other sheep” share in this joy because they are under Jehovah’s organization of which Christ Jesus is the Head and the Light.

7 Barak was called “out of Kedesh-naphtali”, which was in the territory of Naphtali. That was a city of refuge convenient for the refugees from the north end of the land of Palestine, where the Levites resided, and which city the Lord directed Joshua to appoint: “The Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses. And they appointed Kedesh in Galilee in mount Naphtali, and Shechem in mount Ephraim, and Kirjath-arba, which is Hebron, in the mountain of Judah.”—Josh. 20:1, 2, 7.

8 bThe Scriptures clearly show that the city of refuge foreshadowed refuge to which the “other sheep” of the Lord, that is, the “great multitude”, flee and find protection and salvation at Armageddon. The calling of Barak front the city of refuge Kedesh locates the time of the fulfillment of this prophetic drama, which began with the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple in 1918. It is of interest to note that on the 24th day of February, 1918, for the first time the message “Millions Now Living Will Never Die” was delivered at a public assembly of Christian people, held in Los Angeles. The name Kedesh means “sanctuary”. The “great multitude” find their sanctuary under Jehovah’s organization, where God’s antitypical or spiritual Levites minister unto such refugees. (Num. 35: 6) It is at the city of refuge that those of the “great multitude” serve God day and night, that is, continuously.—Rev. 7: 15.

9 In assigning that territory to the tribe of Naphtali Joshua listed Kedesh next to Hazor. (Josh. 19:32,36,37) Thus the leading representatives of those two opposing organizations, the one represented by Barak and the other by Jabin the king, were like next-door neighbors; but there is no evidence that they were of the “good neighbor” class, as religionists now would have it. They were not friends, because Barak was on the side of the Lord and Jabin on the side of the Devil. This is what the Scriptures say about those who pretend to serve the Lord and who carry on the “good neighbor” policy of political religionists: “Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God! whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.”—Jas. 4:4.

10 Barak was not of that class. The following scripture states the divine rule, which all true servants of God must obey: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (1 John 2:15) “If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.” (John 15:19, 20) "I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.” (John 17:14) “Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you; and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.” (Matt. 24: 9) There is a clear division, an impassable gulf, between the true servants of God and all who are not for The Theocracy.

11 Deborah’s messenger went to Barak and said unto him: “Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded?” That shows that the messenger came to Barak in God’s appointed way. He was there not as the messenger of Deborah, but as the messenger of the Lord. Likewise today Jehovah’s organization is the channel by which Jehovah God through Christ Jesus speaks and issues instructions to his people of “the body of Christ” yet on earth. The messenger is not man’s, but God’s, even though men are used. This shows that the servants of God now on the earth must recognize God’s organization, which was pictured by Deborah, as the Lord’s channel or means of communicating instruction to the servants of the Lord. The instructions are the Lord’s, and not man’s. In the drama it was not Deborah that was speaking to a man and directing or commanding him or attempting ‘to teach the man’, but it was the Lord speaking through her, who pictured his organization. There the Lord was using Deborah as a picture representing his woman Zion, that is, his organization. She was merely playing her part as directed by the Most High.

12 Mark well the words which the messenger under command spoke to Barak: “Hath not the Lord God of Israel commanded, saying” what shall be done? Thus Deborah emphatically denies any authority over Jehovah’s servant Barak, but rather acts as a servant bringing to man the word of the Most High. Had it been a woman commanding, that command would have run afoul, even as in Eve’s case in Eden. The commands to Jehovah’s witnesses are not the commands of any earthly creature, but are orders or commands issued by the Lord through his organization under Christ Jesus. Persons who claim to be serving the Lord and who insist on doing their way and contrary to organization instructions show their inability to appreciate that the Lord is directing his own affairs.

prepared

13The message brought to Barak said to him: “Go”; thus indicating that it was God’s due time for him to act. The command was to go and organize his fighters. Thus God foretold that a time would come when the faithful servants of God on earth must organize and prepare for the fight. Mark the events that followed the World War, indicating the beginning of the fulfillment: In September, 1919, the faithful servants of God assembled in convention at Cedar Point, Ohio. That marked the end of the time in which God’s servants had manifested fear of the worldly rulers and had suffered by reason thereof, and marked the beginning of greater faith in God and in Christ. The keynote address of that convention was “Blessed Are the Fearless”, particularly disclosing the distinction between the end of the Elijah work of the church and the beginning of the Elisha work of God’s organization. It was pointed out that the Kingdom work must go forward and that the work must be done without fear of man. The Lord’s people there present arose to the conditions and gladly began the organization for the fight, and that spirit of energy from the Lord reached throughout the earth, and everywhere the devoted ones began to prepare. It was at that convention that an auxiliary to The Watchtower, to carry on the work, was announced, the new magazine being The Golden Age, and which was afterwards and is now called Consolation, and which is used against the enemy in preparing God’s faithful people for the coming battle. Preparation has continued amongst the people of God on earth as they have gone forward in their work.

14 bBarak was commanded: “Go, and draw toward mount Tabor.” It is significant that this emphatic direction was given, locating the exact place where he should go. Tabor means “height, or mountain”; that is, a mountain that rises high. Mount Tabor rises 1,300 feet above its base, and 1,865 feet above sea level. It stands isolated from the other mountains. About fifteen miles to the southwest of Tabor was Megiddo, near the river Kishon, and to the east of Tabor is the Sea of Galilee. Mount Tabor seems to correspond with the symbolic mountain, to which Christ Jesus, the Greater Barak, gathers the anointed members of “his body”, namely, Mount Zion, the place of the assembly of troops: “And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father’s name written in their foreheads.” (Rev. 14:1) “But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect.” - Heb. 12:22,23.

15    In preparing for the battle of Armageddon the great Jehovah causes the minute details to be mentioned picturing that battle. The faithful followers of Christ Jesus are now assembled with the Lord in the mountain of Jehovah’s capital organization and there under the command and leadership of Christ Jesus. The picture then continues to show the preparation.

16    The specific commandment to Barak was: “And take with thee ten thousand men of the children of Naphtali, and of the children of Zebulun.” The territory of Zebulun bordered on the southwest of the Naphtali territory. In the song of victory sung by Barak and Deborah following the battle these words prophetically appear: “Out of Zebulun they that handle the pen of the writer. Zebulun and Naphtali were a people that jeoparded their lives unto the death in the high places of the field.” (Judg. 5:14,18) Those who came regarded not their lives dear unto them, but were determined to obey the commandment of Jehovah that he had given them through Barak. Thus were foreshadowed the apostle Paul and others of like spirit expressed by that faithful apostle in these words: “But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”—Acts 20: 24.

17 Not all the tribes of Israel mustered out to fight for the overthrow of the oppressors of Jehovah’s people. The fighting men of Naphtali and Zebulun came, and were accompanied by volunteers from Ephraim, Benjamin, Manasseh and Issachar, who formed the remnant whom the Lord used. The prophetic song of Deborah and Barak identified them all as a remnant: “Then he made him that remaineth have dominion over the nobles among the people; the Lord made me have dominion over the mighty.” —Judg. 5:13.

18 The command was to 'take with you ten thousand men’. Ten thousand is the fourth power of ten (10 X 10 X 10 X 10 = 10,000). Therefore the fighters would picture all the remnant of spiritual Israel, the anointed witnesses now on the earth engaged in Jehovah’s “strange work” against religionists and allies of demonism. Since Naphtali and Zebulun were the two tribes first mentioned and first called, this may well picture the original part of the Lord’s servant class who survived the World War trials and continued faithful to the end of 1922, at the time of the anointing. The other tribes that later joined the ranks as mentioned in Deborah’s song may picture those who have been added to the original remnant from 1922 on and who voluntarily joined in the “strange work” of the Lord against religion, or demonism. Ruth and Esther pictured a like class. And all of these, both the original remnant and the others added, together were foreshadowed and foretold as a “wise servant” class, to whom the Lord commits “his goods”, that is, his Kingdom interests, and lays upon them the responsibility as well as the great privilege of advertising the great Theocratic Government.

19Those who study the prophecies with a real and sincere desire to understand and who rely upon Jehovah and Christ Jesus have no difficulty in now seeing that God is maneuvering his own forces and also maneuvering the forces of the enemy preparatory to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. To be sure, the enemy does not believe this and will not believe it, and therefore will give no heed to the statement, because the Devil, the Hierarchy, and all of that organization are blinded to the purposes of Jehovah, even as the demons are blind and were cast into darkness from the time of the flood. That same blindness has held the demons and their associates in religion in darkness ever since, and this darkness is particularly upon the leaders in religion and the rulers in politics who have joined hands with religionists. Therefore it is written in the Scriptures: ‘Blindness covers the earth [visible rulers], and gross blindness the people [that is, those people who follow the religious leaders or rulers].’ (Isa. 60:2) God foretold that such would be the condition at the present time. It is even so, as all those who are devoted to the great Theocrat observe. Therefore, mark the following: “And I will draw unto thee, to the river Kishon, Sisera, the captain of Jabin’s army, with his chariots and his multitude; and I will deliver him into thine hand.”—Judg. 4: 7.

20 That is a positive statement from Jehovah as to his purpose. Thus it appears that Jehovah was maneuvering the enemy forces under the command of Jabin’s captain or field marshal, Sisera. that the enemy forces might be put in a position for their destruction. The manifest purpose of Jehovah was to draw the enemy forces into the open and force them to fight. Likewise in the fulfillment of the prophetic drama Jehovah is drawing all the enemy into the open and there forcing them to don the garments of identification that they are his enemies, and openly show themselves as against The Theocracy, and thereby to admit that all are worthy to be destroyed by the Lord at the battle of Armageddon. These things strengthen the hope of God’s faithful people.

21 It was God who commanded Deborah to prophesy to Barak and to point out to him the location or place to which he would draw the enemy, to wit, to the river Kishon. One fork of that river rises in or near Mount Tabor; the other fork rises near Mount Gilboa. Its location and environment are of real interest to the Lord’s people at the present time. Kishon means “curved, or winding”, and thereby being a suitable place or situation in which to trap the enemy and slow up his movement. The town of Megiddo was situated on the south of the river near the hills of Manasseh, and the “waters of Megiddo” emptied into the river Kishon. That river flows past Mount Carmel and empties into the Mediterranean sea. On the opposite side of Mount Gilboa the waters flow into the Jordan. It was in Mount Carmel where the prophet Elijah, by the direction of the Lord, performed the fire test, exposing the false prophets who represented the Devil, and where 450 of such prophets were executed at the river of Kishon. That occurred several hundred years after the prophecy of Deborah. (1 Ki. 18: 40) In the song of Deborah she is recorded as saying of that river, the “ancient river”: “The river of Kishon swept them away. . . . O my soul, thou hast trodden down strength.”— Judg. 5: 21.

22    That river was employed in the great drama of vengeance to carry out God’s fixed purpose. God used the waters of Kishon as one of his battle forces to execute the anti-theocratic enemies. Jehovah drew the enemy into the plain, through which the river Kishon flows, and there executed them. Thus Jehovah foretold that he will use his inanimate creation and forces of the earth to execute the anti-theocratic forces at Armageddon. This fact is also clearly shown by other prophecies. The Lord will clearly demonstrate that it is His battle, and not man’s, and he will make the enemy know that Jehovah is destroying them.

23    What God did toward the enemies of Israel, as shown in the prophetic drama, undoubtedly foreshadowed what he will do shortly to the conspirators against The Theocracy. Jehovah drew Sisera, the captain, of Jabin’s army, with, his chariots and his multitudes, to the river Kishon. Even so now God is maneuvering the enemy into a position where he will accomplish his purpose against the enemy. The description is given by his prophet as applying to the present time, in the following text: “Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye nations, and gather yourselves together round about; thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, 0 Lord. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision [(margin) threshing; or cutting to pieces]; for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.”—Joel 3:11, 14.

24    In his own good way Jehovah now draws the enemy and is leading them to the position where they will be destroyed. He uses his witnesses in this connection. He commands his witnesses to take their positive and firm stand against religion, or demonism, and to declare that religion is the instrument of the Devil used to fight against The Theocracy and its servants. The political, commercial and military forces have been induced by the Devil to adopt and advocate religion, or demonism, and all of these religious, political and commercial and military forces have joined in a conspiracy against The Theocracy, and therefore openly persecute Jehovah’s witnesses, who announce The Theocracy as the only hope of the human race. Because Jehovah’s witnesses are bold and fearless in declaring that the kingdom of God, for which Jesus taught his followers to pray, is the great Theocratic Government, which shall rule and bless the obedient of the human race, all of the demonized religionists and allied forces are against Jehovah’s witnesses. For this reason Jesus foretold exactly what would come to pass, when he said concerning Jehovah’s witnesses: “Ye shall be hated of all nations for my name’s sake.”

25    Concerning the enemy forces under the command of Captain Sisera Jehovah said through his prophetess, that is, his organization: “And I will deliver him into thine hand.” Such was the message which Barak received; but first, before the delivery took place, Barak must organize his forces for battle and move into action against Sisera and, in doing so, fully trust in God to finish the work of destruction. Likewise when the Greater Barak, Christ Jesus, exactly in due time received the command from Jehovah to ‘take thy power and reign’ (Rev. 11:17), Christ Jesus must first then prepare for the great and final war. He must begin his reign while the enemy is still in possession of the things of the earth; and this is corroborated further by the texts: “The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion; rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.” (Ps. 110: 2) The supporters of The Theocracy and its great Theocratic King must voluntarily take the side of The Theocracy and boldly and openly announce the same, and thus they show their willingness to be wholly obedient. “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning; thou hast the dew of thy youth.”— Ps. 110:3.

26 That must be true of all who serve the Lord and receive his approval from the time of the beginning of the temple judgment when they were ‘born in Zion’ and thus made members of the temple and became the faithful and wise servants of the Lord. (Ps. 87:5) The Greater Barak is with the people of God today and leading them, and therefore they must know that the battle is God’s, and not man’s, and that God, through Christ Jesus, will do the fighting, and for the vindication of his name, which battle incidentally will result in the deliverance of all those who faithfully devote themselves to Jehovah. (2 Chron. 20:15; 1 Sam. 17:47) After the preparation is completed, then the battle by Jehovah’s invisible forces begins and progresses to a successful finality: “The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath. He shall judge among the [nations], he shall fill the places with the dead bodies; he shall wound the heads over many countries.”-Ps. 110: 5, 6.

27 “And Barak said unto her, If thou wilt go with me, then I will go; but if thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go.” (Judg. 4: 8) Upon receiving the message Barak spoke unto Deborah as stated in this text. This does not mean that Barak, the man, was weak and was relying upon a woman. It is not subject to any such meaning except in the minds of those who look at matters entirely from a human viewpoint. It must be kept in mind that Barak there was playing his part in the prophetic drama as directed by Jehovah. At this point Barak pictured the remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses who are members of God’s organization on earth. Such witnesses are diligent to receive the instructions from the Lord given to them by and through his organization and to faithfully carry out the same. It does not mean that Barak expected the woman Deborah to fight with him and that without her he would not fight. The drama or picture must show, and did show, the matter in a prophetic way in which God would carry it out in the final reality. The presence of Deborah with the army of Israel would be an evidence of Jehovah being present and directing his people; and this was shown by his representative Deborah, picturing his organization. The presence of the representative of the Lord would there stimulate the army of Israel to more trustful obedience to the commandments of Barak. The army would understand that Jehovah was leading them. So likewise today the Lord’s people recognize that God, through Christ Jesus, is carrying forward his purposes, but that he has his own means or channel for transmitting orders and direction to his people on earth.

28 When Barak said to Deborah, “If thou wilt not go with me, then I will not go,” such did not mean that he was stubborn or fearful. He was playing his part in the drama under Jehovah’s direction, in order to thus foreshadow that God’s remnant now on earth will not and can not engage in the “strange work” and battle against demonism unless Jehovah’s organization, under its Head, Christ Jesus, goes along with them, leads and directs them. The organization must work in full and complete harmony. That is the reason now that we observe Jehovah’s witnesses working exactly in harmony as a part of the Lord’s organization and under the direct supervision of Christ Jesus. This unity is shown in many of the scriptures and the prophecies, and which have heretofore been called to the attention of God’s people through the columns of The Watchtower.

29 Jehovah’s witnesses and their companions have seen and now continue to see that the Almighty God and Christ Jesus have used and continue to use the Watch Tower Society, particularly since 1919, to make known the wickedness of religion, or demonism, and to point out the righteous God and his kingdom. This is done by the publication of truths as set forth in the Bible and revealed now by the Lord and made understandable to those who love him and who walk in the light, and who thus have partnership with God and Christ Jesus in that great work. (1 John 1: 6, 7) The people of God now on the earth see that the Watch Tower Society is merely a visible channel, means or instrument of transmitting the message of Jehovah to his people. For this reason each one of God’s people keenly desires to be in complete harmony with his organization and work under the Lord’s supervision. Any work that is contrary to Jehovah and his great Theocratic organization is of the enemy, the Devil and in such work the remnant refuse to have any part whatsoever. They thus refuse because they know that God and Christ Jesus will not be with them if they depart in any manner whatsoever from the full and united support of the Theocratic Government. They firmly stand for The Theocracy, and this brings the remnant into great disrepute amongst the religionists; but these faithful servants of God care not for any worldly approval. They must be and are determined to be faithful to Jehovah and to his King. They are blind to everything else.

30 When we see the matter in its true light it is plain that Barak is not subject to any just criticism nor to be viewed as a weak person and depending upon a woman. Only the religionists would criticize him. It was not Barak that chose the woman to prophesy at that time; Jehovah God chose Deborah as his mouthpiece because he uses a woman to picture his organization through which he gives direction as to his work. Barak made the request of Deborah that she be present with him because God’s message and command had come to him through her. Barak did not ask for help from Egypt, nor that he be accompanied by anyone outside of God’s recognized instrument. The picture would not have been complete in this instance if a man had been acting in Deborah’s place; but, without any doubt, if a man had been used to bring the message to Barak from Jehovah a like request would have been made in order that the messenger of the Lord, and who represented the Lord, might be with him directing in full harmony. It was the presence of Jehovah, of his official representative, that Barak desired. Moses was in a position similar thereto when God was displeased with the Israelites because of their worshiping the golden calf; and when he commanded Moses to lead his people on, Moses said to Jehovah: “If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence. For wherein shall it be known here that I and thy people have found grace in thy sight? Is it not in that thou goest with us? so shall we be separated, I and thy people, from all the people that are upon the face of the earth.” —Ex. 33:15, 16.

31 Jehovah God is the God of peace and harmony. Everything that is pleasing to the Lord God must be like him in this respect. The approved servants of Jehovah must dwell together in peace and act in exact harmony in carrying out the instructions from the Lord. Persons are not recognized because of their outward appearance, but God recognizes them because of their faithfulness to him and to his organization. God is no respecter of persons or individuals. Man looks upon the outward appearance, but God looks upon the heart, that is, that which indicates one’s righteous motive. Since the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple and his putting the mark of approval upon those brought into his organization, all of these must be at peace amongst themselves and in full unity move forward together in the performance of duties and obligations laid upon them. In no other way could they stand firm in God’s organization. (Ps. 122:1-8) Such was foreshadowed in the drama, as indicated by the reply of Deborah. “And she said, I will surely go with thee; notwithstanding the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour; for the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman. And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh.”—Judg. 4:9.

32 Deborah’s readiness to go and her assurance to Barak show harmony and peace and confidence in the Lord. That would be the effect upon the warfare of Israel under the command of Barak. Full assurance that in doing the work assigned them they were doing so at the Lord’s direction gave them strength. Likewise today full assurance that the servants of the Lord are backed up by Jehovah and his organization and doing the work of God under his command through Christ Jesus results in great courage to them. In a similar way this was shown when the servant of Elisha was greatly disturbed by the appearance of the enemy at Dothan and when Elisha assured his servant of the supreme strength of the Most High: “And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not; for they [Jehovah’s organization] that be with us are more than they that be with them. And Elisha prayed, and said, Lord, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the Lord opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.”—2 Ki. 6:15-17.

33 Deborah’s assurance of standing firmly with Barak and supporting him was like a promise of the Lord given to all those that fear Him and who do not fear men and who therefore joyfully serve the Lord: “The angel of the Lord encampeth round about them that fear him, and delivereth them.” (Ps. 34: 7) “For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways.”—Ps. 91:11.

34 The Lord directed Deborah to inform Barak in these words: “The journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honour.” That meant that personal ambition for honor is not pleasing to God, and hence every true follower of Christ Jesus must see to it that his heart is right and he says by his action: “Perish every desire for selfish honor amongst men.” Jehovah’s remnant must be entirely unselfish and wholly indifferent to the opinions of men, desiring only the approval of the Lord. They are to have in mind at all times that it is the honor and vindication of Jehovah’s name in which they are interested and which will be accomplished. Both the remnant and their companions must be unselfishly devoted to The Theocrat and his King and engaged in God’s “strange work” for the honor and glory of Jehovah. They are honored by the reflected glory that comes to them by reason of being under the headship and leadership of Christ Jesus, participating in the work as he commands; and thus, as it is written: “This honour have all his saints.” (Ps. 149: 9) This is aptly expressed by David: “Thine, O Lord, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty; for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O Lord, and thou art exalted as head above all.”—1 Chron. 29:11.

35 Had Barak been seeking self-glory he would have backed out and refused to embark on the expedition; but that was not the purpose of this prophetic drama. In this connection Barak received the words from the mouth of God’s prophetess that God would give the victory to him through His organization; and that message was this: “For the Lord shall sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” These words constitute further evidence that Barak was playing a part in the drama without reference to his personal ambition or honor. By the word “Sisera” used in the foregoing text was meant not merely the captain of the enemy host, but all of the host of the enemy and all the enemy’s war equipment under the command of Sisera. “Into the hand of a woman” did not mean into Deborah’s hand personally; but there she was the representative of Jehovah God, picturing his organization, and the meaning was that God’s organization would be successful. In strict harmony with this, Jehovah does not deliver the religious racketeers and their allies into the hand of Jehovah’s witnesses on earth to be destroyed by them, but Jehovah will deliver the enemies of The Theocracy into the hand of his organization, of which Christ Jesus is the Head, or Chief, and the Head of that great organization will execute them. The enemy shall be completely destroyed, but the honor of the slaughter will not be given to any of Jehovah’s witnesses now on the earth, but be given entirely to the Lord Jesus Christ himself. All the saints will participate in the honor, which is reflected to them by their being under and associated with Christ Jesus.

36 The time had come for God’s people to move into action. “And Deborah arose, and went with Barak to Kedesh,” that is, to the city of refuge. She did not stay at home and rest under the palm tree, but she went into the field with the others who went into action. Likewise the invisible-organization of Jehovah and the visible part thereof are with Christ Jesus and go into active service and serve under him. The Lord Jesus is accompanied by all his holy angels, who are of his organization, and by the resurrected members of “his body” and by all of his remnant on the earth. The spirit of Jehovah God is with his organization, and all are at peace and work in exact harmony. “And Barak called Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh; and he went up with ten thousand men at his feet; and Deborah went up with him.”— Judg. 4:10.

37 The Lord Jesus and his true followers likewise delight to be obedient to Jehovah’s commandments. In this prophetic drama Barak showed such willingness by immediately obeying Jehovah’s command received by him through Deborah as the mouthpiece of the Lord. Preparation for the battle proceeded with real cunning and sagacity. Kedesh being so near to Hazor, the residence of King Jabin, discretion on the part of Barak in making preparation was necessary. Corresponding to his action, a like call to action was given in A.D. 1922, from the time of the second Cedar Point convention and thereafter, for God’s people to go into action. At that convention of Jehovah’s servants the Slogan was raised: “Advertise the King and the Kingdom.” That slogan has been sounded since continuously, and God’s people know but one thing, and that is to move forward to the honor of the great Theocrat.

38 The tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun responded to the call, and others of the Israelites also came as volunteers and offered themselves freely. This corresponds with the statement of the Psalm that refers to the beginning of the reign and the work of Christ, to wit: “Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth."— Ps. 110:3.

39 Following the battle Deborah sung out the same prophecy, to wit: “My heart is toward the governors of Israel that offered themselves willingly among the people.” All who serve the great King with joy and hence receive God’s approval are necessarily volunteers, willingly offering themselves in the service and joyfully serving. They do not have to be drafted, nor do they complain or murmur concerning the hours they have to work after entering the field of action. They know where they are going, and they delight to do what is commanded of them. In this part of the drama the “great multitude” or “other sheep” are not shown. The refugees in the Levite city of Kedesh could not leave that city and go out and help in the fight, because the law required they must remain in the pity of refuge until the death of the high priest. (Num. 35:25) To expose themselves outside of the city of refuge would subject them to execution by the avenger of blood. The “other sheep” of the Lord, those of good-will and who will form the “great multitude”, are shown in the drama, however, by another character, as appears from the unfolding of the prophecy.

40 The fulfillment of that part of the prophecy enacted at verse ten above quoted appears to have begun in 1937, when a special call went forth for action against the religious organizations, which carry on a racket. The yeartext for that year was taken from the prophecy of Obadiah, to wit: “Arise ye, and let us rise up against her [organized religion] in battle.” At the convention of God’s people that year, at Columbus, Ohio, that text was the theme of the entire convention and emphasized by all the speakers. Jeremiah’s prophecy, set forth at the twenty-fifth chapter, was also used to emphasize and show that the wine cup of God’s wrath must be handed around to all the nations and that they would be obligated to drink thereof and die. That led up to the publication of the booklet Safety, dealing with the prophecy of Jeremiah. At that convention the magazine Consolation was brought forward and released for use, and also a Model Study booklet was provided showing the difference between religion and Christianity and how this should be used to instruct the people. Also the new book Enemies was released as an instrument of warfare. At the same time special pioneer service was inaugurated. Preparation for the war went forward, and the part performed by the visible servants of Jehovah God was entirely for the purpose of magnifying the name of the Most High. The Lord was preparing his people who were willing.

41 Barak and Deborah went up to Mount Tabor together; which pictures Christ Jesus in charge of Jehovah’s organization engaging in his “strange work” on the earth against demonism, or religion. Ten thousand soldiers went up with them, and this pictured completely a number of the remnant on the earth all enlisted for The Theocracy. Deborah went right up to the battle front, thereby picturing Jehovah's organization of holy angels led by Christ Jesus and that these are followed by all the faithful remnant on earth. Complete harmony of action by the organization of Jehovah is here further shown.

42 Shortly after the convention above mentioned, in 1937, the Lord called special attention to his organization, which was foreshadowed by Deborah, and clearly revealed to his people that his organization is not democratic and is controlled by the Lord himself. Shortly there followed the reorganization amongst the witnesses of Jehovah into a more active and efficient service organization, and in complete harmony with Jehovah’s organization, ruled by the Head thereof, Christ JeSus. This was also pictured in the foregoing harmonious action of Barak and Deborah. It is seen that the organization of God, both invisible and visible, all are gathered together, that is, to the place of the assembly of troops under the commandment of the Lord.

“Why has Jehovah thus led his people and later revealed to them the things that centuries ago he made to appear in the prophetic drama, the events which we now see in fulfillment thereof, and in which- fulfillment God’s people have a part? The answer to that question is found in the words uttered by the apostle of Jesus, to wit: "Tor whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.”—Rom. 15:4.

43 Every one of the remnant, upon reading that text last above quoted, breathes a prayer of thanksgiving to Jehovah God for the manifestation of his boundless mercy and abundant loving-kindness, and, like the psalmist, they sing: “Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” — Ps. 107: 8, 9.

“At this present time, when the people of Jehovah are beset on every side by the enemy, persecuted and oppressed, the revelation to them of the prophecies of Jehovah God bearing upon the present time brings to them great peace of mind and consolation. Thus by the Lord’s grace they are afforded a full opportunity to keep in mind that they are backed up by Jehovah God, who says to them: “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) Such full assurance gives great courage; and hence the people of God are very courageous. They feed upon the revelation of prophecy, realizing that it is life-sustaining food to their souls in this time of great importance to them. The drama progresses, and they rejoice.

(To be continued)

COMMERCE DONE FOR

EGYPT was anciently a commercial world power. It is written concerning Egypt that, as a commercial rival of ancient Rome, its annual revenue amounted to approximately $20,000,000 or what is equivalent to that sum today. Egypt was a great market for the commerce of the nations, including Tyre. To be compared with Tyre’s traffic with Egypt is the commercial traffic of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. The Hierarchy has, and for a long while has had, dealings with Big Business or the mighty commerce of the world, pictured in ancient Egypt, and members of the Hierarchy are large investors in the commercial traffic of the world. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy has been and is a market for ail the world, dealing in and manipulating the people, and particularly the “Catholic population”, and doing this for its own selfish gain. Politicians of all nations find the Hierarchy both politically and financially advantageous to them. Dictators in particular find a strong ally in the Hierarchy, and it will generally be found that these dictators are backed up by and supported and put in power by the Hierarchy.

The nation of Egypt was, in the days of the prophet Moses, a powerful nation. It practiced the Devil religion. It was a great military as well as commercial nation and was ruled by a king the title of whom was “Pharaoh". Looking to the deliverance of Moses’ oppressed people from the power of that commercial nation Jehovah God said to Moses: “Get thee unto Pharaoh in the morning; lo, he goeth out unto the water; and thou shalt stand by the [Nile] river’s brink against he come; and the rod which was turned to a serpent shalt thou take in thine hand." (Ex. 7:15) The shepherd rod which Moses had cast down before Pharaoh and which became a serpent, this same rod Moses was now told by Jehovah to take in his hand and to stand by the brink of the river Nile. That rod represented the Vindicator of Jehovah’s name, Christ Jesus, carrying into operation the purpose of Jehovah by virtue of the power and authority which Jehovah had delegated to him.

Aaron, the brother of Moses, appeared with him before Pharaoh and acted under Moses’ instruction. This pictured the remnant of Jehovah’s anointed witnesses on earth proceeding under the direction of the great Prophet, Christ Jesus, the Head of Jehovah’s organization, to appear before the Devil and his organization and to serve notice of Jehovah God’s purpose. Jehovah instructed Moses to say to Pharaoh : “The Lord God of the Hebrews hath sent me unto thee, saying, Let my people go, that they may serve me in the wilderness: and, behold, hitherto thou wouldest not hear. Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall loathe to drink of the water of the river.” “And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Take thy rod, and stretch out thine hand upon the waters of Egypt, upon their streams, upon their rivers, and upon their ponds, and upon all their pools of water, that they may become blood; and that there may be blood throughout all the land of Egypt, both in vessels of wood, and in vessels of stone. And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters that were in the river were turned to blood. And the fish that was in the river died; and the river stank, and the Egyptians could not drink of the water of the river; and there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt.”— Ex. 7:16-21.

By Christ Jesus, the Greater Moses, Jehovah now sends forth his witnesses on earth, the remnant, to bear his testimony before the peoples of the world and to serve notice upon the worldly rulers that the time has come for the covenant people of Jehovah to go to the mount of God, that is to say, to the Kingdom, the Theocratic Government, and to give their allegiance to Jehovah; and to tell them that The Theocratic Government is the only hope for the world, and that Satan and his organization must cease to hold the people in subjection and bondage. In the performance by Moses of this “sign” before Pharaoh Jehovah foretold that the loathsomeness of commercialism would be made to appear before the people and the rulers at the end of Satan’s world. Previous to this appearance before Pharaoh Moses had performed this sign before his own brethren, the Israelites, by pouring out water from the river upon the dry land, which water turned to blood, a symbol of death. The pouring of the water upon the dry ground shows to those who now have a hearing ear that commercialism, such as was carried on on the waters of the Nile, is death-dealing and is dead in God's sight, and it cannot lift the people out of the great depression which Satan has brought upon them. The land of Goshen, where the Israelites were domiciled in Egypt, was not spared from the plague of blood on the ground. This is significant and would seem to teach that Jehovah’s covenant people on earth are not spared from the material effects of the great commercial depression that has been upon the world and that has led to the present international situation. Such is exactly in accord with the facts as they now exist.

The fulfillment of the prophetic picture made by Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh has come; much evidence there is to show that the same has been fulfilled. When Jehovah turned the waters of the Nile into blood, that was notice to Pharaoh and hence notice to Pharaoh’s god, Satan, and his organization, that commerce is done for, and is as good as dead. This was the third of three signs which God gave Moses to perform. It corresponds with what is symbolically described as the effect of blowing the third trumpet of God and pouring out the third vial of his wrath according to his commandment through Christ to the angel; as it is written: “And the third angel poured out his vial upon the rivers and fountains of waters; and they became blood. And I heard the angel of the waters say, Thou art righteous, O Lord, which art, and wast, and shalt be, because thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy. And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments.” (Rev. 16:4-7) “And the third angel sounded [the trumpet], and there fell a great star from heaven [to wit, Satan, cast out of heaven], burning as it were a lamp, and it fell upon the third part of the rivers, and upon the fountains of waters; and the name of the star is called Wormwood [hence bitter] : and the third part of the waters became wormwood; and many men died of the waters, because they were made bitter.” (Rev. 8: 10,11) Note now that in A.D. 1924 the third of a series of seven annual general conventions of Jehovah’s witnesses was held at Columbus, Ohio, where there was issued an indictment specially against commercialized religion. There the foregoing prophecies began to have fulfillment. That was five years before the financial crash came upon the world, in 1929 Thus the foretold warning to Satan and his organization was given in the form of an “Indictment” and the declaration in a widely-advertised public lecture that “civilization is doomed”.—See Light, Book One, page 120.

Satan’s organization never contained life-giving waters, although the people have been induced to believe that commerce is essential to the sustaining of life and the welfare of the nations. The blood poured upon the dry ground in Egypt, and the result thereof, pictured how the policies and methods of commercialism have deluged the nations of the earth with blood, shed in violation of Jehovah's “everlasting covenant” concerning the sanctity of blood, and hence such have exercised a death-dealing influence upon the peoples (Gen. 9: 1-6) For this reason commercialism as a part of Satan’s organization is doomed to complete destruction What Jehovah has been doing thus far is to have his testimony declared to the rulers and to the people, to show them that commerce, as well as other parts of Satan’s organization, is without power to give life and blessings to the people. Jehovah’s witnesses are now doing their part in declaring this testimony, and later Jehovah, by his executive officer, Christ Jesus, will destroy the entire organization of the enemy.—See Light, Book Two, pages 26-28.

Note that the express purpose of the fulfillment of this sign of the water turned to blood is, as stated to Pharaoh, that the rulers and the people may receive notice “Thus saith Jehovah, In this thou shalt know that I am Jehovah ” (Ex. 7 : 17, Am. Rev. Ver.) This is further proof that Jehovah’s witnesses must continue to declare the testimony of Jehovah until every part of Satan’s organization shall go down. They have already shown their understanding and appreciation of this fact in a large degree. In these days seldom, if ever, does anyone of Jehovah’s witnesses now say: “How much longer must the witness work continue?” The witnesses of Jehovah that remain faithful are in his service for ever, and the present work is the bearing of testimony ; and when that is completed they will engage in other work.

Egypt's Pharaoh, the Devil's representative, was supported by his demon-worshiping magicians. Even so now the Devil and his representatives on the earth, the religionists, attempt to counteract the effect of Jehovah’s witness or testimony. As recorded at Exodus 7 :21-23: “And there was blood throughout all the land of Egypt. And the magicians of Egypt did so with their enchantments: and Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, neither did he hearken unto [Moses and Aaron]; as the Lord had said. And Pharaoh turned and went into his house, neither did he set his heart to this also.” Jehovah’s witnesses today have been inviting the peoples to drink freely of the water of life, the Kingdom truth. (Rev. 22:17) The clergy magicians of Satan’s organization make the waters of truth to appear bloody by teaching the rulers and their allies, and the people that will listen to them, that the business depression and suffering upon the people is punishment from God sent upon them because of their unfaithfulness in supporting religious systems and that, as a remedy, we must have more religion. The pope has made public statement to this effect, and millions of people are induced to believe such false statement. The result is what Satan desires, namely, the turning of the people away from Jehovah God. The clergy and their allies in wrongdoing now display their hardness of heart by crying out that Jehovah’s witnesses are engaged in a commercial enterprise of selling books for pecuniary profit, and that by their going from house to house to give-the testimony and doing this without obtaining a license from worldly authority these witnesses have been violating the commercial laws of the land. In this manner the modern magicians attempt to turn the waters of Jehovah’s testimony as now delivered by His witnesses into that which is death-dealing. Jehovah’s witnesses serve the rulers with notice which is Jehovah’s testimony, that their commerce, as well as all other parts of the worldly organization, will shortly be destroyed by the Lord.

The political-religious magicians co-operating with their allies threaten the destruction of Jehovah’s witnesses and their work, and declare that it is a menace and hence deathdealing to the people. Big Business magicians have been desperately trying to work magic before the Devil. They have claimed that there are regular periods of depression and prosperity, and that business moves in cycles, and that within a regular cycle of time the depression will move on and great prosperity will come again; hence their once common expression: “Prosperity is just around the comer, and will soon be present.” The claim of Big Business is that these financial depressions are necessary evils (symbolized by blood) and will ultimately result in good. Every part of Satan’s organization discredits Jehovah and his Theocratic Government by Christ Jesus, while Jehovah’s witnesses continue to tell the people that The Theocracy is the only hope of mankind. The commercial, political and religious elements of Satan’s visible organization attempt to prove to the people that they have power to rule and to remedy the present evil conditions, and they thus continue to cast reproach upon Jehovah’s name.

All the rulers of the earth, Big Business, politicians and clergy, and those that support them are now desperately digging for ways and means to sustain their organization and to pull them out of the hole. This was particularly foreshadowed by what the Egyptians did; as it is written, at Exodus 7:24: “And all the Egyptians digged round about the river for water to drink; for they could not drink of the water of the river.” The world is now full of unemployment and economic distress, and men in every commercial enterprise are desperately seeking if they can find the means to sustain life. Since the beginning of the financial depression in 1929, many makeshifts have been brought forward by the wise or magicians of the world in their efforts to dispel the depression, which has resulted from the bloody waters of commerce. These schemes or plans have included moratoriums on international debts; reconstruction finance corporations, ostensibly organized to help the people, but in fact to keep the head of Big Business above the waves, that it may survive and not die; conferences frequently held by the representatives of the nations; coalition governments organized, and divers and numerous suggestions made as to how water that is now blood, or death-dealing, may be made pure and life-sustaining; also so-called “technocracy”, which offers a new system to replace the world's worn-out economic machinery, and according to which nobody works more than two hours a day and everybody would thereby be happy and comfortable, such being a pure delusion, as Jehovah’s witnesses well know; also a campaign of buying; tax-sales law; and, during Prohibition times, the repeal of the 18th Amendment of the Constitution, and the manufacture and sale of intoxicants such as beer; also the hypocritical scheme known as “The National Economy League”; and, more recently, the NRA, and the so-called “New Deal”, and the “Corporative State”, together with the regimentation of the people. All these things, of course, ignore Jehovah God and give no heed to the repeated proclamations of truth that the world depression is the result of the end of Satan’s world or uninterrupted rule, who has therefore forced this condition upon the world for the purpose of turning the people away from Jehovah, and that the only sure and adequate remedy for mankind is the kingdom of Jehovah under Christ Jesus, The Theocracy.

Jehovah is in no manner responsible for the trouble that the world is now experiencing. Long ago that turning of the waters of the Nile into blood was not Jehovah’s curse upon the waters, nor did it illustrate or picture his curse upon the nations now. Jehovah sent Moses and Aaron to Egypt for the express purpose of bearing his testimony before the rulers and the people to show them that he is the Almighty God, the Most High over all the. earth. The signs performed before Pharaoh were for that very purpose, that Pharaoh and his organization might know that Jehovah is God, and might let the people go to God’s mountain to worship. The testimony of Jehovah now being delivered by his witnesses is not God’s curse or expression of his wrath, but rather notice for the information and warning of the rulers and the people that Jehovah is God, that Satan’s time is at an end, and that Satan’s schemes are death-dealing, and that if Satan does not relinquish his power to rule, Jehovah will shortly destroy his organization. As Pharaoh’s heart was hardened, and God permitted him to remain in power for a time, even so now Jehovah permits Satan’s wicked organization to continue for a short period that Jehovah may in due time show to all that he is the Almighty God, and that his witnesses may proclaim this great truth to the world. As expressed at Exodus 9:16: “And in very deed for this cause have I allowed thee to remain, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.” (Leeser)

The testimony given to the rulers of the world shows that Jehovah is against Satan and his organization and hence all the schemes of Satan spell death to mankind. The record, at Exodus 7:25, states: “And seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river.” Smiting the waters of Egypt was the first of ten plagues that came upon that land. The “seven days” of bloody waters seem to picture that the delivering of Jehovah’s testimony by his witnesses will continue steadily from that time forward until such work is completed, and that, when it is completed, then Jehovah will take a hand by sending his angelic army under Christ Jesus into the “battle of that great day of God Almighty”, and that such will result in the complete destruction of Satan’s world.

Jehovah’s witnesses have understood and believe this “sign” of the water turned to blood, and have wholly separated themselves from Satan’s organization and now refuse to “go down to Egypt for help”. They now see that Jehovah has sent Christ Jesus, the Greater Moses, to the temple for judgment and to make a name for Jehovah. Corresponding to this, Jehovah long ago gave the prophet Isaiah a vision of His presence at the temple. Then he cleansed Isaiah from uncleanness of lip and sent him forth to bear His testimony. The prophet there pictured Jehovah’s witnesses serving notice upon the people of Satan’s world (pictured by Egypt), concerning whom Jehovah has said: “Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.” (Isa. 6:10) Then when Isaiah, picturing Jehovah’s witnesses, asked the Lord how long he (and Jehovah’s witnesses therefore) should continue to bear this testimony the answer of Jehovah was: “Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate.”—Vs. 11.

The witness work now in progress, and which is the delivering of the testimony of Jehovah, must continue and progress. It is for the purpose of vindicating Jehovah’s name. Satan’s forces continue to put hindrances in the way of Jehovah’s witnesses. The anointed remnant and their companions are now in unity with Christ Jesus, and under their victorious Leader they go into action with complete confidence as to the result. They expect opposition from the enemy, and the Lord has shown them how to meet that opposition. Organized and in full unity and moving en masse like locusts upon the enemy organization, they give the testimony to the great discomfort of Satan’s representatives. (Joel 2:2-11) This method of giving the witness has been greatly blessed by the Lord, thus showing bis approval.

THEOCRATIC ORGANIZATION IN OPERATION

JEHOVAH’S organization is in no wise democratic. He is supreme, and his government or organization is strictly theocratic. The supreme power is Jehovah God, and he together with Christ Jesus constitutes the “Higher Powers”, to which all persons must be subject, as declared at Romans 13:1. In the prophecy at Isaiah 9:6 Jesus is designated as “The Mighty God”, meaning the mighty executive officer of Jehovah, The Almighty God.

In Scripture Jehovah’s capital organization is called “Zion”. In Zion Jesus Christ is “the Head of the church”, which is “His body”. (Col. 1:18) Jehovah is “the Head of Christ”, according to 1 Corinthians 11:3. Therefore Zion, God’s capital organization, is a theocratic government, a pure theocracy, and not a “people’s mandate” or a “government of the people, by the people”. The organization of Jehovah is a kingdom. It is not a limited or constitutional monarchy with restrictions put upon it by a creature or creatures. Jehovah has made Christ Jesus Lord and King, and Christ Jesus answers to no members of his body for his official acts. The ancient nation of Israel organized by Jehovah God was a typical theocracy. All official acts and service as foreshadowed in that typical nation of Israel are now fulfilled in Christ Jesus the King, the great High Priest of Jehovah God. In the official service of The Theocracy the members of “the body of Christ” share in a limited measure as underpriests and as servants called to the Kingdom. For this reason there are no individuals in the organization under Christ Jesus who hold a superior degree or rank of superiority. They “are all one in Christ Jesus” and under Christ Jesus, the Head. (Gal. 3:28) Jehovah God and Christ Jesus are “the Teachers”, and Christ Jesus at the temple of God is in immediate command of the organization invisible and visible. Separate and individual rights do not exist, but every member of the organization must of necessity be in complete subjection to the Head.

At no time in the history of the church of God does the Lord treat the church as a democracy. The idea of a democracy is entirely absent in the writings of the apostles concerning the church. There is no intimation that there is a confederacy or unity existing between the congregations, such as exists amongst the states of America, where each state has its own state’s rights. It must be concluded therefore that the democratic form of government is contrary to the Word of God; also that the religious Hierarchy form of government, so seductive to many religious minds, is clearly a product of the Devil. Such was the case with the priest-ridden Jerusalem of old, as shown by the prophecy of Jeremiah, when the self-constituted elect class, the clergy, ruled contrary to the will of God. Said Jeremiah: “A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land, the prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so and what will ye do in the end thereof?” (Jer 5:30, 31) Likewise the “Roman Catholic Hierarchy of Authority”, and similar “authoritative” governments and religious organizations, are clearly of the Devil, being instituted and carried on for the purpose of turning men away from God and his King Christ Jesus, and bringing men under the control of the representatives of the Devil. Therefore the faithful apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ could not have started an organization which, for its method of operation, is a government by democratic methods or is a rule by “orders” of priests or hierarchy. Jehovah’s rule, both that formerly with his typical people Israel and that now with his anointed witnesses who are a “people for his name”, is purely a Theocratic rule. God’s kingdom or organization is a pure Theocracy, not subject to the whims or rules of any creature.

Smarting under the tyrannical rule by the clergy and Hierarchy, sincere men turned to the democratic government of religious organizations with a hope of a better condition, and that method has for years been followed in religious organizations. But is such in harmony with the Scriptures? Within the period from A.D. 1878 down to 1918, known as “the Elijah time of the church”, elders and deacons in the congregations of Jehovah’s people were selected by a vote of the members of the congregations expressed by the stretching forth of the hand. The intention or purpose of the Christians who adopted and followed this method was, no doubt, good, but that would not make it Scriptural. The authority for such action or voting, it was claimed, was found in Acts 14:23. Note now the words of this text: “And when they [the apostle Paul and his associate Barnabas, and not the congregation] had ordained them elders in every church, and had prayed with fasting, they [Paul and Barnabas, the apostles, and not the company] commended them [the chosen ones] to the Lord, on whom they believed.” In the Jame manner Paul commended the elders of Ephesus to God.—Acts 20: 32.

In the foregoing text at Acts 14:23 the original Greek word is rendered “ordained”. This Greek word cheirotonein means “to extend or stretch forth the hand”. But the question is: Was the stretching forth of the hand the act performed by the apostle? or by the congregation? Manifestly it was the apostles who stretched forth the hand, not as a means or sign of voting, but as an act of confirming those men chosen for the office of service. The same Greek word cheirotonein is, at 2 Corinthians 8:19, rendered “chosen”. This latter text, however, does not show that the men were chosen by the company or congregation, but by those there upon whom the apostles had previously conferred authority by stretching forth of their hands as in the case at Acts 14:23.

The selection of officers or servants by the democratic method of voting by the congregations ignores the command concerning “the Higher Powers” as stated at Romans 13:1. Only the Almighty God Jehovah and Christ Jesus constitute “the Higher Powers”, and the apostle Paul was a special representative of such higher powers, and Paul, acting by virtue of the authority conferred upon him, designated others to represent the Higher Powers. Hence the stretching forth of the hand was, Scripturally, an act of confirmation by the apostles. The sixth chapter of the Ac£s of the Apostles records that the apostles instructed the brethren to look out or nominate certain men to perform certain duties of service, and to bring these before or to the attention of the apostles: “whom they set before the apostles, and when they [the apostles] had prayed, they [the apostles] laid their hands on them.” (Vs. 6) Thus the congregation or company at Jerusalem recognized the Higher Powers acting through the apostles, and the apostles, after praying to the Higher Powers, laid their hands on these men, thus confirming their selection. Clearly, therefore, it was the apostles who stretched forth or put forth their hand. On this, note Acts 8: 17, 18; Acts 19 : 5, 6; 1 Timothy 4:14.

In giving instruction to Timothy as to what course he should take, the apostle Paul said: “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins; keep thyself pure.” (1 Tim. 5:22) Mark that this instruction was not given to the congregation, but to Timothy alone, whom Paul had appointed to represent him and perform certain duties in the church. The apostle specifically instructed Timothy as to the required qualifications of the servants to be selected in the organization, and warned Timothy that he must act with caution after due and prayerful investigation and consideration. (See 1 Timothy 3:1-14.) Again, Paul said to Timothy: “Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou stir up the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” (2 Tim. 1:6) This shows that it was the apostle who confirmed Timothy as his representative. The “laying on of hands” was not an annual ceremony or affair. (Heb. 6:1, 2) When a person was once selected to perform certain duties, there was no need to renew that selection so long as the person appointed acted in faith and faithfully.

The Lord Jesus Christ, as the Head of Jehovah’s organization Zion, has a visible part of his organization on the earth and which represents the Lord and acts under the direct supervision of the Lord Jesus Christ. Otherwise the work of the Lord in the earth would be without order. Who is that visible representative standing in the place occupied formerly by Timothy and Titus, and which representative is clothed with certain authority to act? When, as the facts and the prophecies show, the Lord Jesus came to the spiritual temple in A.D. 1918, he did not select an individual on earth as his representative and servant, but did select a company of faithful men and women as his servants and formed them into an organization representing his Kingdom interests on earth and made that body his “faithful and wise servant”, to which he committed all his Kingdom interests on the earth, “all his goods.” (Matt. 24:45-47) That “faithful and wise servant” he, Christ Jesus, built up in Zion as a part of his capital organization —Pss 102:16 , 132:12,13.

Jehovah’s anointed remnant of witnesses on earth is, for convenience, designated as “The Society”. That does not mean the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society as a legal corporation, because that corporation is organized to meet certain legal requirements. “The Society” does mean God’s people on the earth at full unity, duly organized and carrying on the work of bearing testimony to Jehovah’s name The letters of the apostle Paul, addressed to Timothy and Titus, applying to the “last days”, where we now are, apply therefore to the Society. The things Paul committed to Timothy and Titus to do, and his special charge to them, are performed by the Society, acting under the direct supervision of the Lord Jesus Christ at the temple.

(Continued from page 354)

Satisfied is now being mailed to all contributing 5c per copy. Date of its release for general distribution is announced elsewhere.

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

DIVINE PROTECTION OF PIONEERS (ENGLAND)

“Pioneer home No. 4, in East London, houses eight pioneers (women). They were all sound asleep when, at 4 a.m. Wednesday morning, September 18, a bomb demolished the house second door from the pioneer home. The pioneers were buried under a blanket of plaster and glass and loose furniture. Not one of them was injured or scratched. With assistance of Air Raid Precaution wardens they were safely extracted from the ruins and took refuge at the home of a man of good-will and his wife around the corner. This Jona- dab and his wife just came into the truth three weeks before. They rendered every assistance, having fed and housed these eight pioneers in their small home for three days. The Jonadab stayed home from his secular work to assist in the care of them and also to rescue their belongings from the debris. Surely the Lord will remember him and his family for this great act of kindness. Picture (enclosed) shows the bomb crater and the demolished house second door from the pioneer home Several people were killed. The whole pioneer house has been cracked and twisted, making it beyond repair.”

AN “AMERICAN” LEGIONNAIRE (MISSOURI)

“As I was making a back-call on a farm tenant, the owner of the farm walked up, an officer of the local American Legion Post. Being acquainted with the man and knowing who he was, I expected a very cool reception, but, on the contrary, he showed interest. He said that, though he did not agree with our views entirely, he did not believe in compulsory flag-saluting and that anyone who read the Watchtower publications would know that we were not Nazis, Fascists or Communists. I showed him the booklet on ‘Fifth Column', which he readily accepted and offered a contribution for its publication. The subject then came up regarding persecution of Jehovah’s witnesses and the part the American Legion had taken. I asked if he believed the Catholic Hierarchy had influenced them to take such action. He said ‘Yes’, that he believed that in several places it was due to Hierarchy influence and that even here in his local Post there were some Catholic members who would like to use the Legion to further Catholicism. He stated that his grandfather came to this country from England and had warned him years ago of the Hierarchy’s tactics and that there was no doubt in his mind that they would like to get their claws in this country. He ended up by saying he believed in upholding the Constitution of the United States and that as long as we were fearlessly exposing the Hierarchy he was 100-percent for us ”

TESTIMONY OF AN IRISH PIONEER (DUBLIN)

“I read with joy your circular letter of the 13th instant re the grand response to the call for pioneers. Being a pioneer for twelve years without a break, I can testify to the gracious provision Jehovah has made in fulfillment of his word. I have traveled all over Britain and Ireland, France and Switzerland, at Jehovah's expense, seeing the glory of God’s creation, which many of the rich men of the world have not seen. I’ve never been without a meal or lacked any of the necessaries of Efe. What more could a millionaire want? Yet we have the thing which they lack, the unspeakable joy of the Lord.”

AN OPPORTUNE AIR-RAID AND BLACKOUT

“Eight of Jehovah’s witnesses just managed to squeeze into the last bus home from the Edinburgh convention [September 13-15]. Capacity of bus was 38, and there were three standing. Twenty miles from the convention city the air raid alarm sounded. The bus was stopped, and the lights were put out, leaving us in total darkness. Remembering that one of the instructions we had just received was to take full advantage of all our opportunities, I took my speaking companion down from the rack. There was a general subdued hubbub in the bus, but I addressed them in the darkness and told them I would entertain them with a phonograph. I put on the record ‘Prayer’. It had just run for two minutes when the bus started away. I thought my opportunity had passed, but we had just been driven to an air raid shelter. I had started the phonograph again when the conductor said we must all get out to the shelter I kept the phonograph going, and nobody went to the shelter but the conductor; so by mutual consent we all listened to the record, and the confident tone of the speaker seemed to quiet the nervous tension, and as the record continued there was complete quiet. Right through the second recording. ‘Model Prayer;', there was real attention. When finished, I said if nobody objected I would now let them hear an extract of a talk by Judge Rutherford showing how the Bible foretold the destruction of all totalitarian governments. A voice from the back said, ‘Go ahead!’ After the talk concluded I invited questions on the subject, telling them that one way to get a knowledge of God’s kingdom was to ask questions. I asked the first one on the difference between a political government and a theocratic government, as had been mentioned in the talk ‘Government and Peace’ (record No. 2) just given; and, "knowing the answer in the Model Study booklet, I had no difficulty After that the people settled down to asking questions. One man asked about the ‘virgin Mary’, and gave me an opportunity I did not miss A man’s voice wanted to make an issue of the old question: Where did Cain get his wife? The whole bus had a good laugh. I said that they all enjoyed the joke as probably everybody knew the correct answer; but some shouted that I couldn’t answer that. I called the bus to order and said that, seeing that the answer was so simple, I would ask someone else to answer it. The answer was given by a young pioneer, aged 15 1/2 years, drawing their attention to what God had said in Genesis, that Adam lived 900 years and begat sons and daughters, and that it was obvious that Cain married one of his sisters I immediately drew to their attention that the voice they just heard was very young and the answer had been given by a child. There followed a great round of applause. After some more questions all the Jehovah’s witnesses sang song No. 65 with good volume and harmony. I advised all present that when Jehovah’s witnesses called at their homes with literature, to treat them kindly and examine the books they presented To show that we were not religionists we led in a short community singing of popular songs. After the ‘All clear’ signal sounded and the lights were put on I was able to see that one of our questioners was an army captain, or possibly someone beside him who was anxious to know why Jehovah’s witnesses were all C O’s. I had explained that we were all fighters, real fighters, and not by any means, at any time, pacifists.”