His "Work" and His "Act" (Part 2) № 18

“KING OF KINGS”

The next testimony period, October 2-10 inclusive, will be world-wide, coextensive with the earthly realm of the King of kings, after whose title the period is named. The publication now of the book Riches in many languages makes it appropriate for this book to be concentrated on then, the same to be offered together with a self covered booklet. Other details of the service are duo to be published in the Informant, which please consult. Let your preparations and arrangements begin at once, as unto the King of kings. Your prompt report, from whatever part of the earth yon inhabit, will be awaited at this office.

PORTABLE PHONOGRAPH

The Society now manufactures anti has to offer a light-weight phonograph, which is 14 by 13 by 5 inches in size, and coveted with brown cloth and having rounded corners. It weighs 9 pounds 13 ounces. With the three phonograph discs which can be carried in it, it weighs 12 pounds 6 ounces. The volume of sound is strong, and the tone is of the best quality. As shipped out from our factory, the phonograph is turned properly, at 78 r.p.m., and should be checked from time to time. This model, including three discs, is offered on a contribution of $10.00; without the three discs, $8.00. Remittances should accompany orders. Also specify the particular discs wanted.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

Pursuant to the provision of law and the charter of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, notice is hereby given that the annual business meeting of the said Society will be held at Pitsburg, North Side (formerly Allegheny), Pennsylvania, at ten o’clock a.m., Monday, November 1, 1937, at which the usual annual business will be transacted.

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Vol. LVIII

September 15, 1937

No. 18

HIS "WORK” AND HIS "ACT”

"As I have done to Shiloh.”—Jer. 7:14.

PART 2

JEHOVAH will not permit wickedness to continue for ever. Regardless of how much good and righteous work any people may do, if they afterwards turn to wickedness their previous righteous work will avail them nothing. The Israelites were God’s typical people, organized in righteousness, and for a time doing a righteous work. That nation was destroyed. (Ezek. 33: 12,13) Let it be conceded, for the sake of the argument, that the Roman Catholic organization and the Protestant organizations began with good and righteous intentions and that they did some good work; yet it is now certain that those organizations are entirely religious and therefore devilish and are in no wise true followers of Christ Jesus, and hence not Christians. They have worked and have claimed to have done so much in the name of the Lord, and many people in those organizations have been sincere. They have had a zeal for their work, but that zeal has been exercised entirely in the wrong way. They are the ones to whom the words of Jesus apply: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have east out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”—Matt. 7 : 21-23.

2 Let the honest and sincere people now take warning that God will destroy “Christendom”, regardless of the boast of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy to the contrary. The big clergy will not believe what is here said. They do not believe the Bible, but rely upon the traditions of men and upon their own righteousness. Jesus told the clergy of the Jews that God would destroy the temple because that people had broken their covenant. (Matt. 24:1,2) But the Jews did not believe it. (John 2:20) Even the disciples of Jesus greatly admired the temple building built by Herod and where the Jews then resorted to practice their religious worship. Standing near that house, and directing their attention to it, Jesus said to his disciples: “There shall not be left here one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.” (Matt. 24:2) The people of Palestine, and particularly those of Jerusalem, turned their eyes to the temple and trusted in it as a safeguard against harm. They could not believe that it would ever fall.

3 Today millions of people within the borders of “Christendom” look to the religious organizations, and particularly to the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and their buildings, as a place of safety. The politicians, the commercial great men, and the common people of the credulous kind, trust in the religious organization. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy now sings the song of the harlot (Isa. 23: 16) by which she has enticed the political and commercial elements to occupy her secret chambers and fall under her seductive influence. They trust in the power of this organization to save them. They will all fail and go down in Armageddon. Jehovah establishes his faithful people and gives them the truth and has commissioned them to do his service. “Organized religion,” falsely called “Christianity”, steps forward and boldly claims to occupy the position of representatives of God on earth, and the clergy claim that such places they inherited from the “fathers” or elders of the church. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy claims to have received its authority direct from the Lord, and that the head thereof is the successor of the apostle Peter, and that Peter was the first pope or “holy father”. That wicked religious organization, among the many nations, exercises a dominating influence and control, and those countries wherein she rules are “Christendom”; and “Christendom” is certain to go down.

4 Jehovah commanded Jeremiah to say to his typical people: “For among my people are found wicked men: they lay wait, as he that setteth snares: they set a trap, they catch men. As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit; therefore they ate become great, and waxen rich. They are waxen fat, they shine: yea, they overpass the deeds of the wicked: they judge not the cause, the cause of the fatherless, yet they prosper: and the right of the needy do they not judge. Shall I not visit for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? 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. 5:26-31

5 Those words of the prophet apply specifically to the religions leaders of “Christendom” today, who have committed the same abominable things. They “lay wait” and ‘set snares’ for the people, and use all manner of fraudulent schemes to entrap them. The clergymen of the Hierarchy have become great and wax rich. They are “fat”, and “shine”. They give absolution to those who commit wicked deeds. They are very prosperous, and they oppress those who serve God. Those religious prognosticators falsely represent to the people that the Roman Catholic organization shall stand for ever and that the hope of the people is in that organization; the priests of the Hierarchy bear rule or control over the people by such false means, and the gullible ones who claim to be God’s people “love to have it so”. It is only the sincere and honest ones of “Christendom” that will now hear and give heed to the message of truth, which Jehovah commands shall be proclaimed by his witnesses to them. (Isa. 62:10) The witnesses for Jehovah must be diligent now to obey his commandments and to carry his message to all who have the hearing ear. Their work of declaring the vengeance of God upon “Christendom” appears to the religionists as a very strange work, but there is to follow shortly that which will seem even more strange.

“HIS STRANGE ACT"

6 By his prophet Jehovah has declared that he will rise up “and bring to pass his act, his strange act”. (Isa. 28:21) Furthermore he says: “I have purposed it, I will also do it.” (Isa. 46:11) And what will Jehovah do? He answers: “As I have done to Shiloh.” Likewise he will do unto “Christendom”. God's covenant people were at Shiloh. There they had the tabernacle and the ark of the covenant, and it was the appointed place of worship of Almighty God. But that people had become unfaithful to God and had turned from his commandments to religion, and therefore they had turned against God and to the Devil. Then Jehovah at Shiloh permitted the godless Philistine crowd to sweep the religionists of Israel out and whip them to a standstill. Because the Israelites had become unfaithful God permitted even the ark of the covenant to be captured by the enemy and carried away. There God rejected the priesthood of Israel under Eli and permitted the death of the acting priests, and then had everything pertaining to his name and his worship removed from Shiloh. It is certain that such was typical or prophetic, foretelling the complete destruction of “Christendom”, because God says so and directs his prophets to so state. The destruction of what is now known as “Christendom” or “the Christian religious organization”, and of its religion practiced by men, will be the act of Almighty God, he having decreed that it shall be. That act will be “his strange act”, that is, it will appear strange to all except those who have the ‘mark in their foreheads’ and those who render themselves in full obedience to God’s commandments.—Ezek. 9:4.

7 The destruction of the religious systems by Jehovah will mark the beginning of Armageddon. What agency that is visible will the Lord use to overthrow hypocritical religion, wrongfully called “Christian religion”? The Scriptures clearly show that God will use a visible, godless element to do the destructive work against the religionists, a crowd that has been hoodwinked by the religionists, and particularly by the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. That old “whore” is now riding on the back of the beastly, political rulers, and in God’s due time that same element will destroy the Roman Catholic Hierarchy and all associated religions. (Rev. 17:16,17) They will act as God’s executioners in this behalf because, says his Word, “God hath put [it] in their hearts to fulfil his will.” That “strange act” will witness the downfall completely of so-called “Christian religion” or “Christendom”, its clergy, and all of its so-called “sacred” articles of worship, such as buildings, images, altars, shrines, holy water, vessels, hatcheries for the clergy, nunneries, and all like fraudulent and ungodly things that defame the name of Almighty God. By so doing Jehovah God shows that be never recognized “religion” of any kind, but that the same is of the Devil, and that the clergy practicing religion are the instruments of Satan used to defame the name of Almighty God, whether the clergy have done so willingly or unwillingly. Eventually all those willful detainers will be destroyed, never to rise again. As Jehovah removed everything from Shiloh that pertained to his worship, so he will remove from “Christendom” everything that might betoken the divine presence and place of worship, and will thereby disclose to all that the so- called “Christian religion” is a fraud and a snare employed by the Devil to carry out his boastful threat to turn the people away from Jehovah God. He will show that none shall survive for long save those who worship Jehovah in spirit and in truth by joyfully obeying his commandments.

8 Jehovah’s witnesses have no part in the destructive work that shall be done upon “Christendom” at Armageddon. The work of Jehovah’s witnesses is to bear testimony to the people in obedience to God’s commandment, even as Jeremiah carried God’s message to the people. The weapons used by Jehovah’s witnesses are not carnal, but they are mighty to cause the turning away of honest people from the religious organizations. (2 Cor. 10: 4) Jehovah uses any element that it pleases him to carry out his will. But that does not mean that Jehovah approves such wicked creatures in their wickedness. He used the king of Babylon to do his service. (Jer. 25:9) It should always be kept in mind that what God did with the Israelites and those connected with them was a picture of what he will later bring to pass upon his pretended people. God permits some of the Devil’s own crowd to inflict punishment upon those who have become unfaithful to God, and who have turned against Jehovah. It is here well to take note of what God did to the Philistines after they smote the Israelites and carried oft* the ark of the covenant. The Philistines did not serve and worship God. Concerning the ark of the covenant, which represented God and his presence, the rulers of the Philistines commanded that it be carried away to the Philistine city. “Therefore they sent the ark of [the covenant] to Ekron,” and there followed a “deadly destruction throughout all the city”, and “the hand of God was very heavy there. And the men that died not were smitten with the emerods: and the cry of the city went up to heaven.” (1 Sam. 5:10-12) The Philistines therefore had no reason to boast against Jehovah that they had prevailed against the Hast High. Those events pictured what God will do to the godless element of the earth that take part in the destruction of the religionists.—Rev. 17:17.

9 Jehovah did cast away from him the Israelites, who were his typical people. Through Jeremiah he said to the people of Jerusalem: “And I will cast you out of my sight, as I have cast out all your brethren, even the whole seed of Ephraim.” (Jer. 7:15) Thus he fulfilled his word against Israel, and thus he foretells that at the beginning of Armageddon “organized Christian religion”, so called, and everything connected therewith, will be violently cast out, together with all her claims, professions, pretenses and positions occupied by her clergy. Jehovah will cause all such to be completely cast away from him, and the Lord Jesus will do that work of execution.—Matt. 7:23.

10 The northern kingdom of the ten tribes of the nation of Israel, headed by the tribe of Ephraim, was overthrown and carried away from the promised land to the heathen land of Assyria some years before the prophecy was uttered by Jeremiah. In due time came the warning from Jehovah to those remaining at Jerusalem, and then God cast all of them away from him. Likewise Jehovah declares his purpose to cast out and he will cast out all “Christendom”, and particularly its head organization, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy. It is the Hierarchy that is filled with pride and the men thereof are the ‘scornful men that rule the people of “Christendom” Concerning that hypocritical religious organization, that unholy crowd that have so many years played the harlot and defamed God’s holy name, it is written: “Woe to the crown of pride, to the drunkards of Ephraim, whose glorious beauty is a fading flower, which are on the head of the fat valleys of them that are overcome with wine! Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which, as a tempest of hail, and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand. The crown of pride, the drunkards of Ephraim, shall be trodden under feet: and the glorious beauty which is on the head of the fat valley shall be a fading flower, and as the hasty fruit before the summer; which, when he that looketh upon it seeth, while it is yet in his hand he eateth it up.”—Isa. 28:1-4.

11 Jehovah sends his witnesses to warn that crooked crowd that call themselves God’s representatives on earth; yet the rulers thereof, in particular, scorn everything, and everybody, that does not conform to their own ideas. To that scornful and wicked organization Jehovah now says: “Wherefore hear the word of the Lord, ye scornful men, that rule this people which is in Jerusalem: Because ye have said, We have made a covenant with death, and with hell are we at agreement; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, it shall not come unto us: for we have made lies our refuge, and under falsehood have we hid ourselves. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone, a sure foundation: he that believeth shall not make haste. Judgment also will I lay to the lino, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place. And your covenant with death shall be disannulled, and your agreement with hell shall not stand; when the overflowing scourge shall pass through, then ye shall be trodden down by it.” (Isa. 28:14-18) Jehovah’s judgment against the Roman Catholic Hierarchy is written and will be executed to the letter by Christ Jesus, the great Executive Officer of the Most High.

12 Those who are faithful to God have nothing in common with religion or religionists, who indulge in fraudulent practices in the name of the Lord. Jeremiah stood as the representative of Jehovah God, and represents and pictures the faithful people of God now on earth; and God directed Jeremiah to say: “Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.” (Jer. 7:16) The head of the Roman Catholic Hierarchy declared 1933 as a “holy year” and called upon all the people to pray for prosperity during that year. Their united prayers availed nothing, and then the pope extended the so-called “holy year” until April 1935. The religionists, Catholic and Protestant and Jewish, all continued to pray as requested, but their prayers were not heard by Jehovah God. Doubtless the pope and his cohorts heard Jehovah’s witnesses proclaiming the truth concerning the fall of “Christendom” at Armageddon. Then the pope issued a command to all of “Christendom” to join him in prayer that Armageddon might be averted; and that prayer is certain to avail nothing to “Christendom”. Armageddon is certain, and nothing can prevent it. God has declared it, and God will do it. Jehovah’s witnesses properly refused to join with the religionists in observing the so-called “holy year”, because they knew such to be a hypocritical fraud upon the people and a defamation of God’s name. They refused to pray for prosperity to come as the pope requested, because those who love God pray according to his will. (John 15:7) For like reasons Jehovah’s witnesses refuse to salute flags of “Christendom” and thereby to impute salvation to that which the flag represents. They know that protection and salvation proceed from Jehovah God, and not from any man-made institution. The doom of “Christendom” and of all religious organizations is certain and is duly certified to by Jehovah, and therefore it is contrary to his will to pray that such doom be averted. Those who truly love and serve Jehovah God will pray for nothing that is contrary to God’s will, but they pray as Jesus commanded them: “Thy will be done.”

WHY ARMAGEDDON

13 Jehovah then points out the acts and conduct of religious “Christendom”, showing that such are his reason for bringing about Armageddon and performing his “strange act”: “Secst thou not what they do in the cities of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? The children gather wood, and the fathers kindle the fire, and the women knead their dough, to make eakes to the queen of heaven, and to pour out drink offerings unto other gods, that they may provoke me to anger.” —Jer. 7:17,18.

14 The ruling elements of “Christendom” are today commandeering every visible thing to be used to carry out their unholy purpose. In every land they are strenuously pushing the organization of the youth or children and forming them into groups for military purposes, or purposes in connection with arbitrary rule. Young children in the schools are compelled to salute the national flag and thereby to declare that their trust is in the visible ruling powers, that they are recognized as “the higher powers”, and that their protection and salvation come from those so-called “higher powers”. The purpose of this whole matter proceeds from the Devil and is to turn the youth against God, and thus to carry out the Devil’s wicked challenge to Jehovah. The children and fathers are required to work to the same end of being required to participate in some Devil worship in violation of God’s law. So-called “patriotic” organizations are formed, into which young and old are pushed and compelled to join, and these organizations are used to oppress those who believe and serve Jehovah God in truth and in spirit. Says the prophet: “The women knead their dough, to make cakes to the queen of heaven [ (margin) frame, workmanship of heaven].” Cakes of this kind were, in ancient times, eaten to the honor of the goddess Astarte. Cakes for the worship of the queen of heaven, as stated by Jeremiah in another place (Jer. 44:19), refer to the things prepared for Satan’s or ganization, which is pictured by a woman. The Devil’s “queen” is his organization. Hence “cakes” thus prepared are an offering unto Satan’s representatives that visibly rule the nations of the earth, made up of religious, political and commercial elements (of any and all religions) which today demand that they be recognized as the “higher powers”. (Rom. 13:1) For this reason the ruling powers, led and urged on by the chief religionists, frame mischief by law, thus legalizing compulsory flag-saluting by school children, as well as by adults (Ps. 94:20); require of teachers that they subscribe to certain oaths; and require of the people that they hail dictators as their deliverers and saviors. Therefore men, women and children, schoolteachers, professors, school organizations and church organizations, and political and commercial organizations, all have a part in giving honor to the Devil’s organization by ‘worshiping the creature more than the Creator’.—Rom. 1: 25.

15 They “pour out drink offerings [of wine] unto other gods”, that is, to the Devil and the wicked spirits; and the wicked representatives on earth are looked upon as mighty men, and this is for the purpose of pleasing and giving good cheer to the visible ruling clement, and not to Jehovah and to his King. Thus they defile the earth. That is all done at the instigation of the Devil and carried on by his visible religious representatives, and, as the Lord says, “that they may provoke me to anger.” Therefore in due time Jehovah, as he declares, shall rise up and “shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may . . . bring to pass his act, his strange act”.—Isa. 28:21.

RIGHTEOUS ANGER

16 Jehovah is long-suffering (Ps. 86:15); but he has fixed a limit, and the religionists, without doubt, have reached that limit. To his typical people, foreshadowing the professed people of God now on the earth, Jehovah said: “Do they provoke me to anger? saith the Lord: do they not provoke themselves, to the confusion of their own faces?” (Jer. 7 :19) Those words apply with greater force and meaning to the religionists that improperly call themselves “Christian” and practice their religion to the defamation of God’s holy name. It is bad enough to practice the Devil religion, but to do so in the name of Jehovah God and Christ Jesus, thereby deceiving many sincere persons and defaming the name of God and Christ, is provoking to the superlative degree. The religionists, who improperly call themselves “Christian”, have commercialized the names of Almighty God and Christ Jesus, using the same blasphemously that men may acquire material things to be applied to their own personal use. All their doctrines are based upon tradition; and such organizations, while differing in many things, are all at unity in being against God and his truth, and which religionists have thereby produced such confusion of and among themselves that soon they will hang their heads in shame. Those who have supported these religions will see Jehovah’s “strange act”. Then there will be for them nothing about which to boast. There will be no brazen, oily going, self-confident air of security on their part, but, on the contrary, there will be complete confusion, they not knowing which way to turn. God's righteous indignation against those hypocrites will be expressed in the most emphatic manner: “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched.”—Jer. 7:20.

17 In a miniature way this part of the prophecy was fulfilled upon Jerusalem, and soon it will be fulfilled completely upon “Christendom”, which claims to be the people of God but is not. The fury of Jehovah expressed at Armageddon will be upon human creatures, both sexes, young and old, and upon their material wealth. For seventy years Jerusalem was desolated of man and beast. The number seventy, being a multiple of seven and ten, that is, two numbers denoting completeness, invisible and visible, clearly means that the religionists, their organizations, and practices, and all things pertaining thereto, both invisible and visible, will be completely destroyed. God’s anger will be expressed by Christ Jesus, “and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched” until his “strange act” is performed and Jehovah’s name fully vindicated.

18 Obedience is better than sacrifice, as the Lord declares. (1 Sam. 15:22) That is an unchangeable rule given by the Lord to those who claim to serve him. Speaking to the Israelites by his prophet Jehovah tells them that their sacrifices without obedience avail them nothing. (See Jeremiah 7:21-27.) He says to them: “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people; . . . Yet they hearkened not unto me.” Jesus told the clergy of the Jews, who practiced religion, practically the same thing, when he said to them: “Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. . . . teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” (Matt. 15:1-9) That exactly describes what the religious leaders in “Christendom” have done and are now doing. The Roman Catholic Hierarchy and the under-clergy pretend to offer sacrifices unto the Lord, but they utterly ignore the commandments of God, refusing to obey him, and they teach for doctrines the commandments of men. They hesitate not to do this, but brazenly use their influence to censor the speech of honest men, removing therefrom quotations from the Bible in order that the people may be kept in ignorance.

19 The same message that was declared to typical Israel Jehovah commands shall be declared unto “Christendom”. The Lord now sends his witnesses to “Christendom” to speak his message and say: “But thou shalt say unto them, This is a nation that obeyeth not the voice of the Lord their God, nor receiveth correction: truth is perished, and is cut off from their mouth.”—Jer. 7: 28.

20 The religionists have made lies their stronghold, preferring a lie to the truth. To the same class Jesus addressed his words of condemnation, saying: “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers! how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matt. 23:33) The Scriptures leave no room for doubt as to what God will do to the hypocritical religionists who defame his name. The Homan Catholic Hierarchy, and all who hang on to or support that organization after having been warned, shall suffer the extreme wrath of Almighty God.

21 As Jehovah’s witnesses are now subjected to all manner of ill-treatment and persecution by the so- called “higher powers” of this world, and particularly by the religionists, the Roman Catholic Hierarchy, let them take courage and rejoice in the fact that they are privileged today to stand in a place similar to that occupied by Jeremiah and to declare a message similar to what he declared. Let them take courage, having in mind that Jehovah God is backing them up and that they are doing his will and as long as faithfully doing this no evil shall befall them. His faithful witnesses are now in God’s secret place, and for their help and comfort it is written: “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge, and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.”— Ps. 91:1-4.

22 The nation of Israel was in a covenant with God. “Christendom” professes to be the children of God and therefore in an implied covenant with him to do God’s will. Cutting off the hair and appearing bald symbolized that Israel was rejected by the Lord. Therefore Jehovah commanded Jeremiah to say to the people of Jerusalem: “Cut off thine hair, O Jerusalem, and cast it away, and take up a lamentation on high places; for the Lord hath rejected and forsaken the generation of his wrath.”—Jer. 7 : 29.

23 To the natural descendants of Abraham that was a “strange” command. No doubt it made Jeremiah appear very foolish in the eyes of the Israelites to proclaim such a message. Now God commands his faithful witnesses to give warning to “Christendom”, the religionists, that they may not be ignorant that they are rejected by the Lord. For Jehovah’s witnesses to now say that the Roman Catholic Hierarchy is at enmity with God and shall by him be destroyed sounds like foolishness to the religionists. At this time the Roman Catholic newspapers call attention to the testimony of Jehovah’s witnesses concerning the approach of Armageddon and the destruction of religionists and refer to the same as nonsense and an unbelievable declaration. The work in which Jehovah’s witnesses are engaged under God’s commandment is therefore a “strange work”, and it is Jehovah’s “strange work” because it is being done by him. It is Jehovah that is giving warning of the approaching destruction of “Christendom”. That “strange work” must be done and will be done and, when completed, will be followed immediately by “his act, his strange act”.

24 Jehovah gave his promise that “the sceptre shall not depart from Judah, . . . until Shiloh come”. (Gen. 49:10) The interim would be a time of testing as to who would maintain his integrity and be obedient to the covenant. Israel had become religious, and therefore in Jeremiah’s time they were unfaithful to God; and hence God warned them through his prophet: “For the children of Judah have done evil in my sight, saith the Lord: they have set their abominations in the house which Is called by my name, to pollute it.” (Jer. 7:30) For a similar sin Jehovah killed Nadab and Abihu. (Lev. 10:1-7) Phinehas, the grandson of Aaron, took strenuous action against the polluters of God’s people. (Num. 25:6-15) Why did the priestly Levites, who policed the temple, permit abominations to be committed in the house of the Lord? and why did God permit it? That was a test upon the priestly class, and God permitted it to determine whether they would show a zeal for the Lord or not, or whether they would be indifferent to God’s commandments and follow their own selfish impulses. That particularly foreshadowed a like test that would come, and that is come, upon “Christendom”, who claim to follow Christ but who are in fact religionists under the dominating control of God’s enemy. The religionists have completely failed to show any zeal for God and his kingdom, but, on the contrary, have clearly demonstrated that they are worthy of destruction. They oppose and persecute everyone who declares God’s kingdom under Christ as the only hope of the human race.

25 Further the Lord calls attention to the abominable conduct of the covenant-breakers: “And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom [that is, Gehenna], to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.” —Jer. 7:31.

26 The conduct of the Israelites, as described in this part of the prophecy, was a flagrant violation of God’s commandment. Such Devil religious practices and Jehovah’s temple could not be consistently associated together. The practitioners of “the Jews’ religion” assumed that there is a God of goodness and an equally powerful god of wickedness, and that they had to recognize both that they might be assured of being spared by one and aided by the other. Thus they denied the Word of God and denied him as the only true and mighty God, upon whom they must rely. Likewise the religionists of “Christendom” today, who improperly call themselves “Christians”, have committed abominations in God’s sight. They have made God appear as a fiend, ‘punishing creatures that are alive and conscious in a place of eternal fire’; keeping many others for a long term of years in so-called “purgatory” undergoing constant punishment and torture. They have commercialized the name of Jehovah God by teaching that he will hear the prayers of sinful men who, for a money consideration, niter such so-called “prayers” in behalf of those supposed to be suffering in “purgatory”. Such wicked thing was never in the mind or heart of Jehovah God, and therefore such doctrine is a cruel defamation of his holy name. The doctrines of “eternal torture” and “purgatory” are devilish doctrines, originating with the Devil and taught by men to the dishonor of Almighty God.

27 It appears that Hinnom was a name of some Jebusite that resided at Jerusalem before the Jews came there, and which name was probably that also of someone of the Devil’s angels. (Judg. 1:21) The names of Tophet and Hinnom commemorated the power and deeds of Satan and his angels; all of which ultimately perished. “Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that it shall no more be called I Tophet, nor, The valley of the son of Hinnom, but, The valley of slaughter: for they shall bury in Tophet till there be no place.” (Jer. 7:32) Jehovah’s judgment shall be executed, and thereby he will annihilate all defamers of his name. “Tophet” shall be a graveyard for Satan’s crowd, memorializing the disastrous end of all those who worship Satan or willingly practice his religion. As Jehovah ‘did to Shiloh’, so he will do to “Christendom”, and he will not permit the further existence of the place for the practice of hypocritical religion. Jehovah will show his strength over Satan and all his places of worship.

28 That the Devil religion and the willful practitioners thereof shall be completely wiped out is further made certain by the words uttered by  the prophet: “And the carcases of this people shall be meat for the fowls of the heaven, and for the beasts of the earth ; and none shall fray them away.” (Jer. 7 : 33) Tophct, thereafter bearing the name “The valley of slaughter”, shall be filled so full that there will be no room to bury more and none will survive that will give them a burial. Jehovah’s executioner is in full harmony with Jehovah and his expressed Word, and will show no respect to the religious hypocrites, even to the dead, but will leave them as dung upon the ground to be fed upon by carrion fowls. They shall be as the beasts of the field. This fact is further emphasized by the prophet, to wit: “And the slain of the Lord shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the ground.”—Jer. 25:33.

29 The religionists celebrate various feasts in the name of the Lord and which are contrary to God’s Word and a dishonor to his holy name. Selfishly and for commercial purposes the feasts called “Christmas” and “Easter” are celebrated by the religionists of the land of “Christendom”. The clergy use these occasions to collect money for themselves and their organization, and the mercantile crowd take advantage of that occasion to sell a mass of worthless junk to the people, and together they all get drunk on the Devil’s “wine” and all defame the name of God and of Christ. All such abominations will cease in due time: “Then will I cause to cease from the cities of Judah, and from the streets of Jerusalem, the voice of mirth, and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride; for the land shall be desolate.” (Jer. 7:34) The voice of hilarity being generally heard on occasions of weddings of the religionists of “Christendom” will also cease. The hilarious voice heard on church holidays will cease. The only joy that will survive will be the “joy of the Lord”, the joy of. the bride and the Bridegroom, of those who praise the name of Jehovah God. (John 3:29) The Lord Jesus states that up to the time of the occasion of Jehovah’s expressed wrath, that is, “his strange act,” there will be marrying and giving in marriage in “Christendom”, with no heed being given on the part of religionists to the Word of God. (Matt. 24:38,39) The facts today fully corroborate these prophetic words. At Armageddon “Christendom” will become a waste and totally joyless. Jehovah has no pleasure in “Christendom”, because it is on the side of Satan and turns the people away from God and his gracious provision for them.

30 Jehovah used Jeremiah to do a prophetic work and to deliver a prophetic message foretelling what he would bring to pass in the far distant future upon the people who were pictured by the unfaithful Israelites. The Israelites, led by the priests or clergy of that day, had forsaken the commandments of God and adopted the practice of religion based upon the teachings of selfish men and originating with the Devil. Those clergymen were followed by many others who also had become religionists. Did the preaching of the Lord’s message by Jeremiah appear to those religionists as a “strange work”? Did the future calamity that came upon Jerusalem at the hand of Almighty God, and which Jeremiah had prophesied, appear as a “strange act”? Both the work and the act foretold applied to the religionists and to those religionists appeared as so fanciful and far-fetched, so strange, as to be unworthy of serious consideration. It is the same with reference to “Christendom”. Note now what followed, in support of this conclusion.

WARNING TO THE PEOPLE

31 At this point it appears to be entirely appropriate to give attention to what appears at the 26th chapter of Jeremiah’s prophecy, which prophecy should be carefully read and considered. Some historical facts are here appropriate to be recounted. The time is fixed by the date of the reign of the king. “In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim, the son of Josiah king of Judah, came this word from the Lord, saying.” (Jer. 26:1) Referring now to the historical record, note this: “And Pharaoh-nechoh made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the room [place or stead] of Josiah his father, and turned his name to Jehoiakim, and took Jehoahaz [the wicked brother whom Pharaoh put down and replaced with Jehoiakim] away: and he [Jehoahaz] came to Egypt and died there. And Jehoiakim gave the silver and the gold to Pharaoh; but he taxed the land to give the money according to the commandment of Pharaoh: he exacted the silver and the gold of the people of the land, of every one according to his taxation, to give it unto Pharaoh-nechoh. Jehoiakim was twenty and five years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem: and his mother’s name was Zebudah, the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.”—2 Ki. 23:34-37.

32 It was at that time that Jehovah gave to Jeremiah a specific message to deliver to the religionists of Jerusalem. That was before Nebuchadnezzar went up against Jehoiakim (which was in his eighth year) and made him tributary. After three years of being tributary Jehoiakim rebelled. (2 Ki. 24:1) But Jehoiakim became king of Israel when Jeremiah had been preaching eighteen years, which was during the last years of the reign of Josiah the king who served Jehovah. In order that the grave danger with which Jeremiah found himself confronted may be seen and appreciated, note some of the historical facts recorded in the 26th chapter: “And Jehoiakim the king sent men into Egypt [to which Jehoiakim was then tributary or subordinate], namely, Elnathan the son of Achbor, and certain men with him into Egypt: and they fetched forth Urijah [the prophet] out of Egypt, and brought him unto Jehoiakim the king, who slew him with the sword, and cast his dead body into the graves of the common people.”—Jer. 26:22,23.

33 It appeal’s this historical fact was brought to the attention of others and publicly announced, and therefore must have come to the attention of Jeremiah. He would know that to deliver the message now received by him from the Lord would put his life in jeopardy. But did that deter Jeremiah from obeying the Lord?

34 All of the Israelites were admitted to the outer court of the temple; and it was there Jeremiah was directed to stand and speak: “Thus saith the Lord, Stand in the court of the Lord’s house, and speak unto all [the people who there appeared, from] the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the Lord’s house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.”—Jer. 26:2.

35 Before taking his stand in that place and delivering the message of the Lord, did Jeremiah first apply to the king or his officers for a permit to go and thus testify? He did not, because the Lord had not so instructed him and he was there to obey the Lord. God sent his prophet to do what he was told to do. For a like “offense” of delivering a message the king had caused Urijah to be killed, because that prophet in speaking bad “shocked the religious susceptibilities” of the big religious leaders among the Jews. A definite precedent for Jehovah’s witnesses is here fixed by the positive course taken by Jeremiah. In the days of the apostles they followed the same precedent when they said to the officers of the law: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) Jehovah did not direct Jeremiah to go inside the temple and harangue the people there, but He told him to stand in the court where all the people would come and pass, going in and coining out. This shows that Jehovah’s witnesses are not to go into the house of the religionists and there to argue with them, but they are to go out among the people that attend such religious meetings and that support organized religion, and inform them of Jehovah's purpose, warning them of his impending “strange act”. Today the religionists harangue the people by using the radio, and it is presumed that some of the religions practitioners hear the radio in their home. It is right and proper that Jehovah’s witnesses use the radio to transmit the message of God to the people, although the Hierarchy vigorously opposes them in the use thereof. It is in harmony with the Lord’s commandment that Jehovah’s witnesses call at the homes of those who support the religious organizations as well as those who attend, and there present the message of Jehovah. Jesus and his apostles followed this course (Acts 20:20), and that of itself fixes the proper rule by which the servants of God are to be guided at the present time.

36 Jehovah commanded Jeremiah to “speak unto all” the people of the various towns or cities that came to worship at the temple. Originally that was the Lord’s bouse, but in Jeremiah’s time had been made a house of merchandise, and therefore it was, at the time Jeremiah testified, the house of the Lord in name only, but not in truth and in fact. The Judeans looked upon that house or temple as the bulwark or guarantee to them against all national calamities. In this day the politicians and the merchants and militarists look upon “the church”, and particularly the Vatican, as a guarantee of safety to them and as a warrant to carry on their cruel work. All the nations of “Christendom” have their chaplains, who are the religionists hired to serve with the armies and navies. The railing powers and their supporters look to their religious organizations and religious practitioners for some benefit and as a safeguard against evil. The church organizations, that is, the religious practitioners, all claim to be patriotic and to faithfully support the respective nations. They participate in the politics of the nations and meddle in the political affairs, and they use religion and their “church” houses as a certain kind of hoodoo-chaser, but none of them truly wish for the kingdom of Christ. On the contrary, they fight against the kingdom or anything that pertains to the rule of the world by Christ Jesus. They go through forms of worship in a house which they call “the house of God”, that men may see their apparent devoutness, and thereby others are attracted to such places of assembly, hoping they also may get some of the benefit.

37 God’s instruction to Jeremiah was mandatory, and the prophet had no alternative. Says the Lord: “Speak ... all the words that I command thee to speak unto them.” Jeremiah would have been disobedient to God had he gone to the king or to the court officers or the priests in charge of the temple, or to anyone else, and asked for a permit or license to preach or deliver the message which the Almighty God had commanded him to deliver. For the same reason Jehovah’s witnesses today would be disobedient to God and to his great prophet, Christ Jesus, by applying for a permit or license to preach the gospel of the kingdom by going from house to house and delivering the message. The Lord has given his positive commandment that his witnesses shall thus preach and shall obey him, and a failure to obey his commandments means their complete destruction.—Acts 3:23.

38 Furthermore God said to Jeremiah: “Speak,” and “diminish not a word”; that is, do not deliver a censored message. According to Leeser the text reads: “Omit not a word (thereof).” Jeremiah was prohibited from leaving out a word or permitting anyone to censor his message. He was not to submit a copy of his speech to the temple board or to others to pass upon and censor it and cut out certain parts, which parts might have a tendency to “shock the religious susceptibilities” of the clergy or which might appear “perverse and liable to cause riot”. For the same reason Jehovah’s witnesses, by the Lord’s commandments, are prohibited from submitting the message or speech to be delivered to radio censors, to commissions, to clergy or to anyone else that attempts to censor that message and to eliminate some parts of it that might be objectionable to religionists. Not even Jeremiah himself was to censor that message for any reason whatsoever. The Lord God has commanded Jehovah’s witnesses to speak and has put in his Word what they shall speak, and for them to ask for permission or to submit to censorship would be a direct violation of God’s commandment. Fear of bodily injury, or the desire for the admiration of men or a ‘good neighborly’ feeling, or ‘national patriotism’, so called, or anything else, must not be permitted to hinder the full obedience to God’s commandment. Nothing would be an excuse or justification for putting on the soft pedal or omitting certain parts of the message of truth. Jehovah’s witnesses must understand that they have no right, power or authority to change or substitute anything of God's message. Whether the message offends or pleases men is not for them to consider. The message of truth is not the message of any man, but is God’s message, and it is entirely absurd to even think of refraining from doing what the Almighty God. has commanded in order to please men or institutions, or to ask selfish, imperfect men for a permit or a license to do what the Almighty God has commanded shall be done. Jehovah’s witnesses are not to act in a belligerent way. They should do nothing to unnecessarily provoke opposition, but they should with calmness, with sobriety, without fear, and with boldness, declare the message of truth, regardless of what any creature may say or do about it. The apostle Paul was a striking example of one who followed this rule. Everywhere Paul went the religionists opposed him and inflicted upon him bodily harm because of his faithfulness. Recounting the many persecutions which he had suffered Paul said: “I kept back nothing that was profitable . . . , but have shewed you, and have taught you publicly, and from house to house, . . . And now, behold, I go bound in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall befall me there: . . . For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God.” (Acts 20:20-27) Christ Jesus suffered for telling the truth. The prophets before him had thus suffered. The apostles, and especially Paul, suffered great indignities; and why should Jehovah’s witnesses expect to obey the Lord in this day without being subjected to a like unrighteous persecution? The duty of Jehovah’s witnesses is to obey him. He will take care of the result.

39 It is to be expected that religionists will continue to persecute the witnesses of the Lord. God will permit that, even as he has permitted the Devil to carry on his wicked work; but Jehovah clearly declares that when his “strange work” is done, in which work Jehovah’s witnesses now have a part, then he will execute his “strange act”, and that will be the end of religionists and all others that defame God’s name. Jehovah’s witnesses are therefore privileged to choose to avoid suffering now and be destroyed by Jehovah, or to be faithful to God at this time, suffer persecution at the hands of the enemy, and receive God’s everlasting blessing. It is easy to be seen, therefore, ‘the fear of man leadeth into a snare.’

40 Jehovah had purposed the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, but he would afford the way of escape to those individuals there who would repent, that is, who would change their course of action. “If so be they will hearken and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.” (Jer. 26:3) Jehovah knew, of course, that the nation of Israel would not repent; but he gave notice to them of what he would do, and that afforded opportunity for all of good will to repent and find preservation. The opportunity was open to every individual, from the king down to the most insignificant bondservant, and thus God put the responsibility for the destruction of the city upon those who had such opportunity to amend their ways and who refused to do so. In fulfillment of that prophetic picture today Jehovah sends his witnesses to serve a warning upon “Christendom”, knowing full well that “Christendom” as a whole will not change its course but that there are in “Christendom” some persons of sincerity and of good will toward God who will hear, change their course of action, take their stand on the side of God, and will escape the day of destruction which is just at hand.

41 The doom of Jerusalem and the temple was fixed and was certain to come. (Jer. 1:1-3; Ezek. 4:6-8; 2 Ki. 22:14-20; 23:26,27) For eighteen years Jeremiah had been preaching the truth to the people. By sending his prophet to the city and to the temple, there to testify, Jehovah was showing the Israelites or Jews who willfully, that is, intentionally and knowingly, defied God and supported the Devil that their destruction was certain unless they repented. Jehovah made those willful ones identify themselves as his enemies. Likewise Jehovah today gives warning and continues to warn “Christendom” that her doom is scaled, and he is showing up the responsible ones and compelling the hypocritical clergy and other religionists of “Christendom” to openly identify themselves as “goats” worthy of destruction. (Matt. 25:32,41-46) Particularly since 1922 Jehovah has sent forth his witnesses under the leadership of Christ Jesus and has given warning to “Christendom”, not that God expects the religionists, who knowingly defy his Word, to reform, but he affords them the opportunity that they may have no excuse; and by willfully rejecting his message of warning and by their willful opposition to the proclamation of his kingdom message, they have demonstrated clearly that they are willingly wicked and justly deserving destruction. Within the religious organizations of “Christendom” there are some meek ones who are of sincere heart and who desire to be taught the right way, and these are given the opportunity to hear the truth and to seek a place of safety. As the message delivered by Jeremiah shows the only way of safety, even so now Jehovah’s message sent by him through his faithful witnesses shows the only way to protection and safety.

42 Jehovah sends his witnesses to the people of “Christendom”, not to convert the world, as the religionists claim they are commissioned to do. God’s witnesses are sent that they may be a witness unto his name and to his kingdom. Therefore Jehovah says: “Ye are my witnesses” (Isa. 43:10-12); ye are commissioned and anointed to declare the day of the vengeance of God, that notice and warning may be had by those of “Christendom” who have heard the name of God and of his Son. Christ Jesus, the Savior of the world, that is, who have some knowledge of God and his Word and claim to serve him. The witnesses of Jehovah do not go about pleading with others to come and join some organization. They do not plead with and importune the people to do anything. With calm dignity and with fearlessness they declare unto the people the message of Jehovah God and point out, to those who desire to have life, that God has provided the way of safety and life through Christ Jesus and his kingdom. Jehovah’s witnesses make clear to the people that the message is not that of any man, but is God’s message, given as a witness to the nations and to the people, and that when this message is delivered, as commanded, the witnesses have discharged their responsibility and thereafter the responsibility rests upon those who have heard. What Jehovah directed Jeremiah to say, with stronger force applies to those witnesses whom Jeremiah pictured. Why must Jehovah’s witnesses declare to the people what shall soon come to pass?

(To be continued)

QUESTIONS FOR STUDY

1. With scriptures, explain whether past or present work sincerely done in the name of the Lord will have Jehovah’s approval and blessing.

2,3. How did the Jews and their clergy regard the temple and their religious worship practiced therein? What was their attitude toward Jesus’ warning concerning the coming destruction of the temple? Why was that temple destroyed? Compare therewith the situation in “Christendom”.

4,5. Show that Jeremiah 5: 26-31 was prophetic of “Christendom”.

6. What did Jehovah do to Shiloh, and why? Of what was that typical or prophetic?

7. What will mark the beginning of Armageddon? How will this be accomplished? Of what will that act be evidence?

8,9. How did Jehovah bring to pass the destruction concerning which he gave warning by his prophet Jeremiah? What was pictured therein?

10. Of whom is Isaiah 28: 1-4 prophetically declared, and why?

11. To whom is Isaiah 28: 14-18 addressed? How and for what purpose is that message of forewarning delivered to them?

12. How has Jeremiah 7: 16 been having fulfillment?

13-15. By whom, and how, in the fulfillment of Jeremiah

7: 17,18, has Jehovah been provoked to anger? Why have they done this?

16, 17. Wherein will the religionists find that they not only have provoked Jehovah to anger but have ‘provoked themselves, to the confusion of their own faces’? Of what prophetic significance is the fact that for seventy years Jerusalem was desolated of man and beast?

18. Show whether the religious leaders of “Christendom” are willfully disobedient to the commandments of God.

19,20. Account for “Christendom’s” conduct and condition as foretold at Jeremiah 7: 28. In this connection point out the importance of the message of warning which Jehovah’s witnesses now are commanded to deliver.

21. What important purpose is served by an understanding now of the prophetic position occupied by Jeremiah?

22,23. Why was Jeremiah to speak to Jerusalem the strange command and message as stated at verse 29?

24. Why did the priestly Levites permit abominations to be committed in the house of the Lord? and why did God permit it? What was foreshadowed thereby?

25, 26. To what does verse 31 refer? and how is this prophecy fulfilled in the course taken by the religionists of “Christendom” today?

fl 27, 28. Explain and apply verses 32, 33.

29. How and why will Jehovah do to “the cities of Judah” as foretold at verse 34?

30. What was the nature of the message which Jehovah committed to Jeremiah? What was the reason for that message and work in his day?

31, 32. What facts of importance, and purpose of the historical record, are seen at Jeremiah 26: 1 and 2 Kings 23: 34-37? At Jeremiah 26: 22,23?

33,34. Show that obedience to Jehovah’s commandment (Jer. 26: 2) required strong faith and courage.

35, 36. What important instruction for Jehovah’s witnesses is seen in the commandment to Jeremiah (26: 2) and the positive course taken by him? Cite further outstanding examples of record of faithfulness of God’s servants. What at the present time was pictured by “the Lord’s house” and Jeremiah’s being told to “stand in the court” thereof. In his ‘speaking unto all the cities of Judah’?

37,38. Apply the Lord’s instruction there given to Jeremiah: “Speak ... all the words that 1 command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word.” Cite other examples of faithful performance of duty under opposition and persecution, the record of which Jehovah has provided for his faithful servants now on earth.

39. What may God’s faithful servants now expect at the hands of the religionists, and why? What are Jehovah’s witnesses now privileged to choose?

40-42. What purpose is seen in Jehovah’s words at Jeremiah 26: 3, in view of the then already determined doom of Jerusalem? Compare the message deliveted by Jeremiah, and the purpose for which it was given, with that proclaimed by those whom Jeremiah there pictured.

MONEY

JEHOVAH’S servant Ezekiel prophesied: “Violence is risen up into a rod of wickedness; none of them shall remain, nor of their multitude, nor of any of theirs; neither shall there be wailing for them. The time is come, the day draweth near; let not the buyer rejoice, nor the seller mourn; for wrath is upon all the multitude thereof.’’—Ezek. 7:11,12.

Never has the commerce of the world been so affected as in this present day. Particularly the small dealers are sorely oppressed, and their business is being wiped out; and the day of the larger ones is rapidly drawing on. It is the time when violence has risen up into a rod of wickedness that controls the peoples of the nations.

Existing conditions in “Christendom’’ today are perplexing beyond measure to those who know not and who refuse to hear the Word of the Lord. These try to make themselves believe that their business will get better; but it will not. “For the seller shall not return to that which is sold, although they were yet alive; for the vision is touching the whole multitude thereof, which shall not return; neither shall any strengthen himself in the iniquity of his life.’’ (Ezek. 7:13) There is no advantage to the seller in again possessing that which is sold, in order that he might sell it again, because the people have nothing with which to buy. The commercial situation continues to grow worse, the suffering of the people increases, and the clergy falsely tell the people that God is sending these calamities upon them because of their unfaithfulness to “organized Christianity”. Satan is the one chiefly responsible for the terrible conditions now existing, and he is causing his agents, the clergy, to falsely charge God therewith, in order that the people may be turned away from Jehovah. The commercial situation continues to grow worse and the people continue to suffer, and their suffering will increase.

“The principal of the flock,” meaning the rich and the mighty and the favored ones, have relied upon their wealth and power to protect and sustain them and to carry them through any trouble that might come, but they are doomed to complete disappointment. They have “heaped treasure together for the last days” and think thereby that they have a great advantage and are safe. Heretofore the mighty and the rich have been able to buy their way through. When they get into a difficult situation money is freely used. It was Satan who invented the slogan “Money talks”; and his agents use this slogan and prove its effectiveness. They have freely resorted to briberies and have been able to buy their way through times of distress, but the wrath of Jehovah God will not be placated nor his hand be held hack by their filthy lucre.

Now the ultrarich control the money and the food supply, and they control the governments. The cries of the starving ones, who have really produced the wealth of the world, are heard throughout the land, and many are begging for bread. Big Business, working behind the throne of visible power, commands that the starving shall not be fed from the exchequer of the government. Democracy has ceased to exist, and governments are in fact paternalistic so far as they oppress and rob the children thereof.

Just at this time there are millions of people in America, the land of plenty, who are starving for food and who will continue to starve unless charitably inclined people will relieve them. The cries of the suffering, laboring ones, however, have reached the cars of the God of war, and he is not unmindful of these cries; and now he bares his arm for battle and, when it comes to the money of Big Business, that will avail them nothing. The oppressors of the people God will wipe out. “All hands shall be feeble, and all knees shall be weak as water. They shall also gird themselves with sackcloth, and horror shall cover them; and shame shall be upon all faces, and baldness upon all their heads. They shall cast their silver in the streets, and their gold shall be removed; their silver and their gold shall not be able to deliver them in the day of the wrath of the Lord; they shall not satisfy their souls, neither fill their bowels; because it is the stumblingblock of their iniquity.” (Ezekiel 7:17-19) “The love of money is the root of all evil” and is a stumbling-block  to all who have set their affections thereon. The terrible day is advancing to a climax, and there is no escape therefrom.

The statesmen, otherwise called “political rulers”, are even now at their wits’ end. They cast about for some means of saving the ship of state, but their actions are those of a drowning man. Says Jehovah by his prophet: “The king [the chief ones among the rulers] shall mourn, and the prince [the lesser ones among the ruling powers] shall be clothed with desolation, and the hands of the people [that support these ruling powers] shall be troubled: I will do unto them after their way, and according to their deserts will 1 judge them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.” (7:27) Armageddon is Jehovah’s fight; he will give no quarter to the enemy and his supporters.

Those who have been the favored ones among the governments of “Christendom” will seek in vain for shelter and protection. “In that day a man shall cast his idols of silver, and his idols of gold, which they made each one for himself to worship, 1o the moles, and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth.”—Isa. 2: 20, 21.

Even at the present time, and before the clergy completely disappear, some still rely upon them and seek a word of consolation from them, but find none, because the clergy have nothing for the perplexed, and no consolation to give them. The clergymen know not God and his Word; and if they ever knew his Word, they have gone too far now in their course of wickedness, and they will not seek to understand and cannot understand it. “Then shall they seek a vision of the prophet [clergy]: but the law [Word of God] shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the ancients [elders].” (Ezek. 7:26) That means that those who now hypocritically claim to represent the Lord will find no words of consolation for suffering humankind.

God’s law he caused to be written by Moses. “Christendom” boastfully claims to have fashioned her laws after the law of Moses, and she points with pride to her “splendid” laws. The everlasting covenant of God, made with Noah (Gen. 9:1-6), declares the sacredness of human life and is embodied in the law of God written by Moses. This covenant all “Christendom” has broken and trampled under foot, and has spit upon it with contempt. Says God’s prophet: “Make a chain [that is to say, bind yourselves together in leagues and compacts, chain stores, chain banks, and other organizations by which the people are oppressed and exploited] : for the land is full of bloody crimes, and the city is full of violence.” (Ezek. 7:23) The “chain” or combines between the ecclesiastics, Big Business and bootleggers will avail them nothing. Their combined effort to enforce the Prohibition law failed in the land of America and has filled the land with all manner of crime and violence. Millions of money were spent in the abortive attempt to enforce this unholy law, while the political powers that manipulated the machinery refused to appropriate one dollar for feeding the starving people. Such a course of action drives men to desperation and increases crime and violence in the land, and it is ever on the increase.

In 1928 the clergy of America, by and through the public press, cried out: 'Give the world the Kellogg Peace Pact for Christmas.’ They continue to cry, "Peace, peace: when there is no peace.” Says Jehovah : "Though they cry in mine cars with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.” (Ezek. 8:18) Jehovah will declare no truce with the Devil’s organization. He is marching to war and will not back down. "Destruction cometh; and they shall seek peace, and there shall be none.”—Ezek. 7: 25.

Jesus prophesied that Armageddon will be the worst tribulation that ever came upon the world, and that it shall completely wreck the hypocritical organization that Satan has budded up. The prophecy of Ezekiel reads: "Wherefore I will bring the worst of the heathen [nations), and they shall possess their houses; I will also make the pomp of the strong to cease; and their holy places shall be defiled.” (Ezek. 7:24) This cannot refer to the nations called "heathen”, such as the Hindus, and Chinese, and Mohammedans. These are not the worst of the nations, because God declares that hypocritical "Christendom” is the worst of all.

The word here translated "heathen” means nations. God’s organization is his chosen nation. When Armageddon is over, it will be recognized that the organization of Jehovah is the "worst” thing that ever came against Satan’s organization, and therefore they will realize that God has sent against them that which is the very worst for them. The Lord by his organization will make a clean sweep of hypocritical "Christendom”, and the frightfulness of the military forces of Satan’s organization will be nothing compared to the fright that Jehovah’s organization will give the Devil’s crowd. "They shall know that I am the Lord.” Jehovah will make his name to be feared in all the earth, and all shall come to know that Jehovah is the God eternal, the God almighty, whose power is irresistible.

Jehovah has favored his covenant people with a knowledge of his purposes and has laid upon the elders (that is, the mature ones in Christ) the obligation of feeding and instructing others in his Word. (1 Pet. 5:2) The Lord is using and has used The Watchtower from its foundation as his channel of communication to and between his people; and during the past few years The Watchtower has repeatedly called attention to Satan’s wicked organization. In the face of all this, however, there have been certain so- called "elders”, wise in their own minds, who have not been persuaded that the Devil has an organization at all. ‘At least,’ say they, ‘we should go easy and say nothing about the clergy and their allies in the organization that controls the world.’ The policy of these "elders” is to speak softly, ‘that even the clergy might be won over to the Lord’s side.’ Sonic of the weaker ones who desire to hear nothing against the clergy say, in substance: ‘Our oldest elders, who are most fully developed in the Lord, say nothing about the Devil’s organization; then why should these younger ones, who have recently been brought to a knowledge of the truth, say anything against them and others of the organization of this world?’

The Society has been severely criticized because of the plain statements made in The Watchtower and in its other publications concerning Satan’s organization. These publications, however, must tell the truth, or else they will cease to be used by the Lord. Let those who have objected to any speech or publication about Satan’s organization and the various elements thereof give consideration to the eighth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy. If they believe what the Scriptures  say, and if they understand the commission God has given to his covenant people, then let them take the proper attitude toward Satan’s organization.

RESURRECTION FROM HELL

IN THE English translation of the Greek manuscript of the Bible, "hell” is used to translate three Greek words, each having a different meaning. These words are gehenna, hades, and tartaroo. The Greek word gehenna is found in this statement by Jesus, namely: “If thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell fire [gehenna]: where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.”—Mark 9:47,48.

Again Jesus used the same word gehenna, in this text: "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell [gehenna].” (Matt. 10:28) Here he plainly says that gehenna, translated "hell”, means destruction. One man might kill another one, and the one killed would be resurrected in due time; but if God destroys him He would destroy his very right to existence, and then there would be for him no resurrection.

The Greek word hades, translated “hell”, means the condition of death from which there shall be a resurrection. Gehenna means a condition of death from which there shall be no resurrection.

In Jesus’ day the clergy were his real enemies, although they claimed to represent Jehovah God. They were hypocrites, misrepresenting Jehovah and misleading the people. He plainly told them that they were the servants of the Devil. (John 8: 44) After be had entered the temple and driven out the money changers, he delivered a discourse to the Pharisees and others of the clergy of that time, and in that connection he said to them: “Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?” (Matt. 23:33) The word gehenna is the Greek word here used, and translated “hell”. These men had sinned against light. They knew that Jesus was the Messiah, and yet they persecuted him and sought to kill him. Because they had this light, and persisted in sin, he was asking them the question, How is it possible for you to escape eternal destruction?— Heb. 6: 4-6.

The Greek word tartaroo is rendered in the English Bible by the words “east down to hell”. There is no reason why this should be construed as meaning a place of conscious torment. The scripture refers to the abased condition of the wicked angels who had rebelled with »Satan and who materialized as giants on earth in Noah’s day. The offending angels were abased and sent into the condition represented by “chains of darkness”.

The apostle Peter (2:2:4) writes: “God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment.” The apostle Jude writes: “And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains, under darkness, unto the judgment of the great day.” (Jude 6) The thought conveyed is that they were abased before all the heavenly creation and were sent into that condition there to await final disposition in the judgment. Undoubtedly the expression “chains of darkness” has reference to the restrained condition without light on God’s purpose or light of his favor.—Matt. 22:13; 25:30; Ps. 30:5.

Jehovah God declares that he will punish the wicked, and that the punishment shall be eternal. The clergy try to make it appear that eternal punishment and eternal torture are one and the same thing. They are not. Death is the highest penalty known to the law of any land. No punishment could be greater than complete destruction. Such is the punishment that God will inflict upon the willfully wicked. It is written (Ps. 145:20): “All the wicked will he destroy.” He will punish the wicked with everlasting destruction.—2 Thess. 1: 9.

The Devil is the chief one amongst the wicked. God will ultimately destroy the Devil. (Heb. 2:14) Destruction of the willfully wicked is not fiendish, but is an act of justice and love on the part of Jehovah. The wicked, if permitted to exist forever, would be a dishonor to God’s name and a menace to creatures who love Jehovah, and would be of no value to themselves; therefore their destruction is in harmony with and consistent with Jehovah. Such is punishment, but is not torment.

There are degrees of punishment. If a man robs a house and is convicted he suffers punishment by imprisonment for a stated period of time. If he murders a man his punishment is death. In the one ease his punishment is for a stated period; in the other case it is lasting or everlasting. When God destroys the wicked it will be everlasting destruction, from which there is no resurrection. It is therefore eternal or “everlasting destruction”.

The Scriptures therefore establish beyond a question of doubt that the billions of people who have died from Adam until now are dead, unconscious, and therefore know not anything. Is there hope that they shall live again? Yes. To provide for their living again is the very purpose of God’s arrangement concerning man, and to give them hope is his purpose in bringing them to a knowledge of the truth. In his due time God will open the way for these billions of dead to live again.

It is illuminating to take note of some Scriptural texts proving that God speaks of the dead as though they were asleep. Moses was faithful as a servant of God. “And the Lord said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.” Adam was the father of the human race and therefore one of Moses’ fathers. If Adam went to eternal torment, then Moses did also.

The Lord told David what was to take place with reference to him, and then said: “And when thy days be fulfilled, . . . thou shalt sleep with thy fathers.” (2 Sam. 7:12) Again it is written concerning David: “For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption.” (Acts 13:36) When David was in great distress he feared lest he should die, and in his sorrow he prayed unto God: “Consider and hear me, 0 Lord my God; lighten mine eyes, lest I sleep the sleep of death.”—Ps. 13: 3.

Lazarus of Bethany, a brother of Mary and Martha, with whom Jesus had often visited and whom he loved, became sick and died. Jesus knew that Lazarus was dead, but his disciples did not know it. Jesus, speaking of his death, said to them: “Our friend Lazarus sleep- eth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. ” Not understanding at the time what he meant, his disciples said: “Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.”—John 11:11-14. ’

Jesus and his disciples then proceeded to Bethany, where Lazarus had died. Arriving there they found his sisters weeping for sorrow. At that time Lazarus had been dead four days and buried in the grave, bound with graveclothes, as was the custom then. Lazarus was a good man; but he was not in heaven, as the preachers would make it appear. Nor was he in a place of torment or in “purgatory”. He was in the grave, in the condition of death, or in hell, as the Bible uses that word. Jesus went to the tomb, which was closed with a large stone; and causing the stone to be rolled away, he called to Lazarus and awakened him out of death. “And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”—John 11:44.

It was on that occasion that Jesus said to Martha: “I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: and whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25,26) Jesus was here stating the great truth that into his hands Jehovah God had committed all power to awaken the dead and that in due time God would bring forth the dead by him. The awakening of Lazarus was but a sample of what God through Christ Jesus in due time will do. Concerning this Jesus testified, saying: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour cometh, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God; and they that hear shall live. Marvel not at this: for the hour eometh in which all that are in the tombs shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment. ”—John 5:25,28, 29, R. V.

These scriptures are conclusive in proving that the dead are wholly unconscious, and that in God's due time through Christ the dead shall be awakened.

Resurrection means a standing up again unto life. The awakening of the dead is but the beginning of the resurrection. Those who will compose the new creation will experience an instantaneous resurrection, being changed to life and immortality. The billions of people who are dead and in their tombs will be awakened out of death for trial and judgment, and therefore the resurrection or bringing up of the people to life in its fullness will be a gradual work.

Without the resurrection of the dead the ransom sacrifice of Jesus would be of no avail. Having in mind that four thousand years prior to his death and resurrection men had been going into the grave, it is manifest that the ransom sacrifice provided by Jesus’ death could be of no benefit to those who were then dead unless they should be awakened out of death. The awakening of all such out of the sleep of death, and giving them a fair trial for life, is consistent with every other part of the divine purpose, and is just what should be expected of the great loving Jehovah.

If the clergymen were right in their conclusions that the destiny of everyone is fixed at death, that the good go to heaven and that the evil go to “purgatory” or to torment, then why should there be a resurrection at all? All the scriptures that speak of the awakening of the dead are meaningless if the dead are already conscious in heaven, “purgatory” or hell. The Scriptures therefore flatly contradict the theory of the clergy. The strange thing is that the Devil has so long succeeded in blinding the people to the truth and in inducing them to accept the false clergy teachings.

There is nothing more wonderfully and beautifully taught in the Bible than the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. It shows a reason for the death of Christ Jesus, the beloved Son of God, and why God raised him out of death. It is a manifestation of God's loving-kindness toward the human family.