Vindication 1

VINDICATION

The name and word of the Eternal God proven and justified by

EZEKIEL’S PROPHECY and revealing what must speedily come to pass upon the nations of the world.

Comments by J. F. Rutherford

Author of

CREATION DELIVERANCE

RECONCILIATION GOVERNMENT PROPHECY LIGHT and other books

BOOK ONE

First printing 1,000,000 copies

Publishers

WATCH TOWER

BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY International Bible Students Association

Brooklyn, New York, U. S. A.

Also

London, Toronto, Strathfield, Cape Town, Berne, Magdeburg, and in other countries

TO

JEHOVAH

THE KING ETERNAL

This Book Is Dedicated

“But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.” – Jer. 10:10.

“Let thy name be magnified for ever.” – 2 Sam. 7:26.

Copyrighted 1931 by

J. F. RUTHERFORD

Made in U. S. A.

PREFACE

JEHOVAH caused to be written, more than 2500 years ago, what in the Bible is called Ezekiel’s Prophecy. During the centuries that prophecy has been a mystery sealed to all who have sought to unlock it, God’s due time has come for the prophecy to be understood. He has brought to pass events disclosing its meaning, and these events, well known to millions of people, placed beside the prophecy, make it plain.

The miniature fulfilment of the prophecy was upon Jerusalem and the nations there round about. Its greater and complete fulfilment is upon “Christendom” and the other nations now of the world. In this day of great distress and perplexity it opens to the vision of godly men the things that must speedily come to pass and guides the obedient into the right way.

Its testimony now due to be given is notice and solemn warning to “Christendom” and to all the world. It announces God’s judgments already written against the “man of sin”, against “Christendom”, her rulers, and chief men, and against all who have defamed the name of the Most High. It makes known the great tribulation just ahead for the world, and how some may be shielded and protected and carried through that trouble and blessed.

Its message is that of comfort and encouragement to the faithful followers of Christ Jesus who are now on the earth. It tells when and how Jehovah God will prove, exonerate and vindicate his word and holy name, uplift and bless his obedient creation, and make the world a place of everlasting peace and joy. Every intelligent creature should know its contents. Read it and profit thereby.

THE PUBUSHER

HIS NAME

JEHOVAH’S NAME is of far greater importance than all things. The time must come when Jehovah’s name will be upon every creature, and then everything that breathes will extol and honor his name. Only those who come to a knowledge of Jehovah and who honor his name will be given life everlasting. Jesus so stated when he was on earth, but only a few to this day have believed that his words are true. The defaming of God’s name was begun by the traitor Satan, and the entire organization which the enemy builded has continued to reproach his holy name. The removing of Satan and his organization will result in clearing Jehovah’s name, and then all intelligent creatures may learn without hindrance the way to life.

The truth must be made known to the end that the name of Jehovah may be vindicated. It is the expressed will of God that all creation shall be brought to a knowledge of the truth and that then those who believe and obey and practice the truth shall live. All others will be destroyed. The origin of man, the course man has followed, how man may be recovered and granted life everlasting, is truthfully stated in the Bible. It is found nowhere else except in publications that base every doctrine upon the Bible testimony. Jehovah is true and his Word is the truth. Every man that is brought into harmony with God must learn the truth. Concerning those who will please God, Jesus said: "Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth."–John 17:17.

That which is the very opposite of truth is a lie. Satan is the author or father of lies. (John 8:44) He began his lies by disputing the word of God and by bringing reproach upon God’s name. That first lie led perfect man into the way of wickedness and brought upon the entire human race sorrow, sickness, suffering and death. In the centuries past Satan has pursued his course of lying and wickedness without hindrance and has builded a mighty organization in the earth by which he has brought reproach upon the name of Jehovah God and has turned the mass of the people away from God. To accomplish his wicked purposes Satan has resorted to all manner of lying, fraud and deception. The chief element of his organization, by which he has defrauded the people and reproached God’s name, is the religious element. This he started with Babylon, and from then till now the name Babylon has attached to all religions used by Satan to bring reproach upon the name of God.

The greater the deception practiced, the greater the reproach; and so-called "organized Christianity”, or “Christendom”, stands at the very head of all hypocritical religions that have been used to deceive the people and to defame God’s holy name. True Christianity means to truly and faithfully follow Christ Jesus and to honor God’s name. “Organized Christianity,” or “Christendom”, has taken the name of Christ Jesus but has practiced everything hut the truth. Just enough of the Bible has been used to mislead and deceive the people. “Christendom,” or “organized Christianity”, has therefore become the greatest of all refuges or hiding places of lies. God has abided his own due time to expose and to destroy all hypocritical and wicked organizations. Now his time has come to uncover the lies, and expose the false religions and every other part of Satan’s organization; and this he declares he will do by and through the truth made known to mankind. The time is therefore come when lies shall be torn from the place of power and authority; and truth enthroned will continue to rule forever; and this will be a vindication of God’s word and name.

By his prophet Jehovah says: “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 line, and righteousness to the plummet; and the hail [hard truths] shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters [flood of truth] shall overflow the hiding place.” (Isa. 28:16,17) Zion here mentioned is God’s organization, and Christ Jesus the King of glory is the chief corner Stone mentioned by the prophecy. Already God has placed Christ Jesus upon his throne and presented him as King of the world, and thus the corner Stone has been laid. Now Christ Jesus the great Judge has come to the temple of God for judgment and the judgment is in progress; hence the time is at hand for the hard and plain truths to be told and, thus continuing, the truth, like a flood of water, shall arise, exposing the lies by disclosing their hiding place, and will sweep away all hindrances to the people in gaining the truth.

The campaign to make known the truth of God’s Word to the people is now in progress. In this work the Lord is employing the radio and many books containing the explanation of the Bible, and these are put in the hands of the people that they may know the truth. The work of vindicating God’s name has begun, and will go on until every man, from the least to the greatest, shall know that Jehovah is the only true God. Then never again will the truth be bedraggled and hid from the view of God’s creatures.

HIS NAME

The Israelites were God’s covenant people chosen by him and used chiefly to make pictures which foreshadow his purposes. Such pictures are made understandable to men in due time in order that the anointed people of God may have hope and in order that the rulers and the people in general may be served with notice of what God is about to do to make a name for himself.

Jehovah sent his prophet to the king of Israel and caused him to say: “I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.” (2 Sam. 7:12,13) By those words Jehovah stated the importance of the kingdom in connection with the vindication and the honor of his name. The “seed” there mentioned undoubtedly means Christ Jesus, the beloved of God who was foreshadowed by King David. The King of glory Jehovah now has placed upon his throne. (Ps. 2: 6) “An house for my name” means the organization of Jehovah of which Christ Jesus is the Head and Chief. That which will lead to the exaltation of the name of Jehovah in the minds and hearts of all his creatures is a knowledge of and obedience to the truth. God has taken out from the world “a people for his name”, which people are the first ones to be favored with a knowledge of the truth.

It is fitting that God used David, who forehadowed his beloved King Christ Jesus, to write and say to the people taken out for his name: “Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.” (Ps. 29:2) And thus the people so taken out for God’s name speak to one another. It is the expressed will of Jehovah that ‘the people taken out for his name’ shall bear to the world the message of truth that Jehovah is the only true God, and thus be the witnesses of Jehovah at this time. (Isa. 43:10-12; 42: 6) Jehovah caused his holy prophets to write concerning the vindication of his name, and now his due time has come for his “faithful servant” to understand the meaning of the prophecies, and the “servant” is directed to serve notice upon the rulers and the people of and concerning God’s purposes as the prophets long ago wrote.

Ezekiel was one of the holy prophets of God. Heretofore his prophecy has not been understood, manifestly because it was not God’s time for it to be understood. The theme that runs throughout the entire book of Ezekiel is that of the vindication of Jehovah’s name. The phrase, “Know that I am the Lord [Jehovah],” occurs at least forty-six times in the prophecy. More than any other book in the Bible the prophecy of Ezekiel mentions this great and all-important truth. The opening chapters give a setting for the understanding of the book when the due time arrives for its understanding, and for that reason these chapters should be carefully considered. Prophecies are not always fulfilled in the order in which they are set down in the Scriptures, but a proper setting is necessary for the harmonizing of the entire prophecy.

PROPHECY

How may we know when we have a proper interpretation of a prophecy? At the very outset we must understand that “no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation’’. (2 Pet. 1:20) If man gives a private interpretation to a prophecy, that interpretation is merely his private opinion and is without value, because no man is authorized by the Word of God to give such an opinion. Many attempts have been made to interpret prophecy, and failure has resulted because the rules laid down by the Lord have been ignored. Since no prophecy is of private interpretation, it follows that the Lord God himself interprets prophecy by causing to come to pass events in fulfilment of what he has foretold; hence it is impossible for man to understand prophecy until such events have come to pass showing at least a partial fulfilment of the prophecy. Until God’s due time to understand prophecy it is not understandable. Then it is first understandable by the covenant people of God who have his spirit.–1 Cor. 2:10.

To determine whether a prophecy (and the prophet speaking it) is false or true Jehovah made these rules: That the prophet must speak in the name of Jehovah, thus indicating authority to speak; his words of prophecy must tend to turn the hearer to Jehovah and to the honor of his name; and the prophecy must at some time come to pass. (Deut. 18: 21, 22; 13:1-5; Jer. 28:13-17) The fulfilment of a prophecy would necessarily be in harmony with these rules. The events coming to pass must be in harmony with the prophecy as it is written, must tend to vindicate the name of Jehovah, and must honor and exalt his name and not honor and exalt the name of any human creature. If the interpretation tends to laud and magnify the name of man, then such is not a true interpretation, because it is contrary to the Word of God. (Job 32:21,22; Luke 16:15) In carrying forward his purposes God uses his duly constituted agencies, but all honor is due to Jehovah, and not to the agency.

Aside from Jesus Christ no individual is foretold or foreshadowed in the selection and development of the members of God’s organization. It necessarily follows that in the fulfilment of God’s prophecy no individual among God’s covenant people is or will be identified. It would be contrary to the Scriptures to single out some individual and say that such individual is fulfilling prophecy. It would be like the eye saying to the hand, I am all-important and you are nothing.–1 Cor. 12:12-22.

Jehovah’s ‘elect servant’ is his Christ, and he deals with the “servant” as one. Members of the body are therefore considered collectively, and not individually. Jehovah God is the Master, and the “servant” is his instrument used for his purpose, and all honor is due to the great Master. It is Jehovah the Master who says to his ‘elect servant’: “Behold, the former things are come to pass [meaning, some prophecies which I showed you have been fulfilled], and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” (Isa. 42:9) When a prophecy is partially fulfilled and is in course of fulfilment Jehovah permits his covenant and anointed people to see the meaning thereof, and these in turn must declare the meaning to others who might have an ear to hear. Some prophecies have been fulfilled, and some are in course of fulfilment; and, by the rules laid down governing the fulfilment of these, by his grace and his spirit God makes known to his ‘elect servant’ some things that are shortly to come to pass, and thus the “new things” he now declares to them “before they spring forth”.

Prophecy was written aforetime for the specific benefit of God’s covenant and anointed people. (Rom. 15:4) It follows, therefore, that the fulfilment must take place and be made known to some of these anointed ones while on the earth, because otherwise the announced purpose would be defeated. The anointed will not need comfort and hope after they have been received into glory and made in the likeness of the glorified Christ Jesus. Comfort and encouragement arc for their benefit while they are on the earth, and particularly for the remnant on earth “in the last days”. Since the purpose of prophecy’s being fulfilled is to vindicate the name of Jehovah, its fulfilment must involve the people whom he has taken out of the world for his name and must also identify the class that is opposed to God and his purposes.

When events come to pass and are known, we call these the physical facts. If such events coming to pass involve God’s covenant people and distinguish them from God’s enemies, and the events tend to honor and vindicate God’s name and they fit the things foretold in the prophecy, then we may know that we have God’s interpretation of the prophecy and therefore the right interpretation. For that reason prophecy cannot be understood until God’s due time to understand it and until it is fulfilled or in course of fulfilment. However, prophecy already fulfilled or in course of fulfilment enables God’s anointed people to understand the meaning of other prophecies written in harmony therewith and foretelling what shall come to pass in the very near future.

Elsewhere (See Prophecy, pp. 71-76) the Scriptural proof has been submitted showing that the coming of the Lord Jesus to the temple of God took place in the spring of 1918. The early chapters of Ezekiel’s prophecy fit and confirm the work that God’s organization has been doing since that date. That which the prophet sets forth is of the keenest interest to the anointed of the Lord when viewed in the light of recent events and the one coincides with the other. This shows why the prophecy of Ezekiel could not be understood prior to 1918. It was then that ‘the heavenly temple was opened’ and God’s faithful covenant people were permitted to have a vision of heavenly things and to see them in the light of events coming to pass in the earth before their eyes. After using his covenant people in connection with the fulfilling of prophecy, and without their knowledge and understanding thereof, the Lord gives them an understanding. To be able to look back and see how the faithful ones have been used by the Lord in having a part in the fulfilling of prophecy is a real encouragement and comfort to them and brightens their hope for the greater things set before them.

It seems hardly necessary to set out in full the text of Ezekiel’s prophecy here, because almost everyone has a Bible, wherein is found the full text of the prophecy. The student should carefully read the book of Ezekiel, as set forth in the Bible. Herein the chapters of the Bible record will be indicated, and those chapters as indicated should be carefully studied in connection with these comments.

JEHOVAH’S ORGANIZATION

(Ezekiel, Chapter 1)

Ezekiel was twenty-five years of age when carried away with other Israelites as captive to Babylon. His name means “God will strengthen” or “the strength of God”. True to his name, he was strengthened of the Lord and hence well pictures the company of God’s covenant people who are devoted to Jehovah and who are “strong in the Lord and in the power of his might”. These are “strengthened with might by his spirit in the inner man”. (Eph. 6:10; 3:16) It was in the fifth year of the captivity that the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel and he had his first vision. (1:2) He was then thirty years of age, that being the age required to be attained to do the work of the priesthood.

It seems quite probable that Ezekiel and Daniel were in the same company of captives, for it seems that they were carried away captive at the same time, to wit, in the year 617 B.C. The divine record shows that they were both pleasing to Jehovah; hence they were not carried away as captives because of their own wrongdoing, but to serve the purpose of God and to foreshadow things that must come to pass in “the last days”. This was the first captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. “And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land, those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. And all the men of might, ... all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.”–2 Ki. 24:15,16.

It is interesting to here note and compare with this scripture some facts that came to pass in 1918 and 1919 as heretofore written in The Watch Tower. “From 1918 to 1919 was a period of great travail and suffering. At that time the church was practically in captivity to Babylon, which is one of the names for Satan’s organization.” (See Watch Tower, Dec. 15, 1928, page 373.)

The year 617 B. C., when Ezekiel was carried away captive, very well corresponds with the year 1914 (A.D.), the beginning of the World War. There was an effort made by Satan’s organization to commandeer all religious organizations for the purpose of winning the war, and those of God’s covenant people were not only threatened but many of them were forced into the war and the work of proclaiming the truth was hindered everywhere. Not until 1919, or five years after the beginning of the war, was the way again open to freely witness to the truth. The year 1919, therefore, corresponds with the year 612 B.C., which was the time that Ezekiel received the vision and was commissioned by the Lord to act as a priest and to represent God as a prophetic witness.

This apparent correspondency in dates would tend to prove that the ‘Elisha work’ of God’s covenant people was due to begin, and did begin, in the year 1919 with the assembling of that people in convention at Cedar Point, Ohio. That was the time The Golden Age magazine was launched and the work of giving witness of the truth to the people was revived. It was then and there that God made his covenant people aware of the fact that he had commissioned them to ‘preach this gospel of the kingdom to all the nations as a witness’, and it was there called sharply to their attention that God had begun his reign through Christ Jesus, earth’s rightful King. On the fifth day of September, 1919, that covenant people of God was given a vision or understanding of the distinction between the ‘Elijah work’ and the ‘Elisha work’ of the church; that is to say, that the experiences of Elijah had foreshadowed a certain work to be done, which was now completed, and the experiences of Elisha foreshadowed another work to be done by the same people, which work had to begin at that date. (See Watch Tower, 1919, page 292.) As ‘the hand of the Lord was upon Ezekiel’, so was the spirit and the power of the Lord upon his people when they saw for the first time the work marked out for them to do and which had been foreshadowed by the experiences of the Prophet Elisha. The work of God’s “servant”, broken up during the war, now began to take on new life, the first of which was to begin the organization and then go forward with the work.

The year 606 B.C. marks the date of the desolation of Jerusalem. The year 606 B.C. would correspond with 1925, when “organized religions’’ were plainly seen to be in bondage to Satan, and a part of Satan’s organization, and to have been for ever cast away from the Lord. Shortly thereafter the book Deliverance appeared, exposing Satan’s organization and particularly the hypocritical religion thereof. Also about that time God revealed to his people the delusion of “character development” as a necessary qualification for the kingdom, and also the “prisoners” in Babylon were identified. (See Watch Tower, May 1, 1926, and November 15, 1926.)

“Chebar” was the name of the river by the side of which Ezekiel got his first vision. It means ‘‘length’’, that is, “extent of time,” and seems to indicate that the fullness of God’s time had now come and his kingdom must now be established and that the work of announcing that kingdom, as foreshadowed by Elisha, must begin. Daniel had a vision at the river, and probably the very same river, at which the dates 1914, 1918 and 1926 were foreshadowed, and confirms Ezekiel’s prophecy.

Ezekiel’s first vision was had five years after he was taken captive. That vision represented and foreshadowed the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to the temple of Jehovah for judgment upon the true house of God and upon the professed house of God, which judgment results in the destruction of the latter, or “organized religion”. The Israelites had misused and abused God’s temple, and Jehovah caused Ezekiel to prophesy of the destruction of Jerusalem. Nominal spiritual Israel, or “organized Christianity”, so called, has misused and abused God’s temple, and God’s judgment of destruction is pronounced against it. The first chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy is a description of Jehovah’s organization as it appeared to the prophet. The description thereof, and its meaning, has been published elsewhere, and hence is not here repeated. (See Prophecy, pages 116-123.)

The vision of Ezekiel shows the Lord God Almighty sitting upon his throne over and above all the forces of his organization and coming out of the north and moving forward to the destruction of the city. Concerning this Ezekiel says: “And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of his loins even upward, and from the appearance of his loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.” – 1: 26-28.

The duty of pronouncing God’s judgment and of the execution thereof is laid upon Christ Jesus, who is God’s chief executive Officer. That this refers to the time of the coming of the Lord Jesus to the temple of Jehovah for judgment is further supported by what the prophet later saw and about which he wrote, to wit: “Afterward he brought me to the gate, even the gate that looketh toward the east; and, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east, and his voice was like a noise of many waters; and the earth shined with his glory. And it was according to the appearance of the vision which I saw, even according to the vision that I saw when I came to destroy the city [prophesy that the city should be destroyed, margin]; and the visions were like the vision that I saw by the river Chebar; and I fell upon my face. And the glory of the Lord came into the house, by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east. So the spirit took me up, and brought me into the inner court; and, behold, the glory of the Lord filled the house.”–43:1-5.

At the time of this, his first vision, Ezekiel pictured and foreshadowed those in the covenant with God and in line for the kingdom and whom the Lord Jesus Christ found faithful upon coming to his temple and to whom he committed his kingdom interests on the earth, and to which class he refers as the “faithful and wise servant”. (Matt. 24:45,46) This “faithful servant” class had its vision made clear concerning the Elijah and Elisha works of the church in the autumn of 1919. This was five years after Jehovah had placed his anointed King upon his holy hill in Zion and the “man child”, the new government, had been born. That new government was a part of God’s universal organization, and it was then, through the functioning of that government, that Jehovah began his reign over the earth. This was particularly shown by Jehovah’s being seated upon his throne above all his organization, as described by Ezekiel. Therefore, five years after the beginning of the kingdom the “servant” class of the Lord on earth began to dearly see that God had another work for the “faithful servant” to do before the end. The kingdom had begun, and the first great work would be the clearing out of Satan’s organization, and before the Lord would do that he would cause the members of the “faithful servant” class on earth to give notice by a world-wide campaign of testifying to the Lord’s purposes. It is thus seen that the physical facts exactly fit the prophecy and show that Ezekiel had his first vision five years after his captivity and that the “faithful and wise servant”, whom Ezekiel foreshadowed, had his vision of the kingdom-Elisha-work five years after the King was enthroned.

For a number of years God’s people had waited for the vision to speak. Since about 1889, when Volume II of Studies in the Scriptures was issued and it was seen that there was a typical significance attached to Elijah and his work, the faithful had waited, expecting the year 1914 to mark the complete fulfilment of the prophecy. They had expected Armageddon to follow immediately after 1914 and the church to be glorified. Of course it was not due time until after 1918 to have a clearer vision of the prophecy. Like the Prophet Habakkuk, God’s covenant people had waited, and, while waiting, there were some curious speculations indulged in by them, which were mere guesses, of course, and therefore not true, because it was not God’s time for them to understand. It was after 1914 that ‘the vision spoke and did not lie’, to wit, after the coming of the Lord to his temple in 1918. Habakkuk, referring to the “servant” class, wrote: “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved. And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it. For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie; though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry. ’ - Hab. 2:1-3.

It was in 1919 that the vision spoke to the “faithful servant” class and that class began to see the significance of the Elisha work. The “servant” more fully saw in 1922 the meaning thereof. It was in that year that God’s covenant people came to a realization that they had been negligent in giving the testimony to the Lord’s name and that ‘the Lord was angry with them’, but that the time had come to ‘turn away his anger’. (Isa. 12:1) In that year the faithful saw the Lord had come to his temple, and with joy and zeal peculiar to the house of the Lord they went forward to do the Elisha work in advertising the King and the kingdom. The vision was so marvelous and awesome to Ezekiel that he ‘fell down upon his face, and heard a voice of one speaking to him’.– Ezek. 1:28.

When the Lord, through the columns of The Watch Tower, disclosed the vision of the Lord’s coming to the temple, and its meaning, the faithful appreciative ones, designated as God’s “young men”, like Ezekiel, fell down and worshiped in devotion to Jehovah. To these faithful ones the vision continued to increase in beauty and grandeur, and they have seen and now see that the great work of God’s anointed people on earth is to make a proclamation of the truth looking to the vindication of Jehovah’s name. The “faithful servant” has since continued to hear the voice of the Lord and to joyfully respond thereto in going forward with the work committed into their hands.

DIVINE COMMISSION

(Ezekiel, Chapter 2)

While the young man Ezekiel was prostrated before the Lord he heard a voice of one saying to him: ‘‘Son of man, stand upon thy feet, and I will speak unto thee.” (2:1) “And the spirit entered into me when he spake unto me, and set me upon my feet, that I heard him that spake unto me. And he said unto me, Son of man, I send thee to the children of Israel, to a rebellious nation that hath rebelled against me: they and their fathers have transgressed against me, even unto this very day.” (2: 2, 3) Then and there Ezekiel was given a commission to bear a message to the people of Israel. Since anointing is symbolic of a commission granted and bestowed upon the anointed ones, this would represent the anointing of the faithful ones who were approved and taken into God’s organization. Those whom the Lord found faithful at the examination upon coming to the temple, as pictured by the parable of the talents, would here be pictured as receiving the anointing or commission.–Matt. 25: 21.

When the Lord came to his temple in 1918 he found two classes of servants: one that was moved by a selfish desire to be honored in the kingdom, and another unselfishly devoted to the Lord in doing his will. The first he later designates as the “evil servant”, and the other as the “faithful and wise servant”. It is after the divison and separation takes place that the “faithful and wise servant” is known and designated as "the remnant". The "faithful and wise servant" is anointed and commissioned to care for the interests of the kingdom, and this is designated by the words of Jesus that ‘he would make him ruler over all his goods’. (Matt. 24:47) This prophecy would indicate that such anointing took place in 1919; and that the general pouring out of the holy spirit, according to the prophecy of Joel, occurred in 1922, when all in the earthly division of the organization of the Lord were commissioned to go forth with the message of truth. – Joel 2: 28,29.

Ezekiel saw the Lord approaching to destroy Satan’s organization, and the "faithful servant" class saw in 1919 that the church, pictured by Elisha, must now do a vigorous slaying work in connection with the Lord’s destruction of "organized Christianity”. Shortly thereafter The Golden Age magazine was issued, and No. 27 of that magazine laid bare the wicked deeds of "organized Christianity”. Several million copies of this number of the magazine were placed in the hands of the people. The "faithful servant" class then got on its feet and went to work. The anointing was a commission to speak God’s vengeance against those who had reproached his name. In the commission given to Ezekiel "there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe". Likewise God’s anointed and commissioned people were now commissioned to speak the vengeance of Jehovah against those who had reproached his name. (2:10) The anointed people of the Lord were therefore commissioned to publish these truths so that they could be heard and read and understood.

Time was required for the organizing of the work, and it seems certain that the “servant” class might have been more energetic than they were. Doubtless many were held back because of fear and something was required for such that they might have their eyes fully opened to the responsibility of the work they were commissioned to do. It is well known that some of the classes of Bible Students at that time hesitated to distribute No. 27 of The Golden Age magazine, manifestly because of fear. It exposes the duplicity of the clergy, and some feared to incur their displeasure. In the latter part of 1919 the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society began the distribution of the message contained in No. 27 of The Golden Age. Classes that failed or refused to distribute that message lost the privilege, and others were sent into their territory to make the distribution. By 1922 God’s people had come to a clearer understanding of their duties and the work took on a greater impetus, and those who were privileged to do it went at it zealously and fearlessly.

REBELLIOUS NATION

Jehovah sent his prophet Ezekiel to the nation of Israel, a rebellious people that were impudent and stiffhearted. (2: 3, 4) He warned Ezekiel not to be afraid to speak to them nor to be afraid of their words. “And they, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear, (for they are a rebellious house,) yet shall know that there hath been a prophet among them. And thou, son of man, be not afraid of them, neither be afraid of their words, though briers and thorns be with thee, and thou dost dwell among scorpions; be not afraid of their words, nor be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house. And thou shalt speak my words unto them, whether they will hear, or whether they will forbear; for they are most rebellious. But thou, son of man, hear what I say unto thee: Be not thou rebellious like that rebellious house; open thy mouth, and eat that I give thee.’’ – 2: 5-8.

This well corresponds to the truth that the Lord permitted his people to understand in 1919, that they were to go forward to “organized Christianity” with the message of truth and to deliver it fearlessly, ‘whether they were heard or whether they were not heard.’ It was also a warning to the “servant” class to be not rebellious before the Lord as Christendom was and as some who were then in the truth were, but that those who would please the Lord must be bold and fearless in the proclamation of his message of truth. The Watch Tower warned the leaders in the ecclcsias against a rebellious course and pointed out the necessity of fearlessly engaging in the Lord’s service, and where some showed fear and refused to do the work the opportunity to do it was given to others.

About the autumn of 1922 the organization of God’s people on earth was more fully completed, and it was then, at a general assembly of his people at a convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, that they got a better vision and appreciation of God’s purposes concerning them and their commission, and then they went to the work with a real zeal. Isaiah’s vision seems clearly to have foreshadowed this particular time. Isaiah had a vision of the Lord at his temple and came to a realization that he as a servant of the Lord was a man of unclean lips, and he cried unto the Lord, and the

Lord sent to him his invisible messenger with a coal of fire from off the altar with which Isaiah’s lips were made clean. Concerning this it is written: “And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged. Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.”–Isa. 6: 7-9.

From 1919 to 1922 others had come to a knowledge of the truth and had responded to the call for the kingdom. It was on the occasion of the assembly above mentioned that all the faithful who were present saw the opportunity and necessity of carrying the message of the kingdom to the people, and there was a tremendous response such as never to be forgotten by those who witnessed the demonstration. The spirit and zeal of the Lord were upon that people. It was doubtless about that time that ‘the holy spirit was poured out on all flesh’, meaning that all who had responded to the call for the kingdom, and who were brought into the temple, were commissioned and commanded to carry the message of truth to the people, regardless of sex or previous position in the church. (Joel 2: 28, 29) The cleansing received by Isaiah foreshadowed the fact that God’s “faithful servant” class would come to a realization that the proper zeal had not been shown in proclaiming the truth and thus the sin was upon their lips. The cleansing of Isaiah’s lips by a coal of fire pictured the fact that God cleansed the lips of his people and sent them forth to do his work of witnessing to the truth, and that all then who were faithful were anointed of the Lord, and that these constituted thereafter God’s “faithful servant”, otherwise called “the remnant”.

Prior to the Lord’s coming to his temple for judgment there were a number who had received the truth and responded to the call for the kingdom but who because of selfishness had rebelled against the light and began to fall away. The “rebellious” ones mentioned in the prophecy therefore would include all such who began to fall away about 1917 and who were gathered out and formed the “evil servant” class. Such claimed to be Jews (that is to say, devoted to God’s praise and service of his King), and, says the Lord, ‘They are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan.’ (Rev. 2:9; 3:9) ‘They are those that rebelled against the light.’ (Job 24:13) It was the duty of The Watch Tower to speak with plainness to such, and by the Lord’s grace this was done. Those who failed to heed the Lord’s warning found themselves in the “evil servant” class and the “man of sin”.

The commission to Ezekiel, and therefore to the “faithful servant” class, was also to warn those of the “great multitude” (Rev. 7:9-14), “such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the Most High.” (Ps. 107:10-16) As Ezekiel was commanded by the Lord to warn the rebellious Israelites, so God’s “faithful servant” class is commissioned to warn those who profess to be the children of the Lord and who are rebellious. When the warning to such rebellious ones was published in The Watch Tower the prophecy of Ezekiel was not then understood. (See Watch Tower, 1926, pages 323-328, 339, 340; 1929, pages 134,147.) This is mentioned here as further evidence that the Lord uses his people to fulfil prophecy and afterwards advises them thereof by revealing the meaning of the prophecy. It is an evidence that the Lord feeds his people upon food convenient for them and directs the way they shall go, and to the Lord is due all glory. God commissions his people to do his work and sends the obedient ones forth upon that mission; and he directs their way, using them as his instruments, and all in the temple give him glory therefor and sing forth his praises.–Prov. 3: 5, 6; Ps. 29:9.

As further proof that the truth is not the product of the “servant” class or of any man, but that all truth proceeds from the Lord, it is written, by the Prophet Ezekiel: “And when I looked, behold, an hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein; and he spread it before me; and it was written within and without; and there was written therein lamentations, and mourning, and woe.”(2:9,10) God’s due time had come to send forth his message; and 'a roll of a book in a hand’ shows that this truth comes by the spirit and power of God, and not by any creature, and that it is God’s product. The roll or book spread out before Ezekiel shows that the time had arrived for God to send forth his “servant” to deliver a message to his people. This time especially dates from and after 1922, when the Lord had provided his people with a means for witnessing to the truth. When the prophecies are understood it will be found that they are all in exact harmony; which is another proof that they all proceed from God.

The statement of Ezekiel is in exact harmony with Revelation 10:1,2, which says: “And I saw another mighty angel come down from heaven, . . . and he had in his hand a little book open.” Thus is shown that God’s time had come to make known his purposes and he sent forth his message of truth to his people. (See Light, Book I, page 174.) God’s judgment written must be declared before the execution thereof. “Organized Christianity,” or Christendom, pictured by Jerusalem, must be told the truth and be warned of God’s impending judgment against her. Also those who had been in line for the kingdom and had fallen away must be warned. "Organized Christianity,” or Christendom, is pictured by Jerusalem and is more reprehensible than the heathen nations; hence God’s judgment is written against her.

The roll of the book exhibited to Ezekiel contained the message of ‘the day of the vengeance of God’ against Israel; and likewise now that which the Lord reveals to his people contains the truth concerning the day of the vengeance of our God, which must be declared to Christendom. (Isa. 61:2) Let the fearful and rebellious refuse to declare God’s righteous indignation against Satan’s organization, if they will; but all who are of the “faithful servant” class without hesitation will declare God’s truth and expose to view the enemy and the hideous agencies of his organization. Those who were once in line for the kingdom and who fail and refuse thus to do put themselves in the class with God’s enemies. (2:3) It is comforting and gratifying to see how Jehovah uses his people to do his work and then later shows them what he has done, and this is further proof that prophecy was written to make brighter the hope of those who are in the covenant for the kingdom and who obey the terms of that covenant. (Rom. 15:4) For several years God’s faithful people on earth have been doing, and are now doing, a work which was foretold by the prophet and the meaning of which the Lord is now pleased to reveal to his faithful ones.

It is observed that almost a hundred times the Lord addresses Ezekiel as “son of man”. That is one of the titles given to Jesus Christ; henee the class whom Ezekiel pictured and foreshadowed must of necessity be those who are of the body of the anointed One. The title does not apply to any individual, but applies to the body members of Christ and takes in all the faithful anointed ones of the earth. It is this class that the Lord uses in proclaiming his Word and also in connection with the fulfilment of his prophecy.

SENT TO CHRISTENDOM

(Ezekiel, Chapter 3)

The third chapter opens with the statement: “Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, eat that thou find- est; eat this roll, and go speak unto the house of Israel.” (3:1) In harmony with this God first causes his own people to feed upon his truth and to grow strong thereby, and then their strength must be used in obedience to his commandment to the glory of the Lord by speaking these truths to others. This is in harmony with Revelation 10:8,9: “And the voice which I heard from heaven spake unto me again, and said, Go and take the little book which is open in the hand of the angel which standeth upon the sea and upon the earth. . . . And he said unto me, Take it, and eat it up.” These prophecies of Ezekiel and Revelation concerning the eating of the roll or book symbolically represent God’s anointed servant receiving the truth to be used to the glory of the Lord.

This is further corroborated by Jehovah’s words to the Prophet Isaiah. Isaiah also pictures the ‘‘faithful servant” class to whom the Lord Jehovah says: “I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.” (Isa. 51:16) The message of the Lord he puts in the mouth of his ‘‘servant” not merely to feed upon for his own benefit, but that it might be used in accordance with God’s commandments by proclaiming it to others. ‘‘So I opened my mouth, and he caused me to eat that roll. And he said unto me, Son of man, cause thy belly to eat, and fill thy bowels with this roll that I give thee. Then did I eat it; and it was in my mouth as honey for sweetness.’’ – 3: 2,3.

These words last quoted from Ezekiel picture the faithful people of the Lord who were hungry for a further revelation of his Word, whom the Lord Jesus began to feed when he came to the temple of God. It took some time to fill them up and for them to digest the food before they were ready for the fight, and when the time came they were made strong in the Lord and went forth in obedience to his commandments. This is in exact accord with Revelation 10:10,11, which says: ‘‘And I took the little book out of the angel’s hand, and ate it up; and it was in my mouth sweet as honey; and as soon as I had eaten it, my belly was bitter. And he said unto me, Thou must prophesy again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues, and kings.” Thus is shown God’s provision and his preparation of his people for a campaign that shortly thereafter began, and is now in progress, the purpose of which is to proclaim the King and his kingdom and to announce the day of God’s vengeance.

When Ezekiel had eaten, then the Lord gave command to him: ‘‘And he said unto me, Son of man, go, get thee unto the house of Israel, and speak with my words unto them. For thou art not sent to a people of a strange speech and of an hard language, but to the house of Israel.” (3:4,5) The Prophet Ezekiel thus pictures God’s “servant” class of today who are sent to deliver a message to Christendom, because this people have professed to be acquainted with the Scriptures and the language thereof. So today the “servant” class carries the message of truth to so- called “organized Christianity”, or Christendom, not to a people of an unknown tongue; nor is it spoken in the terms of a heathen religion; but they inform Christendom in their own language as to what God’s Word has to say. If the anointed “servant” class does not now diligently engage in proclaiming the truth of God’s purposes, those so doing would quickly cease to be of the Lord’s servants and he would raise up others, because his time is here when his message must be delivered.

The purpose of delivering the message of truth is not to convert the world, as many have foolishly thought; and this is proven by the words the Lord spoke to Ezekiel: “But the house of Israel will not hearken unto thee; for they will not hearken unto me; for all the house of Israel are impudent and hard-hearted. Behold, I have made thy face strong against their faces, and thy forehead strong against their foreheads. As an adamant, harder than flint, have I made thy forehead; fear them not, neither be dismayed at their looks, though they be a rebellious house.” (3:7-9) Likewise the Lord tells the faithful “servant” class that he has made their heads harder than those of the rebellious ones and therefore they are not to fear those who are rebellious; hence they must go and speak the truth with plainness and the Lord himself will take care of the result.

Jehovah then tells Ezekiel, and therefore the “faithful servant” class, to receive his words in the heart and in the ears and then go and tell them to the people whether they hear or not. (3:10, 11) God’s people could not today be faithful unless they respond gladly and eagerly in carrying the message of truth to Christendom. This is being done vigorously and zealously by those who love the Lord.

Ezekiel then states that the spirit took him up and he heard behind him a voice of great rushing, saying: “Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place.” (3:12) On the day of Pentecost, when the spirit was poured out upon the followers of Christ Jesus, there was the sound like the rushing of a mighty wind; and in like manner the spirit came upon Ezekiel, foreshadowing that the spirit of the Lord would come upon his people after the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple of Jehovah. “I heard also the noise of the wings of the living creatures that touched one another, and the noise of the wheels over against them, and a noise of a great rushing. So the spirit lifted me up, and took me away, and I went in bitterness, in the heat of my spirit; but the hand of the Lord was strong upon me. ’ ’–3:13,14.

This foreshadowed that the Lord puts his spirit upon his people and reveals to them a sufficient amount of the truth to enable them to discern God’s organization, and the wicked organization of Satan in opposition to the Lord, and the great privilege that they have of being in Jehovah’s organization and going into action against the enemy and his agencies. When they see the hideousness and wickedness of Satan’s organization these go in the heat of the spirit and with bitterness against the enemy, because the enemy is God’s enemy. Such is not a malicious hatred, of course, but a sincere and earnest desire to see the enemy and his organization destroyed that God’s name might be exalted.

WATCHMAN

It required some time after 1919 for the “servant” class to get clearly in mind the meaning of the Elisha work. At first it would appear that the work must go on as it had gone in the past, and that efforts should be made to bring as many as possible into the truth and get them ready for the kingdom; but in time the “servant” class saw that such is not the chief purpose of the Elisha work. Ezekiel was then at Tel-abib by the river Chebar (“extent of time”), which would indicate that the fullness of God’s time had come for a new era in his field of service. “Tel-abib” means “hill of green growth” or “hill of Abib”. The first month of the Jewish year was Abib, the same as Nisan, that being the springtime, when the earth was covered with green growth. Even so it was ‘the springtime of the kingdom’, the “hill of green growth” marking the time of a new era. Many who had made a covenant to do God’s will and had been brought forth as his sons had turned away into Babylonish captivity. God’s covenant people must now have a watchman, and this was foreshadowed by what the Lord said to Ezekiel: “And it came to pass at the end of seven days, that the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.”–3:16,17.

The “watchman” is not one man, but is the entire company of anointed ones on earth making up the “faithful and wise servant” class. Some have advanced the thought that the “watchman” is an individual ; but this is entirely wrong and contrary to the Scriptures. The anointed class constitute the “watchman”, and each member thereof watches for the other and watches out for the interests of the kingdom, all of which are now committed into the hands of the “servant” class. Concerning this same “watchman” Isaiah wrote: “Thy watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion.” The faithful watchmen must give warning to all who claim to be the people of God. Therefore they say to each other: “Thy God reigneth!”– Isa. 52:7,8.

The Lord has laid great responsibility upon the watchmen, to wit, his “faithful servant” class. He makes it obligatory that such shall warn those who start in the way of wickedness. The wicked are not those who never knew of the truth, but are those who, having once been enlightened, to some degree at least, concerning the truth of God’s purposes, have then turned away therefrom and render service to the enemy. As Jehovah commanded Ezekiel, so he commands now the one whom Ezekiel foreshadowed, his watchmen, his “servant” class, saying: “When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.” (3:18-20) The “watchman” class could not perform its proper duty unless it sounded the warning to those who have once been connected with the Society; and this has been done, even though it has brought down upon the Society many harsh criticisms. (See Watch Tower, 1928, pages 196, 323, 339, 355; 1929, pages 163, 179.)

It is not the prerogative of The Watch Tower, nor of any forming a part of the “servant” class, to announce its judgment; but it is the duty of such to call attention to God’s judgments as they are written, and this must be done as a warning. Also, it is the duty of such to call attention to God’s judgments as they are written against the “evil servant”, and this must be done as a warning. Also, it is the duty of the “servant” class, by any other means the Lord has provided, to give warning to all Christendom by calling attention to the judgments of the Lord as they are written. This was foreshadowed by the words of the Lord to Ezekiel: “Nevertheless, if thou warn the righteous man, that the righteous sin not, and he doth not sin, he shall surely live, because he is warned; also thou hast delivered thy soul. ” (3:21) In harmony with this commandment given to Ezekiel God’s judgment is: “ He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.”–Rev. 22:11.

Those of the temple class who bear the message of the Lord must be clean, and to this end must separate themselves from all who are out of harmony with God’s organization. (2 Cor. 6:15-17) In harmony with this plain statement of the Scriptures the Lord commanded Ezekiel to separate himself and go into the plain, that the Lord might talk with him there. “And the hand of the Lord was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee. Then I arose, and went forth into the plain; and, behold, the glory of the Lord stood there, as the glory which I saw by the river of Chebar; and I fell on my face.” (3:22,23) The “faithful servant” class must be separate from Christendom, from the “evil servant” class, from the “wicked”, and from the “prisoner” class, and, in fact, from all not in complete harmony with God’s organization. The “faithful servant” must stand out separate and alone as the target of the enemy and as the witness for the Lord. These faithful ones gather themselves together unto the Lord in a condition of separateness, and the Lord’s glory appears unto them. The facts show that since 1922 the Lord has illuminated his “servant” class and laden their table with an abundance of spiritual food and has illuminated their minds as never it came to pass before. The vision of God’s organization is there before them, because the spirit of the Lord is upon them even as it was upon Ezekiel.

"Then the spirit entered into me, and set me upon my feet, and spake with me, and said unto me, Go, shut thyself within thine house. ” (3:24) The ‘‘house’’ mentioned in this scripture is God’s place of security provided by him for the "faithful servant” class. It is "the secret place of the Most High” where the "servant” is pictured as being invulnerable to the assaults of the enemy. Jehovah, by his prophet Isaiah, refers to the same house, saying: "Come, my people, enter thou into thy chambers, and shut thy doors about thee; hide thyself as it were for a little moment, until the indignation be overpast. For, behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity; the earth also shall disclose her blood, and shall no more cover her slain.”– Isa. 26: 20, 21.

The "faithful servant”, being separate from the enemy and under the hand of the Lord Jehovah, is in the place of security; but in this place of security the "servant” is not to be idle. He beholds the enemy and his activities and the enemy’s desire to slay the "servant”; yet he knows that he is secure, because the Lord has so promised him, and in this security the "servant” goes forth with a zeal to the work which the Lord has provided and put in his hands. (Ps. 91:1-11) "For in the time of trouble he shall hide me in his pavilion; in the secret of his tabernacle shall he hide me; he shall set me up upon a rock. ” (Ps. 27:5) Since the beginning of the campaign from and after 1922 until now God’s “servant” class has gone steadfastly on in his service, while the enemy has warred against the “servant” of the Lord and sought his destruction. The activities of the enemy, however, have not disturbed the “servant”. Jehovah is the strength and song of his “servant” class and the power of their salvation, and therefore the “servant”, in obedience to God’s commandment, continues to sing forth the praises of the Most High, while telling of his wondrous works and his loving provision for the children of men.

If the rebellious ones, meaning the professed Christians of Christendom, and the “evil servant” class, the “man of sin”, had their way they would stop the work of God’s “faithful servant” and completely silence all who speak the truth of and concerning the Devil’s organization. But as God said to Ezekiel, so now he says to the “faithful servant” whom Ezekiel foreshadowed: “But thou, 0 son of man, behold, they shall put bands upon thee, and shall bind thee with them, and thou shalt not go out among them. And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover; for they are a rebellious house. But when I speak with thee, I will open thy mouth, and thou shalt say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, He that hcareth, let him hear; and he that forbeareth, let him forbear; for they are a rebellious house.’’ – 3:25-27.

The “servant” is not to tell his own message. Jehovah has made his “faithful servant” the “watchman”, and only as the Lord God directs the “servant” to speak he does speak, having always a “Thus saith the Lord” for every part of the message that is delivered. The work of the “servant” is not to make converts to get them to join an organization, but to give a witness to the truth. The hearers must either accept or reject the message, and take the responsibility. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the spirit saith.” (Rev. 3: 22) Jehovah brings his “servant” into action and uses him for his purposes while he moves forward to the vindication of his name. The opposition by the rebellious house of Christendom or by the “evil servant” will in no wise prevent the truth from being told as God purposes it shall be told.

ORGANIZED CHRISTIANITY BESIEGED

(Ezekiel, Chapter 4)

Jehovah continues to instruct Ezekiel what he shall do. In chapter four God took Ezekiel and made him a sign-man to the professed people of God, first to Israel after the flesh, and thereafter to Christendom. “Thou also, son of man, take thee a tile, and lay it before thee, and pourtray upon it the city, even Jerusalem: and lay siege against it, and build a fort against it, and east a mount against it; set the camp also against it, and set battering rams against it round about.” (4:1,2) Ezekiel is here instructed to lay a siege against Jerusalem. In this he performs a mimic siege against the city. This performance was in the presence of those in the city and was a sign to them and a warning. It was a prophecy against Christendom. Originally Jerusalem was the capital city of ‘both houses of Israel’, and Jehovah let the iniquity of both houses be visited upon that city. To Ezekiel Jehovah said: “Moreover, take thou unto thee an iron pan, and set it for a wall of iron between thee and the city; and set thy face against it, and it shall be besieged, and thou shalt lay siege against it. This shall be a sign to the house of Israel.’’ – 4:3.

Ezekiel was commanded first to lie on his left side for three hundred and ninety days, thus picturing the iniquity of the house of Israel; and then at the end of that period he was to lie on the right side forty days, picturing the iniquity laid against Judah. “Moreover lie thou upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it; according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon it, thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have appointed the years of their iniquity to be unto thee a number of days, even three hundred and ninety days; so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And again, when thou hast accomplished these, thou shalt lie on thy right side, and shalt bear the iniquity of the house of Judah; forty days, each day for a year, have I appointed it unto thee.” (4:4-6, R. P.) This did not mean that Jerusalem was besieged that length of time when the actual siege came to take place. (2 Ki. 25:1-8) This represents the long-suffering of God toward the two houses of Israel. The number of days that Ezekiel lay on his left side and then on his right side represented the number of literal years that God forbore with the two houses of Israel, suffering them to perform their iniquitous work. Both the 390-year and the 40-year period must have terminated at the same time, to wit, in the year 606 B.C., when the long-suffering of God ceased and the city of Jerusalem was broken up, marking the beginning of ‘the gentile times’.

The three-hundred-and-ninety-year period above mentioned applies to the ten tribes of Israel, and the forty-year period applies to the house of Judah and Benjamin. In the year 999 B.C. the ten tribes revolted against Judah. This was 393 years before the destruction of Jerusalem. God had foretold through his prophet that he would rend the ten tribes away from Solomon’s son Rehoboam and give them to Jeroboam, and, if the latter would remain faithful to God, through the ten tribes the Lord would build him a sure house. (1 Ki. 11: 29-40) But Jereboam did not remain faithful to God, but, on the contrary, instituted a base and false worship and set up two golden calves, one at Bethel and the other at Dan, and caused the people to worship there instead of going up to Jerusalem. (1 Ki. 12:26-33) God sent his prophet up to warn Jeroboam; but Jeroboam refused to heed the warning and to turn aside from his false worship, and continued his iniquity. The iniquity of the ten tribes would therefore begin to count from that time, which was 996 B.C., or three years after the revolt of 999 B.C. It follows, then, that 390 years from that date would end 606 B.C. Israel’s iniquity dates from the beginning of the religious revolt and the substitution of the false worship.

Since the Israelites in general foreshadowed “Christendom”, the application of the above is this: “Christianity,” so called, was organized shortly after the demise of the apostles; and the Roman Catholics, acting through their clergy and the principal of their flocks, monopolized the field, that is to say, the entire world, from the religious viewpoint, until the year 1531 (A.D.), when the rulers of England and Germany broke away from the pope and the League of Sehmal- kald was formed for the protection of the Protestant religion. This date is definitely fixed as a historical fact. (See Watch Tower, 1920, page 174.) It was therefore in A.D. 1531 that Jehovah began to bear with the iniquity of “organized Christianity”, as represented by the Roman wing of “Christianity” so called. God’s bearing with this iniquity begins to count at that time, and counting three hundred and ninety years from then brings the period of time down to the year 1921.

Now as to the house of Judah: Jehovah begins to count her iniquity, with which he had to bear, from the year 646 B.C., that being the thirteenth year of the reign of Josiah. The proof is this: The ten tribes went into captivity to Assyria in 740 B.C. Judah should have learned a lesson from this and should have been faithful to God, but, on the contrary, Judah departed from the worship of Jehovah. When God gave warning to Jeroboam concerning the false worship established, he caused his prophet then to foretell the coming of Josiah the king of Judah. (1 Ki. 13:1,2) Manasseh and Amon, who preceded Josiah, had desecrated the temple of Jehovah God and established the Devil worship amongst Judah. After Josiah came to the throne he did right in the sight of the Lord. (2 Ki. 23:26, 27) It was in the thirteenth year of the reign of this king Josiah that God raised up Jeremiah and caused him to prophesy to Judah, and Judah refused to hearken to the words of the Lord spoken by the prophet. “The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah, of the priests that were in Anathoth in the land of Benjamin: to whom the word of the Lord came in the days of Josiah the son of Amon king of Judah, in the thirteenth year of his reign.” (Jer. 1:1,2) Therefore it was from that year, to wit, 646 B.C., that Jehovah began to count the forty years’ iniquity of Judah which terminated in 606 B.C. Jeremiah began to prophesy forty years before the fall of Jerusalem, and his first prophecy was one of warning to Jerusalem of the impending destruction of the city, to which warning the people declined to give heed. This corresponds exactly with the forty days (symbolic of forty years) that Ezekiel lay on his right side to bear the iniquity of the house of Judah.–Jer. 1:14-17.

There must of necessity be a proper application of this mimic siege on Jerusalem to that which Jerusalem represented, to wit, “organized Christianity,” or Christendom. As hereinbefore stated, it was in A.D. 1531 when God began to recognize her iniquity and to bear with the iniquity of the Roman branch of “organized Christianity”. That day is marked by the faet that it was then that the two main pillars of tho Protestant wing of “organized Christianity” were set up. Germany, Britain and the United States, and the colonies belonging thereto, are the chief countries of Protestantism, or “organized Christianity” according to the Protestants. It has been chiefly in these countries where God has caused the truth to be proclaimed concerning his kingdom. A comparatively small amount of the witness work of “present truth” has been carried on in Italy, Spain and such like Catholic countries. The beginning of this public witness work in these Protestant countries would specifically mark the beginning of God’s forbearing with Protestantism. Mark now that it was in 1881 that this public witness work began and is especially indicated by the publication and wide distribution of the booklet Food for Thinking Christians, which set forth the doctrine of the second coming of Christ, and the kingdom of the Lord, and the fundamental truths that had long been obscured by the unfaithfulness of “organized Christianity”. That work, begun in 1881, was exactly three hundred and fifty years after Jehovah began to bear with the iniquities of the Catholic wing of “organized Christianity”, and forty years thereafter exactly corresponds with the three hundred and ninety days that Ezekiel lay on his left side in the mimic siege. At the end of the three hundred and ninety days of the mimic siege Ezekiel lay on his right side for a period of forty days, symbolic of forty years, as stated by the scripture. This foreshadows that God would bear with the iniquity of Protestantism for a period of forty years from and after the beginning of that period, to wit, the year 1881, as above stated. Forty years added to 1881 marks the year 1921, at which time the forty- year period of forbearance of Jehovah with Protestantism would end.

Now be it noted that both the three-hundred-and- ninety-year period, applying to Catholicism, and the forty-year period, applying to Protestantism, end exactly at the same time, showing that the application is correct and applies to all “organized Christianity”. It was in that year, 1921, that The Watch Tower, by the Lord’s grace, was permitted to identify and did identify and publish the truth concerning “the beast”, “the image of the beast,” and “the abomination that maketh desolate”. (Revelation 13) (See Watch Tower, 1921, page 11.) In that same year, 1921, the nations of Christendom, by their duly constituted representatives, held a national assembly at Washington, D. C., known as the International Arms Conference. The announced purpose of that Conference was to establish lasting peace on the earth. The clergy of “organized Christianity” ably supported this movement. God’s covenant people, the Bible Students, presented to that International Arms Conference a resolution that had been duly passed by the Bible Students Convention, which, among other things, stated: ‘That no nation can be truly Christian which fails to obey the teachings of Jesus and the apostles; that the ruling powers of Christendom are made up of the commercial and political leaders, supported by the clergy of both Catholic and Protestant church organizations who, contrary to the Word of God, had allied themselves with such leaders and become a part of the world organization; that the kingdom of heaven is at hand and that it is the divine and only remedy for lasting peace on earth.’

The resolution memorializing this international conference called upon these nations to recognize and adopt God’s remedy, and then added: ‘If the divine Scriptural remedy be ignored, God’s wrath will be visited upon their governments and the system of Christendom.’ (See copy of Resolution, Golden Age magazine, December 7, 1921, page 138.) At the time of the presentation of this resolution it was not known that the matter was in any wise foreshadowed by the prophecy of Ezekiel or any other prophecy. In the light of “present truth” we must conclude that the angel of the Lord directed God’s covenant people to thus serve notice upon “organized Christianity”.

With the close of the year 1921 the three hundred ninety years and forty years of Jehovah’s forbearing with the two houses of “organized Christianity” had expired. The year 1922 was manifestly God’s due time to begin to make known his judgments against the nations of Christendom and to pronounce his judgment by and through his anointed people. It was in that same year, to wit, 1922, that the commandment came from the temple of God to his angels to begin the pouring out of the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth, and God’s covenant people in convention assembled at Cedar Point participated in that work. (See Revelation, Chapter 16, Light, Book II, page 19 and pages following.) When at least two of God’s holy prophets prophesy against “organized Christianity” and the events coming to pass fit both prophecies, then it must be that such events constitute the fulfilment thereof, and this should be a great encouragement to every one who loves Jehovah.

To show in living pantomime that Jerusalem would be surely besieged and destroyed, God commanded Ezekiel to take a brick or tile and an iron pan and to use these in his mimic siege of Jerusalem. He was to portray this city upon the brick. The pan would represent the coverlet or shields behind which the besiegers would operate. Ezekiel lay upon his side during the mimic siege and the Lord laid bands upon him to keep him from turning. Also, Ezekiel was required to live on a restricted diet of bread and water during those days and to eat and drink under much adversity. (4:9-15) This foreshadows the fulfilment of God’s Word spoken to the prophet: “Moreover he said unto me, Son of man, behold, I will break the staff of bread in Jerusalem; and they shall eat bread by weight, and with care; and they shall drink water by measure, and with astonishment; that they may want bread and water, and be astonied one with another, and consume away for their iniquity.” (4:16,17) Such conditions actually existed in the city of Jerusalem at the time of the siege.

This would seem to picture that just as surely as God’s covenant people would be put in bonds and on a restricted diet, spiritually and materially, for a season to bear the iniquitous practices of “organized Christianity”, just so surely would “organized Christianity” by the Lord’s judgment be made hungry for food and thirsty for drink, both spiritually and materially, and suffer and be destroyed. In the years 1918 and 1919 God’s covenant people were under restraint of bonds, bearing “organized Christianity’s” iniquity, being “hated of all nations”, and many of them were imprisoned and compelled to exist upon scant food rations, while the church everywhere was being fed with meager spiritual rations because Christendom had restricted the work and communication of God’s people one with another. Those trying experiences awakened God’s covenant people to the real situation and set them wholly against “organized religion” and all other parts of Satan’s organization. Particularly from and after 1922 God’s covenant people have assaulted “organized Christianity” with the weapons of truth provided by the Lord, and have continued so to do with zeal and vigor.

The cruel handling of God’s covenant people by “organized Christianity” during the World War has ‘turned for a testimony against them [“organized Christianity”] ’, even as Jesus foretold. (Mark 13: 9) Ezekiel made a picture of the siege of Jerusalem, and the siege actually began some time thereafter. Up to 1922 Jehovah’s organization was drawing up the machinery for operations before the walls of hypocritical “Jerusalem” or “organized Christianity’’ and was preparing for the siege. There was then much to the discredit of “organized Christianity” in the eyes of the Lord, among which was the persecution of God’s covenant people during the World War; the Inter- chureh World Movement, launched by Big Business, with the clergy playing second fiddle, in the year 1919; also the approval by “organized Christianity” of the League of Nations, which is an “abomination” in the sight of the Lord; and the approval of the program of the International Arms Conference in 1921, and other things. In March, 1922, the “ammunition” factory of God’s covenant people was greatly enlarged, being established in more commodious quarters, in order that many books containing the message of truth might be made ready for the assault. Then quickly followed the world-wide witness by many public lectures’ being delivered on “Millions Now Living Will Never Die”, and also the introduction of the radio, which the Lord put forward to tell the truth to the people. Now the campaign has been in progress for several years and is growing more intensive and interesting each year.

During the mimic siege of Jerusalem God laid bands upon Ezekiel. During the siege of “organized Christianity” God has laid bands upon his people, which are the obligations of being his witnesses to give his testimony which he committed to Jesus Christ, and these bands prevent his people from turning to the right or to the left in their work. God’s “faithful servant” class now have their faces firmly set against Satan’s organization, and they have assaulted and continue the assault with God’s Word which he has put in their mouths and in their hands. They are in a real fight now, and no longer on short rations, spiritually or otherwise, even as it is written: ‘‘Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed.” (Isa. 65:13) Jehovah is making ample provision for his people, spiritually and temporally, even while all Christendom is suffering. As these comments are being written a well known newspaper, of February 10, 1931, representing the sentiments of “organized Christianity”, says:

“Our world presents a strange and sorry spectacle. In the cities millions of people haven’t enough to eat. In the country millions of farmers, facing ruin, are feeding dirt-cheap wheat and corn to the hogs, because they haven’t a market. Around the world there are hundreds of millions going almost naked, while cotton planters are on the verge of starvation because they can’t get rid of their cotton. There is too much bread, too much sugar, too much coffee, too much cotton, too much silver, too much copper, too much oil, too much, almost, of everything. Yet 1,500,000 people–three-quarters of the population of the globe– half-naked and half-starved, are yearning for the barest necessities of life, but can’t afford them. What a sickening indictment of our system! . . . The remedy is only to be found in a new order of things founded upon world peace. The principal nations of the earth are going to have to get together on a plan to put an end to war, then turn their attention to policies, national and international, which will improve the living conditions of peoples everywhere.”

The peoples of Jerusalem, especially the clergy, scoffed at Ezekiel and prophesied man’s ability to bring peace and plenty. The conditions are exactly the same today. After repeated proclamations of the truth; the distribution in Christendom of more than ninety million books in many languages; the proclamation of the message of God’s kingdom by resolution, by radio and by other means, Christendom is absolutely blind to the cause of the trouble and what is the remedy. This blindness will continue until there falls upon “organized Christianity”, or Christendom, exactly what fell upon the city of Jerusalem, except on a far wider and greater scale. The Lord is causing his people now to proclaim the day of his vengeance upon “organized Christianity”. Christ Jesus, Jehovah’s great executive Officer in the temple, is leading the fight to the glory and the vindication of Jehovah’s name, and when it is done the people shall know that Jehovah is God. His name shall be vindicated!

THREE JUDGMENTS

(Ezekiel, Chapter 5)

Among all the nations that are on the earth or ever have been on the earth those nations composing Christendom, or “organized Christianity”, are the most reprehensible. The Protestant countries of “organized Christianity” are even more reprehensible than the Catholic. It was because of enlightenment coming to view by the favor of the Lord that certain Christians organized Protestantism as a protest against the practice of Catholicism. The light, therefore, that has come upon Protestantism has been greater than that upon Catholics; and greater light brings greater responsibility. The Protestants have had free access to the Bible, while many Catholics have been denied this privilege. The Protestant countries have had the testimony of the truth given to them in their own languages, and their own Bibles have been used to cite the truth to them even more than any other peoples ever upon the earth. In addition to the prophecies with which the nation of Israel was favored, the nations calling themselves “Christian” have had the words of Jesus and of the apostles, and later millions of copies of Bibles have been published and placed in their hands. There appears to be no excuse for any one of these lands called Christendom, and especially amongst those of the clergy and the principal of their flocks, to say that they never had an opportunity to know about the Lord.

The nations of Christendom have held themselves out before all other peoples of earth as models and have sent their missionaries into heathen lands to induce the heathen people to follow the Christians as a model people. They have put forth much effort to convert the heathen nations to the so-called “Christian’s way of thinking” concerning religion. They have claimed to be God’s favorites, and without hesitation have taken his name upon their lips and called themselves by the name of his beloved Son, and at the same time their hearts have been far removed from him.

Jehovah God has sent his witnesses throughout Christendom, and particularly into the lands known as Protestant, to give a wide witness for the truth. Among all the men in these nations collectively called “Christendom” the most reprehensible are the clergymen. These men claim to be the children and covenantpeople of God and to be followers of Christ Jesus. They pose before the people as the only ones qualified and commissioned to interpret and teach the Bible. They have builded great church edifices and called these after the name of Christ and the apostles. They have put themselves forward as leaders of the people and have induced millions to follow after them; they have builded great schools of learning, which they call “theological seminaries”, or places for the education of young men to preach the gospel, and these they have sent forth labeled with the title of “Reverend”, “Doctor of Divinity,” or “Minister of God’s Word”. They are therefore without excuse for the course they have taken and for their failure to know about God’s purposes. Regardless of all the favor that Jehovah has bestowed upon them, today the clergy- men of Christendom, as a whole, are against the kingdom of God, and among all those who oppose the preaching of the message of the truth of and concerning the kingdom the clergymen are the most violent opposers. They are the ones who persecute and seek the arrest and imprisonment of humble men and women who carry the message of truth to the people. They are the ones who busy themselves in attempts to prevent the radio stations from broadcasting the message of God’s kingdom. God will not permit these things to go unnoticed.

The large majority of the clergy repudiate the blood of Christ Jesus, which is God’s provision for the redemption of man, and they deny that his kingdom is God’s remedy for the uplift and blessing of the human race. They deny the inspiration of the Scriptures and freely tell the people that the Bible account of the creation, the fall of man, and redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ is merely folklore. They have openly joined hands with the Devil’s makeshift and fraudulent scheme, the League of Nations, and claim it as the substitute for God’s announced kingdom on earth. They have builded the greatest structure of hypocrisy ever known. Hypocritically claiming to be the followers of Christ, they have made themselves a part of Satan’s organization, and therefore the avowed enemies of Jehovah God and his kingdom. They have led the people away from God and into darkness, have acted as Satan’s chief agents, and have deseerated and defamed God’s holy name; and now God’s day has come when he will have announcement made of his judgment and will cause to be executed his judgments against Christendom as written. Christendom, therefore, is in the stocks and is marked for the most severe drubbing any people or nation has ever received. It is upon Christendom that the Lord Jesus Christ declares shall be visited the greatest tribulation that was ever known since the world began, and it shall mark the last.

In the fifth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy, now here considered, the prophet by his shaved hair and beard predicts and portrays the distressing conditions of the siege and of the execution of Jehovah’s judgment against Christendom. (Here carefully read Ezekiel 5:1-5, as the same appears in the Scriptures.) Then Jehovah by his prophet tells professed “organized Christianity”, or Christendom, that they not only have failed to walk in his statutes but have been guilty of greater wickedness than any other nation. “And she hath changed my judgments into wickedness more than the nations, and my statutes more than the countries that are round about her; for they have refused my judgments and my statutes, they have not walked in them.” (5:6) The nations calling themselves Christian, having had the opportunity to know and to walk in the laws and statutes of the Lord, have failed to do so. Not only have they failed, but their clergymen and the principal of their flocks have deliberately led the people against the Lord. “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because ye multiplied more than the nations that are round about you, and have not walked in my statutes, neither have kept my judgments, neither have done according to the judgments of the nations that are round about you.” (5:7) Because of their disregard of God’s Word, the persecution of his faithful witnesses, and the desecration and defamation of his holy name, Jehovah says to “organized Christianity”: “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I, even I, am against thee, and will execute judgments in the midst of thee, in the sight of the nations. And I will do in thee that which I have not done, and whereunto I will not do any more the like, because of all thine abominations.”–5: 8, 9.

As famine, pestilence, pests that destroy the crops, and other like things now begin to befall the people, the clergy in their pulpits (which they claim to be in the house of God) and by means of the radio proclaim to the people that all their sufferings and calamities Jehovah God has brought upon them and therefore he is responsible; and this is added to all other aets of wickedness that they have committed. “Wherefore, as I live, saith the Lord God, Surely, because thou hast defiled my sanctuary with all thy detestable things, and with all thine abominations, therefore will I also diminish thee; neither shall mine eye spare, neither will I have any pity.’’ (5:11) The Lord declares that he will show no pity upon these deliberate defamers of his holy name. The people shall know and will know that Jehovah is the Lord God Almighty.

Jehovah’s judgment written against Christendom includes all who have claimed to be his people but who have been and are hypocrites: “A third part of thee shall die with the pestilence, and with famine shall they be consumed in the midst of thee; and a third part shall fall by the sword round about thee; and I will scatter a third part into all the winds, and I will draw out a sword after them.” (5:12) God declares three methods or judgment acts to be executed against Christendom. The “third part” in the foregoing text does not mean an actual one-third of the inhabitants, but has reference to the victims of one of the three judgment aets of God executed upon, or of one of his three methods of executing judgment upon, the nations of Christendom. These judgments of Jehovah, as written, will be executed because of the traducing of his name and for the vindication thereof. The great defamer of God’s name is Satan the Devil, and Christendom not only has fallen away to the Devil, but has become his chief instrument among the nations of the earth to practice fraud and hypocrisy and to bring reproach upon Jehovah’s name. The visible manifestation of Jehovah’s judgments and the vindication of his name will be a thorough lesson to all who remain on the earth, and all shall know that Jehovah is the Almighty God. The name of Jehovah God, and its vindication, is of paramount importance. “So it shall be a reproach and a taunt, an instruction and an astonishment unto the nations that are round about thee, when I shall execute judgments in thee, in anger and in fury, and in furious rebukes. I the Lord have spoken it.’’–5:15.

During the execution of these judgments God’s “faithful servant” class will abide in “the secret place of the Most High” and be delivered from “the arrow that flieth by day”, and from “the pestilence that walketh in darkness”. (Ps. 91:5-13) The “faithful servant” will be singing praises to the name of Jehovah, and he will hold them in the hollow of his hand. While these faithful ones are kept under the protection of Jehovah and are proclaiming his praises, he will execute his judgment upon Christendom. “When I shall send upon them the evil arrows of famine, which shall be for their destruction, and which I will send to destroy you; and I will increase the famine upon you, and will break your staff of bread; so will I send upon you famine and evil beasts, and they shall bereave thee; and pestilence and blood shall pass through thee; and I will bring the sword upon thee. I the Lord have spoken it.” (5:16,17) The complete execution of his judgment will be in the battle of Armageddon, in which Satan and his entire organization shall completely fall.

RULERS AND SUPPORTERS

(Ezekiel, Chapter 6)

Rulers of Christendom have lived wantonly and for their own pleasure. The clergy element have boldly proclaimed that the rulers of Christendom rule by divine right and therefore are God’s favored ones on the earth. These call themselves by the name of the Lord and have used his name to cover up their selfish and wanton schemes. This applies to every element of the government power of Christendom. There has been and is a large number of people who support the unholy alliance of the rulers, both mentally and actually with their hands, and deceive themselves into believing that by this means they will have and do have special favor with the rulers.

Both the rulers and their supporters make believe that they are on the Lord’s side, when they should know that they are not. They call themselves Christians, when they have no love for God or for Christ. The rulers have builded up a system of religion which dishonors the name of Jehovah God, and continue to heap reproach upon him; and their schemes or organizations they use to ensnare many. “As a cage is full of birds, so are their houses full of deceit; [and] they are become great, and waxen rich,” and claim to be God’s favored people on the earth. While this applies specifically to the clergy and the principal of their flock, it also has an application to all of the peoples in Christendom who either mentally or actually lend support to the unholy alliance. The Prophet Jeremiah prophesied against the same people, and God caused him to write concerning the clergy, the principal of their flocks, and those who support them, these words:

“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. 5:27-31.

The sixth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy, now here considered, is a statement of God’s judgment against the rulers, symbolically represented by the “mountains” and the “hills”; and those people who support such rulers are symbolized or represented by the “rivers” and the “valleys”. This judgment God will execute in his own due time and after due notice is given:

“And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, set thy face toward the mountains of Israel, and prophesy against them, and say, Ye mountains of Israel, hear the word of the Lord God; Thus saith the Lord God to the mountains, and to the hills, to the rivers, and to the valleys, Behold, I, even I, will bring a sword upon you, and I will destroy your high places. And your altars shall be desolate, and your images shall be broken; and I will cast down your slain men before your idols. ’ ’–6:1-4.

In the execution of God’s judgments the prophet makes it appear that the nations of hypocritical Christendom, their chief men and leaders and their supporters, shall find no way of escape. There shall be no way of escape, whether these of Christendom be in far-away lands doing missionary work or are manipulating the machines at the base of operations. Jehovah God through his duly appointed executive officer will search them out in every part of the earth: “He that is far off shall die of the pestilence; and he that is near shall fall by the sword; and he that remaineth and is besieged shall die by the famine; thus will I accomplish my fury upon them.’’–6:12.

This terrible work the Lord declares he will do that his name may be vindicated. “And they shall know that I am the Lord, and that I have not said in vain that I would do this evil unto them. So will I stretch out my hand upon them, and make the land desolate, yea, more desolate than the wilderness toward Diblath, in all their habitations; and they shall know that I am the Lord.” (6:10,14) Four times in this chapter the statement is made: “They shall know that I am the Lord.” Had Christendom heeded the repeated warnings that Jehovah has given her, this might have been avoided.–Jer. 23: 22.

There is a class, however, that will give heed and are giving heed to God’s message of truth that he is causing to be proclaimed, and this prophecy of Ezekiel is another strong proof that “millions now living will never die” but will be brought through the terrible trouble: “Yet will I leave a remnant that ye may have some that shall escape the sword among the nations, when ye shall be scattered through the countries. And they that escape of you shall remember me among the nations whither they shall be carried.” (6: 8, 9) The Lord will spare some creatures upon the earth, and this shall furnish the nucleus for the beginning of reconstruction before the resurrection of the dead. All the living shall know that Jehovah is God, and all those who are brought forth from he grave shall know it also.

CHRISTENDOM DOOMED

(Ezekiel, Chapter 7)

Other prophecies of the Bible prove that 1914 marks the end of Satan’s rule without interference, and from that time forward war is made by the Lord against Satan and against his organization until the wieked thing is entirely cleaned out. (Psalm 110) The seventh chapter of Ezekiel, now here considered, is corroborative proof of this fact.

The World War came to an end and the League of Nations was brought forward, and the religious leaders of the world have put forth their program of forming the complete union with the other wings of Satan’s organization, and this they have done in order to insure their control of the world. Various peace agreements are promulgated by Satan’s organization, but none of these things shall stop the forward march of Jehovah and his Christ to crush out every vestige of Satan’s wieked organization. The end is inevitable, because ‘God’s wrath is come’. (Rev. 11:18) The period of Jehovah’s long-suffering with hypocritical religion and systems of the world has ended. The Lord therefore said to his prophet Ezekiel: “And thou, son of man, thus saith the Lord Jehovah unto the land of Israel, An end: the end is come upon the four corners of the land. Now is the end upon thee, and I will send mine anger upon thee, and will judge thee according to thy ways; and I will bring upon thee all thine abominations. And mine eye shall not spare thee, neither will I have pity; but I will bring thy ways upon thee, and thine abominations shall be in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am Jehovah. Thus saith the Lord Jehovah: An evil, an only evil; behold, it cometh. An end is come, the end is come, it awaketh against thee; behold, it cometh. Thy doom is come unto thee, O inhabitant of the land: the time is come, the day is near; a day of tumult, and not of joyful shouting, upon the mountains.”–7:1-7, A.R.V.

The physical facts show that from and after 1914 this prophecy has been in course of fulfilment and is progressing forward to a final end. Now the world has reached the point when the prophecy uttered by Jesus is being fulfilled, to wit: “Upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; . . . men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth.” (Luke 21: 25, 26) Doubtless Jesus had Ezekiel’s prophecy in mind when he thus spoke, and the words of Jesus confirm what Jehovah caused Ezekiel to prophesy.

Christendom is now doomed. God’s judgment has been written against her. That judgment has been announced and, as Ezekiel prophesied, soon God will pour out his anger upon Christendom. “Now will I shortly pour out my fury upon thee, and accomplish mine anger upon thee; and I will judge thee according to thy ways, and will recompense thee for all thine abominations. And mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity: I will recompense thee according to thy ways and thine abominations that are in the midst of thee; and ye shall know that I am the Lord that smiteth.”–7: 8, 9.

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS

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. Therefore 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.”–7:11,12.

The 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.” (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 back 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. The political rulers support Big Business in this contention, their argument being that if the government feeds the starving such shows that the government is paternalistic and not democratic. That is a plausible argument on the face of it for there who want to stand by the original declarations of the American government when it was founded. Democracy has ceased to exist, and governments are in fact paternalistic so far as they oppress and rob the children thereof; but when the American government is called upon to feed the starving ones its chief political officers balk at the effort.

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 eries of the suffering, laboring ones, however, have reached the ears 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 east 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.” (7:17-19) “The love of money is the root of all evil” and is a stumblingblock 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 I judge them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.” (7:27) Armageddon is Jehovah’s fight, and he will give no quarter to the enemy and his supporters.

Those who have been the favored ones amongst the governments of Christendom will sock 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, to the moles, and to the bats; to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the tops of the ragged rocks, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, when he ariseth to shake terribly the earth. ’ ’–Isa. 2: 20, 21.

Even at the present time, and before the preachers 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 preachers 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 [preachers]: but the law [Word of God] shall perish from the priest, and counsel from the [elders]. ” (7: 26) That means that those who now hypocritically claim to represent the Lord will find no words of consolation for any of the suffering humankind.

CHAIN OPERATIONS

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 saeredness 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.” (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 has failed in the land of America and has filled the land with all manner of crime and violence. Millions of money are spent in the abortive attempt to enforce this unholy law, while the political powers that manipulate the machinery refuse 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 ears with a loud voice, yet will I not hear them.” (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.’’ – 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.” (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 fcared in all the earth, and all shall come to know that Jehovah is the God eternal, the God almighty, whose power is irresistible.

CLERGY’S IDOLATRY

(Ezekiel, Chapter 8)

Jehovah has favored his covenant people with a knowledge of his purposes and has laid upon the elders of each ecclesia the obligation of feeding and instructing the flock of God in his Word. (1 Pet. 5:2) The Lord is using and has used The Watch Tower from its foundation as his channel of communication to and between his people; and during the past few years The Watch Tower has repeatedly called attention to Satan’s wicked organization. In the face of all this, however, there have been in the ecclesias certain 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 preachers 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.’ Some of the weaker ones in the ecclesias 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 Watch Tower 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. Now 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.

Ezekiel began to prophesy in the fifth year of King Jehoiachin’s captivity, which corresponded with A.D. 1919. It was one year and two months later that the events in the eighth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy came to pass. This marks the beginning of a new vision and series of prophecies by Ezekiel. At the time when this prophecy began to have its fulfilment, the Lord Jesus Christ was in the temple of Jehovah. He inspects the defiled “organized Christianity”, so called, and points out to the “faithful servant” class, pictured by Ezekiel, the conditions there found, and the “servant” class is enabled to understand and appreciate the same as never before. As the vision appcared to Ezekiel, so the “faithful servant” class in every instance has seen that there is and has been the worship of the creature rather than the Creator. Such is Devil worship, the Devil’s method of fraudulently claiming to worship God, the purpose being to turn man away from Jehovah.

An officer of Jehovah appcared in the name and by the power of Jehovah God and lifted Ezekiel up and showed him how the temple had been defiled. The fulfilment of this is that God through his duly constituted officers lifted up the “faithful servant” class, and showed that class how Satan had reproached and defamed God’s name. “And he put forth the form of an hand, and took me by a lock of mine head; and the spirit lifted me up between the earth and the heaven, and brought me in the visions of God to Jerusalem, to the door of the inner gate that looketh toward the north, where was the seat of the image of jealousy, which provoketh to jealousy. And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel was there, according to the vision that I saw in the plain. Then said he unto me, Son of man, lift up thine eyes now the way toward the north. So I lifted up mine eyes the way toward the north, and behold, northward at the gate of the altar, this image of jealousy in the entry.” (8:3-5) Thus the Lord lifted up the faithful anointed “servant” class between earth and heaven and brought them in vision to Jerusalem, the heavenly organization, to the door of the inner gate of the temple that looks toward the north, from which divine authority and judgment proceed; and there appcared the image of jealousy.

LEAGUE OF NATIONS

The Devil is the very image or personification of jealousy and envy. He was jealous and envious of the worship given by man to Jehovah and coveted the same. Therefore Satan said: “I will be like the Most High.” Everything that God has done for human salvation the Devil has tried to imitate, out of jealousy and for the purpose of deceit, to draw men away from Jehovah God. The Devil is the mimic god and vigorously endeavors to turn all creatures away from Jehovah and from the truth. This mimic, or “image”, provokes to jealousy. In giving his law to Israel God said: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image. ... I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.” (Ex. 20:3-5) That law was not given for Jehovah’s benefit, but was declared for the benefit of Israel and all who thereafter should come to a knowledge of God.

All life proceeds from Jehovah; whereas Satan is the one who has unrighteously taken life. Envying the honor and glory that is properly bestowed upon Jehovah by his creatures, and coveting that honor and glory for himself, Satan has resorted to all manner of crime to turn creatures away from God. For the benefit of creation and for his own honor and glory, and that his creatures might know him and live, Jehovah God must in his own due time vindicate his name against this jealous one. All the images that have been rcared up for the purpose of being worshiped were rcared up by the Devil, and therefore the Devil is "the image of jealousy”. The truth discloses the true situation that man may have the opportunity to know God and to know the way to life.

As the image of jealousy seen by Ezekiel depicted the Devil, so the organization of the Devil on the earth is the true image of the Devil, morally, mentally, and in practice. Today God’s “faithful servant” class sees “the abomination that maketh desolate”, spoken of by Daniel the prophet and by the Lord Jesus Christ, standing in the holy place. (Matt. 24:15) It is the Devil’s product, his organization, and it is “the image of the beast”, the League of Nations. It has its seat in the holy place of “organized religion” which calls itself by the holy name of God and which claims to be the favored one of Jehovah God; and thus the name of Jehovah is reproached and desecrated. Its prime promoters and chief supporters are the nations which call themselves “Christian nations’’. “The image of jealousy” and the League of Nations, the product and offspring of the Devil, is anti-kingdom-of-God. All who support it, either actively or passively, put themselves in a position antagonistic to the kingdom of God.

Those who profess to be consecrated to God and who hold that “the higher powers” means the ruling powers of this world deceive themselves and deceive others. Many of the elders of the ecclesias or Bible classes insist that “the higher powers”, described by the apostle in Romans thirteen, means the ruling powers of this world. Being selfish, they have become blind to the revelation of God’s truth. “God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie.” (2 Thess. 2:11) These also fail to see the organization of Jehovah, and therefore fail to appreciate the fact that the kingdom is at hand. They do not see the kingdom of God, and therefore refuse to take a stand for it. They insist on treading softly so far as the Devil and his organization are concerned, and are led in the way of outer darkness; and, as the Scriptures declare, the same fate awaits them that God has provided for the Devil. They are anti-kingdom-of-God.

The elders, leaders, or clergymen of Christendom, practically as a unit support the League of Nations and falsely claim that the abominable thing is ‘the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth’, and these likewise insist that “the powers that be” are the kingdoms of this world, which the Lord plainly declares constitute the visible organization of the Devil. Anyone who is devoted to the Lord and who receives the Lord’s approval must take his stand unequivocally on Jehovah’s side and speak the truth concerning Satan’s organization and Jehovah’s organization, to the end that he might have some part in the vindication of Jehovah’s name.

EVOLUTIONISTS

Then the officer of the Lord in charge of Ezekiel continues the inspection, and Ezekiel sees more abominations. “And he brought me to the door of the court [of the temple]; and when I looked, behold a hole in the wall. Then said he unto me, Son of man, dig now in the wall; and when I had digged in the wall, behold a door. And he said unto me, Go in, and behold the wicked abominations that they do here. So I went in and saw; and behold, every form of creeping things, and abominable beasts, and all the idols of the house of Israel, pourtrayed upon the wall round about. And there stood before them seventy men of the ancients [elders] of the house of Israel, and in the midst of them stood Jaazaniah the son of Shaphan, with every man his censer in his hand; and a thick cloud of incense went up.’’ (8: 7-11) The abominable beasts and idols portrayed upon the wall of the house or temple of the Israelites foreshadowed the abominable things that have been brought into professed “Christianity’’ which claims to be the temple of the Lord.

The modernist clergy, while claiming to be ministers of God, are the leaders and teachers of evolution and are guilty of ancestor worship, in this, that they claim that “every form of creeping things” or “abominable beasts” preceded man on the earth and that these are man’s ancestors or blood relatives. These clergy men hold on to their jobs and draw their pay from the people on the pretext of being interpreters of the Word of God, and they occupy so-called “Christian pulpits’’. In their discourses they take a Bible text as a pretext to teach evolution. They read their text and get away from it immediately. These elders or leaders, otherwise called “clergymen” of “organized Christianity”, burn incense in the house which they call the house of the Lord, their church, while they busy themselves in turning the people away from God and from the Bible. Therefore in the picture each one is shown with a censer in his hand with incense round about. They deny the existence of the supreme, all-wise God, the Creator of heaven and earth. They are so wise in their own conceits that they believe they can teach what they will, and that the people will not understand them and that ‘no one will see them’. Therefore says the Lord to Ezekiel: “Then said he unto me, Son of man, hast thou seen what the ancients [elders] of the house of Israel do in the dark, every man in the chambers of his imagery? for they say, The Lord seeth us not; the Lord hath forsaken the earth.”–8:12.

These distinguished clergymen, wise in their own conceits, are, in the language of God’s Word, fools. They say, ‘There is nothing to show that God made the earth and its creatures,’ and they tell the people that the Bible account thereof is mere nonsense and imaginations of unlearned men. They laugh at the statement: ‘Your Father in heaven seeth in secret.' They are hypocrites of the worst kind, because they claim to represent God and yet they deny God, and in fact represent the Devil and defame and desecrate God’s name.

Anyone who is a child of the Lord and in the covenant for the kingdom, and who would put on the “soft pedal” concerning such men and fail to point out that they are the Devil’s servants, would be unfaithful to God and to his covenant. The “faithful servant” class, each one of which will do his duty, will tell the truth, that God’s truth may sweep away these hiding places of lies, that the glory of the Lord may be seen by those who love righteousness.

FUNDAMENTALISTS IN TEARS

The inspection continued and more abominations were seen by the Prophet Ezekiel, and what Ezekiel saw foreshadowed what the “faithful servant” or remnant would see shortly preceding Armageddon, or the destruction of Christendom. “He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz.” (8:13,14) “Tammuz” was the name of a Phcenician god, which the Devil had provided, of course, with which to deceive the people. Whatever the Tammuz represented, it is certain that women adored and idolized it and worshiped the creature and ignored the Creator, and that death overtook it, and they wept bitterly. This fits the fundamentalists, who worship their church organizations and give no heed to the kingdom of God under Christ. They profess to be defenders of the Word of God and the followers of Christ Jesus, but their devotion is entirely to their organization, which Tammuz fitly represents. These church organizations are patronized chiefly by women. Their men look upon religion as taught in the orthodox churches as being fit only for women and children and weak-minded persons.

The women well pictured the Epworth League workers, the managers of church affairs, and like organizations within the church, which they idolize and worship because they are attached to the church. Those represented by the women have for some time seen the steady decline of their church organization, and they weep because the church is dying or practically dead, and they know that soon it must die. They believe that with the passing away of these churches Prohibition, and morality and human reformation, will die also, and the entire world will be lost. They pretend to make much over Jesus, who died, but they have no time for nor interest in the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ as the means of vindicating and honoring Jehovah God’s name and for the blessing and uplift of the human race. The second coming of Christ and the establishment of his kingdom does not interest them. Their interest is centered in doing the work of their organization. They think that, because some self-constituted “wise” men have said that 'the church must clothe the earth in the moral achievements of man, so that Christ can come’, the work of the church therefore is to carry out this announced slogan and clean up the world. And now seeing that the church is in a dying condition, and is practically dead, they weep and wail. They look to the clergy of their church to clean up and save the world, and the clergy go to the political rulers and ask for instruction as to what they shall do to accomplish this purpose. Hence the members of their church look upon their organization as dying and almost dead.

The fundamentalists, while claiming to support the Bible, ignore every part of it with reference to God’s kingdom, and ally themselves with this world and are led by the god of these world powers, the Devil. They are deceived, to be sure; and this statement is made here because it is a fact, and in order that those of good will may get their eyes open to a realization of the facts. The preachers themselves have ‘become as women’. They sense the end of their organization, and they weep. All of them have great cause to weep, because they have drawn near the Lord with their mouths while their hearts are far removed from him and now no more is the blessing of the Lord with them. They have allied themselves with Satan’s organization and looked to the League of Nations, the Epworth League, and other leagues and peace pacts, to accomplish the desired end of reformation and upbuilding of the human race. They are therefore an abomination in the sight of the Lord.

WORSHIP OF INTELLECTUALITY

The inspection continues and more abominations are exhibited to Ezekiel, and hence more abominations are revealed to the temple class. “Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, 0 son of man! Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these.” (8:15) It is a well known fact that in modern times human intellectuality, or “the wisdom of this world”, is placed before and above the worship of Jehovah God. The clergy, acting as Satan’s instruments and hypocritically claiming to be God’s representatives, are chiefly responsible for this condition in the nations called “Christendom” or “organized Christianity”. From the pulpits discourses are regularly delivered, not in explanation of the Bible, but upon what is called “scientific matters”, and the Word of the Lord is ignored. “And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house [the temple]; and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar [the place of sacrifice, and near the location of the laver, which symbolizes the Word of God by which one is made clean, and which is by these ignored], were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east.’’ – 8:16.

In this modern day, called by the self-wise “the brain age”, young men are required to take a course in the secular colleges and there have all faith in God and his Word destroyed, before they are admitted to the theological seminary. By the time they have finished their education in the theological seminary and are turned out for preachers, and labeled as such, although they occupy a place in a church called the house of the Lord, their worship is of the creature and to the utter disregard of the Creator. Modern colleges and theological seminaries are therefore mere hatcheries of infidelity. It is these worshipers of so-called intellectual power and great men and their institutions that are put forward as the saviors and deliverers of the world. These modem “brain-age” men, together with their institutions, are held forth to the people as the “sunlight of the world”. As

Ezekiel was shown this condition in the temple, even so the class whom he represented, God’s faithful anointed ones, had a vision thereof in fact and so declared themselves. On August 29, 1925, in convention assembled at Indianapolis, the consecrated passed a resolution known as the “Message of Hope”, and sent it forth to all peoples of good will of Christendom. Amongst other things that resolution said:

“World powers, science and philosophy, commerce and religion, have each in turn offered their respective remedies for man’s relief. In the name and under the guise of democracy, these combine in offering their joint and several powers to meet the requirements of man. Together they claim to be the sunlight of the world, holding forth all the light that shines to enlighten and guide the human race.

“Intrigue, duplicity, and trickery are freely resorted to by the political and commercial powers; science and philosophy are marked by vanity and self-sufficiency; while the religionists, both Catholic and Protestant, are conspicuous by their arrogance, self-conceit, impiety and ungodliness. Therefore, it is apparent that the remedies offered by any and all of these aforementioned elements are vain, impotent, and powerless to satisfy man’s desire.” (See Light, Book One, page 130.)

The twenty-five men that Ezekiel saw at the door of the temple of the Lord represent the modern clergymen and the principal of their flocks, who are the chief ones in the organization of the religion of Christendom and hence claim to be in the house of the Lord. While they claim to be the representatives of God, they are in fact the servants of Satan the Devil, and hence are constantly practicing hypocrisy before men. These self-wise “sun worshipers’’, meaning those who worship intellect, science and power, greatly defame and reproach the name of Jehovah God. They are an integral part of Satan’s organization. It is the solemn duty and obligation laid upon every member of the “servant” class to tell the truth concerning such hypocrites, that by the grace of the Lord the truth might sweep away the lies and expose the hiding place thereof, that the people might know that Jehovah is the only true God and that their hope rests entirely with him. For any of the Lord’s anointed ones to slack his hand in declaring the truth concerning Satan’s organization and the visible representatives therein would be to show unfaithfulness to God and to his covenant.

CRIME WAVE

It is a fact well known to all that since the ending of the World War a great crime wave has swept over the land called “Christendom”. Who is responsible among men for this great crime wave ? The prophecy of Ezekiel lays the responsibility for the crime wave at the door of “organized Christianity” by reason of its perversion of the true worship of God and the forsaking of his Word. This was pictured in the false religious practices that Ezekiel saw going on in God’s holy temple. The clergy and the principal of the floek of Christendom claim to represent God and Christ and to rule by divine right, and yet they pursue a course of unrighteousness and have brought great reproach upon God’s name and upon the name of his Christ. They have attempted to induce the people to believe that Jehovah approves of them. The people know that they are hypocrites, because they claim to be for God and righteousness and at the same time practice unrighteousness. They claim to be advocates of the law, while they themselves break the law. By reason thereof the people have lost respect for law and order and have no regard for God and the Bible. The sanctity of human life is no longer held by the great mass of mankind, and hence “the everlasting covenant” is transgressed and frequently broken.

This was shown to Ezekiel, and foreshadowed the condition existing today in Christendom: “Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, 0 son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here? for they have filled the land with violence, and have returned to provoke me to anger; and, lo, they put the branch to their nose.” (8:17) “The land is full of bloody crimes, and the city [Christendom, Satan’s organization on earth] is full of violence.” (7:23) “The earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant.’’ – Isa. 24:5.

Jehovah has laid the responsibility for this crime wave at the door of the hypocritical religionists, and any attempt on the part of the “servant” class to hold back the truth of and concerning that part of Satan’s organization would be a mark of disloyalty to God. Anyone who now professes to be in the truth and a follower of Christ Jesus, and who fails or refuses to declare the vengeance of our God against Satan and his organization, thereby gives evidence that he is not anointed by the spirit of Jehovah but, in fact, is God’s enemy. All who are anointed of the Lord are specifically authorized and commanded to declare the day of the vengeance of our God. (Isa. 61:2) Such must declare the vengeance of God against Satan’s organization, and since Satan’s visible organization is composed of false religious leaders and the principal of their flocks, the anointed of God cannot prove faithful except by speaking the truth concerning them. It is not a question as to whether some might become offended and refuse to hear the truth.

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

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

That which is disclosed by the prophecy of the eighth chapter of Ezekiel seems to prepare the “faithful servant” class for the work and obligation laid upon that class, as set forth in the following chapter of the prophecy.

EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN

(Ezekiel, Chapter 9)

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

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

Christ Jesus comes forth to this work of judgment and is attended by a host of angels. “When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.” (Matt. 25:31) “The Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, to execute judgment upon all.” (Jude 14,15) The inspection completed, as described in the eighth chapter of the prophecy of Ezekiel, then Ezekiel heard a loud voice that cried out: “He cried also in mine ears with a loud voice, saying, Cause them that have charge over the city to draw near, even every man with his destroying weapon in his hand.” (9:1) The language used shows that the cry was a loud and threatening command, and that it was sharp and powerful, and that it had a striking effect upon Ezekiel’s ears. That thunderous command was not to Ezekiel, but was given to “them that have charge over the city [Christendom] ”, to destroy it, “those that have charge to punish the city.” (Leaser) This work of destruction will not be done by the ‘‘servant” class on earth, whom Ezekiel foreshadowed, but, as the Scriptures show, it will be done by the Lord Jesus Christ and his holy angels acting under his command. It was this angelic army of the Lord that fought against Satan and ousted him from heaven. (Rev. 9:16; 12:7) Undoubtedly in this army are also included those faithful overcomers whom the Lord has raised to life upon coming to his temple. (See Light, Book Two, page 168.)

The commandment or cry which Ezekiel heard, therefore, was from Christ Jesus the executive officer of Jehovah. The cry or command directs the organization of the Lord to prepare for the final assault upon the enemy organization. They are told to draw near, not with their weapons sheathed, but with their weapons of destruction drawn and ready for offensive action. Those weapons that will be used for destruction by violence are held by the Lord Jesus Christ and the invisible members of the organization under him. The visible part of his organization on earth will do no part of the destroying. The work assigned to the earthly division, to wit, God’s “faithful servant” class, is to sing forth the praises of Jehovah’s name before and while the fight is in progress, and which was foreshadowed on another occasion when the Israelites went forth to war.–2 Chron. 20 : 22.

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

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

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

The Prophet Nahum, prophesying concerning the preparation of God’s organization to make assault upon the enemy, says: “He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face.” (Nah. 2:1) This further and definitely identifies Christ Jesus as in command and as the one who cried with a loud voice and who was heard by Ezekiel. Six men approached from the way of the north, which is the appropriate direction from which judgment should and does come. Without doubt the six men in the vision represent 'the armies which are in heaven’, under the command of the Lord Jesus Christ, and therefore that part of God’s organization which is invisible to man. This is supported conclusively by the fact that they proceed from the north, the seat of authority and judgment, and that they have charge over Christendom to destroy it, and that they are armed with weapons of destruction and are under the command of Christ Jesus, who is commissioned to dash to pieces Satan’s organization. – Ps. 110: 5; Nah. 2:1; Rev. 19:14-16.

MAN WITH INKHORN

The one man clothed with linen and with a writer’s inkhorn by his side, who is he? Whom does he represent in God’s organization? Manifestly he could not picture any one individual in the flesh. Aside from the Lord Jesus Christ, God has never since committed to any one individual on earth an exclusive work to be done by that individual. From the very beginning of his ministry Christ Jesus had a visible organization, and his apostles, acting collectively under his direction, formed the visible part thereof. There was unity of action by the faithful apostles; but with the passing away of these the unity did not again exist in the church until the coming of the Lord to the temple of Jehovah, as indeed it could not be complete until that time. Upon the coming of the Lord to the temple he found a faithful class, and these faithful ones are made the keepers or custodians of his goods, to wit, the kingdom interests. (Matt. 24:47) Those faithful ones, brought into the temple, are incorporated into God’s organization and made a part of the ‘elect servant’, because such are in Christ and form a part of The Christ. Such the Lord designates as “the feet of him”, The Christ. (Isa. 52:7) Throughout the prophecy the Lord addresses Ezekiel as “son of man”, manifestly because Ezekiel pictures that class which is counted in and made a part of The Christ, who is “the Son of the man”. ‘The man with the writer’s ink- horn by his side,’ therefore, clearly represented the anointed "servant” class of the Lord on earth, which class is a part of God’s organization.

The prophecy uttered by Ezekiel, therefore, pictures the greater part of God’s organization, in heaven, and which is invisible to men and to which the major part of the work is committed; and the lesser part, on the earth; the greater part being indicated by the number six, and the smaller part of the organization being indicated by the number one, and together the two parts, making seven men, represent God’s entire organization under Christ Jesus the Head. Individuals do not appear at all in the picture, because God deals with the members of his organization on earth collectively. There is not one scripture to support the conclusion that the man with the writer’s inkhorn by his side and clothed with linen pictures an individual. There are numerous scriptures proving that this one man pictures all the anointed ones on earth, and which constitute the "servant” class, the remnant of the Lord.

This one man is further described as "clothed with linen”. Concerning the faithful approved ones, counted as members of the "bride” of Christ, it is written: "And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” (Rev. 19: 8, R.V.) Such represents the approval received by the remnant, or "servant” class, from Jehovah, because they are in Christ and there is committed to them "the testimony of Jesus Christ”, and they keep the commandments of God and faithfully deliver this testimony. This fine apparel is the approval of the "servant” and his faithful service. (See Light, Book Two, pages 155, 156.) This further identifies the man with the writer’s inkhorn as the “faithful servant’’ class.

It would be utterly inconsistent, and therefore impossible, for the six men described in the vision to picture any part of the world organization. The world organization is the Devil’s organization. The Devil’s organization is not under the command of the Lord. Satan will not destroy his own organization. Every one of the seven must of necessity be in the Lord’s organization and wholly devoted to Jehovah God.

When the command was given, every member of the organization responded and registered before the Lord for service; and this is pictured by the statement that “they went in, and stood beside the brazen altar’’. Not one of these sat down and meditated and consoled the others; but every one stood at attention, ready to hear and to obey further commands. Each one of the earthly division of the organization ‘presents his body a living sacrifice, wholly devoted to and acceptable to God, which is his reasonable service’, and which he must gladly perform. (Rom. 12:1) Anyone who is not willingly and joyfully ready for service could surely not be of that organization, and hence could not be represented among those who registered at the altar for service.

The fact that the earthly division is described as 'the man with the writing material by his side’ (Leeser) shows that the work assigned to this servant is to write down the Lord’s will, as revealed, and to publish and to distribute the truth to the people who would hear. This means that the “servant” class do not sit down or stay at home or confine themselves to one place of worship and talk among themselves, but that those composing the “servant”, or earthly division, go out among the people as representatives of God’s organization to perform the duty assigned to them. Their work is to be a witness work, as shown by the order given, as set forth in verse four of the prophecy. This conclusion is likewise supported by the commission given to the anointed of the Lord.–Isa. 61:2.

The entire organization is under orders from Jehovah God, who is present, directing the movement thereof. The glory of his presence was at the threshhold of the house (the point of beginning) ; showing the entire organization of the Lord alert and ready to begin action upon command’s being given. Then the one in command gives direction to the man with the writing material and who is clothed with linen. He is called and given orders as to what shall be done: “And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer’s inkhom by his side; and the Lord said unto him, Go through . . . the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh, and that cry, for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.” (9: 3, 4) The vision discloses God’s expressed purpose to destroy “Christendom” with his army of destruction, which is in readiness; but before the assault is begun, he would have notice served upon the rulers and upon the peoples of Christendom. Also, while this is being done an opportunity is afforded for those people of good will and proper condition of heart to escape from or be hid from what is about to fall upon Christendom.

The “servant” class, pictured by the man with the writing material and clothed in linen, must go through the midst of Christendom, symbolized by the city, and mark in the head (or seat of intelligence) a certain class, that these might be spared from the slaughter weapons of those that follow. This marking would indicate that the ones thus marked must by some public confession or action take their stand on the side of the Lord before the destruction begins. This work must be done by the “servant” class of God’s organization on earth; and when it is done, then the slaughtering work must begin by the ones represented by the six men with the slaughter weapons. This is in exact accord with the words uttered on another occasion to the “servant” class, to wit: “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” (Matt. 24:14) Jesus also said that, at the conclusion of that witness work, “then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be.”– Matt. 24:21.

These words of Jesus serve to further identify the man clothed in linen with the writer’s inkhorn by his side, and definitely show that he represented the “servant” class, and that those who do the slaughtering work are the invisible ones of the army of the Lord. This shows the entire organization of the Lord in action against the enemy in declaring and in enforcing the judgments of Jehovah that are previously written. In harmony with this the psalmist says: “Let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing aloud upon their beds. Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; to execute vengeance upon the [nations], and punishments upon the people; to bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; to execute upon them the judgment written; this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the Lord. ’ ’–Ps. 149: 5-9.

This shows the entire organization working in exact harmony, as indeed God’s organization must and does act. No one who is today in present truth could have the slightest doubt concerning the work that the anointed must now do in obedience to God’s commandments. For anyone to say that the active service in the field is improper is to demonstrate clearly that such one is not in the truth and no part of God’s organization.

The commandment is given to put a “mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst’’ of Christendom. Who are the ones that receive the mark in their foreheads? Whoever they are, they cry for the abominations that are done in Christendom. It could not have reference to those who come to a knowledge of the truth and who are anointed of the Lord, because such are in “the joy of the Lord”, rejoicing in the fact that the time has come to clear out those that cause abominations and to destroy Satan’s organization and to completely vindicate the name of Jehovah. These are described as singing the praises of Jehovah and declaring his wondrous works. –Isa. 12:4-6.

The ones marked could not refer to the “great multitude”, or “tribulation” class, because, while it is true that these do mourn and ‘sigh as prisoners’, yet they will not be spared in the great time of trouble, but, on the contrary, they are appointed to die; and when the great assault is made upon the city, they will fall. (Zech. 14:2) They will not be carried through the time of trouble. They will be forced into the time of trouble to take their stand on the side of the Lord, but must die in order to live as spirit creatures.

There is but one other class of people on the earth to whom the prophecy could apply. Within the land of Christendom there is a class of people who are under the Devil’s organization but who are no part of it and do not sympathize with it. They are people of good will who have a desire for righteousness but who have not had an opportunity to learn the truth, this being due to the unfaithfulness of the clergymen in Christendom. These people of good will observe the great degeneracy in Christendom, and they see the hypocrisy practiced by the leaders thereof, but they are powerless to bring about any better condition. They sigh and cry because of the abominable deeds committed by the ruling factors who wrongfully call themselves by the name of the Lord God but who reproach his holy name. These people of good will, seeing that the leaders in Christendom are hypocrites and practice hypocrisy, while claiming to represent God, refuse to join any of the church organizations, because they wish not to serve a god such as the clergy represent that they serve. These people of good will are ignorant of God’s Word and his purposes of redemption and deliverance of the human race by and through the ministration of the kingdom. They have much consideration for the poor and oppressed, and a great desire to see them relieved.

The Lord tells of a class of persons whom he will ‘deliver in a time of trouble and keep alive and bless upon the earth’. (Ps. 41:1, 2) This must be the class of persons that are often described as ‘the millions now living that will never die’. This is the class of men and women that receive the mark in their foreheads, that is to say, are given some knowledge of God’s purposes to destroy the wicked organization and to establish his own government of righteousness under Christ and according to his promise to bless all the families of the earth. The persons in this class have tried to do right in proportion to the knowledge they had, but now, just preceding the great day of the wrath of God upon Christendom, they must be given an opportunity to gain more knowledge, that they may profit thereby. They are not a people that are desired by the rulers and chief ones in Christendom, because they will not willingly lend their support to Christendom. Therefore the Lord says to such: “Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, 0 nation not desired; before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord’s anger come upon you. Seek ye the Lord, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord’s anger.” (Zeph. 2:1-3) This they could not do without some knowledge; and it is the “servant” class that must bear to them the precious truths of the kingdom, that they may see the way to go and what to do. The work of the “servant” class, pictured by the man in linen and with the writer’s inkhorn, is therefore clearly and definitely marked out.

THE FACTS

The facts that are well known, when applied to the prophecy, enable us to determine whether or not we have the correct understanding of the prophecy. The physical facts which are well known support the foregoing conclusion concerning the prophecy. In the year 1918 the Lord Jesus Christ suddenly came to the temple of Jehovah. He came for judgment and as Jehovah’s great executive officer and to execute judgment. As such officer he gives commandment saying: “Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him.’’ – Hab. 2: 20, A.R.V.

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

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

Furthermore the Lord provided the radio to broadcast the truth, and today, in spite of much opposition, the message of the kingdom is being more widely broadcast than any other information given by radio. Within ten years the message of the kingdom of God, put in book form, has had a wider circulation and publication than any message ever issued by any other organization on earth. Many persons of good will who are under the power of Satan’s organization have received the truth and accepted it as true, and are thus marked in their foreheads, that is to say, have been given an intelligent understanding of and concerning God’s purpose to establish his kingdom for the vindication of his name and for the blessing of the people. How many of such will give heed to the message and take their stand on the Lord’s side, no man can tell. That is not a matter with which the “servant” class is chiefly concerned. The duty of the “servant” is to obey the commandment and go throughout Christendom and do the ‘marking’. It must be remembered that this work of giving the testimony is not for the purpose of converting the people of the world and bringing them into some organization, but it is to make known the fact that those who desire to flee from the wicked organization of Christendom may do so and declare themselves on the Lord’s side, and thus be in line to be brought through the time of trouble, when the slaughtering begins.

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

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

THE SLAUGHTER

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

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

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

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

In support of the conclusion that the slaughter will be widespread the Prophet Jeremiah adds this testimony: “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. Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape. A voice of the cry of the shepherds, and an howling of the principal of the flock, shall be heard; for the Lord hath spoiled their pasture. And the peaceable habitations are cut down, because of the fierce anger of the Lord.” – Jer. 25:33-37.

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

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

DECLARING GOD’S VENGEANCE

(Ezekiel, Chapter 10)

The tenth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy is further proof that the “faithful servant” class on the earth is a part of God’s organization and in close touch with the commanding Officer thereof. While being used to mark those who will be taken through that fiery trouble of Armageddon, the remnant is also used by the Lord to announce the destructive part of God’s program. The prophecy is not to be understood as teaching that the remnant complete the work of marking unto salvation or life before performing their part relative to the destructive work. The various tableaux of Revelation do not follow one another in the order in which they are depicted, and the same is true of the prophecy of Ezekiel.

“Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appcared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne.” (10:1) The sapphire stone is mentioned as one of the foundation stones of the wall of the holy city (Rev. 21:19), and which stones are descriptive of the glory of Jehovah God. His glory is reflected upon his organization, and reflected particularly by his beloved Son, and his organization shines by virtue of this glory. “Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined.”

(Ps. 50:2) Jehovah’s organization is present everywhere in the prophetic picture, and the throne of the Most High dominates the entire organization. He that sat upon the throne, the mighty One in authority, directs the operations of his great organization. “And he [the Commander] spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in in my sight.’’ – 10: 2.

This second verse of the tenth chapter of the prophecy is further proof that those who are covered with the robe of righteousness, and therefore approved and made a part of God’s organization, are “subject unto the higher powers”, meaning the powers that control and direct Jehovah’s organization. (Rom. 13:1) “The man clothed with linen” is commanded to go in between the wheels and fill his hand with coals of fire, and he obeys the commandment. In the vision as recorded it would appear that the man went to fetch the burning coals after he had finished the marking work, but it does not follow that, in the fulfilment, the marking work is completed before the coals of fire are taken and scattered over the city.

Elisha was anointed or commanded to do a constructive work of restoration and also to do a slaying work. The “faithful and wise servant” class is doing the antitypical Elisha work, and therefore a part of that work has to do with the destruction of the city; but the constructive work takes precedence over the destructive work. It is the major portion of the work performed by the “servant”, which work is performed by proclaiming God’s name and declaring his purposes to the peoples of the earth.

The tenth chapter of Ezekiel indicates also the time when this work is to be done. The prophecy says that ‘when the man went in between the wheels, the cherubim stood on the right side of the house’. Cherubim are officers of God’s organization, to whom is committed the work of executing his judgments. In proof thereof note that the cherubim were placed at the east of Eden to execute, and there did execute, the decree of judgment of Jehovah God concerning Adam. (Gen. 3:24) Lucifer, when he was a part of God’s organization, was a “covering cherub”, meaning one with authority over others, with power to execute the judgment of death. (Ezek. 28:14; Heb. 2:14) The wheels appearing in the tableau represent parts of God’s organization used for his purposes. Fire is a symbol of God’s destructive judgments being executed. The fire was in the custody of the cherubim and between the wheels.

The entire picture shows that what is there described is fulfilled when the Lord Jesus is at the temple of Jehovah for judgment, and this fixes the time when the work of scattering the fire by the man in linen must be done. “The Lord is in his holy temple, the Lord’s throne is in heaven; his eyes behold, his eyelids try, the children of men. The Lord trieth the righteous; but the wicked, and him that loveth violence, his soul hateth. Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest; this shall be the portion of their cup.” (Ps. 11:4-6; Jude 14,15; Mai. 3:1-3) When the Lord is at the temple for judgment, the glory of Jehovah is over the house. “When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.” (Ps. 102:16) The vision of Ezekiel discloses the Lord Jesus Christ at the temple for judgment, accompanied by his corps of officers made up of cherubim, seraphim and angels, and employing both animate and inanimate parts of the great organization to carry forward God’s purposes; and these are symbolized by wheels and the cherubim and other living creatures.

The foregoing scriptures lay the foundation for the conclusion that, following the year 1918, which marks the coming of the Lord to his temple, the prophetic vision of Ezekiel here described began to be fulfilled, and until that time the prophecy could not be understood.

The commandment to the man clothed in linen was to go in between the wheels, under the cherubim, thus showing that the “servant” class on earth is under the direction of the higher officers of God’s organization and are to work with both animate and inanimate parts of the organization in obedience to the commandments. “And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels. And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cheru- bims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen; who took it, and went out.” (10: 6, 7) This shows that God makes all provision necessary to carry out all his judgments of fiery indignation upon Satan’s organization. It is thrilling and awesome for the “servant” class of the Lord to realize that they are permitted to work under the guiding hand of God’s great officers that are invisible to their eyes. This helps them to appreciate the fact that, the “servant” trusting implicitly in the Lord and not following his own selfish course, but being always joyfully obedient to the Lord, his ways are directed of the Lord and therefore cannot fail. (Prov. 3: 5, 6) “The steps of a good man [God’s ideal man, the ‘faithful servant’] are ordered by the Lord; and he delightcth in his way.’’ – Ps. 37: 23.

The actual burning or destruction by fire is done by the officers of the Lord that are invisible to human eyes, that is, the cherubim, seraphim and angels; but it seems clear that the cherubim have charge over fire or that which destroys. These invisible ones the Lord uses to put in the hands of his “faithful servant” class, that is, the man clothed with linen, the fiery message from his Word, or judgments written, and which is to be used as directed. The resolutions adopted by conventions of God’s anointed people, booklets, magazines, and books published by them, contain the message of God’s truth and are from the Lord Jehovah and provided by him through Christ Jesus and his under-officers. This shows the grand and glorious organization working in exact harmony, as indeed it must work. These instruments being provided by the Lord, and placed in the hand of the remnant, the remnant or “servant” class is commanded to use the same.

The interpretation of prophecy, therefore, is not from man, but is from the Lord; and the Lord causes events to come to pass in fulfilment of the prophecy in due time. It is his truth, and not man’s; and when men attempt to give the honor and glory for the message of truth to a man or men, such make fools of themselves. The Lord provides the machinery, the printing presses, and all material for the purpose of preparing his fiery message that must be poured out or scattered upon Christendom, and this is done by his “faithful servant” class. The Devil tries to induce men to believe that the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is engaging in a bookselling scheme. Only the Devil is capable of manufacturing such lies. God’s “servant” class, pictured by the man in linen, is commanded to do the work of declaring the vengeance of Jehovah, and only those who obey this commandment can and will maintain their integrity toward God. The “servant”, or remnant class, will not be deceived or discouraged by the slanderous statements of enemies that they are engaged in a bookselling scheme. They carry the message of truth to the people in printed form; and this is done under the commandment of the Lord, and is the greatest privilege that has ever been granted the followers of Christ on earth. The remnant delights to do this work and continually sings the praises of Jehovah while doing it.

It is easy to be seen that the remnant must do a twofold work, as pictured by the work of Ezekiel, in this: They go from house to house, carrying the message of truth in printed form of books and magazines; they first deliver an oral message to the one whom they address; they do not open their canvass with a denunciation of the wicked, but first speak of the message of the goodness of God that gives hope to those who will hear, and comfort those that mourn.

This is the commission of the remnant. At the same time the remnant must declare or tell the people of God’s judgment of fiery indignation which shall shortly be visited upon Christendom, resulting in its complete destruction. This is a part of the commission of the remnant, also, which work must be done and is now being done. The “servant” is not proclaiming his own vengeance, but telling of God’s vengeance; and this he must do. – Isa. 61:1, 2.

Jehovah having given command to the remnant to do this work, he provides the ways and means to carry out his commandments. Therefore, as shown by the picture in the prophecy, the remnant (the man clothed in linen) goes in between the wheels, that is to say, into a part of God’s organization which is likened unto wheels within wheels, and there receives the message of fiery truth served to him by the Lord’s officer, and then goes out and uses it. This “fire” is not provided by men. The Lord’s executive officer provides such and puts it into the hands of God’s people on earth; and this Ezekiel saw and thus describes: ‘The cherub took fire and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen.’ Be it noted that the man clothed with linen took it, and did not refuse or neglect to take and use it. He went out and used it. That shows that all of the ‘‘servant’’ class must actively engage in doing the work of the Lord in obedience to his commandments. The “servant” or remnant has been doing this very work, particularly since 1922, by going from house to house with the message of truth. Part of the remnant is employed in manufacturing and publishing the books and other publications containing the fiery message; and thus they all work as one. To those who have been faithful in so doing, the Lord now shows the meaning of the prophetic vision; and this he does for their encouragement and comfort, that they may be strong in hope, knowing that they are going the right way. Manifestly that is the very purpose of Jehovah in now opening up the prophecies to the understanding of his people. (Rom. 15:4) The “servant” class, being thus made strong in hope, give glory to God, and not to man, and they march confidently on to victory. – Rom. 4: 20, 21.

It was written that, after the terrible destruction of life in the ancient city of Jerusalem, fire was set to the city, and it was completely destroyed. (2 Ki. 25: 9) Ezekiel had a vision of a man taking the coals of fire and scattering them over the city, which actually was fulfilled in the destruction of the city in the year 606 B.C. The larger fulfilment of the prophecy will be a complete destruction of the city, to wit, Christendom, foreshadowed by Jerusalem. The remnant now has part in that destruction, in this, that the fiery message of God’s righteous indignation is heralded by them to the rulers and to the people, announcing that the Lord will surely bring Christendom completely down in a heap of ashes. As these faithful witnesses go out and do the work they are commanded to do, they sing the praises of Jehovah, ‘proclaiming his doings among the people,’ and at the same time, in harmony with God’s Word, utter a prayer which God caused his prophet David to write for them long ago, to wit: “Grant not, 0 Lord, the desires of the wicked; further not his wicked device, lest they exalt themselves. Let burning coals fall upon them: let them be cast into the fire; into deep pits, that they rise not up again. Let not an evil speaker be established in the earth.”–Ps. 140:8,10,11.

In harmony with this the words of the chief musician of God’s covenant people are written: ‘‘In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried unto my God: he heard my voice out of his temple, and my cry came before him, even into his ears. Then the earth shook and trembled; the foundations also of the hills moved and were shaken, because he was wroth. There went up a smoke out of his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth devoured; coals were kindled by it. He bowed the heavens also, and came down; and darkness was under his feet. And he rode upon a cherub, and did fly; yea, he did fly upon the wings of the wind. He made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies. At the brightness that was before him his thick clouds passed, hail stones and coals of fire. The Lord also thundered in the heavens, and the Highest gave his voice; hail stones and coals of fire.” –Ps. 18: 6-13.

God permits his anointed people to now see the beautiful harmony between the prophecies and the prayer of his anointed, and he does this for their encouragement while they tramp from door to door bearing his message to those who have the hearing ear. They go with sore feet and tired bodies, yet with joyful hearts, because they know they are right in doing that which Jehovah has commanded; and they are absolutely certain as to what the result is going to be, because the Lord has declared it.

Ezekiel’s vision of the man in linen doing his work foreshadows that Satan’s organization will be destroyed at Armageddon, not by outraged labor, socialists, or anarchists, but by the righteous organization of Jehovah God. It is the righteous judgment of God executed by his duly commissioned officers, and he gives the remnant the part of announcing this judgment before it falls. The man in linen, appearing to Ezekiel in the vision, did not destroy Jerusalem, but the Lord employed other forces to destroy it. Neither does the remnant, whom the vision foretells, destroy Christendom; but the activities of the remnant, bearing to the people the message of God’s vengeance, are a sure and certain advance sign of the coming destruction of Satan’s organization by the executive officers of Jehovah God. Such will be a vindication of the name of the Most High.

In preparing for the battle of the great day of God Almighty, Jehovah is using the hand or power of human creatures constituting his “servant” on earth. Not that he needs such; but God will prove thereby, as well as in other ways, that he can put men on earth who by his grace will withstand the enticements and assaults of the Devil, and who will remain true and steadfast unto God and maintain their integrity toward God. This is indicated by the appearance, under the wings of the cherubim, of the form of a man’s hand: “And there appeared in the cherubims the form of a man’s hand under their wings.” (10:8) The vision then declares that all the cherubim were alike. “And the likeness of their faces was the same faces which I saw by the river of Chebar, their appearances and themselves; they went every one straight forward.” (10: 9-22) The vision shows every part of God’s organization as working smoothly and in exact harmony. The form of a man’s hand under the wings of the cherubim seems to say that God has used the hand of human creatures to bear the coals of God’s fiery indignation which the Lord will use.

Wherever his "servant” class is engaged in his work, regardless of place or condition Jehovah provides the work to be done. This means that every one who loves Jehovah will be in full and complete harmony and unity, and always magnifying the name of Jehovah God and working together to his glory. This part of the prophecy is a strong rebuke to any company of Christians who claim to be followers of Christ Jesus, and in line for the kingdom, who indulge in bickering and quarreling. The Lord advises those who are really his as to what they must do when there are others amongst them who oppose. They are not to retaliate. They are to let them alone, and go on with the work that the Lord has assigned to them. (Rom. 16:17, 18) Harmonious action in carrying out God’s purposes through his organization is one of the strong evidences that those engaged in it are God’s anointed people. These delight to proclaim his praises and the greatness of his name.

THE TABLES TURNED

(Ezekiel, Chapter 11)

The hypocritical clergymen and the chief rulers of the people, and the principal of the religious flock of Christendom, who are wise in their own conceits, and who employ religion as the shield or blind behind which to operate, are shown in the eleventh chapter of Ezekiel’s vision. Their fate is also foretold. This being time, then the message of God’s indignation must also be told to them. This message of truth must be delivered by some part of God’s organization, and particularly by that part which Ezekiel foreshadowed. The spirit or power of the Lord lifted up Ezekiel and brought him to the east gate of the temple and gave him a vision:

“Moreover, the spirit lifted me up, and brought me unto the east gate of the Lord’s house, which looketh eastward: and, behold, at the door of the gate five and twenty men; among whom I saw Jaazaniah the son of Azur, and Pelatiah the son of Benaiah, princes of the people.” (11:1) The men there observed seem to be the same self-conceited crowd described in Ezekiel 8:16. They are the princes of the people, showing that they are the one who have control and exercise it over the people. This same crowd was seen, in the preceding chapter (eight), standing with their backs to the temple, worshiping the sun. Some of these men, doubtless, at one time assumed to be priests or clergymen, but quit it and went to work at a political job of ruling the people. They and their wicked allies got into the temple together, as shown by this picture. In other words, they assumed to be God’s favorites and in the house of the Lord to run his business.

In the city of New York there is now a so-called "Christian” church building, which was erected by a few ultrarich men, and the congregation in which is presided over by a modern preacher of the higher- critic type, and at which place philosophers, scientists, women, and other creatures are honored and the Word of the Lord God and his name are ignored. These men scoff at the kingdom of God and the impending battle of Armageddon, even as the "wiseacres” scoffed at Jeremiah’s prediction of the impending catastrophe at Jerusalem. (Jer. 23:16,17) The church organization above described is a sample of many like ones in other parts of Christendom. These exalt themselves and assume that they have the power and ability to direct men and lift them up and to run the earth to suit their own notions. Such pose before the people as doing a work in the name of the Lord, but, in fact, they are “workers of iniquity” and instruments of reproach to the name of Jehovah God.

The Lord, through his messenger, pointed out to Ezekiel these workers of iniquity and he describes them thus: “Then said he unto me, Son of man, these are the men that devise mischief, and give wicked counsel in this city; which say, It is not near; let us build houses; this city is the caldron, and we be the flesh.” (11: 2, 3) The men Ezekiel saw there spurned the Word of God, and they patted each other on the back and said: ‘We are the whole thing; there is no trouble coming that can do us any harm; we have everything our own way, and what these prophets [Ezekiel] are saying shows they are crazy.’ They thought that they were secure, and have looked upon themselves as being the choicest portion of the pot, and that they would always have a warm and easy place. The priests had picked them and brought them into the temple, because they were all of one mind, and therefore all of them thought they were secure, and apparently feared nothing.

The facts show that this prophecy is fulfilled in the present time. There are those today, holding political jobs in Christendom, who, together with the clergy, constitute the chief ones in the churches, and all of them think they are secure. The clergy and the chief ones of their flock pat each other on the back and say: ‘We are the whole cheese. Everything will be all right. Let us build more houses and get all the money we can for them from the suckers, and take a mortgage for the balance at a high rate of usury, and soon we will have it all our own way.’ Exactly this policy has been carried out, particularly since the World War. There has been a studied and designed action on the part of the controllers of Big Business, aided and supported by shrewd and conscienceless politicians and the clergy, to get everything into the hands of the few; and these live wantonly and think that they are absolutely secure. It is as it was in the days of Noah. Jesus said it would be thus at the end of the world. – Matt. 24: 37-39.

The spirit of the Lord came upon Ezekiel, and he had a vision of these workers of iniquity that control and oppress the people at the end of the world, where we now are. Then Ezekiel prophesied against these princes, or favored ones, first telling them of their own wickedness and that now the Lord would turn the tables on them. Harsh, cruel and oppressive rulers of Christendom have done and continue to do far worse than like men did in Israel. Those of Christendom are more reprehensible, because, in addition to the words of the prophets which the men of Israel had, they have had Jesus and the apostles and have lived in a time of enlightenment. The “princes” of Christendom have caused untold suffering and countless deaths of men in order that their selfish purposes might be accomplished. The Lord God, therefore, directed Ezekiel to prophesy against them in these words:

“Ye have multiplied your slain in this city, and ye have filled the streets thereof with the slain. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Your slain whom ye have laid in the midst of it, they are the flesh, and this city is the caldron; but I will bring you forth out of the midst of it. Ye have feared the sword; and I will bring a sword upon you, saith the Lord God. And I will bring you out of the midst thereof, and deliver you into the hands of strangers, and will execute judgments among you. Ye shall fall by the sword; I will judge you in the border of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord. This city shall not be your caldron, neither shall ye be the flesh in the midst thereof ; but I will judge you in the border of Israel.’’ –  11: 6-11.

The chief ones, the princes and the rulers of the people in ‘ ‘ Christianity ’ have feared the sword themselves, and when trouble came on them they put themselves in a place of safety and shoved “the common herd’’ into front lines to be slain. But now the Lord declares that he will reverse the order and that the princes and rulers and chief ones shall fall by the sword which he the Lord will wield. In corroboration of this he caused Jeremiah the prophet to say: “Howl, ye shepherds, and cry; and wallow yourselves in the ashes, ye principal of the flock; for the days of your slaughter and of your dispersions are accomplished; and ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.” – Jer. 25:34,35.

The leaders and principal ones of Christendom are without excuse for their course of action. The Israelites were God’s chosen people and should have walked in his statutes, but they did like as the heathen nations. The nations that make no pretense of “Christianity” practice the Devil religion. The leaders and principal ones in Christendom claim to be the children of God and his covenant people, but they ignore his statutes and do after the manner of heathen nations, to wit, practice Devil religion. They exalt creatures, exalt themselves, and use their power to oppress the poor; and God declares he will visit his righteous indignation upon them, and that he will do so that all may know that Jehovah is God, that his name may be vindicated.–11:11,12.

As recorded in the thirteenth verse, as one of these principal ones died, Ezekiel fell down upon his face and cried out and said: ‘‘Ah, Lord God! wilt thou make a full end of the remnant of Israel?” This was not a cry for pity, but rather to call forth an expression of God’s righteous indignation, showing that the judgment falling upon them is just and right. The Lord then calls attention to the greed and arrogance practiced by the principal ones, and the oppression that they bring upon the poor. “Son of man, thy brethren, even thy brethren, the men of thy kindred, and all the house of Israel wholly, are they unto whom the inhabitants of Jerusalem have said, Get you far from the Lord; unto us is this land given in possession.” – 11:15

It is even so in this day, when the principal ones of Christendom say by their words and by their acts: ‘The earth belongs to us, and we will do with it as we please. We will crowd the common herd into the tenement houses and make the tillers of the soil serfs, and we will live in ease.’ The Lord, therefore, says concerning them: ‘The men of thy kindred [those in the churches who are meek and fearful, and who are held as prisoners, and upon whom the principal of the flock look with contempt] are they unto whom the [principal of the flock] have said [and say], Get you far from the Lord [that is, you are not in his favor; we are his favorites] ; unto us is this land given in possession [we are the ones that have the whole thing].’ The Lord brings upon these wicked oppressors destruction, even as the Prophet Ezekiel saw in vision and prophesied.

THE MEEK DELIVERED

Then the Lord speaks words of consolation to the common people, which strongly supports the conclusion that among those who have been pushed aside and oppressed by the princes and rulers of Christendom there will be and are millions who will be favored by the Lord, and who will hear the truth, turn to the Lord and receive his favor, and never die. Under the Messianic kingdom they shall be made clean of heart and mind and shall dwell safely in the land. (See Ezekiel 11:16-21.) God will spare those who turn their hearts to him and seek righteousness, and will bring them through the time of trouble. Such arc the meek and teachable ones, and these shall have his blessing. “But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.” –Ps. 37:11.

The Mount of Olives lies just east of the city of Jerusalem, and it fitly symbolizes God’s kingdom of peace and blessings. With the destruction of Satan’s organization, then Jehovah’s kingdom shall bring peace and blessings to the peoples of the earth, even as the Lord has promised. Ezekiel had a vision of this, and wrote: “And the glory of the Lord went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain which is on the east side of the city. ” (11:23) Supporting this, another prophet wrote describing the battle of Armageddon, and then adds: “And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east.” (Zech. 14:4) Then there shall be established on earth peace and good will toward men and this will be done by and through the authority of God’s kingdom.

In verses twenty-four and twenty-five of the eleventh chapter of Ezekiel the prophet tells of being taken back by the spirit to the locality of the captives and of speaking to them that were captives, telling them of the things which the Lord had shown him. This clearly means that the “prisoners” in Christendom, and therefore those in “captivity” to Christendom, must now be told the truth of and concerning Satan’s organization, and particularly that Christendom is a part of that wicked organization. The faithful remnant must bear this testimony to the name of Jehovah God and inform the “prisoners” concerning Jehovah and his great organization, and that it will destroy Satan’s organization. This very work the remnant has been doing for the past few years, and is now doing, and must continue to do until the witnessing to the truth is completed and Christendom falls. The “prisoners” must and will have an opportunity to know that the chief doctrine taught by the Bible is that of God’s kingdom, because that kingdom will vindicate the name of Jehovah.

SERVING NOTICE

(Ezekiel, Chapter 12)

JEHOVAH gives expression to his righteous indignation against the enemy only after due notice is given of his purpose so to do. Long before the great deluge swept away “the world that then was”, God sent Noah to serve notice upon the rulers and upon the people of the impending disaster. Before he brought the great calamity upon Egypt he sent Moses and Aaron to give notice thereof. Before Jerusalem fell, the Most High sent his duly commissioned prophets to give notice of his purpose to express his righteous indignation against those who had violated their covenant with him. These things Jehovah did for his name’s sake, that the people might know that Jehovah is the true and Almighty God. All that he then did, on the occasions above mentioned, foreshadowed what shall come upon Christendom, that is to say, upon all the nations that claim to be the people of God, and the followers of Christ, and the practicers of the “Christian religion”. It should therefore be expected that Jehovah would cause notice to be duly served upon the rulers and the supporters of Christendom, and that this notice would be served after the coming of Christ to the temple of God.

Concerning the great day of God Almighty, when his righteous indignation shall be expressed, Jesus said to his followers: “And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.” (Luke 21:34) These words serve a twofold purpose: (1) as a warning to all those who are in the covenant for the kingdom to be always on the alert to obey the commandments of the Lord; and (2) as conclusive proof that the great day of God Almighty shall witness the expression of his indignation upon Christendom and which will completely destroy Christendom and all parts of Satan’s organization. This scripture is notice to the followers of Christ of that coming day of righteous indignation of Jehovah, and lays upon such the obligation of serving notice upon the world.

While it is true that the great day of God Almighty comes upon many who have not gained a knowledge, that lack of information will be no fault of Jehovah God. When Jesus appeared at the temple of Jehovah he announced: ‘‘The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before him.” (Hab. 2:20) This proves that the people must be told that the day of judgment is at hand, and that all must be given an opportunity to hear what the Word of God has to say concerning that day of judgment. There is no excuse for the covenant people of God to be in darkness concerning the day of the great battle of God Almighty. All who have agreed to do his will are told to search the Scriptures, wherein the expression of his will is found, and to study that they might have the approval of God. (2 Tim. 2:15) The followers of Christ are commanded thus to do, not for their own personal gain, but that they might be witnesses to others. These witnesses must inform others concerning the will of God and serve notice upon them that Jehovah is the only God, (Isa. 43:9-12) Concerning the end of the world, the setting up of the kingdom, and the battle of Armageddon, the commandment is given that the faithful covenant people of God must bear testimony thereof to the people. It is plainly stated that the purpose is not to convert the world, but to give notice to the nations. (Matt. 24:14) The giving of this testimony must continue “until the cities {every part of Satan’s organization] be wasted without inhabitant”. (Isa. 6:11) Nor is there any doubt about who shall deliver this testimony, or serve this notice, in the name of the Lord Jehovah. It is his “remnant” people who are faithful and true to their covenant and therefore called “the faithful and true witness”, and who prove by their obedience to his commandments that they are his. These are the ones that give the witness.–Rev. 12:17.

Jehovah sent his prophet Ezekiel to Israel to serve notice upon that people of his purpose to destroy their city. Likewise God sends his witnesses forth today to serve notice upon Christendom of his purpose to destroy that wicked organization that his name might be known in all the earth. Ezekiel served notice both by word of mouth and by his action. Likewise God’s witnesses serve notice by their words and their course of action. The words of the speaker often fall upon deaf ears, while his actions speak with greater force and effect.

“The word of the Lord also came unto me, saying, Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house.” (12:1,2) Ezekiel dwelt amongst a rebellious people. They might have heard, but they did not; and this foreshadows that God’s faithful witnesses on earth dwell amongst a rebellious people to whom the message has been spoken, and the clergy and the principal of their flock have not heard and heeded. In 1914 and thereabout God’s faithful people in the land of Christendom had spoken many words of the truth, but the same had little or no effect upon Christendom.

MOVING PICTURE

As the Israelites had not given heed to the words of the Prophet Ezekiel, the Lord God directed him to make a sign, or go through certain movements making a sign-picture, to call attention further to the purposes of Jehovah: “Therefore, thou son of man [foreshadowing the ‘faithful servant’ class], prepare thee stuff for removing [for exile, R.V., margin], and remove by day in their sight; and thou shalt remove from thy place to another place in their sight; it may be they will consider, though they be a rebellious house. Then shalt thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at even in their sight, as they that go forth into captivity. Dig thou through the wall in their sight, and carry out thereby. In their sight shalt thou bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the twilight; thou shalt cover thy face, that thou sec not the ground; for I have set thee for a sign unto the house of Israel. And I did so as I was commanded; I brought forth my stuff by day, as stuff for captivity, and in the even I digged through the wall with mine hand; I brought it forth in the twilight, and I bare it upon my shoulder in their sight.’’ – 12: 3-7.

This scripture shows that Ezekiel was commanded to act and did act out a silent moving picture to convey a message. Moving pictures are thought to be a modern thing; but the Lord made them centuries ago, and they now convey a far greater meaning to his anointed than any pictures made by men. The facts, now well known at this day, and which clearly appear to fit the prophetic picture made by Ezekiel, are these: With the coming of the World War there was much activity in preaching the gospel, but which went unheeded by Christendom; and restraint began to be put upon those who preached the gospel. This restraint increased, until in 1918 the church as a whole was led away into exile, and the witness work in which the people of God was engaged was practically stopped. Many of the Lord’s witnesses were confined behind prison walls. The Society’s headquarters at Brooklyn were dismantled, the property was sold, and what little was left was removed to another place; and this was done in the sight of all the people. Many of the publications concerning the truth were seized by Christendom’s officials and, together with the original plates for making the same, were destroyed. All this was done at the instance of Satan’s organization.

These facts help to emphasize the rule of the Lord, which reads: “He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity; he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.” (Rev. 13:10) The moving picture made by Ezekiel was directed by Jehovah; and the carrying away of God’s covenant people into exile, and the stopping of the work in 1918, was by the permission of Jehovah to serve his own good purposes, even though it was done by the wicked ones of Christendom. Such was a moving picture and was made by Jehovah to serve notice.

Ezekiel did as he was commanded, and the rebellious ones said to him: “What doest thou?” They were giving heed to his actions to know what they meant. The Lord instructed Ezekiel what to say in response to their questions: “And in the morning came the word of the Lord unto me, saying, Son of man, hath not the house of Israel, the rebellious house, said unto thee, What doest thou? Say thou unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, This burden concerneth the prince in Jerusalem, and all the house of Israel that are among them. Say, I am your sign: like as I have done, so shall it be done unto them: they shall remove, and go into captivity.’’ – 12: 8-11.

Jehovah directed Ezekiel to perform certain acts making the moving picture and then, in response to the question of those who saw, to explain its meaning. He told them that he was a sign unto them and that what he did foreshadowed what would come to them and which did come upon Jerusalem thereafter. That which is related in verses twelve to fourteen was fulfilled literally in Jerusalem, when the “prince”, or ruler or king, escaped through the wall and was taken prisoner on the outside, and his eyes were put out. – 2 Ki. 25:1-7; 2 Chron. 36:11-21; Jer. 39:1-7.

SIGN EXPLAINED

God permitted the Devil’s crowd to make a picture with his people during the war, which prophetically speaks to them as a witness against them. The experiences of God’s “servant.” class in 1918 were a sign as to what shall befall Christendom at the hands of Jehovah in his due time. They had not received notice at the time as to its meaning, but they began to receive notice shortly thereafter, to wit, in 1919 and 1920. About that time full-page advertisements were inserted in the large daily papers, announcing a public lecture and stating furthermore: “Come and hear why the Bible Students were sentenced to eighty years’ imprisonment, and what the preachers bad to do with it.” The audiences responding to such invitation, and attending the public lectures, were told that the leaders in Christendom had caused the imprisonment of the Bible Students and the stopping of their work, and that this was done at the instance particularly of the preachers who represented and did then represent the Devil. Furthermore they were told, by word of mouth and by wide circulation of the printed message, that a great calamity shall befall Christendom, and particularly the clergy and the principal of their flock who are ruling the earth.

God’s “servant” class were restrained of their liberty and their work was stopped in 1918 and 1919, because of their faithfulness to the Lord and to his cause. The leaders in Christendom were responsible therefor; and such were rebellious acts against Jehovah, because the only “offense” that his servants had committed was that of preaching the gospel of his kingdom, and of declaring that the World War was evidence that the kingdom was at hand and that his kingdom is the only means whereby peace could be established. The clergy and other leaders in Christendom thus added insult to Jehovah by maltreating his witnesses without a cause; and God has announced his rule to be: “Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works; in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double.’’ – Rev. 18: 6.

As Jehovah served notice upon the rebellious house of Israel by causing Ezekiel to make a moving picture and then to declare its meaning, even so he is serving notice upon Christendom, first, by permitting the imprisonment of the witnesses and the stopping of all their work, and then by sending them with his message to the peoples of Christendom, informing them that Christendom shall be recompensed for all her iniquities and shall fall. This he does that the people may know that he is the great God and that they cannot forever follow the Devil with impunity. ‘‘And they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall scatter them among the nations, and disperse them in the countries.”– 12:15.

The destruction that shall come upon Christendom at Armageddon will be the greatest that has ever affected the world. The Lord is also now causing notice to be served, that in that trouble there shall be a class of people spared and brought through and made the recipients of his favor; and this he caused Ezekiel to foreshadow in these words: “But I will leave a few men of them from the sword, from the famine, and from the pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the [nations] whither they come; and they shall know that I am the Lord.” (12:16) Thus God declares that he will do this in order that ‘some flesh may be saved’. This is further proof that “millions now living will never die”. Such now receive some knowledge of the truth by and through the message of the Lord that is brought to them by the “servant” class in going from house to house with books, and by other moans. Those who hear shall declare the message to others outside of Christendom, 'and they shall know that Jehovah is God.’ The destruction of Christendom, and the bringing through the trouble of those millions who thereafter live, will be a vindication of God’s great name. Satan, by and through his organization, has for centuries brought reproach upon the name of God; and the vindication of his holy name must now be had, that all may know that life and blessings proceed from Jehovah, and that he gives life to those who delight themselves in his righteous laws.

EATING WITH FEAR

Jehovah caused Ezekiel to further serve notice upon the Israelites of what was coming to them, and this Ezekiel did by the manner of taking his nourishment. He performed the act of eating his bread and drinking his water with fear and trembling and carefulness. This was a part of the moving picture foretelling that Jerusalem should come to a like condition: “Son of man, eat thy bread with quaking, and drink thy water with trembling and with carefulness; and say unto the people of the land, Thus saith the Lord God of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the land of Israel, They shall eat their bread with carefulness, and drink their water with astonishment, that her land may be desolate from all that is therein, because of the violence of all them that dwell therein. And the cities that are inhabited shall be laid waste, and the land shall be desolate, and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” (12:18-20) This part of the prophecy was also literally fulfilled by the Israelites, and foreshadows what shall come upon Christendom.

In 1918 and 1919 the Lord’s devoted people on earth did the very thing here; to wit, they partook of their food and drink with trembling and with much care. There was a great restriction of food upon all people, but in addition to that there was great restraint placed upon the people of the Lord; and now, in 1931, this prophecy is beginning to have its fulfilment in Christendom. The people are beginning to know what a shortage of food really means and, seeing other threatening things coming upon the world, they cat their food with fear and trembling and are in great distress. This distress will continue to grow worse.

It cannot be truthfully said that Jehovah God is sending these distresses upon the people as a general punishment; but God is permitting it, in this, that he does not hinder it. Satan is the one responsible for the sufferings and calamities that befall the people; and he causes his clergymen to tell the people that these calamities come upon them from God, because of their unfaithfulness to Christendom’s church organizations. Such is Satan’s scheme to turn the people away from the true God, to the end that Satan may have them all on his side at Armageddon, It must be remembered that God gives his promise to preserve and protect those who love him and who seek meekness and righteousness. (Ps. 41:1,2; Zeph. 2:1-3; Ps. 145:20) There are many who refuse to be led by Satan and his agents, but who, on the contrary, turn to the Lord; and these are the ones who are to be taken through the time of trouble.

NO FURTHER DELAY

God’s faithful people on the earth emphasized the importance of the dates 1914 and 1918 and 1925. They had much to say about these dates and what would come to pass, but all they predicted did not come to pass. The predictions as to the dates were correct, but what came to pass could not be fully seen in advance. The failure to come to pass of some of the things predicted has afforded Satan’s agents in Christendom, particularly the clergy and the “man of sin’’, an opportunity to ridicule and reproach the faithful servants of the Lord and to say of and concerning them and their predictions: ‘All their visions and predictions have failed; and such proves that they are all wrong, and that all their predictions for the future must fail.’ This the clergy use to turn the people away from God and his truth. Such was foreshadowed by what God said to Ezekiel: ‘‘Son of man, what is that proverb that ye have in the land of Israel, saying, The days are prolonged, and every vision faileth?” – 12:22.

To be sure, no man can say exactly what day or year Armageddon will be fought, but it is easy to be seen that the conditions amongst the people are such now that a great crisis is near. The clergy and the politicians have predicted and continue to predict great success and prosperity for their man-made schemes. They speak against the witnesses of God and say in substance that all the Lord’s servants are “weak in the head”, and that it will be many days before any great calamities befall Christendom, which is now at peace. They tell the people that what is written in the Bible about calamities applies altogether in the past and has no reference to the future. They go even further in blaspheming God’s name by saying that ‘Christendom must robe the earth in the moral achievements of man and make it a fit place for Christ Jesus to come and reside’. They speak with contempt concerning the prophecies quoted from the Bible by the servants of the Lord; and the clergy and their allies have made this proverb: ‘All predictions of the servants of Jehovah have failed and will continue to fail.’

A similar proverb had been promulgated by the clergy and their allies in the days of Ezekiel. Of course the Lord knew what the proverb was, but he caused his officer to propound the question to Ezekiel, and then said: “Tell them therefore, Thus saith the Lord God, I will make this proverb to cease, and they shall no more use it as a proverb in Israel; but say unto them, The days arc at hand, and the effect of every vision. For there shall be no more any vain vision nor flattering divination within the house of Israel. For I am the Lord: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; it shall be no more prolonged; for in your days, 0 rebellious house, will I say the word, and will perform it, saith the Lord God.” (12:23-25) God’s kingdom has begun to operate. His day of vengeance is here, and Armageddon is at hand and certain to fall upon Christendom, and that within an early date. God’s judgment is upon Christendom and must shortly be executed. That God will not longer delay this he says: “Therefore say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, There shall none of my words be prolonged any more, but the word which I have spoken shall be done, saith the Lord God.”–12:28.

The time is here when God’s people must make it plain to all that the nations are marching to Armageddon and that the only hope of the people is the kingdom of God. It is a great privilege to be permitted to make this announcement. It is the truth; and the truth will bring hope and courage to the people.

THOSE WHO PROPHESY FALSELY

(Ezekiel, Chapter 13)

Ezekiel was commanded by the Lord to serve notice upon those who were prophesying falsely. He had, in effect, told the people that the false prophets should no more be able to falsely promise peace, but that the Lord would speedily bring to pass the fulfilment of his prophecies, which are true. Now, in the thirteenth chapter, notice is specifically served upon those who prophesy falsely: “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the Lord.’’ – 13:1, 2.

Jesus gave answer to the question as to what should come to pass at the end of the world, and he said that, following the World War, which began in 1914, false prophets and false Christs would arise. False prophets and false Christs’ being thus mentioned together shows that there would be cooperation between the false prophets and the false Christs in their opposition to the truth of God’s kingdom message. The “evil servant’’ class claim to be the anointed of God and, these being false, they are therefore false Christs. The “evil servant” class, as Jesus foretold, ‘say in their hearts, The Lord delays his coming; and they begin to smite their brethren.’ This prophecy of Jesus has been in course of fulfilment since 1917, and is still being fulfilled. Those once enlightened by the truth and taken into the covenant, and who are in line for the kingdom, and who now refuse to testify to the Lord’s kingdom, and oppose those who are so doing, by their actions declare that ‘the Lord has delayed his coming ’. Their conduct shows the motive in the heart; and when Jesus declared, ‘They shall say in their heart,’ clearly it means that by their course of action they declare what they think. If they believed that the Lord Jesus is at his temple and the kingdom has begun to function, then surely by their actions they would cease opposing the proclamation of the truth concerning the kingdom, and would take their stand on the side of the Lord and joyfully join in the service of the Lord by also declaring the truth. Such are false Christs, because they claim to be God’s anointed ones and to ‘sit in his heavenly place’; and they are false prophets in this, that they say in their hearts, that is, by their actions, ‘The kingdom is not come, but is yet future.’

Jehovah directed Ezekiel to serve notice on all such foolish or perverse ones and upon all of Christendom who profess falsely the name of the Lord God. ‘‘Thus saith the Lord God, Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!’’ (13:3) Another translator renders the text: “Thus hath said the Lord Eternal, Wo unto the scandalous prophets, that follow their own spirit, without having seen any thing!” (Leeser) These are perverse and scandalous in this, that they indulge in scandalizing the name of God and his Christ and his servants in the earth. They have become blind to the truth concerning the kingdom, and ‘see nothing’.

These false or scandalous prophets include all who claim to be God’s representatives and who are in fact anti-kingdom, either in word or in action. Some of them say they are not anti-kingdom, yet at the same time oppose the work that is being done to advertise the King and the kingdom. Their very attitude of opposition to ‘‘present truth” and to the work of the kingdom shows what is in their hearts, and marks such as foolish and perverse and scandalous. They follow their own spirit and have seen nothing. ‘‘A brutish man knoweth not; neither doth a fool understand this.” (Ps. 92:6) A brutish man is one that is selfish, and carnally minded, and such as they that follow their own spirit and that have no vision of present truth. (Ps. 94:8) Of them Ezekiel says: ‘‘0 Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts.’’ (13:4) They are cunning, sly, predatory and destructive animals, and attempt to destroy the vines and hinder the delivery of ‘the fruits of the kingdom’. (Cant. 2:15) Such is the way of the ‘‘man of sin, . . . the son of perdition”.–2 Thess. 2:3-11.

The false prophets and prophetesses and false Christs are all classed together, and include the clergy, male and female, the political and financial predictors, and those who have once received some truth and have become unfaithful to their covenant. All such are against the kingdom of God and therefore object to anything’s being said about the Devil’s organization that would tend to expose its wickedness. Not being God’s servants, they not only refuse to declare “the day of vengeance of our God’’, but vigorously object to others’ doing so who are God’s anointed ones. They assume to speak in the name of the Lord, however; but the Lord has not authorized them thus to speak. “They have seen vanity and lying divination, that say, The Lord saith; and the Lord hath not sent them; and they have made men to hope that the word should be confirmed.’’–13:6, R.V.

These false prophets speak their own mind and conclusions, and claim the Lord for their authority, when the Lord has not authorized them to speak. They have accomplished no real good for the people, nor have they honored the name of the Lord; as Ezekiel said concerning them: “ Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.’’ (13:5) They have spoken their own wisdom, and not the Word of God, and are therefore the most reprehensible before God and the greatest reason for the trouble that is coming upon Christendom. They have taken their stand against the Lord and against his anointed, and for this reason God will not permit them to stand in the day of Armageddon.–Rev. 12:17 ; 17:14.

Because these false prophets and false Christs are anti-kingdom, God declares he is against them and that they shall not be in any part of his organization now or hereafter. “Have ye not seen a vain vision, and have ye not spoken a lying divination, whereas ye say, The Lord saith it; albeit I have not spoken? Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because ye have spoken vanity, and seen lies, therefore, behold, I am against you, saith the Lord God.” (13:7,8) They shall not be counted as God’s people, but are counted as enemies, which they are; and they shall die in the enemy’s country as exiles from God: ‘‘And mine hand shall be upon the prophets that see vanity, and that divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of my people, neither shall they be written in the writing of the house of Israel, neither shall they enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord God. ’’–13: 9.

COLLAPSE OF PEACE BULWARKS

The clergy of Christendom and the principal ones of their flocks have been foolish; and the “evil servant”, “the man of sin,” is in the same class. Their efforts have been to lull the people to sleep and quietness, and they have failed to warn them of the impending disaster. The nations of Christendom have built up the League of Nations, which is the makeshift of the Devil, and falsely claim to represent God’s kingdom. They expect this League of Nations to protect them against the day of God’s wrath. It may not be said that the “evil servant” class supports the League of Nations; but they do oppose the witnessing of the truth which exposes the League of Nations and all other parts of the Devil’s organization, and thereby the “evil servant” becomes the ally of those who have brought forth the makeshift for the kingdom of God, and the Lord classes them all together. All these would lull the people to sleep, and therefore the Lord speaks to them emphatically through Ezekiel: “Because, even because they have seduced my people, saying, Peace, and there was no peace; and one built up a wall, and, lo, others daubed it with untempered morter.’’ – 13:10.

In the days of Ezekiel “the wall”, mentioned by the prophet, was evidently Zedekiah’s league with Egypt against Babylon, made at the expense of breaking his oath with Nebuchadnezzar. (2 Chron. 36:11-14; Ezek. 17:15-20) But that league did not serve to maintain peace nor to protect Israel against God’s wrath. (Jer. 36: 31; 37: 5-11) The League of Nations in this day is budded up by Christendom as a wall to protect against war and to establish peace; but that League of Nations, the Devil’s makeshift, will not serve as a means of peace for the world as against God’s wrath.–Lam. 2:14.

Ezekiel tells of an untempered mortar used to plaster or cement the walls together. Any mortar or cement used to bind the league between Israel and Egypt necessarily would be “untempered”, because the Jews had nothing in common with the Egyptians, and there was no love between them. Selfish interests are never a true and enduring binder between peoples. Likewise cement or mortar employed to bind together the nations in the League of Nations because of the selfishness existing in all of them, can never be an enduring binder. Therefore says the Prophet Ezekiel: “Say unto them which daub it with untempered morter, that it shall fall; there shall be an overflowing shower; and ye, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall rend it.” (13:11) Such is exactly the message which God’s messengers are now com manded to declare and announce, and which has been and is now being announced concerning the League of Nations. (Isa. 8: 9-12) The commercial and political elements of Christendom have builded up the League of Nations as a wall for their protection, and the clergy endorsed the same and plastered it over with their palaver, claiming that it represents God’s arrangement. The clergy declare peace and safety for the people, contrary to the Word of God, as though they were covering the wall with an additional plaster of protection, but which shall fall off shortly.

Jehovah God, through his executive Officer leading his great army, will destroy their wall and all parts of their organization, pictured by the city. A shower of prophetic truth is now dashing against the untempered mortar and washing it away. That shower will then develop into a hailstorm and, as elsewhere prophesied, “every [hail] stone about the weight of a talent,” which will fully expose hypocritical Christendom. (Rev. 16:21) Added to the rain and hailstorm comes the wind, the great trouble, and causes the wall of Christendom to completely collapse and fall. ‘‘So will I break down the wall that ye have daubed with untempered morter [cemented together with selfishness], and bring it down to the ground [foundation], so that the foundation thereof shall be discovered [laid open, disclosing Satan, revealed as the author of it], and it shall fall, and ye shall be consumed in the midst thereof; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” (13:14) This is conclusive proof that the fall of Christendom will be the result of God’s righteous indignation expressed against it. It is his battle, and he will fight it to complete victory, and his name shall be vindicated: “Thus will I accomplish my wrath upon the wall, and upon them that have daubed it with untempered morter; and will say unto you, The wall is no more, neither they that daubed it.’’–13:15.

The clergy of Christendom insisted on injecting themselves into the League of Nations and making known to the world that they had visions of peace. Therefore says the Lord’s prophet: “To wit, the prophets of Israel, which prophesy concerning Jerusalem, and which see visions of peace for her, and there is no peace, saith the Lord God.” (13:16) The Federation of Churches of Christendom at the time issued a statement containing these words: ‘‘The church can give a spirit of good will, without which no League of Nations can endure.” This is tantamount to saying that with the church the League of Nations will endure. Neither the League of Nations nor “organized Christianity” shall endure. Both, being of Satan’s organization, shall completely perish.

WOMEN TO THE FORE

It was in 1919 that the Federation of Churches of the United States issued a paper endorsing the League of Nations as the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth. In that same year the Congress of the United States enfranchised women, and this act was ratified by such legislators in 1919 and early in 1920. Note that this was after the World War had ended and Satan had been cast out of heaven and had begun to prepare his forces for Armageddon. (Rev. 12:12; 16:13-16) The women of America in particular began to compete with the men as prophets of peace and to have a part in guiding and dictating the policies and political operations of Christendom. Since then they have wielded a great influence in the church organizations and in the councils of state. God foreknew this, to be sure, and caused his prophet Ezekiel to write concerning them: “Likewise, thou son of man, set thy face against the daughters of thy people, which prophesy out of their own heart; and prophesy thou against them. ’’–13:17.

The church congregations of Christendom are attended chiefly by women, and women have much to do with the policy thereof. In many of the church organizations women occupy the pulpit and preach and prophesy. The numerous women’s clubs have become a part of the political and religious organizations of Christendom. These female prophets make a display of human foresight and prudence. They wield a powerful influence over the men. Politicians and political clergymen among men no longer dare to speak in plain terms of women’s proper place in the church or in the home, for fear of losing political influence and support.

The women make monkeys or dupes of men. The men have become effeminate, soft and easily influenced, and have lost their real manhood and sturdiness in the affairs of state and home. For instance, when men are sitting at a table and a woman approaches, all the men arise and pay her homage and thereby elevate her to a place above men. The men remove their hats upon entering an elevator, if a woman is present; and these things are said to be acts of respect and to show that a man is a gentleman. But it is subtle, and the real meaning is much different from that. It is a scheme of Satan to turn men away from God and from his announced rule of the proper position of man and woman. The Lord has declared that no effeminate man shall inherit the kingdom of heaven. (1 Cor. 6:9) This proves that the scheme or habit of paying homage to women is not of God, but from the great enemy of God. It is a veneer of being a proper thing, and therefore it is more subtle than otherwise.

Every good man loves his wife, his mother and his sisters, and is kind and considerate to all women; but that does not mean that he should put women in a place contrary to the expressed will of God. In the church of God the man represents Christ the Head, while the woman pictures the bride of Christ, that is submissive to the Head. The divine rule is this: “But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.” (1 Cor. 11:3; Eph. 5: 23-25) Satan would reverse this rule and put the women to the front. He begins his reform work by first deceiving and misleading the women, and then appeals to the so-called “gentlemanly” qualities of man to submit to his subtle scheme. The modern practice of putting women to the fore in the affairs of religion and in the councils of state has much to do with destroying the sacredness of the home and with turning men away from God. Thus Satan has deceived and led the men and women in the wrong way, in order to turn them away from Jehovah God.

Let it always be kept in mind that the policy of Satan is to turn the people away from the Creator, and to accomplish his purposes he uses divers and numerous schemes, many of which on the face of them seem to be entirely right and proper. God commands: “Honour thy father and thy mother.” (Ex. 20:12) He did not command, however, that the father should be excluded. The father represents Jehovah, from whom comes every good thing, while the mother represents God’s organization, used for his good purposes and to his glory. (Isa. 54: 5; 66: 8; Ps. 50: 20) Satan would turn the people away from this beautiful symbol, and therefore from God, and cause them to disregard the Word of the Lord. This he does in a very subtle way by organizing what in England and in America, the chief countries of Christendom, is called “Mother’s Day”. This day began to be observed in England, in 1913. That same year the United States Congress, by resolution, made the second Sunday in May of each year a national holiday, “dedicated to the memory of the best mother in the world, your mother. ’’ That sounds nice, and on the face of it looks nice; but is it sincere? and what is the real purpose thereof? Do the men of England and America love their mothers better since 1914 than they did before? Certainly not. Is it true that every man’s mother is the “best mother in the world”? Everyone knows that is not true.

The so-called “Mother’s Day” was observed in America first in 1914, the very year that Satan’s world ended and when he knew his time was short to get ready for the great battle of Armageddon. To induce the people to bestow special honor and worship upon mothers would be one step towards turning the people away from the worship of God; and this is one of his means of preparing for Armageddon. In all the churches today much is made over “Mother’s Day”, but in not a single one of them are the people ever told that God is the Father, and that the “mother” is his organization, and that all honor and worship is due to Jehovah God. On the contrary, the men of Christendom are taught to pay their honor to creatures, and not to the Creator; and this by the clergymen, whose duty and obligation is to teach the people the truth of God’s Word.

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

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

In Christendom men have formed the habit of quoting their mothers as authority for their course of action and of utterly ignoring God’s Word. In Christendom the women teach and preach and prophesy in the churches, and predict and prophesy in the affairs of state concerning peace and war. The women are seducing and misleading men, cause them to mix polities and religion, and often compromise their duty toward God in order to comply with the rules of this unrighteous world. Such is “fornication” in the Scriptural meaning of that term. “Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.” (Rev. 2:20) Such is contrary to God’s rule. “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” – 1 Tim. 2:12.

The purpose of here mentioning women is not to ridicule or to speak unkindly of them. There are good women wholly devoted to God and who are rendering good and faithful service unto him. Likewise there are men wholly devoted to God and serving him. But neither the man nor the woman is to be honored and worshiped for such. The husband should love and treat kindly his wife and mother, and the woman should love and respect her husband, and the mother her children. But if all are devoted to the Lord and follow the Lord’s advice, they will dwell together in peace and do good and honor God. When men and women follow the Devil’s subtle scheme, they turn away from God; and the farther they go, the more trouble they get into. The purpose of calling attention to these matters here, and to the practices in Christendom, is to show that such is a fulfilment of God’s prophecy, and that the people might understand why Christendom is blaspheming Jehovah God and why she has turned wholly to Satan.

Foreknowing these conditions would exist at the end of the world in particular, God directed Ezekiel to prophesy: “And say, Thus saith the Lord God, Woe to the women that sew pillows to all armholes, and make kerchiefs upon the head of every stature, to hunt souls! Will ye hunt the souls of my people, and will ye save the souls alive that come unto you?” (13:18) The “pillows” (oracle cases, according to Rotherham) were cases made of skin in which to keep oracular images or sayings. These were doubtless worn for the purpose of openly showing them off or designating the women as prophetesses, and thus they made a profession of prophecy out of the pretenses of prophesying. “Will ye . . . save souls alive for yourselves?” (R.V.) “Will ye hunt the souls of my people, that ye may keep your own soul alive?” (Leeser) By their prophesying they hunt simpletons or “suckers” who are not guided by the Word of God but by the wiles of the prophetesses. These seek not the welfare of the people, but their own selfish ends. They make prophecy a selfish, paying business, and do not render their service to God. They have no interest in God’s kingdom, and know nothing about it; their interest is in self and a self-organization. It is well known that such are the conditions that exist today in Christendom, particularly in the religious organizations.

These prophetesses teach not the Word of God, but mislead the people and induce them to trust in the wisdom and the political and religious predictions of the preachers, male and female, thereby pointing them to the way of death; and this they do for hire. Concerning such the prophet says: “And will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley, and for pieces of bread, to slay the souls that should not die, and to save the souls alive that should not live, by your lying to my people that hear your lies?”– 13:19.

These prophetesses, because they profess the Word and name of God and tell lies to the people, deserve not to live; yet they keep themselves alive by their wrongful practice and by the blaspheming of God’s name. For this reason the prophetess is no better than the male member of the profession who prophesies falsely and concerning whom it is written: “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”–Jer. 6:13,14.

Jehovah then directs Ezekiel to pronounce his judgment against these false teachers and to say to them that God is against them and their false prophecies.

He declares that he will destroy their outward pretenses of their professions and will expose their hypocrisy and deliver the people from their influence. (13: 20, 21) The lies told to the people by these false prophets and prophetesses have made sad those who love righteousness: “Because with lies ye have made the heart of the righteous sad, whom I have not made sad; and strengthened the hands of the wicked, that he should not return from his wicked way, by promising him life.” (13:22) The clergymen have turned to wickedness, and the principal ones of their flocks and the leaders of Big Business and big politics have followed them in the same wrongful course; and the prophetesses condone the wicked deeds of these men by holding them up before the people as favorites of God, and thus falsely promise life to such wrongdoers. Because they have claimed to represent the Lord God and have not declared his judgments and the day of his vengeance, their blood is required at their hands, and all of them shall go down together, and their wicked practices shall for ever disappear.

The battle of Armageddon is approaching, and it will ruin the business of the false prophets and prophetesses: “Therefore ye shall see no more vanity, nor divine divinations; for I will deliver my people out of your hand; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” (13: 23) When their business is gone they will know then that they have been liars and have not represented God or served him. “Thus saith [Jehovah], thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the Lord that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; that frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that tumeth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; that confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers.” (Isa. 44: 24-26) The class whom Ezekiel represents, to wit, the ‘‘faithful servant” class of the Lord, must now speedily proceed to give testimony to the prophets or predictors, both male and female, of and concerning God’s written judgments and the expression of his vengeance upon such.

NOTICE TO THE ELDERS

(Ezekiel, Chapter 14)

Attention is here called to the fact that in serving notice upon the elders Ezekiel did not go to them, but that the elders came to him and sat before him, ostensibly for the purpose of being taught, but were, in fact, insincere. Ezekiel, representing the ‘‘faithful and wise servant” class, must tell the truth; and hence Jehovah’s witnesses must now tell the truth to such inquirers, because, says Ezekiel: ‘‘The word of the Lord came unto me.” (14:1, 2) “Then came certain of the elders of Israel unto me, and sat before me. And the word of the Lord came unto me. ’’ The elders pictured those who assume to be leaders or advanced ones amongst God’s people and to have the oversight of their welfare. There are many who have served as elders in the ecclesias or classes of God’s people, and probably some who are still serving, that are not wholly devoted to God. This prophecy of Ezekiel is doubtless here set forth in this fourteenth chapter to disclose that class of men amongst God’s people who are not wholly devoted to him.

“Elders,” as the word is here used, means “aged ones”, not necessarily those who are very old in years, but those who have thought themselves long in the truth of God and who have been teachers or leaders in the ecclesias and have attempted to teach God’s Word. There was a crop of these from 1914 on, and they have been made known or have made themselves known to God’s people since that time. These elders are shown as coming to Ezekiel, ostensibly to ascertain the will of God, but, in fact, to bring pressure upon Ezekiel and to induce him to confirm their own selfish views, to compromise his course of action, and to speak com- promisingly and to tickle their itching ears. Since 1916 it has been easy to identify this selfish class of elders amongst the people of God.

Ezekiel was advised by the Lord of the selfishness of these men and was told that their hearts were impure. “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face; should I be inquired of at all by them?” (14:3) They have not ‘set the Lord always before their face’, but have set their own heart on some selfish objective. (Ps. 16: 8; Acts 2:25) Their outward actions before men have been pious and apparently honest; but God knew they were not unselfishly and honestly devoted to him, because ‘the Lord looketh upon the heart, and not on the outward appearance’. (1 Sam. 16:7) When such men approach God’s “faithful servant” class, pictured by Ezekiel, the Lord God says: “Should I be inquired of at all by them?” Knowing their dishonest purpose, God is not pleased with their course of action in inquiring of those who are serving him. The Lord is pleased with those who honestly seek to know his will and his way, but he finds no pleasure in a mere outward form of worship. Jehovah shows his strength in behalf of and his favor toward those who are acting according to a pure and honest motive. (2 Chron. 16:9) Dishonest inquirers who willingly compromise with a part of Satan’s organization could receive no real comfort from God’s Word nor from those who are faithfully devoted to God.

In 1917 some of the elders, then in the organization of the Lord and among God’s people, wanted to commercialize the truth, and to do this they claimed that six men of their organization (who had formed a company to use the truth for commercial purposes) were the six men described in the ninth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy. They came to the Society, which is a part of God’s organization, ostensibly to ascertain the better way of serving God by and through his organization, but in truth and in fact they were serving themselves. They received little or no consolation. (Watch Tower, 1917, page 45) Each and every one of them then became the opponents of God’s work in the earth. Since then other elders have come forward with the ostensible purpose of seeking counsel but, in fact, to compromise the work of the Lord for their own good. The course of action, taken by these men claiming to be the six pictured in Ezekiel chapter nine, put a stumblingblock before the face of many and caused many to stumble.

Jehovah has but one way of carrying on his work, and that way is honest and right. To the inquirer who would have a different way from that which Jehovah has provided, Ezekiel (representing God’s “faithful servant” class) was instructed to say: “Therefore speak unto them, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Every man of the house of Israel that set- teth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him that cometh according to the multitude of his idols.” (14:4) Those who become offended and turn to their own way, find themselves separated from the Lord by his angels and placed in the “evil servant” class. He permits the selfish ones to have their own way or course of action, according to their own follies or idols. “That I may take the house of Israel in their own heart, because they are all estranged from me through their idols.” (14:5) Those who desire to work unlawfully have their desire fulfilled, and they find themselves in opposition to God.– Matt. 13: 41; 2 Thess. 2:12.

Fulfilment of this prophecy began approximately in 1917. God instructed Ezekiel to warn the selfish ones to turn away from their selfish course of action and to change their course of action. “Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.” (14:6) It was tho duty of the “faithful servant” class to give such warning. The rebellious and opposing elders, who had separated themselves from the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in 1917, and had caused trouble in the Society, were officially warned and requested at the annual meeting of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society in 1917 to repent, change their course of action, and return to the positions they had formerly occupied, and to harmoniously participate in the service of the Lord; but they refused to heed such warning or admonition. (See Watch Tower, 1918, page 24.)

By separating themselves from God’s earthly organization those rebellious elders separated themselves from the Lord. God has not asked any man to organize something for him. He does his work in his own way. The opposers set up their own method of service which exalted themselves and other men and honored the creature more than the Creator, and they put a stumblingblock in the way of others. “For every one of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that so- journeth in Israel, which separateth himself from me, and setteth up his idols in his heart, and putteth the stumblingblock of his iniquity before his face, and cometh to a prophet to inquire of him concerning me; I the Lord will answer him by myself.”–14:7.

Jehovah is no respecter of men, but he does act through his organization; and when his organization speaks or acts in harmony with the Word of God, then it acts or speaks in harmony with Jehovah’s will, and those who oppose are opposing God. In 1919 Jehovah’s visible organization on earth took action and warned the rebellious elders. They refused to hear God’s organization, but on the contrary ‘set up their own idols in their heart’ and pursued a course contrary to God’s organization; and concerning all such Jesus, speaking with authority, says, “If he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen man and a publican.” (Matt. 18:17) Those who were once in the organization of the Lord and who put themselves in opposition thereto put themselves outside of his organization and are classed with and are such as the opposing clergy. “And I will set my face against that man, and will make him a sign and a proverb, and I will cut him off from the midst of my people; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” (14:8) As a warning to his people the Lord says: “Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” (1 Cor. 10:14) And again: “Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” (1 John 5:21) “Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold, and see the reward of the wicked.”–Ps. 91:8.

Jehovah caused Ezekiel to write: “And if the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet; and I will stretch out my hand upon him, and will destroy him from the midst of my people Israel.” (14:9) This does not mean that Jehovah inspired the prophet to make a deceptive statement to his own deceiving, but it means that Jehovah frustrates the vision and prediction of the dishonest prophet and withholds from such the true understanding of God’s inspired Word. God does not permit him to have a true vision, because of his bad condition of heart. Such lose the vision of what they have once had. “And they shall bear the punishment of their iniquity; the punishment of the prophet shall be even as the punishment of him that seeketh unto him.” (14:10) God’s judgment therefore precludes all such from being in his organization. (13: 9) Jehovah takes such drastic action against false prophets, whether clergymen, elders or other teachers who mislead the people, for the purpose of demonstrating that he will brook no lies on the part of such, and that he will approve only that which is absolutely true. To establish the confidence of the people God says: "That the house of Israel may go no more astray from me, neither be polluted any more with all their transgressions; but that they may be my people, and I may be their God, saith the Lord God.”–14:11.

NOAH, DANIEL, AND JOB

The prophecy then shows that Jehovah first states a hypothetical case to Ezekiel, the purpose being to show what his judgment would be if the facts existed as stated. (14:13-20) In the thirteenth verse the statement is made that grievous trespassing is punished by a shortage of food. With Christendom this means the spiritual food or the understanding of the truth. The Lord withholds the supply of truth from those who have undertaken to feed Christendom spiritually. Such prophecy is in this very day in course of fulfilment. God’s true witnesses are flooding Christendom with a message of truth in printed form, and the hearts of the leaders and elders in Christendom are hardened, because to accept the simple truth is too great a burden for them to bear. They do not receive the truth concerning the kingdom, and they put forth their strongest efforts to prevent others from receiving it. For this reason there is ‘a famine in the land of hearing the Word of Jehovah’. (Amos 8:11) These false elders and teachers have ears to hear, but they hear not.–Isa. 6: 9.

Then says the Lord; "If I cause noisome beasts to pass through the land, and they [the beasts] spoil it [the land], so that it be desolate, that no man may pass through because of the beasts,” none but the righteous would be delivered. (14:15) Jehovah had Satan cast out of heaven in the battle that began between Satan and Christ in 1914, and since then Satan has been roaring as a lion in the land and marching his beastly organization or armies through the land, and these are spoiling the land. (Rev. 12:7-12) Jehovah did not create the beastly creatures or systems; but when these have begun their depredations, God does not protect Christendom therefrom; and such is the meaning of the hypothetical case.

Therefore says the Lord: ‘If I bring a sword upon the land, none of the wicked shall be delivered.’ When the battle of Armageddon is due to begin, then Jehovah will send Christ Jesus and his mighty army and will give command for the sword to go through the land. “He will give them that are wicked to the sword.” (Jer. 25:31) “If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.” (Deut. 32:41) “Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty.” (Ps. 45:3) Such sword is not “the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God”, but it is a means of violent punishment.

Continuing the statement of the hypothetical case the Lord caused Ezekiel to write: “Or if I send a pestilence into that land, and pour out my fury upon it in blood, to cut off from it man and beast,” none of the wicked shall escape. (14:19) Such pestilence as is here mentioned cannot be cured by physicians. It reaches all classes and operates quietly and with deadly effect. When God starts to clean out the wicked ones he will complete the work.

Concerning who might escape he says: “Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live, saith the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness. ” (14:20) To the same effect are verses fourteen and eighteen. The Lord there mentions three faithful prophets, Noah, Daniel and Job. Those three men, by their righteous devotion to Jehovah, maintained their integrity toward God; therefore they pictured the faithful remnant or “servant” class now, who are in the world but not a part of it. This “faithful servant” class is located especially in Christendom. Noah survived the deluge that swept away the first world; Daniel survived the destruction of Jerusalem and lived beyond the seventy years of desolation; and Job survived the Devil’s vicious assault upon him, and the Lord fully blessed him.–Job 42:10.

Those three men, therefore, pictured that class of men and women now on the earth at the end of the world and when Christendom will be destroyed, and which faithful ones will maintain their integrity toward God by their uncompromising and unswerving devotion to him, and who are counted righteous because they are in Christ and faithfully following in his footsteps. This is further proof that the faithful class will not be hurt by the great trouble or battle of Armageddon.

This does not mean that only God’s anointed ones may be carried through the trouble of Armageddon, because other scriptures show that there will be some flesh spared. It docs mean, however, that the anointed and faithful remnant, by proclaiming the truth and declaring the vengeance of Jehovah God and by singing his praises, will not convert Christendom and save any from destruction, nor can they convert and save their own sons and daughters. Family relationship will of itself be no protection in the time of trouble. Only those who are actually devoted to the Lord, and who prove faithful, are promised certain and complete preservation. The Lord will not be partial in his judgment. It will be only those who seek meekness and seek righteousness that may be hid or spared in the day of God’s anger, not because they are children or followers of some of the anointed, but because of obeying this admonition of the Lord. (Zeph. 2:1-3) It is not self-righteousness that will save anyone; but it is the righteousness that takes its stand on the side of Jehovah that will lead to deliverance. Nothing, therefore, that God’s righteous witnesses, the anointed remnant, can do will cause God to spare Christendom, her leaders, the unfaithful elders, or the principal of the flock; and this is the conclusion of the hypothetical case stated by the Lord.

Referring again to the hypothetical ease stated above in relationship to the pestilence, it is worth while here to consider some facts that are now coming to pass. The message of God’s Word of truth, poured out upon the disobedient and rebellious Christendom, and which constitutes the serving of notice upon Christendom, was and is a “pestilence” upon her: “And the first went, and poured out his vial upon the earth; and there fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshipped his image.” (Rev. 16: 2) (See Light, Book Two, page 19.) (Rev. 6:8) There can be no doubt about the fact that the Lord has smitten the clergy and their allies, and the principal of their flocks, with the pestilence of fear, and this fear is leading to self-destructive measures.

The hypothetical case stated proves that if God would not spare those of Israel who were unrighteous, with stronger reasoning he will not spare the hypocritical “organized Christianity”, which is the most potent instrument of hypocrisy Satan has ever used. “For thus saith the Lord God, How much more when I send my four sore judgments upon Jerusalem, the sword, and the famine, and the noisome beast, and the pestilence, to cut off from it man and beast?” (14:21) Jehovah executed drastic punishment upon ancient Jerusalem, and now he says “how much more” will he so do to Christendom, which Jerusalem foreshadowed. The Lord would have it definitely understood that at Armageddon he will spare no part of Satan’s organization.

The words of the Lord spoken to Ezekiel, however, show that there will be some taken through the time of trouble at Armageddon aside from his anointed “servant” class. The class thus taken through the trouble or spared will be the remnant of what is known now as ‘the nations of Christendom’. “Yet, behold, therein shall be left a remnant that shall be brought forth, both sons and daughters; behold, they shall come forth unto you, and ye shall see their way and their doings; and ye shall be comforted concerning the evil that I have brought upon Jerusalem, even concerning all that I have brought upon it. And they shall comfort you, when ye see their ways and their doings: and ye shall know that I have not done without cause all that I have done in it, saith the Lord God.” (14: 22, 23) This has no reference to the remnant of those who are in line for the kingdom.

There are those now in Christendom who hear the message of truth and give heed to it by turning themselves to the Lord and seeking righteousness. The commandment of Revelation 22:17 is now being obeyed by some. The Spirit and the bride say, "Come,” and those who hear come, and take their stand on the side of the Lord. Those who thus seek meekness and righteousness will be the ones that may be spared and, being brought through and surviving the trouble, will constitute the remnant of the people who are in the world but not a part of Satan’s organization. By preserving such righteous nucleus of earth God shows his hatred of wickedness and his love of righteousness, and proves that he can put men on the earth who will maintain their integrity toward him. "For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness; his countenance doth behold the upright.” (Ps. 11:7) Jehovah destroys only in a justifiable cause. These truths are, also, a comfort to the "servant” class, because these will see that the Lord has used them to have some part in the vindication of his great name.

THE VINE TREE

(Ezekiel, Chapter 15)

The fifteenth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy shows that Christendom has committed a great trespass against God, in this, that she has been unfruitful or has brought forth a poisonous fruit. “And the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, What is the vine tree more than any tree, or than a branch which is among the trees of the forest ? Shall wood be taken thereof to do any work? or will men take a pin of it to hang any vessel thereon?” (15:1-3) Jehovah chose Jerusalem for himself, and he has taken out of the world a people for himself. True Christianity was planted by Jehovah, with Christ Jesus as the true vine. “Organized Christianity” took the name of Christ but wholly failed to bring forth the fruit of the kingdom. Referring to the “vine” of Christendom Jehovah says: “Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?”– Jer. 2:21.

The Lord then propounds some questions concerning the vine tree, among which is this: Can it be put to more earthly use than other trees, or does God expect more of it than of ordinary trees? Correspondingly it is asked, Does God require those who profess to be his people, and who make a covenant to do his will, to try to do the same kind of work as the unconsecrated heathen do or to do something better? The unconsecrated heathen build hospitals and schools, and do special reform work, and carry on works of financial and political reforms, and form various kinds of leagues to accomplish their purposes. Shall not God’s covenant people do something more than that, and something different? Can a people claim to be God’s people and pursue a course similar to that of the heathen?

Jehovah has separated his people for a different purpose. He planted the vine and brought forth the branches thereof for the very purpose of bearing testimony to the truth of his Word and to the honor of his name. Christ Jesus is the true vine, and those in Christ are the branches. The office of the branch is to bear fruit, and by its so doing Jehovah is honored and glorified. “Every branch in me that bcareth not fruit he taketh away. ... If a man abide not in me, he is east forth as a branch, and ... burned.” (John 15:1-8) This statement of Jesus is in exact harmony with Ezekiel’s prophecy. “Behold, it is east into the fire for fuel; the fire devourcth both the ends of it, and the midst of it is burned. Is it meet for any work?” – 15:4

The Israelites had the opportunity of bringing forth the fruit of the kingdom to the glory of God, but because of their selfishness and unfaithfulness, particularly on the part of the clergy and leaders, they brought forth fruit to themselves. “Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself.” (Hos: 10:1) Those of Christendom who made a covenant to do God’s will, particularly the clergy and the elders, were given the privilege of bringing forth the fruits of the kingdom, and because of their unfaithfulness and stubbornness they have brought forth their own kind of fruit, or ‘fruit unto themselves’. Therefore the words of Jesus apply to all such: “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.”– Matt. 21:43.

The purpose of the “vine tree” is therefore definitely fixed. The fruits of the kingdom are God’s lifegiving and life-sustaining truths of and concerning his kingdom, and such shall vindicate his word and his name. Looking to the fulfilment of the prophecy at the coming of the Lord to the temple of God, what is found there? Christendom has wholly failed to bear the fruits of the kingdom, but, on the contrary, has become a “strange vine’’ that bears fruit of Satan’s organization. “Behold, when it was whole, it was meet for no work; how much less shall it be meet yet for any work, when the fire hath devoured it, and it is burned?” (15:5) When the end of the world came and Jesus Christ appeared, Christendom, instead of receiving him and bowing to his authority and rule, went into the World War and got burned at both ends. That vine of Christendom was fit for no good work to God’s glory before the war, and after the war it is wholly unprofitable.

Jehovah declares his purpose now to destroy Christendom, and directs the “faithful servant” class, foreshadowed by Ezekiel, to announce that fact. “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, As the vine tree among -the trees of the forest, which I have given to the fire for fuel, so will I give the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And I will set my face against them; they shall go out from one fire, and another fire shall devour them; and ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I set my face against them.” (15: 6, 7) The ‘‘vine tree”, Christendom, by readily joining with Satan’s organization in the World War, thereby became scorched, or burned, and it is withered, and the fire of Armageddon will completely annihilate it. “And I will make the land desolate, because they have committed a trespass, saith the Lord God.” (15:8) “For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant; and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry. Woe unto them that join house to house, that lay field to field, till there be no place, that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth! In mine ears said the Lord of hosts, Of a truth, many houses shall be desolate, even great and fair, without inhabitant. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled. But the Lord of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.” (Isa. 5:7-9,15,16) This shall be a vindication of God’s name.

HER ABOMINATIONS

(Ezekiel, Chapter 16)

Jehovah directed his prophet Ezekiel to cause notice to be served upon Jerusalem concerning her abominations. This foreshadowed the “faithful servant” class causing Christendom to know her abominations. In the sixteenth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy are shown the gross sins of self-righteousness. The self-righteous are shown as falling away from the Lord and despising others as sinners and heathen, beyond the mercy of God; and God’s announced purpose of restoring such despised ones to his favor is shown. Jehovah commands Ezekiel to trace the history of Jerusalem from the beginning, manifestly in order that “sin by the commandment might become exceeding sinful”. (Rom. 7:13) The sins of Jerusalem are spread out before her: “Son of man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations, and say, Thus saith the Lord God unto Jerusalem, Thy birth and thy nativity is of the land of Canaan; thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite.” (16:2, 3) The prophecy applies with stronger force to Christendom.

Canaan was the cursed one of Noah’s grandsons. (Gen. 9:25) The name of the land of Canaan means “humiliated” and represents the condition of the accursed, humiliated race from which the Lord selects his people. That condition shows his people as being “by nature the children of wrath, even as others”. (Eph. 2:3) Jerusalem was originally a Canaanite city called “Jebusi, which is Jerusalem”. (Josh. 18:28) “As for the Jebusites, the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the children of Judah could not drive them out; but the Jebusites dwell with the children of Judah at Jerusalem unto this day.” (Josh. 15: 63) This scripture had application until David later took the city. (2 Sam. 5:6-9) Both the Amorites and the Hittites were descendants of Canaan, and therefore were Canaanites. “And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, and the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite.” (Gen. 10:15,16) The Hittites were descendants of Heth, who was a Canaanite. It was a Hittite from whom Abraham bought the cave of Machpelah, which is at Hebron, thus showing that the Hittites were in possession. (Gen. 23: 3-20) Amorite means “mountaineer, dweller in the heights”. “Yet destroyed I the Amorite before them, whose height was like the height of the cedars, and he was strong as the oaks; yet I destroyed his fruit from above, and his roots from beneath.” (Amos 2:9) Hittite means “terrible, dread”.

Therefore says Ezekiel to Jerusalem: “Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite,” both from Canaan, and all heathenish; and for this reason the people and their dwelling place was under the curse upon Canaan, polluted and filthy in the sight of Jehovah. Such was the condition of the city when Jehovah chose the site of Jerusalem as the location of his typical organization. Therefore Ezekiel describes the place as a newly bom and abandoned baby girl, in these words: “And as for thy nativity, in the day thou wast born, thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee; thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all. None eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee; but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born. ” – 16: 4, 5.

The prophet then, in substance, says that Jehovah passed by and beheld this place as a newly born baby girl, polluted and unwashed, and he chose it and cleaned it up. “And when I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in thine own blood, I said unto thee when thou wast in thy blood, Live; yea, I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live. I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxen great, and thou art come to excellent ornaments; thy breasts are fashioned, and thine hair is grown, whereas thou wast naked and bare. ’’ – 16: 6, 7.

Jehovah had his eye on the site (the place for his typical organization) where he would place his name. “But the land, whither ye go to possess it, is a land of hills and valleys, and drinketh water of the rain of heaven; a land which the Lord thy God careth for; the eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year.” (Deut. 11:11,12) As God’s eyes ran to and fro through Canaan, searching it out, he saw the Jebusites occupying the place where he would establish Jerusalem, which land the Jebusites had defiled and filled with corrupt doings. (Lev. 18:3,25) Joshua burned Ai and made it a heap of ashes, even a desolation, and he did the same thing to Jericho. (Josh. 6: 24, 26) Jehovah, however, did not command David, when he took the city, to raze the walls and buildings of Jebusi or Jerusalem and make it a desolate heap. He allowed it to stand, only having the occupancy or controllership of the city changed. Out of his gracious goodness the original heathen city was permitted to grow up from babyhood to maturity and become the holy city, “whereas thou wast naked and bare. ’’ God put his name there and laid the obligation upon the peoples of Israel to keep his name unsullied.

TRANSLATED INTO THE KINGDOM

Strict justice could only consign the place to destruction, but the mercy and loving-kindness of God exercised for and in her behalf permitted the city to stand. “Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold, thy time was the time of love; and I spread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedness; yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, saith the Lord God, and thou becamest mine.” (16:8) It was a time to exercise love and mercy over it, and the Lord did so, and it became the Lord’s. He covered its unsightliness by taking it from beneath the control of the first “covering cherub”, now the Devil, and placing it under the rulership of David his beloved King, that his own name might be there. “But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.” (2 Chron. 6:6) “I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.” (Ps. 89: 3, 28, 34, 35) This place was translated from the polluted Canaanites and delivered from the power of darkness into the kingdom of one with whom the everlasting covenant was made: “But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved.” (Ps. 78:68) “For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.”–Ps. 132:13.

When Jehovah put David his king at Jerusalem he cleansed the city of its pollutions by the washing of the water of his Word, and by his kingly administration. “Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.” (16:9) The anointing here mentioned is not the word denoting official designation, but rather the anointing of the girl baby, cleansed and refreshed and made sweet. It symbolizes that God planted the city and put his name there, and that the royal city of his anointed was there. It was made “the city of the great King”. – Ps. 48:2; Matt. 5:35.

Jehovah made Jerusalem to be “beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth”. (Ps. 48: 2) This is figuratively described by Ezekiel in these words: “I clothed thee, . . . and shod thee, . . . and I girded thee, . . . and I covered thee. ... I decked thee . . . and I put bracelets upon thy hands, and a chain on thy neck. And I put a jewel on thy forehead, and earrings in thine ears, and a beautiful crown upon thine head. Thus wast thou decked with gold and silver; and thy raiment was of fine linen: . . . thou didst cat, . . . and thou wast exceeding beautiful, and thou didst prosper into a kingdom.” (16:10-13) The psalmist says of Jerusalem that it was “the perfection of beauty”. (Ps. 50:2) Jehovah God blessed and enriched the city by his kings, David and Solomon ; he made it to prosper into the grandest kingdom the world has thus far ever had. What contributed chiefly to its beauty was that it had the ark of God’s testament placed there on Mount Zion, and that later God caused Solomon to build the glorious temple within the city and on Mount Moriah.

The fame of Jerusalem spread throughout the earth. Even the queen of Sheba, hearing of the fame of Jerusalem and its king, came from the uttermost parts of the earth, and, beholding its glory, exclaimed: “The half was not told me.” In harmony with this Ezekiel prophesied: “And thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comeliness, which I had put upon thee, saith the Lord God.” (16:14) God made the city famous: “And all the earth sought to Solomon, to hear his wisdom, which God had put in his heart.” (1 Ki. 10:24) “And the Lord magnified Solomon exceedingly in the sight of all Israel, and bestowed upon him such royal majesty as had not been on any king before him in Israel.” (1 Chron. 29:25) The great name of Jehovah made it famous. At the dedication of the temple Solomon’s prayer was in fact a prophecy when he said: “Moreover, concerning a stranger that is not of thy people Israel, but cometh out of a far country for thy name’s sake: (for they shall hear of thy great name, and of thy strong hand, and of thy stretched out arm;) when he shall come and pray toward this house.” (1 Ki. 8:41,42) It was God’s city, symbolical of his organization on earth. Out of this glorious city and its people, the Israelites, so wonderfully favored of the Lord, only a small remnant remained true and faithful unto God.–Isa. 1: 9.

Let it now be noted how God has duplicated all of this in the spiritual manner towards true Christianity. He sent his beloved Son, whom David foreshadowed and who with his own blood purchased the right of men to live. It was Christ Jesus, God’s anointed King, that brought life to light. With Christ Jesus and his faithful apostles God laid the foundation of the glorious new organization, and at Pentecost the way was opened for others to enter and the selection of the members of the kingdom began.

All these were originally ‘‘dead in trespasses and sins”, all “children of wrath [and polluted], even as others”, a people “which had not obtained mercy”, symbolized by the accursed Canaanites. Upon the intercession and mediation of Christ Jesus those who came seeking the way to life God justified, and brought them into the covenant by sacrifice, and made them his children by begetting and adoption; and he cleaned them up ‘by the washing of the water of his Word’. (Eph. 5:26; Titus 3: 5) Then he called such into his kingdom and clothed them with the insignia of service in his organization. He fed them upon “food convenient” for them, beautified their hands and feet, and made them “stewards of the mysteries of God” and “ambassadors for Christ”; and he anointed them and brought them into the covenant for the kingdom. Thus Jehovah did for those who were faithfully devoted to him; and thus he shows forth the rule that must govern all who start to follow in the footsteps of Christ, and who shall thereafter be approved by Jehovah.

True Christianity is the only pure and true faith that ever existed. In the early years of its existence amongst men the apostle wrote to the faithful: “For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only m Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.” (1 Thess. 1:8) The fame of the little band of faithful Christians was spread throughout the land: “Your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.” (Rom. 1:8) God’s purpose is that his chosen people shall be witnesses to all creation: “The gospel which ye heard, which was preached in all creation under heaven.” (Col. 1:23, R.V.) “For we are made a spectacle unto the world, and to angels, and to men.” (1 Cor. 4:9) Heathen religions were and are of the Devil, and an abomination in the sight of God, but the true and faithful followers of Christ Jesus are a sweet savor unto him: “For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish; to the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?”–2 Cor. 2:15,16.

Jesus instructed his apostles to let their light shine, and says to his faithful followers: “That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; holding forth the word of life.” (Phil. 2:15,16) “Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles; that, whereas they speak against you as evil doers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (1 Pet. 2:12) Such are “a peculiar people”, chosen for Jehovah’s name’s sake. (1 Pet. 2:9; Acts 15:14) That which makes the earthly members of God’s organization beautiful and a spectacle for men and angels is the ‘Word of life and truth held forth’ by them. The laying of the foundation of true Christianity marks the beginning of the greatest favor that ever came to creatures.

HARLOTRY OF “ORGANIZED RELIGION”

But what is the net result at the end of the Christian era? Out of the millions who have been favored with some knowledge of God’s truth, and who have, been brought into the covenant by sacrifice, there today remains but a small remnant that is true and faithful to Jehovah God and to his Christ. All that came to pass upon the Israelites foreshadowed what has come to pass and is to come to pass upon Christendom. One is a parallel of the other. The reason for the falling away of the Israelites, and the reason that there has been a great falling away of “organized Christianity”, and the reason for the destructive calamity that is about to come upon her, God caused Ezekiel to foretell and state in these words: “But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. ’’–16:15.

The physical facts completely prove the fulfilment of this prophecy. The clergy and the elders and the principal of the flock, because of pride, have exalted themselves and boasted of their own glory, and have neglected to look to and honor God from whom all things good proceed. When mention is made of the clergy, no individual is singled out, but reference is made to those who assume to be preachers in the church and who glorify themselves and not the Lord. As to those who seek the favor of men, and who give honor and glory to men, such are mentioned as a class. Pride and extreme ingratitude mark all such. All of God’s favors bestowed upon Christendom are ignored and forgotten. ‘‘And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood.” (16: 22) Thus it was with natural Israel, and so it is and has been with “organized Christianity”.

Paul, addressing the boasters and comparing them with the faithful, wrote: “For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? Now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? We are fools for Christ’s sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised.” (1 Cor. 4:7,10) What is said about the clergy applies to all men in the church, whether elders or not, who take a similar or like course, who cause strife and division, and who prostitute the truth and gain popularity with the world.

Of and concerning such it is written: “From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain; ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 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. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.” (Jas. 4:1-4, 8) The clergy of Christendom have prostituted and commercialized the Word of God in order that they might satisfy their own selfish desires. They have prostituted “Christianity” with the political powers in order to gain popularity and favor amongst men.

That which marks true Christians as the people of God is symbolized by their “garments”. Claiming to be the followers of Christ, “organized Christianity” have used their garments, or means of identification, to adorn the polluted places of Satan’s organization, and this they have done in order to draw to them the support of worldly organizations. “And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon ; the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.” (16:16) The ‘fair jewels of gold and silver’, picturing the truth which God gave to the followers of Christ, have been polluted and employed in the worship of images of men, and used as a means to commit spiritual fornication with Satan’s organization, "Thou hast also taken thy fair jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given thee, and madest to thyself images of men, and didst commit whoredom with them.” (16:17) The clergy and the unfaithful elders have perverted the service of the Lord by substituting their own ceremonies, or ostentation of "character development”, or the worship of men as leaders in the church by setting up church images to be worshiped, thereby intending to draw others after them; and thus they have committed whoredom, in the language of the scripture. The food which the Lord has graciously provided for spiritual Israel, to wit, his Word, and the refreshing “oil” and "incense”, symbolizing their refreshment and sweet savor that comes from the proper use thereof, have been, polluted by being mixed with devilish doctrines and satanic worship.–16:18,19.

Jehovah is the husband man, and Jerusalem stands for his woman. She was "married” to Jehovah and brought forth offspring unto him. "Moreover, thou hast taken thy sons and thy daughters, whom thou hast bom unto me, and these hast thou sacrificed unto them to be devoured. Is this of thy whoredoms a small matter?” (16:20,21) The unfaithful ones in “organized Christianity” have formed a perverted organization and used it to turn members of the true church away from the Lord God, and to sacrifice them to the destructive influence of an organized system mislabeled "Christian” and to Satan the god of this world. All the clergy, the leaders or elders who turn men away from God’s organization, come within the class here denounced by Jehovah. Pride, selfishness and ingratitude to God are the inducing cause of their falling. “And in all thine abominations and thy whoredoms thou hast not remembered the days of thy youth, when thou wast naked and bare, and wast polluted in thy blood. ’’–16; 22.

The pollutions of “organized Christianity”, or Christendom, and the reproach that is brought upon God’s name, are too terrible to find adequate description in human phrase, hence the prophet says of her: “And it came to pass, after all thy wickedness, (woe, woe unto thee! saith the Lord God).” (16:23) The clergy, leaders, elders and principal ones of the flock in Christendom have taken in every worldly movement, political and otherwise, and then labeled such with the name of Christ and God. These chief ones in “organized Christianity” have opened their arms to all manner of heathen religions and customs and practices in their buildings called “churches”, in order to satisfy their selfish desires to have popularity, power and influence. “Organized Christianity” has erected her places of worship at the most prominent points in the roadway, hung out her sign, and sat in the doorway to induce passers-by to enter, and thus has made her original body to be abhorred by honest people of good will and made herself an abomination in the sight of God. “That thou hast also built unto thee an eminent place [margin, brothel house], and hast made thee an high place in every street. Thou hast built thy high place at every head of the way, and hast made thy beauty to be abhorred, and hast opened thy feet to every one that passed by, and multiplied thy whoredoms.” (16:24,25) The leaders in “organized Christianity” have denounced immoral practices amongst men of the world, from the stand point of the flesh, because such is an abhorrent thing before decent people, and the Lord chooses this abhorrent thing to illustrate the wicked course that “organized Christianity” has taken. It is bad enough for fallen men and women to indulge in immoral practices, but the Lord denounces it as far worse for professed Christian people to indulge in illicit practices with the Devil’s organization.

Egypt is a symbol of the world, and pictures the commercial and military part of Satan’s organization ; while Assyria pictures particularly the political elements of Satan’s organization, and Chaldea stands for the Devil’s religion in all of his organization. (See Prophecy, Chapter VI.) Verses twenty-six to twenty-nine of this sixteenth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy say to the Jews, and with stronger force to “organized Christianity”: “Thou hast also committed fornication with the Egyptians thy neighbours. . . . Thou hast played the [harlot] also with the Assyrians, . . . Thou hast, moreover, multiplied thy fornication in the land of Canaan unto Chaldea [Babylon], and yet thou wast not satisfied.” The clergy and leaders and elders representatively stand for all of “organized Christianity”, and have made friendship, entered into relationship, with the commercial powers and with the politicians of the world that they might gain popularity and influence; and “organized Christianity” has thus opened her arms and received into illicit friendship and agreement all men of the heathen or Devil religions. Today “organized Christianity” or Christendom boasts that all religions are walking together hand in hand and without controversy. This is done under the pretense and false claim that it is establishing peace amongst men, but, in truth and in fact, it is prostituting the Word of God and the true worship of the Most High.

“As a wife that committeth adultery, which taketh strangers instead of her husband!” (16:32) “Organized religion,” mislabeled “Christianity”, in the land called “Christendom”, gives rewards and prizes to entice and induce others of the world to come and join her organization and commune with her, she at the same time receiving no spiritual gain whatsoever therefrom. Heathen forms are adopted and practiced in the buildings called “Christian churches”, in order to gain popularity and to satisfy the selfish desires of the leaders thereof. This detestable practice in the church organizations called “Christian” the Lord describes in this language: “They give gifts to all whores; but thou givest thy gifts to all thy lovers, and hirest them, that they may come unto thee on every side for thy whoredom. And the contrary is in thee from other women in thy whoredoms, whereas none followeth thee to commit whoredoms; and in that thou givest a reward, and no reward is given unto thee; therefore thou art contrary.” (16:33,34) Instead of letting God do the calling, and instead of telling the people God’s truth in order that they might with intelligence respond to his call, the unfaithful religious leaders have chased after the class of people that they wanted, with all manner of enticements to make of them proselytes. Thus not only have they compromised themselves thereby, but they have paid for the opportunity to do it. Thus the Lord compares “organized Christianity” with a harlot that pays all manner of men to satisfy her beastly desires. Surely a worse description could not be imagined,

Jehovah commanded Ezekiel to call to the attention of Jerusalem her abominable deeds and then to tell her of God’s judgment. The "faithful servant" class must perform this same work toward Christendom. "Wherefore, 0 harlot, hear the word of the Lord." (16: 35) Jehovah then directs his prophet to say that because of her filthiness and whoredoms he would gather all those with whom she had taken pleasure, and the ones that she has hated, and he would expose her wickedness before all such. "Behold, therefore, I will gather all thy lovers, with whom thou hast taken pleasure, and all them that thou hast loved, with all them that thou hast hated; I will even gather them round about against thee, and will discover thy nakedness unto them, that they may see all thy nakedness. And I will also give thee into their hand, and they shall throw down thine eminent place, and shall break down thy high places; they shall strip thee also of thy clothes, and shall take thy fair jewels, and leave thee naked and bare. ... I also will recompense thy way upon thine head, saith the Lord God.”– 16: 37, 39, 43.

It seems clearly therefore to be the will of God that Christendom must be informed of her wickedness and reminded of God’s judgment written against her; and who shall do that work of serving notice except those whom God has called his witnesses in his name? It is the "faithful servant" class that is commissioned to declare the day of the vengeance of our God. As Egypt and Assyria and other nations round about turned against Jerusalem, even so in modern times the other ruling powers will destroy the hypocritical religionists. “And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast, these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire. For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.” (Rev. 17:16,17) (See Light, Book Two, page 108.) – Ezek. 23:22-26.

The infidel, the agnostic, the atheist and the sarcastic put “Christianity” and all heathen religions in the same class, and therefore use the proverb: “As is the mother, so is her daughter.” In other words, ‘the mother was a harlot and the daughter is likewise. They are all bad, and all from the Devil.’ These do not discern the difference between “organized Christianity”, with its devilish practices, and the true teachings of Christ Jesus and his apostles. The infidel and the atheist and those in that class observe that “organized Christianity” is even worse than the acknowledged heathen religions, because in Christendom there is a greater degree of intelligence. Therefore they put true Christianity in a class with heathenism and “organized Christianity” so called, and make war against the true as well as against the false. “Behold, every one that useth proverbs shall use this proverb against thee, saying, As is the mother, so is her daughter.” (16:43,44) This is again a challenge to God and a claim that he cannot bring out from fallen human creatures any that will remain faithful and steadfast to God and to Christ; and this is proof that the challenge is from the Devil.

Jehovah’s prophet Ezekiel then compares the abominations of Samaria and Sodom to those of Jerusalem. “And thine elder sister is Samaria, she and her daughters that dwell at thy left hand; and thy younger sister, that dwelleth at thy right hand, is Sodom and her daughters.” (16:46) Judah was the fourth son, and Benjamin the twelfth son, of Jacob; hence the tribes of both Judah and Benjamin had elder brothers. Jerusalem, which was partly in Judah and partly in Benjamin, had an “elder sister” in Samaria, the capital city of the ten tribes of Israel. Samaria means “watch”. Looking east from Jerusalem, on the left hand thereof was the site of Samaria; while Sodom is on the right hand of Jerusalem, when facing to the east. Sodom was the “younger sister” city in that it was less than Jerusalem; the name Sodom is understood to mean a “place of lime, or burning, or arable field”.

Samaria and Sodom were bad, but Jerusalem is declared as being much worse. Likewise, heathen religions are devilish and exceedingly bad and reproach God, but “organized Christianity”, under the influence and control of the Devil, is far worse and brings greater reproach upon the name of God; therefore the comparison. “Yet hast thou not walked after their ways, nor done after their abominations; but, as if that were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more than they in all thy ways.” (16:47) The wickedness of Samaria had been committed in the presence of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem, claiming to be more righteous than others, was more abominable in the sight of God. This shows that observation of wickedness and of the outcome thereof is no sure deterrent against indulging in wrongdoing.

SODOM VS. CHRISTENDOM

It must have been a shock and jolt to self-righteous Jerusalem, and particularly her pious-faced clergy elders and leaders, to have the notorious Sodom called her sister, and then to be told that she, Jerusalem, was worse than Sodom. God had put his name in Jerusalem and provided its people with his law defining sin; and by comparison he shows that ‘by reason of the law sin became exceedingly sinful’. As it is written: “I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.” By giving the law to Jerusalem God made known the exceeding sinfulness of sin, but Jerusalem went ahead in its wickedness nevertheless. (Rom. 7:7-14) Not by observation of sin, but by knowing the law of God and doing it, the creature learns the necessary lessons. Jerusalem and Christendom have failed to learn, and concerning them Jehovah said: “As I live, saith the Lord God, Sodom thy sister hath not done, she nor her daughters, as thou hast done, thou and thy daughters. Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.” (16:48,49; Jer. 3:6, 8, 10, 14) Sodom represented the nations of the earth which are called “heathen”, while Jerusalem represented what is called “Christendom”. Immorality, debauchery, pride and idleness that prevailed in Sodom well apply to all the heathen nations. Sodom was a part of Satan’s organization, entirely under his control, and knew not Jehovah God.

The same is true of all heathen nations of today. The peoples of Sodom were exceedingly bad; but they did not know better, because they had not been instructed. The Jews, being God’s covenant people to whom were given the Jaw and the prophets, knew better, and therefore their abominations were far worse than those of the Sodomites. This is made clear by the words of Jesus: “And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.” (Matt. 11: 23, 24) Jehovah was justified in destroying the Sodomites because of their devilish practices. The rulers in Sodom were proud, well fed, idle, and made no proper provision for the poor. “And they were haughty, and committed abomination before me: therefore I took them away as I saw good.” –16:50.

By the same rule of comparison Christendom today is far worse and more reprehensible than the Jews, the Sodomites or the heathen. The rulers in Christendom are proud, haughty, austere and harsh. Among those who rule are the idle rich, who live riotously. The food which they use, and the things that are employed for their pleasure, they have never bestowed upon such one ounce of their labor. They live upon the fruits of the labor of others. The ultrarich own and control the nations of Christendom. They support the clergy of the church organizations, who in turn attempt to absolve the rulers or ruling rich from all future responsibility, They pay well for it, of course, but get nothing, in fact. The United States is a striking example. It is the leading and most powerful and richest nation in all Christendom. Its natural resources are fabulous, and the riches possessed by the few men who control it far exceed the riches of Solomon in the heyday of his glory. Those who possess the riches of the nation made it not by honest laborious efforts on their part, but they have acquired it by smart and cunning manipulation and by defrauding the people. The common people have bestowed their labor upon the materials which God provided for man, in order that wealth might be produced, and the few selfish ones now possess the results of their labor.

At the present time there is great distress in the land. There are millions of idle people, not seeking charity, but crying for an opportunity to work that they might ‘eat their own bread in the sweat of their face’. The ultrarich and selfish control the public press and the ruling powers of the land. In answer to the cries of the poor these say: ‘There is now an overproduction ; there is too much foodstuff and too much material for clothing, and you must not work until the present supply is used up.’ The rich live in ease and with fullness of bread and in abundance of idleness, while the idle poor sicken and die for want of food. When some in the councils of the nation, feeling duty-bound to aid the suffering, attempted to appropriate funds to feed the starving poor, Big Business said, “No.” The commercial power, in fact, dominates and controls the political rulers, and the latter bow assent to the order from Big Business, and the clergy say, ‘This is a Christian nation; and what it decides the people must agree to, because such is correct, for the reason that it is a government by divine right.’

There are some men in political offices that are of tender heart and have compassion upon the poor and an honest desire to help them. When millions of people in the United States were actually starving, an attempt was made by such men in the Congress of the United States to appropriate money to feed the poor and starving; but the whip from the executive was brought to bear upon the political pullers of the chariot, and the measure was voted down. Then a makeshift was brought forth and enacted into a law which really adds insult to injury. A large appropriation of money was voted and made available as a loan to feed the poor and starving provided the poor and starving furnish the required security for the loan. If men are so poor that they and their children are actually starving, then manifestly they are too poor to furnish security for the loan of money with which to buy food. Briefly, the law means that, if those in need can furnish security for a loan of money, they may eat and live; but if not, then they must starve and die.

A United States senator, in giving his reason for refusing to support the above-mentioned measure, said: “I cannot vote for a proposition which embodies, as a matter of policy, the theory that only those who have security are entitled to live. The Congress of the United States on March 4 purports to turn its back on the sick and the dying without giving them any relief whatever.” Another senator denounced as infamous the policy of the United States to furnish aid only to those who can give security. A loan, as a rule, implies that interest must be paid. The United States, by claiming that it is a Christian nation, makes all of its citizens brothers, and the preachers boldly claim such brotherhood. By its own claim the law of God is binding upon the United States, to wit: "Thou shalt not lend upon usury to thy brother.” (Deut. 23:19) The farmers and laborers of the land produced the wealth, and Big Business acquired it by manipulation, and also controls the political policy; and by what law or reason or justice should the starving men who produced the wealth be required to give security for a loan to get something to eat?

It is the laborers in the fields that are today crying in vain for bread. Big Business and big politicians turn a deaf ear to the cries of distress, but the Lord hears the cries of the oppressed. He now serves notice upon the oppressors in these words: ‘‘Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.” (Jas. 5:4-6) The poor is pushed aside, and resists not because he cannot; but the God of justice will fight his battle for him. The prophecy of Ezekiel, supported by other scriptures of the Bible, shows that the punishment that God will inflict upon Christendom, and particularly upon such nations as the United States, will be far greater than that which befell Sodom and which later came upon Jerusalem. Notice of these truths set forth in God’s Word must now be served upon the rulers and the people of the United States by those whom God has anointed to do this work.

CATHOLICISM VS. PROTESTANTISM

The wicked king Omri purchased the site and built Samaria, and that city was the capital of the ten tribes of Israel. The Devil religion was established there, and Samaria became notorious for its idolatry. (1 Ki. 16: 32, 33; Hos. 7:1-8) But the sins of Jerusalem were far worse than those of Samaria, as the Lord declared. “Neither hath Samaria committed half of thy sins; but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they, and hast justified thy sisters in all thine abominations which thou hast done.” (16:51) Because of the greater enormity of Jerusalem’s sins, greater was her punishment; and thus the Lord establishes his fixed rule which applies to all.

As there were two general divisions of the Israelites, even so there are two general divisions of Christendom, to wit, Catholic and Protestant. Samaria representatively pictured Catholicism, while Jerusalem more specifically applies to Protestantism, or the Protestant part of Christendom. Today ‘the twohorned beast’, the British-American imperial world power (Rev. 13:11-14), is the great bulwark of Protestantism. It is also the seventh world power, pictured by the seventh head of the beast that came up out of the sea. (Rev. 13:1-3) The preceding world powers, except Rome, were heathen, like Sodom. Rome in its later days embraced the Catholic faith.

Rome is now a part of Christendom, and the major portion of the people in the confines of Christendom are Catholic. England and America, being the strong hold of Protestantism, or the Protestant branch of Christendom, are therefore more reprehensible before God, and subject to greater punishment, because of the greater opportunity to know God and learn of his kingdom. The modernist clergymen thereof have turned to idol worship; they deny that God created man perfect, that he fell by reason of sin, and that redemption is provided by the blood of Jesus Christ; and deny the kingdom of God as the means provided for the uplift and blessing of the people and for the vindication of Jehovah’s name. Like the powers of Samaria, Catholicism is an abomination in the sight of God. Even the Protestant wing of Christendom has harshly judged the Catholic wing, and yet the Protestants are even more abominable in the sight of the Lord than the Catholics; and this is proven by the words of the Lord which he caused to be written by Ezekiel: “Thou also, which hast judged thy sisters, bear thine own shame for thy sins that thou hast committed more abominable than they: they are more righteous than thou; yea, be thou confounded also, and bear thy shame, in that thou hast justified thy sisters. ’’–16: 52.

The deeper lesson here shown is this: that in proportion to light, or opportunity of gaining light, so great is the responsibility; and that those who live under more favorable conditions and are favored with more light upon God’s Word, and who then become lawless, are more reprehensible before God and subject to the greater punishment. According to this rule, therefore, the Catholic branch of Christendom is an abomination in the sight of God, and the Protestant branch of Christendom is more abominable because of its greater light and opportunity. According to the same rule, those in these latter days, whether Catholic or Protestant, who have received a knowledge of the truth and embraced it and learned of God’s kingdom, and who have then become lawless, are even more reprehensible.

RETURN TO FORMER STATE

Samaria, Sodom and Jerusalem were the captives of the Devil’s organization, and all went down into death as such captives. God will destroy Satan’s organization and will bring the people of those nations, with a few exceptions, back from that captivity. “When I shall bring again their captivity, the captivity of Sodom and her daughters, and the captivity of Samaria and her daughters, then will I bring again the captivity of thy captives in the midst of them.” (16:53) Death is the penalty inflicted for the violation of God’s law; and therefore death cannot be said to hold anyone in captivity. (Rom. 6:23) Neither Jews nor any others are God’s captives by reason of death. “The whole world in the wicked one [Satan] is lying.” (1 John 5:19, Roth.) All the human race, therefore, has fallen captive to Satan and his organization; and only those who have devoted themselves wholly to the Lord Jehovah have escaped, and in order to receive Jehovah’s continued favor they must ever afterwards maintain their integrity toward Jehovah. “The Lord turned the captivity of Job,” whom Satan had specifically afflicted. (Job 42:10) These scriptures show that the captivity means, not death, but captivity to Satan and his organization. Through his prophet the Lord says: “But it shall come to pass in the latter days, that I will bring again the captivity of Elam,” (Jer. 49:39) The religious systems falsely called “Christian” are like “silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts” into captivity to Satan and his organization. (2 Tim. 3:6) Such are “taken captive by [Satan the Devil] at his will”.–2 Tim. 2:26.

The ten tribes at Samaria went into captivity to Assyria, but this was merely the visible evidence that, having forsaken the Lord’s typical organization, they had gone into captivity to Satan’s organization morally and religiously, and then actually became the captives of Assyria. Nor do the words of the Lord by the Prophet Ezekiel, which say, “I shall bring again their captivity,” have reference to the return of the Israelites from Babylon by the order of Cyrus, because Sodom was not returned at that time. The return of all must take place at the same time, according to the Scriptures. Today all the Sodomites are the dead captives of Satan. Likewise the unfaithful Israelites are the dead captives of Satan. All these captives must be brought back or returned “in the latter days”. (Jer. 49:39) This can take place after Satan’s organization is destroyed and Satan is dead. (See further explanation in Light, Book Two, page 189.)

The bringing of the captives back will open their minds to the truth: “That thou mayest bear thine own shame, and mayest be confounded in all that thou hast done, in that thou art a comfort unto them.” (16: 54) Israel will then bear her shame, not shame before Sodom by measuring and comparing themselves with themselves, because such is not right, and God will not permit it. (2 Cor. 10:12) They bear their shame before the Lord, the great Judge, due to the light which exposes and correctly measures the depths of all sin and wickedness and reproves it. “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light; for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.” (Eph. 5:13) “In the day [of light] when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.” (Rom. 2:16) “[He] will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts.” (1 Cor. 4:5) The Israelites will be ashamed of their wickedness before the Lord, and those of Christendom will also bear their shame. The shame of both Israel and Christendom will be greater than that of Sodom and Samaria.

Nor does God’s Word necessarily mean that the Jews will be brought back to the land of Palestine. The prophet says: “When thy sisters, Sodom and her daughters, shall return to their former estate, and Samaria and her daughters shall return to their former estate, then thou and thy daughters shall return to your former estate.” (16:55) The word “estate” does not appear in the Hebrew. Leeser renders the text: “Shall return to their former state [condition].” Satan dragged them down into destruction and brought them into captivity, and the returning of them from captivity will mean their return unto a condition of conscious existence, freed from Satan’s organization, which will then have been destroyed. It would matter not whether they were brought back to Palestine or the United States. The Jews did much worse than the people of Sodom, and Christendom has done much worse than the Jews; and yet the people of Catholic and Protestant faiths will be brought out of the graves, together with those of all other faiths, and all will be given a knowledge of the truth for the purpose of judgment. This is all due to the fact that Jesus Christ, by the grace of God, tasted death for every man and that it is the will of God that all shall be brought to a knowledge of the truth. – Heb. 2:9; 1 Tim. 2:3-6.

The Scriptural testimony abundantly supports the conclusion that the purpose of returning them from captivity is for judgment. (John 5:29; 2 Tim 4:1) In that judgment the Jews will have a harder time than the people of Solom and the people of Christendom will have a harder time than either the Jews or the Solomites. This is proven by the words of Jesus: “But I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment, than for you. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted unto heaven, shalt be brought down to hell; for if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for thee.” (Matt. 11:22-24) In the resurrection those of Christendom who have died as captives to Satan’s organization will find, when awakened from death, that Satan’s organization is gone, and there will be no more opportunity for spiritual fornication therewith. (16: 58, 59) In the full light of the truth they will be ashamed, except those who have been wilfully wicked and who will not live again until the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ. (See Light, Book Two, page 205.)

The heathen, such as Sodom, must return in order to learn that the name of God has been vindicated. All then must have and will have an opportunity to know and obey God’s law. Then all must see that they are not deserving of everlasting life, but that what God has done for them in providing the means of everlasting life is because of his great love and for his own name’s sake. “Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, I do not this for your sakes, 0 house of Israel, but for mine holy name’s sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went.”–Ezek. 36:22; John 3:16.

Christendom is the most hypocritical of all organizations. “For thus saith the Lord God, I will even deal with thee as thou hast done, which hast despised the oath in breaking the covenant.” (16:59) She has called herself by the name of God, claiming to be in a covenant relationship with him and claiming to be the followers of Christ Jesus. She has had the clergy officiate at the crowning of all of the kings; had her rulers sworn into public office by an oath with uplifted hand, on the Bible; and has designated her clergy as ‘God’s ministers’; and declares that the “higher powers . . . ordained of God” are the rulers that have controlled and rule the nations of Christendom; and her clergy and the principal of the flock emphasize the “fact” that these rulers of Christendom are ruling by divine right. In the face of all this outward show Christendom has despised her oath, denied God and his Word, and denied the blood of Christ that purchased the life of humankind, and has taken a course under the Devil’s leadership that has brought the greatest reproach upon the name of Jehovah God that any peoples could possibly bring upon his name. For this reason Christendom is hypocrisy gone to seed, and is the most reprehensible of all peoples that have ever lived under the sun, and hence, according to God’s announced judgment, will be subjected to the most severe punishment of all nations or peoples.

EVERLASTING COVENANT

Jehovah is always faithful to his covenant, regardless of what those in the other side of the covenant do or may not do. For his own word and his own name’s sake he will carry out his covenant. “Nevertheless, I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth, and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant.” (16:60) Jehovah remembers his covenant made with the organization of his chosen ones in the day of the youth of that organization and before members thereof produced what is called “Christendom” or “organized Christianity”. It is Christendom that claims the sole interest in that covenant for the crown and for the kingdom, and yet Christendom has been entirely unfaithful thereto. Jehovah has been long-suffering with Christendom, and he has not forgotten his Word. In 1914, agreeable to his promise, he placed his King, Christ Jesus upon his throne and he fully established his covenant and kingdom. It is through this covenant-kingdom that the people of Christendom will have an opportunity for the blessings of life. “Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded.” (Rom 11:7) The “election” means the kingdom class, Christ Jesus and the members of his body, that will administer the affairs of the kingdom for the blessing of the people.

The new covenant has already been made with Christ Jesus as Mediator, the Elect of God and Head of his anointed ones. It is through Christ that the Jews and heathen can get life, and in no other way: “Then thou shalt remember thy ways and be ashamed, when thou shalt receive thy sisters, thine elder and thy younger; and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.” (16: 61) Christendom has made vows or covenants unto God and has broken them all, and therefore God, by reason of Christendom’s part of the covenant or vows, is under no obligation to Christendom. Jehovah makes the new covenant with Christ Jesus as the representative of those who shall receive the blessings under the covenant. Jehovah will confirm or inaugurate the new covenant with the nation of Israel; but evidently before that something else must be done. God’s ancient prophets and witnesses will stand as earthly sponsors for the Jews and will confess the past misdeeds of the people whom they represent, making confession with shame, and such conditions must precede the forgiveness of the Jews through Christ Jesus and the inauguration of the new covenant toward them.

Then the heathen Samaritans and the people of Sodom and all others of the earth may have the benefit of the covenant. Thereby these will become the daughters or children of the covenant and, as such, God will bring them forth as his earthly covenant people, that is to say, those with whom the new covenant is confirmed: “And I will establish my covenant with thee; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.” (16:62) By the words of this text the establishment of the covenant is limited to Jerusalem, and this is probably due to the fact that the covenant is made directly with Jesus Christ the son of Judah, the Heir to the throne, and the One with whom the everlasting covenant of the “sure mercies of David” is made. Otherwise stated, the new covenant is made with Jehovah on one side and Christ Jesus as Mediator on the other side, for the benefit of all the human race that will come under the terms of the covenant, the limitation being to Jerusalem for the reason above stated.

The Jews have been boastful and arrogant. They must get rid of that. During the reign of Christ the natural Jews will not boast or grow self-righteous because the new covenant is inaugurated for their benefit. Looking back over their record they will be silenced, and their mouth closed to all boasting. ‘‘That thou mayest remember, and be confounded, and never open thy mouth any more because of thy shame, when I am pacified toward thee for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God.” (16:63) God’s favor will come to the Jews merely because of their being “beloved for the fathers’ sakes”; and the Jews will realize that fact. (Rom. 11: 28) Neither will those people of Christendom who are favored with the blessings of the covenant open their mouths in boasting. This goodness bestowed upon them will not be by any covenant that Christendom has ever made or claimed to have made with God. All who ever receive life everlasting will come to know that the new covenant was made by Jehovah with Christ Jesus, and inaugurated for the benefit of those who will obediently comply with the terms of the covenant; and then all will come to know that God approves only those who love righteousness and walk humbly before him.

After the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple of Jehovah those who had responded to the call for the kingdom were tested and approved, and were set in a company to themselves, that they might “offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness’’. (Mal. 3:3) It was then that the prophecies began to be unfolded to these approved ones, and then they must, by Christ Jesus the Head of the temple, offer a righteous sacrifice of praise unto God continually. (Heb. 13:15) In doing such the temple class must, as God’s chosen witnesses, serve notice upon Christendom of her abominations and of the thing that is coming to pass by reason thereof. The facts must be put before Christendom in order that she might justify her extravagant claims, or else admit the truth and be condemned; and God’s witnesses must serve the notice.–Isa. 43:10-12.

Now God reveals to his people an understanding of the prophecies long ago written, that they may be encouraged and know that they are in the right way, and that their hope may be strengthened. These faithful ones, seeing that they may have a part in the vindication of Jehovah’s name, enter into the joy of the Lord and delight to proclaim Jehovah’s doings to the people. The witnesses of Jehovah are not slacking their hand in the work and calculating whether the days will be few or many. They are busy in declaring the truth and serving notice, and God will take care of the result in his own due time. The “servant” class thus has a part in the work of vindicating Jehovah’s name.

THE KING

(Ezekiel, Chapter 17)

JEHOVAH’S kingdom is made prominent throughout the Scriptures. Following the rebellion in Eden God’s first promise was that he would provide a King and a kingdom. It is the kingdom that will vindicate the word and name of Jehovah before all creation. When God dethroned Zedekiah his typical king, because of Zedekiah’s wickedness, he declared that no one would again rule in his name “until he come whose right it is”. After the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness Jehovah made a covenant with him that he should be the King of the world and the one “whose right it is” to rule.

During the ministry of Jesus Christ he spoke more thoroughly of the kingdom and emphasized it more than anything else, and most of his speech concerning it was in parables or dark sayings. Jehovah had likewise spoken by his prophets who preceded the ministry of Jesus on earth. To Ezekiel Jehovah said: “Son of man, put forth a riddle, and speak a parable unto the house of Israel.” (17:2) A riddle is a cryptic saying or speech. The fact that God directed a prophet to speak a riddle or parable unto the house of Israel is at least a suggestion that these things were written for the admonition of the last members of the body of Christ on earth, “the servant” class, because these are at the end of the world and earth’s rightful King is here.

Mount Lebanon is the site of the famous cedar trees. It was at one time a part of the domains of the kings, David and Solomon. The house of Solomon he built of the forests of Lebanon, “Lebanon” means “white”, and here pictures the self-righteous kingdom of Judah and Jerusalem, to whom Ezekiel was directed to speak the parable. The riddle or parable begins thus: “Thus saith the Lord God, A great eagle with great wings, long-winged, full of feathers, which had divers colours, came unto Lebanon, and took the highest branch of the cedar; he cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.”–17: 3,4.

The eagle is a bird of far sight and is also a bird of prey, and here pictures the king of Babylon. In the year 617 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, who is the “great eagle” mentioned above, came to Jerusalem and seized upon the royal family of David and Solomon and took the topmost branch of the “cedar” at that time, King Jehoiachin. This was eleven years before the destruction of Jerusalem, and was the time that Ezekiel was taken away captive to Babylon. This was the first fulfilment of the prophecy, and is explained in the twelfth verse of this chapter, to wit: ‘‘Say now to the rebellious house, Know ye not what these things mean? tell them, Behold, the king of Babylon [the great eagle] is come to Jerusalem, and hath taken the king [the topmost branch of the cedar, the royal family] thereof, and the princes thereof [including Daniel and Ezekiel], and led them with him to Babylon.” The city of Babylon was a place of traffic, or a place of merchants, and is further thus identified by the words of verse four: “He cropped off the top of his young twigs, and carried it into a land of traffic; he set it in a city of merchants.’’

Jehoiachin and the princes fell a prey to the “great eagle”, and were carried away into this merchants’ city as captives: “Jehoiaehin was eighteen years old when he began to reign, and he reigned in Jerusalem three months. . . . And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his father had done. At that time the servants of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up against Jerusalem, and the city was besieged. And Jehoiaehin the king of Judah went out to the king of Babylon, he, and his mother, and his servants, and his princes, and his officers; and the king of Babylon took him in the eighth year of his [Nebuchadnezzar’s] reign. And he carried away Jehoiaehin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land: those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon. And all the men of might, even seven thousand, and craftsmen and smiths a thousand; all that were strong and apt for war, even them the king of Babylon brought captive to Babylon.”–2 Ki. 24: 8-10, 12, 15, 16.

The original name of Zedekiah was Mattaniah. His name was changed, and be became the king of Jerusalem, in fulfilment of the prophecy uttered by Ezekiel in 17:5: “He [the king of Babylon] took also of the seed of the land, and planted it in a fruitful field; he placed it by great waters, and set it as a willow tree.” In harmony with this it is written: “And the king of Babylon made Mattaniah his [Je- hoiachin’s] father’s [Jehoiakim’s] brother king in his [Jehoiachin’s] stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah. Zedekiah was twenty and one years old when he began to reign; and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. . . . And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that Jehoiakim had done. ’’–2 Ki. 24:17-19.

When the king of Babylon made Zedekiah the ruler over Jerusalem, the two entered into a covenant whereby Zedekiah agreed to render allegiance to the king of Babylon. This is stated in the riddle in these words: “And hath taken of the king’s seed, and made a covenant with him; and hath taken an oath of him; he hath also taken the mighty of the land.” (17:13) Manifestly this was done that the king of Babylon would really be in control of Jerusalem but Jerusalem would nominally have her own king. Nebuchadnezzar’s purpose was to prevent the city of Jerusalem under Zedekiah from rising against him in rebellion. Therefore this covenant was made: “That the kingdom might be base [low, margin], that it might not lift itself up, but that by keeping of his covenant it might stand.”–17:14.

Zedekiah was not rooted and grounded in the Lord. He was exceedingly selfish and did not rise above the sins of the previous kings, but became profane and wicked and an abomination in the sight of God. Describing Zedekiah and his reign, in the parable the Lord said to the prophet: “And it grew, and became a spreading vine of low stature, whose branches turned toward him, and the roots thereof were under him; so it became a vine, and brought forth branches, and shot forth sprigs.” (17:6) He was a “vine” of selfishness and brought forth sprigs or suckers that were of no good; “and he [Zedekiah] did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord his God, and humbled not himself before Jeremiah the prophet speaking from the mouth of the Lord. And he also rebelled against king Nebuchadnezzar, who had made him swear by God; but he stiffened his neck, and hardened his heart from turning unto the Lord God of Israel.” (2 Chron. 36:12,13) God sent his prophet Jeremiah to warn Zedekiah, and this the prophet did repeatedly; but Zedekiah refused to humble himself before God’s prophet.

Another bird of prey appeared on the scene, to wit, Pharaoh, the king of Egypt; and in the parable Zedekiah is likened to a low vine that bent his roots and shot forth his branches toward Pharaoh. His purpose was to get sustenance and aid and comfort and strength from the ruler of Egypt, that he might stand against the king of Babylon. ‘‘ There was also another great eagle with great wings and many feathers; and, behold, this vine did bend her roots toward him, and shot forth her branches toward him, that he might water it by the furrows of her plantation.” (17:7) Zedekiah was looking for help from Egypt, and therefore he sent his “runners” or “branches”, or ambassadors, down that way. Zedekiah concluded that he could get on better by breaking his covenant with the king of Babylon and making an alliance with Egypt, and so he rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon.

Zedekiah was planted in Jerusalem, which was “good soil”, and by doing right he might have brought forth good fruit. But he did not. In the parable the prophet says of him: “It was planted in a good soil by great waters, that it might bring forth branches, and that it might bear fruit, that it might be a goodly vine.” (17: 8) Being profane and wicked and unfaithful to his word he broke his covenant with Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. He sent his ambassadors to Pharaoh in an attempt to get horses and much people to engage in war; but the Lord declared he should not prosper, and therefore caused his prophet to write concerning him: "But he [Zedekiah] rebelled against him [Nebuchadnezzar], in sending his ambassadors into Egypt, that they might give him horses and much people. Shall he prosper? shall he escape that doeth such things? or shall he break the covenant, and be delivered ?’’ – 17:15.

In response to Zedekiah’s rebellion the Babylonians [Chaldeans] besieged Jerusalem. Zedekiah accepted help from Pharaoh, the king of Egypt. "Then Pharaoh’s army was come forth out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans that besieged Jerusalem heard tidings of them, they departed from Jerusalem.” (Jer. 37:5) The Babylonians withdrew from Jerusalem, and Zedekiah was congratulating himself that his alliance with Egypt was successful and that the Babylonians would not again return to the siege. Then God sent his prophet Jeremiah to tell to Zedekiah this message: "Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land. And the Chaldeans shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire. Thus saith the Lord, Deceive not yourselves, saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us; for they shall not depart. For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.”–Jer. 37:6-10.

This parable was spoken by Ezekiel long before the fall of Jerusalem, but Zedekiah and his counselors gave no heed to it. Although the prophecy foretold that he would not prosper in his effort to obtain help from Egypt, Zedekiah pursued his own selfish course. God directed Ezekiel to prophesy that this effort on the part of Zedekiah would not prosper, and it did not. “Say thou, Thus saith the Lord God, Shall it prosper? shall he not pull up the roots thereof, and cut off the fruit thereof, that it wither ? it shall wither in all the leaves of her spring, even without great power, or many people to pluck it up by the roots thereof. Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper? shall it not utterly wither, when the east wind toueh- eth it? it shall wither in the furrows where it grew.” –17: 9,10.

Covenant-breakers in the sight of Jehovah God are worthy of death. (Rom 1:31,32) Those who have made a covenant with God and who then deliberately break that covenant are despicable in his sight and worthy of death and such is shown by the prophecy concerning Zedekiah. This profane and wicked ruler refused to keep his word with man or with God, and concerning him Jehovah caused Ezekiel to write: ‘‘As I live, saith the Lord God, surely in the place where the king dwelleth that made him king, whose oath he despised, and whose covenant he brake, even with him, in the midst of Babylon, he shall die. Neither shall Pharaoh, with his mighty army and great company, make for him [success] in the war, by casting up mounts, and building forts, to cut off many persons: seeing he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, when, lo, he had given his hand, and hath done all these things, he shall not escape. ’’ – 17:16-21.

Jehovah by his prophet said: “Yea, behold, being planted, shall it prosper?” The fact that there was a miniature fulfilment of this riddle prophecy on Jerusalem, plus the fact that whatsoever was written aforetime in the prophecies was written for the benefit of the faithful people of God at the end of the world, is proof that there must be another fulfilment and that such larger fulfilment would be made known to God’s people at the end of the world.

RIDDLE FULFILLED

A parallel of the first fulfilment is found in modern times. As the cedars of Lebanon pictured the royal line of Jerusalem, represented particularly in Solomon, the cedars of Lebanon also pictured the royal line that has ruled Christendom from its inception until 1914. In that period of time church-and-state systems were in vogue, and the clergy plainly taught that the rule was by divine right and authority. The nations of the earth gradually became nations of merchandise, that is to say, trafficking and merchandising, but the commercial element of the rulers became most powerful. Like the city of Babylon, it was a place of traffic. But had the clergymen of Christendom remained true to the Word and counsel of God, and informed the people concerning his Word and his kingdom; and, when the King came, had they embraced the kingdom and urged the rulers and the people to do so, they might have had God’s favor. They took exactly a contrary course. Instead of standing firm for the Lord and his kingdom the clergy openly united themselves with the commercial and the military powers of the world.

All true Christians are in a covenant with God to be obedient to his will. “Christianity” was founded upon God’s covenant for a kingdom, which covenant was made with those who are in the covenant to do his will even unto death. Doubtless many, if not all, of the clergymen of Christendom agreed to do the will of God when they entered the ministry. By taking the name of the Christ of God, and by claiming to be God’s representatives on the earth and ministers of his Word, all such have thereby assumed to be in the covenant with God. In the course of time that which is called “organized Christianity” or “Christendom” fell away captive to the traffickers of the world. The religious leaders or clergymen agreed with one another and with Big Business and the rulers of the world that they would reform the nations of Christendom and bring them into the church and make the world Christian. They therefore were taken captive by a part of Satan’s organization, represented by Babylon. Whether their agreement to accomplish this purpose was actually or tacitly made is not of great importance; but their course of action determines that the agreement was made. There at least was an implied covenant. Following it out the clergy brought into the churches men of financial renown and political influence, and made them the chief ones of their flocks. The traffickers and the politicians and the clergymen then went hand in hand in the organization which is called “the Christian church’’, with the clergymen claiming that they would convert the world to Christ. Both Catholics and Protestants then engaged in a like work, and a tacit arrangement was made among all the branches of the “church”, so called, to work to one end. Such was the condition in 1914, at the end of the world and the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ as earth’s rightful King.

God sent forth his beloved Son, his ‘priest after the order of Melchisedec’, to rule the world. This meant that he must begin to rule amidst his enemies, which are Satan and his organization. Immediately there followed a war in heaven, and Satan was ousted from heaven and cast down to the earth. (Rev. 12:7-12) Egypt represents Satan’s organization, particularly from the viewpoint of militarism. The World War started in Christendom in 1914, and all Christendom turned to militarism (or to war), represented by Egypt. Instead of the clergy and the principal of their flocks’ giving their allegiance to Christ, the Prince of peace, and directing the nations to do likewise, and instead of doing their all to turn the people to God and to his kingdom, they immediately turned all branches of Christendom, commercial, religious and political, and particularly the religious, toward war. They bent their energies in the direction of “Egypt”.

The most vehement advocates of the war were the clergymen. They urged the people into war, and used their buildings as recruiting stations for soldiers, and joined in the slogan: ‘The war will make the world safe for democracy.’ In other words, they said war will be the salvation of the people, instead of the conversion of the world to Christ, which they had claimed and agreed they would accomplish. Even as Zedekiah turned to Egypt for horses and men to engage in war, now the leaders in Christendom turned all their energies to war. In doing this, Christendom, and particularly the so-called “Christian church”, broke its covenant with God and broke its word, or covenant, to reform the world and bring it to Christ, and adopted the World War instead.

In the World War the royal families of Christendom lost their crowns, and a new order came into vogue thereafter. One of the rulers of the world, who claimed to be a Christian, said in substance: “We are in the beginning of a new world. ’’ Christendom was not then destroyed, but there was merely a change of surface appearance. A superficial effort was put forth to make good the principle of self-determination of races or peoples, such as the Poles, Letts, Czechs, and others. The clergy went up and down the land preaching to the people this doctrine of self-determination, as though it were a great religious revival campaign. They were urging the nations of Christendom to join in a league which would establish peace on earth. At the same time the true witnesses of God continued faithfully to preach to the people that the war and attending conditions furnish the proof of the second presence of Christ, and of the end of the world, and therefore the people should give allegiance to Christ and not to war; and for this reason they were persecuted and imprisoned, and the persecution was led by the clergy of Christendom.

When the League of Nations compact was brought forth out of “Egypt” (the military wing of the world), the clergy with great fervency and pride pointed to the League of Nations as the arrangement by which the Lord would uplift the people. Again they ‘went down to Egypt for help’ and completely forsook the Lord God and their covenant to bring the world into the church. While it was claimed that a new world had begun, and the kings had lost their crowns, “the same old gang” continued to hold control of the affairs of the world. The result is that professed “Christianity”, while claiming to stand for God and for Christ, failed and refused to rely upon the Word of God, failed and refused to carry out their implied covenant to reform and to convert the world, and instead forsook the Lord and turned for help to the military powers of the world; and concerning such the Lord propounds the question: ‘Shall they prosper?’ Through his prophet he gives the answer: “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong: but they look not unto the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the Lord! Yet he also is wise, and will bring evil, and will not call back his words; but will arise against the house of the evil doers, and against the help of them that work iniquity. Now the Egyptians are men, and not God; and their horses flesh, and not spirit. When the Lord shall stretch out his hand, both he that helpeth shall fall, and he that is holpen shall fall down, and they all shall fail together. ’’–Isa. 31:1-3.

In 1926, beginning at London, England, God’s true witnesses sent forth “A Testimony to the Rulers of the World”, which, amongst other things, said:

“First: That it is of paramount importance that all recognize that Jehovah, the Creator of heaven and earth, is the true and Almighty God besides whom there is none other; that his purpose for man is set forth in the Bible, which is his Word of truth, and that Christ Jesus is the Executor of Jehovah’s purpose; that it is now apparent to all that the nations of the world are in dire distress and perplexity, and great trouble more terrible than any heretofore experienced is now threatened; that the efforts of the rulers to establish a desirable government or world power have failed; and, now be it known unto you, that the outworking of God’s purpose concerning man, and that alone, can and will stabilize the world, and bring lasting peace, prosperity and happiness to the peoples, and that the time has come for those who are exercising governing power over the peoples to recognize these great truths.

“Second: That the reason for the prevailing condition of perplexity and distress is because man disobeyed the true God and yielded to the wicked influence of Satan, the false god. . . .

*  *  *  *

“Fourth: That divine prophecy now fulfilled, and in the course of fulfilment, bears testimony to the fact that Satan’s lease of power is done, and that the old world has ended, and that the time is at hand when Christ Jesus, the executive officer of Jehovah and the rightful King of earth, will oust Satan the evil one and begin his righteous government, which shall establish God’s will on earth. . .

“Fifth: . . . Contrary to the Word of God the commercial, political and ecclesiastical rulers attempted to stabilize the world and keep the peoples under control by adopting that makeshift which is called the League of Nations and which was wrongfully and blasphemously hailed as the political expression of God’s kingdom on earth; that the real author and father of the League of Nations compact is Satan the Devil, the god of this world, which was put forward by him as his last desperate effort to deceive the peoples, turn them away from the true God, and hold them under his own wicked control . . .

“Sixth: That by reason of the blinding influence of Satan the minds of the rulers and the ruled are turned away from the true God, and the evil forces are gathering the whole world unto the great battle of the Lord God Almighty; that there is now impending a time of trouble such as the world has never known, during which conflict Satan’s powerful organization shall fall never to rise again, and there shall be such a demonstration of divine power that all the nations will learn that Jehovah is God and that Christ Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords.

*  *  *  *

“Therefore we earnestly bear before you this testimony: That Jehovah is The God, and that he has installed Christ his Son as The King of the earth, and bids you to give full obedience to earth’s rightful King. Do so and use your influence to turn the minds of the people to THE TRUE GOD, that disaster may not befall you.–Ps. 2: 2-12.”

This testimony was declared first at the very seat of the seventh world power and of the controlling power of Christendom, and was a warning to all Christendom. Millions of copies thereof were printed and distributed throughout Christendom, and the rulers in Christendom not only refused to hear, but despised the message. (See Light, Book One, pages 137-142.) Instead of heeding the Word of God Christendom today appeals to militarism and commercialism to save the world from disaster. Particularly the great commercial power of the United States, and which is the “left wing” of the seventh world power, is relied upon to stabilize suffering and bankrupt Christendom. But militarism and commercial rivalry between the nations vigorously continue, and the military and naval and air forces of the various nations continue to be strengthened, while conferences and parleys go on and while oppression and starvation of the people continue.

Jerusalem by her royal authority, King Zedekiah, broke her covenant with God and her covenant with Babylon, and turned to the military power of Egypt for help. She seemed to have succeeded for a time, when the king of Babylon withdrew his armies; but God warned her through Jeremiah his prophet that the Babylonians would return and destroy the city, because she was a covenant-breaker.

By comparison: Christendom, which is the counterpart of Jerusalem, acting through her royal authority or rulers, broke her implied covenant with God to be obedient to his will, and broke her covenant or agreement to convert the world and bring it into the church, and instead turned to militarism for help and security, represented by the world power of Egypt. The result of the World War encouraged her to think she had succeeded, and she proceeded to set up a League of Nations to insure her future security. She said: ‘The blood of these men has been shed in vain unless we set up a League of Nations that will maintain world peace among the military powers.’ By his prophets the Lord warned that the League of Nations shall not stand. – Isa. 8: 9, 10.

The warning which God gave to Jerusalem by the Prophet Jeremiah applies on a larger scale to Christendom now. “Thus saith the Lord [God], the God of Israel, Thus shall ye say to the king of Judah, that sent you unto me to inquire of me; Behold, Pharaoh’s army, which is come forth to help you, shall return to Egypt into their own land. And the Chaldeans [the Babylonians] shall come again, and fight against this city, and take it, and burn it with fire. Thus saith the Lord, Deceive not yourselves saying, The Chaldeans shall surely depart from us: for they shall not depart. For though ye had smitten the whole army of the Chaldeans that fight against you, and there remained but wounded men among them, yet should they rise up every man in his tent, and burn this city with fire.” (Jer. 37:7-10) As King Ahasuerus (Esther 1:1-5) pictured royal authority and power in the abstract, and therefore sometimes represented God’s power, even so it may be well said that the ruler of Babylon (or Chaldea), who was used as an instrument to destroy Jerusalem, was, when thus acting, used to represent royal authority and power from God’s viewpoint.

The judgment of Jehovah is written against Christendom, and his anointed King and chief executive officer will execute that judgment. Christendom has despised the Word of the Lord God, even as the wicked princes of Jerusalem despised his Word. The prophecy of Ezekiel applies to both, to wit: “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, As I live, surely mine oath that he hath despised, and my covenant that he hath broken, even it will I recompense upon his own head.’’ (17:19) Had Zedekiah given heed to the counsel of the Lord, sent to him by the true prophet Jeremiah, Jerusalem would have been spared: “But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings. ” (Jer. 23: 22; 38:17-23) Jehovah stopped the World War in order that the testimony of Christ might be given to the nations. Had the nations of Christendom given heed to that testimony, and had the clergy caused the people to hear the words of the Lord, instead of opposing it as they have done, Christendom might have been spared the great time of trouble of Armageddon. But now the die is cast, and Christendom must by order of Jehovah be destroyed, and the forces are marching on to Armageddon.

Christendom has walked into the snare, after having been duly warned, even as the people of Jerusalem were warned. “And I will spread my net upon him, and he shall be taken in my snare; and I will bring him to Babylon, and will plead with him there for his trespass that he hath trespassed against me. And all his fugitives with all his bands shall fall by the sword, and they that remain shall be scattered toward all winds; and ye shall know that I the Lord have spoken it.” (17: 20, 21) The battle of Armageddon will come as a snare upon all the world, even as Jesus foretold: “For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.” (Luke 21:35) The hypocritical organizations of Christendom, refusing to hear the message of truth, make themselves blind thereto, and will be destroyed; and their temple, which is the nominal church, will be pillaged and burned to the ground, because the Lord God has decreed that it shall be done. Those guilty before God cannot now escape, no matter what they do: “And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.” (Jer. 25: 35) Jehovah will thus fulfill his Word and vindicate his name.

EARTH’S RIGHTFUL KING

Jehovah then caused his prophet to foretell earth’s rightful King. He is of the Davidic line, but does not descend through the lineage of the faithless Solomon. God enthrones the highest one of the royal line, pictured by the highest cedar of Lebanon, and he plants it in another mountain; and thus the parable states: “Thus saith the Lord God, I will also take of the highest branch of the high cedar, and will set it; I will crop off from the top of his young twigs a tender one, and will plant it upon a high mountain and eminent.” (17:22) Jesus, fresh, new and green, and therefore full of life, is the one mentioned in this prophecy as the highest branch of the highest cedar. “For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground.” (Isa. 53:2) “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.” (Isa. 11:1) Mount Zion symbolically pictures the peak of God’s organization, and it is there, on Mount Zion, that he “planted” Jesus “upon a high mountain and eminent”. Christ Jesus is given the pre-eminence over all things. (Col. 1:18) The new cedar is the true and royal family of Jehovah, the kingdom of heaven; and Christ Jesus is earth’s rightful King and is the head of the kingdom.

All of the 144,000 members of the Christ arc taken from the antitypical twelve tribes of Israel, and constitute “the Israel of God”. (Gal. 6:15,16; Rev. 7:4-8; 14:1) “In the mountain of the height of Israel will I plant it; and it shall bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a goodly cedar; and under it shall dwell all fowl of every wing; in the shadow of the branches thereof shall they dwell.” (17:23) The kingdom of heaven shall rule the world in righteousness. From its beginning the haughty and proud have despised it, but all who will ever live must come under its control. “Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field; which indeed is the least of all seeds; but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and be- cometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. ’’–Matt. 13: 31, 32.

Lucifer was once the chief over all creation of earth; but he was rebellious and a traitor to God, and from him shall all be taken away. Jesus Christ the beloved Son of God is the righteous ruler of the world, and all who live must come under his domination and under his righteous rule. “And all the trees of the field shall know that I the Lord have brought down the high tree, have exalted the low tree, have dried up the green tree, and have made the dry tree to flourish; I the Lord have spoken, and have done it.” (17:24) God’s remnant, the faithful witness class on earth, now go forth to proclaim to the people that Christ is King, that the kingdom will fill the earth and rule in righteousness, and that this will be for ever a vindication of the name of Jehovah God.

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY

(Ezekiel, Chapter 18)

The prophecy of the eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel has its larger fulfilment from and after the coming of the Lord Jesus to the temple of God for judgment. It had its primary application to natural Israel, but the prophecy is written more particularly for those on earth at the end of the world. There was a saying or proverb in the land of Israel, the purpose of which was to shift the responsibility from one generation to the former generation. The word of the Lord addressed to Ezekiel is: “What mean ye, that ye use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge?” (18:1,2) Be it noted that the prophecy says that this was “a proverb concerning the land of Israel”. It was understood that the law of God was in operation in Israel, because to that people he had given his law. The fact that the Lord rebuked them for using this proverb shows that the saying or proverb did not refer to “father Adam” who had sinned and whose sins were visited upon his children by inheritance. The proverb was used by and applied to Israel, and those using it were doing so with reference to their recent ancestors who had preceded them in the land.

In Ezekiel’s day the Israelites were blaming their fathers for the miseries which they as their children had to bear. It was an attempt to justify self and put the load or burden on their dead fathers. The clergy class of Israel were doing that very thing when Jesus was on the earth. (Matt. 23: 29, 30) Such an attitude prevails in this day in Christendom, to which the prophetic proverb has a wider application. Since the World War conditions grow worse, and Christendom attempts to put the blame now on those who brought on the World War, particularly on one specific ruler of Christendom and his immediate official family. One administration of a government lays the blame for bad economic conditions on the previous administration. It is a claim of self-exoneration, and an attempt to escape responsibility. Instead of looking to themselves to see whether or not they are the same as their fathers, and what they need to do to reform, they want to be freed from all responsibility whatsoever. This God will not permit.

God is in his holy temple, and all the nations are commanded to be silent before him and to give heed. He is representatively in the temple by Christ Jesus, to whom all judgment is committed. The judgments of Jehovah are written, and the time has come for a positive and unequivocal statement thereof; and what he states will come to pass is just as certain as that God himself lives. Therefore it is written: “As I live, saith the Lord God, ye shall not have occasion any more to use this proverb in Israel. ” (18:3) Attention is called by the Lord to the personal responsibility of each one before the King who is upon his throne, especially since the symbolical sheep and goats (Matt. 25:32) are before him. A now rule now operates, and the shifting of responsibility will not be permitted. The day of judgment has begun, and the responsible ones in Christendom must give account for what they have done and are doing. “Behold, all souls are mine; as the soul of the father, so also the soul of the son is mine; the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (18:4) Each individual soul is responsible to God.

This, of course, does not have reference to the bodily infirmities that result to one by reason of inheritance, but to the great issue of life everlasting that God has provided through Christ Jesus. Every soul belongs to the Lord, because the blood of Christ Jesus is the purchase price for all. The soul of the son does not belong to his earthly father; so what that father has done or is doing could not determine the right of the son to life; and what the son has done could not affect the right of the father to life. Manifestly the sin here mentioned is that committed by one who, after having entered into a covenant with God, then fails to keep that covenant. It is unfaithfulness to God that brings responsibility. The law, or rule of action, must be the same from the time of beginning of judgment at the temple until the end thereof, because God changes not. Judgment begins at the house of God, and must necessarily include the professed house of God, many of whom have made a covenant with God and have then broken that covenant. Therefore each one who has entered into a covenant with the Lord is personally responsible.

The statements contained in verses five to nine, inclusive, of the chapter are in substance this: That if a man be just and does that which is lawful, and has not been guilty of any of the wrongful things mentioned therein, and has walked in the statutes of the Lord and kept his judgments, and has dealt truly, he is just, and “he shall surely live, saith the Lord God”. This has an application after Armageddon and after the inauguration of the new covenant. Before the inauguration of the new covenant, however, the same rule would apply to all who have made a covenant to do God’s will; and, also, the Lord might be pleased to let the good deeds and endeavors of any one ascend as a memorial to him and be a basis for bringing him through the time of trouble and preserving his life to the time of the inauguration of the new covenant. This conclusion is borne out by the statements in Psalm 41:1, 2 and Zephaniah 2:1-3.

The statement of the rule of action, set forth in Ezekiel 18:10-13, is to the effect that the father shall not be responsible for the bad deeds of his son. The father’s good deeds and good record will not win favor for the son who is a breaker of the law of God. If one, having once been brought to a knowledge of the truth, then commits the abominations mentioned herein, he shall die and shall not live. This does not mean that one would have to be begotten and anointed of the holy spirit, in order to be liable to destruction. It is the wilful wrong-doing of the individual, or the right-doing of the individual, that fixes the responsibility. This rule shows that since the coming of the Lord to his temple for judgment those who have wilfully committed sin against the light are subject to the judgments of death written. Within that period of time there have been in Christendom a number of those who profess to be Christians and who have wilfully and deliberately persecuted and done injury to others because these latter were faithfully representing the Lord and giving testimony to his King. These are described in the parable of the sheep and the goats. – Matt. 25: 31-46.

The statement of Ezekiel eighteen, verses fourteen to seventeen inclusive, in substance is this: That if the father beget a son and the son sees all the sinful things the father has done and does not follow a like course, he shall not be responsible for what his father has done; and if the son does right he shall live. The sum total of this is that family relationship shall have nothing to do with the results. One will not be favored because some member of his family was faithful and true to the Lord, and one will not be punished because some member of his family was unfaithful to the Lord. Each one must bear his own responsibility. “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son; the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. ’’–18: 20.

God has provided for the reformation of the world during the reign of his “King of righteousness”. The King began his reign in 1914, and came to the temple for judgment in 1918. Judgment there began at the house of God, and is now upon the nations of Christendom, and will proceed until the judgment work is completed. The Lord gives an opportunity for those in Christendom who have been doing wrong to be warned, and, if heeding the warning, they shall live; but if after having been warned they deliberately and wilfully sin against light, the judgment will be adverse.

“But if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall surely live, he shall not die. All his transgressions that he hath committed, they shall not be mentioned unto him; in his righteousness that he hath done he shall live.” (18:21,22) The righteous deeds and conduct alone of themselves could not earn everlasting life for any man, because no man of himself can counterbalance man’s previous sinfulness. There must be a sin atonement, therefore, to cover the past sinful deeds. This sin atonement God has provided through the blood of Christ Jesus, which is presented in Jehovah’s court as an atonement for the sins of the world. Therefore the rule of action here announced must have application after the inauguration of the new covenant. But regarding those who are willing to be taught and who seek righteousness even before the, new covenant is inaugurated, such good deeds and acts of righteousness will be taken into consideration for the benefit of the doers during the time of “great tribulation” and before the new covenant is inaugurated.

Manifestly the purpose of setting out these truths that Christendom might understand them now is that men might see the advantage of seeking meekness and seeking righteousness before the battle of Armageddon, and that this will be to their benefit in passing through the time of trouble and at the inauguration of the new covenant. This is further supported by the following: "Riches profit not in the day of wrath; but righteousness delivereth from death. The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness. ’’ – Prov. 11: 4, 6.

If the wicked would turn away from their wickedness and serve God they would be blessed. He has no pleasure that the wicked should die. "Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God; and not that he should return from his ways, and live?" (18:23) Jehovah’s name must be vindicated, and for that to be done the wicked must perish. Therefore when one knows of the Lord and his provision and then deliberately joins in with the wicked one Satan, refusing to heed the warning of the Lord, he shall be destroyed. "But when the righteous turneth away from his righteousness, and committeth iniquity, and doeth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doeth, shall he live? All his righteousness that he hath done shall not be mentioned; in his trespass that he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath sinned, in them shall he die." –18:24.

The fact that one has been made righteous through the blood of Christ Jesus and the washing of the Word, and has received God’s approval, would count for nothing to offset his subsequent unfaithfulness to God. "The righteous” mentioned in this verse must refer to those who have once been in the covenant with God and received God’s approval, or justification, which condition existed with some at the time of the coming of the Lord to his temple. Therefore the statement : “He that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still.’’ (Rev. 22:11) “For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment, and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.’’ (Heb. 10:26,27) The condition upon which everlasting life is granted is that one must first agree to do God’s will and then be faithful in doing so, first, last, and all the time.

CHRISTENDOM’S WAYS UNEQUAL

The Jews complained against God, even as those of Christendom do at the present time. The complaint is that the manner of God’s dealings are not consistent, impartial and just. The self-righteous Jews, particularly the Pharisees, complained against God and vented their feelings against him and charged him with being unequal in his ways. They objected that the mercy and long-suffering of God should be shown to those whom the self-righteous called “publicans” and “sinners”. They concluded that their own self- righteousness was not receiving the proper recognition, hence that they were being unjustly dealt with by the Lord. (Luke 18:11-14) They were charging God with folly and thereby sinning with their lips, and were not maintaining their integrity towards God. Thereby they were proving that their own ways were unequal. “Yet ye say, The way of the Lord is not equal. Hear now, O house of Israel; Is not my way equal? are not your ways unequal?”–18:25.

“Organized Christianity” is doing the same thing today. The clergy in particular complain against God for the permission of evil, and charge God with all the pests and calamities that come upon the peoples of Christendom, at the same time claiming that their own ways are equal, that their course of action is just and right. It is Christendom that is unequal, unjust and unrighteous. Therefore God says to such: ‘‘ Cast away from you all your transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed; and make you a new heart and a new spirit; for why will ye die, O house of Israel? ’’ (18:31) This shows the forbearance, long-suffering, mercy and love on the part of the Lord, and is counsel for the good of all those who will heed that counsel. Christendom is warned of her sins, even as the Jews were, and, like the Jews, has failed to give heed to such warning.

As Jehovah made Ezekiel a watchman in Jerusalem to give warning, so now God’s remnant on the earth, the “servant” class, is commanded to give warning from the Lord to those who are in the way of wickedness. (3:17-21) If those warned would remove their affections from self and from wrongdoing, and would get the spirit of love for the praise and service of God, they would be pleasing to the Lord and would live. Jehovah’s message to them is: “For I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.” (18:32) This message from the Lord he sends out during the interval of peace between the close of the World War and the destruction of Christendom at the battle of Armageddon.

If the wicked do not turn, seek meekness and righteousness, and escape the great tribulation now about to fall upon and smite Christendom and all the host of Satan’s organization they will bring upon themselves death. If the “servant” class, or watchmen of the Lord, fail to give warning, God will require the blood of those dying without warning at the hands of those who have been negligent. Thus it was in the days of Jerusalem’s downfall, and so it is now: “And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the Lord; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death. He that abideth in this city shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence; but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey. For I have set my face against this city for evil, and not for good, saith the Lord; it shall be given into the hand of the king of Babylon, and he shall burn it with fire.” (Jer. 21: 8-10) Manifestly this applies to the leaders in Christendom who profess the name of God and Christ and then take a course exactly contrary thereto.

The judgment of the King will be executed impartially and fully. Position or honor amongst men will bring no aid or protection. Those who comply with the rules of judgment written will escape and be saved; otherwise, “Behold, the day of the Lord cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate; and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it. And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.” (Isa. 13:9,11) The righteous judgments of the Lord will be made manifest; and all who love righteousness shall see that God has not restrained evil in days past, but has waited his own good time for the vindication of his name. He has kept his hand off until wickedness has come to the full; and now he will destroy the wicked and the defamers of his name, and will preserve the righteous ones in the great battle of Armageddon, and this will be a vindication of his word and of his great name.

RULERS

(Ezekiel, Chapter 19)

JEHOVAH has permitted men to pursue their own way with a free hand. The stronger minds have been leaders in the world, and particularly is this so in Christendom. These have claimed that they would make the world a fit place in which to live, and would establish everlasting peace and prosperity among men ; but they have all failed. Their failure has been chiefly due to the fact that they have disregarded the counsel of the Lord and have fallen away to the enemy Satan. Had the rulers in Christendom stood by the counsel of the Lord and faithfully obeyed him, the result would have been different. They have claimed to be the people of God, ruling by divine right. They could not of themselves establish a government of righteousness, to be sure; and had they followed the counsel of the Lord, they would have gotten in line with God’s way and been fully submissive to his King at his coming in 1914. They were warned then, and have more specifically been warned since 1922, but they have wholly turned away from the Lord God and his King, who is earth’s rightful Ruler.

This was foreshadowed in the experiences of Jerusalem, and particularly by her rulers and principal men. The profane, wicked prince Zedekiah was lifted up within himself and followed his own selfish imaginations, and was destroyed. The rulers in Christendom, and particularly the clergy, have been lifted up with self, and have continued on in their way of wickedness regardless of all warning, and have refused to hear and to obey God’s Word of truth. “They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are out of course. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes.”–Ps. 82: 5, 7.

This God caused to be foretold, in the nineteenth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy: “Moreover, take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel.” (19:1) This is a wail or lament over the leaders or chief ones in Christendom, who have ruled and do now rule. What was then and there said to Jerusalem, or the Jews, has a modern application to Christendom; and for this reason it is important to here consider it.

Jehovah made a covenant with the Israelites; and that covenant, and that covenant city Jerusalem, was God’s typical organization, and was the “mother” that bore the Israelitish nation. The words of lament are addressed to the leaders in Jerusalem, and to the leaders of Christendom: “And say, What is [what was, R.V.] thy mother? A lioness; she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions.” (19: 2) The covenant God made was symbolized by a lioness. As stated in Genesis 49:10, the ruling offspring of that covenant (the lioness) was Judah: “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise. . . . Judah is a lion’s whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up; he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?” (Gen. 49:8,9) This particular lioness did not produce “the Lion of the tribe of Juda”. (Rev. 5:5) All the whelps of the lioness mentioned in Ezekiel were failures; and hence this lioness must represent God’s covenant for the kingdom as applied to the royal line of Solomon. God promised or covenanted to establish the throne of Solomon for ever, provided Solomon and his house were faithful to God: “But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them; then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people.”–1 Ki. 9:2-7.

This particular lioness mentioned by the prophecy “lay down among lions”, meaning, among the political rulers of Judah and Jerusalem; and she brought forth and reared a succession of kings of the line of Solomon: “And she brought up one of her whelps; it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men.” (19:3) At the death of Josiah the king, the people took his son Jehoahaz (whose name means “whom Jehovah upholds or sustains”) and made him king. He became the “lion” and learned to catch the prey. “Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done.” (2 Ki. 23:31,32) Because of the wickedness of the king, Jehovah did not uphold him.

The Devil’s visible organization then included all the nations of the earth except the Israelites, and he was now scheming to get complete control of that nation. Through the Gentile powers Satan sought to capture Jehoahaz; therefore it is written: “The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt.” (19:4) As Ezekiel prophesied here, the Gentile nation, as Satan’s instrument, captured the king Jehoahaz “and Pharaoh-ncchoh put him [Jehoahaz] in bands at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; . . . And Pharaoh-nechoh . . . took Jehoahaz away; and he came to Egypt, and died there.” (2 Ki. 23:33,34) None of these “whelps” of the “lioness” of the line of Solomon could succeed then, because the forty years of “iniquity of the house of Judah” had begun in the thirteenth year of Josiah, at which time Jeremiah became God’s prophet.–Jer. 1:1-3; Ezek. 4:6, 7.

Other “whelps” were then provided to be rulers: “Now, when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion.” (19:5) There were three more princes that ruled Jerusalem, all of whom embarked upon a course of wickedness. The “whelp”, or young lion, here mentioned represents those three, to wit: Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, all of whom met disaster. (2 Ki. 23: 35; 24: 6-20) The name of each one belied the real state of affairs. “Jehoiakim” means “Jehovah sets up”; “Jehoiachin,” “Jehovah establishes” or “whom Jehovah will establish”; “Zedekiah” means “justice of Jehovah”. They were all workers of iniquity and did exactly contrary to what their names implied. “And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men. And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring.” (19:6,7) All three of these rulers in Jerusalem followed the course that led to the desolation of the land.

The nations round about Jerusalem were against Jerusalem. “Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit.” (19:8) “In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets.” (2 Ki. 24:1,2) At the death of Jehoiakim his son Jehoiachin succeeded him to the throne and reigned in Jerusalem three months. The city was again besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and Jehoiachin went out to him. He was taken captive to Babylon, “that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel”: “And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel.”– 19:9.

“And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king’s mother, and the king’s wives, and his officers, and the mighty of the land; those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon.” (2 Ki. 24:15) Zedekiah became the ruler of Jerusalem, and he was taken prisoner and carried away to Babylon. (2 Ki. 25: 6, 7) Thus God’s typical kingdom was taken from these “whelps”, the rulers of the line of Solomon. The house of Solomon had proven unfaithful, and failed. They did not bring forth ‘the fruits of the kingdom’, and they came to their bitter end.

APPLICATION TO CHRISTENDOM

The fact that Jehovah caused an accurate record of these deeds to be kept is proof that there must be a modern fulfilment or application thereof to the people or nation foreshadowed by Jerusalem. (1 Cor. 10:11) The rulers of Christendom, called “princes”, claim and have long claimed to be ruling by divine right or authority as the representatives of “the Lion of the tribe of Juda”, and that Christendom is therefore fulfilling God’s covenant as mentioned in Genesis 49:10, or more particularly the covenant made with David. (2 Sam. 7:12-16; 23: 5) The “whelp” (prince or ruler) produced by Christendom in these latter times, and which is the chief ruler of the world, is the “British lion” and her colonies, including the United States, which together constitute the seventh world power; concerning which world power it is written in Revelation 17:10 that “when he cometh, he must continue a short space”. During that time the seventh world power has certainly been a “lion” in its rapacity and in its roaring. The British Empire is the greatest and the chief ruling power of Christendom. It has been considered the stabilizer of the world. The World War made manifest its bondage to commercialism and militarism, symbolized by Egypt.

Now the larger supposed stabilizer has been formed in the League of Nations; and this, together with its auxiliaries, the World Court and similar treaties and peace pacts, is expected to stabilize the world commercially and bring lasting peace. Christendom has put forward this League of Nations as her last hope. It “is the eighth [world power], and is of the seven, and [must go] into perdition”. (Rev. 17:11) Not one of the so-called “heathen” nations had to do with the original formation of the League of Nations. It was brought forth by the British, that is to say, the Anglo-American imperialism; and Christendom is its chief strength. The King, Christ Jesus, is Jehovah’s instrument for the destruction of Satan’s organization, and will capture and destroy this “whelp” (representing all the rulers of Christendom), ‘that his voice shall be heard no more’; and Christendom will meet its death in captivity, as did the last ruler of Jerusalem.

The offspring of the “lioness”, which is God’s covenant as applied to Solomon’s royal line, was never reinstated. The kingdom was taken from him and was given to “the Lion of the tribe of Juda”. So shall it be with the princes or rulers of Christendom. In 1919, when Christendom made this “whelp” (the League of Nations) its hope, and refused to recognize earth’s rightful King, the great Prince, Christ Jesus, Christendom lost every hope of reinstatement and must go down for ever. Christendom was afterwards warned by the witnesses whom the Lord sent to them, but refused to heed God’s message, even as Zedekiah refused to hear the testimony of Jeremiah the prophet. (Jer. 38:20-23) The doom of Christendom is therefore sealed, and God’s judgment will be executed upon her; and she shall never rise again.

Continuing the lament the prophet was instructed to say: “Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters; she was fruitful, and full of branches by reason of many waters.” (19:10) This also is addressed to the princes of Israel, and its later application is to the princes, or rulers or heads, of Christendom. Although claiming to rule by divine right, these princes or rulers of Christendom are not of the royal lineage for which the covenant for the kingdom is sure. They have gone in the way of those who were unfaithful to God. Christianity was started by the arrangement of Jehovah, but within a short time the leaders thereof went contrary to the Word of God and contrary to his counsel, and formed themselves into “organized Christianity” or what is now known as “Christendom”.

By reason of the many peoples of different languages and nationalities in Christendom, she has had many “branches” and has spread out over a greater portion of the earth. When the prophet says, “Thy mother is like a vine,” he does not mean that this represents, or is any part of, the true vine which is Christ. Although Christianity was planted in the right way, “organized Christianity” or Christendom soon became a “degenerate plant of a strange vine”. (Jer. 2:21) “Organized religion,” falsely called “Christianity”, is a part of “the vine of the earth” which is to be cast into the “winepress” at the battle of Armageddon, and there its lifeblood will be crushed out.–Rev. 14:18-20.

By the term “Christendom” arc meant the nations that call themselves “Christian”, and these nations have had large opportunities. Christendom was planted among many peoples. She had many strong rulers wielding the scepter and calling themselves “Christian monarchs”. And this is represented in the prophecy of Ezekiel: “And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches.” (19:11) Christendom became the loftiest and most powerful combination of nations holding or claiming to hold one common faith upon the earth. She has produced the greatest world empire, to wit, the seventh world power.

The wrath of God upon Christendom dates from 1918 forward; and shortly after that date Christendom was wholly rejected, and this was foreshadowed by the leprosy of which Uzziah died. (Isa. 6:1) Christendom had become great amongst the nations. “But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit; her strong rods were broken and withered, the fire consumed them.” (19:12) She brought forth wild grapes, and no fruit of the kingdom of God, and therefore she must be abased. She has turned the people away from Jehovah and his kingdom under Christ. The “east wind” dried up her fruit, and she is ready to be burned. (Isa. 46:11; 41:2; Rev. 16:12) Her rulers (“her strong rods”) have proven themselves to be weaklings and incompetent guides of the affairs of state. The fiery tests of the day are too much for them. All hope of Christendom’s recovery is gone. “And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground.”–19:13.

The “rods”, or princes or rulers, of Christendom have been debauched by the devilish religious practices that have also brought great reproach upon Jehovah’s name. “And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation.” (19:14) The Devil has come down to earth, and with Christendom it is a time of “woe, woe!” (Rev. 12:12) The earth, or nations of the earth, is not receiving God’s blessing. The unrighteous course of the rulers (“rods” of control) has led them entirely into Satan’s camp, and the fire of destruction is about to devour them completely. Like the rulers or princes amongst the Jews, they have not heeded the warning from the Lord. As a vine Christendom has produced no kingdom fruit, and now must go because of being of no use for anything that is good. No ruler of Christendom will be permitted on the earth nor in any part of God’s kingdom of heaven. Jehovah will give none of these an opportunity to further reproach his name after Armageddon.

ELDERS AS RULERS

(Ezekiel, Chapter 20)

In the organization of the church the elders were given a place of responsibility to feed the flock of God and to rule. This does not mean that they were to be harsh, austere and severe; but they were to have charge over the organization. (Heb. 13:7) “Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.” (1 Tim. 5:17) It is not the will of God that any man should lord it over his heritage. (1 Pet. 5:3) Likewise there were elders in the organization of the Jews. Both in the organization of the Jews and in Christendom the elders became proud and selfcentered and hypocritical.

The twentieth chapter of Ezekiel shows the elders coming to Ezekiel, ostensibly for advice. Ezekiel was then a young man of thirty-two years of age. It was just four years from the time of the coming of elders to Ezekiel until the city of Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed by fire. (2 Ki. 25: 8-10) “And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me.” (20:1) Those ancient “gentlemen of the cloth”, manifestly insincere and hypocritical, came to Ezekiel in the hope of catching him in his words. It was somewhat of a recognition by them that Ezekiel was a prophet, the representative of the Lord God; and that being true, their hypocrisy is magnified and they were more reprehensible.

Those elders more particularly foreshadowed the elders who have been in the ecclcsias of God’s consecrated people but who were not in heart sympathy with the work of proclaiming the message of God’s kingdom. They are represented in another prophecy as ‘old men who dream dreams’. (Joel 2: 28, 29) They have made a specialty of “character development” and have become ‘more holy than thou’. The words of Jehovah clearly indicate that these elders are hypocrites and that he has no use for them. Therefore the Lord said to Ezekiel (picturing the “faithful servant” class): “Son of man, speak unto the ciders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.” –20:3.

The subject matter of their inquiry is not disclosed by the text, but it was no doubt about the live issues of the day of Ezekiel’s prophecy, to wit, the then strained relationship between Babylon and Jerusalem, and what would be the outcome. The live issue of the present day is the strained relationship between the Lord’s kingdom and the world powers, and what will be the outcome thereof. The elders of the present time inquire with sarcasm, and with criticism leveled at those who are delegated to tell the truth to the people, concerning God and his kingdom. Such elders have no heart inclination to come into line with the light of present truth that Jehovah causes to flash forth from his temple. They want to do things their own selfish way, and not in God’s appointed way. They pretend to be hearers of the Word of the Lord God, but they continue to follow their own selfish course. “With their mouth they shew [forth] much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness.” (Ezek. 33:31) God is not deceived and mocked, therefore he says: “As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by [them].” Jehovah refuses to give them information only to have it treated lightly and ignored. Their course is like that of Saul, who was unfaithful to his anointing; and “when Saul in quired of the Lord [God], the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets”. (1 Sam. 28:6,15; 15:35) "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant. ’’–Ps. 25:14.

The Lord God would now use Ezekiel, and in modern times his “servant” class, to show some things to them: “Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers.” (20: 4) The modern fulfilment of this prophecy dates from the time of the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple of God for judgment. “For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” (1 Pet. 4:17) The judgment includes not only the “faithful and wise servant” class, but also those who do not obey the Lord and who become the “evil servant” class, chief amongst which are the rebellious elders.

The commandment of the Lord to Ezekiel is further proof that the witnesses of Jehovah, that is, his “faithful servant” class, must pronounce the judgment of the Lord against the lukewarm and the unfaithful and against the mere hearers of the Word of God who refuse to do his will. “Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come.” (1 Cor. 4:5) Now the Lord is come to his temple, and it is God’s time of judgment; and the “servant” class must declare the judgments of the Lord God against those who are disobedient to his Word. This is done that the derelicts may be able to see that their own course reflects that which was taken by their fathers, and that they are true children of their fathers and are naturally filling up the measure of their fathers’ iniquity.

The rule of the Lord announced in the eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel shows that the Lord will not hold them accountable for the wrongful deeds of their fathers nor will he give them credit for the good done by their fathers. Each one must now be judged according to the course he takes in the light of God’s Word. But these elders are taking the same course that their fathers took; and that is the lesson. They are doing similarly to what their fathers did in the denominational churches. They are guilty of the same sins that the Israelitish elders committed, which sins may be summed up in the words ‘rebellion’ and ‘unfaithfulness’. “Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” (1 Cor. 10:11) Jehovah therefore authorizes his “faithful servant ’’ class to compare the abominations of modern elders with those of ancient Israel. Such is not the pronouncing of judgment by men, but is the declaration of God’s judgment, already written, and which his witnesses merely make known.

Jehovah directed Ezekiel to tell the elders of their abominations; and this he did, as the text in chapter twenty, verses five to twenty-nine, shows. Jehovah declares that because of their unfaithfulness he would have destroyed them except for his own name’s sake: “But I wrought for my name’s sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land of Egypt.” (20:9) Three times the Lord makes a like declaration in this chapter. Thus three times Jehovah emphasizes the fact that the vindication of his name was the issue of real importance then, and for that reason he refrained from destroying the rebellious, unfaithful, covenant-breaking nation of Israel, upon whom he had bestowed such great favor, mercy and love. He had put his name there, and his name must be vindicated. The Jews had entered into a covenant to worship and serve Jehovah, and the elders were appointed as leaders and helpers of the people; and they rebelled against God and were unfaithful to their covenant and turned to idolatrous practices. These were the things that provoked God to anger. (See verses 8,13,21.) In modern times elders have entered into the covenant to serve and to honor God and to do his will; but, being unfaithful to their covenant, they have followed their own selfish way in giving honor and credit to one of God’s creatures instead of giving all honor and credit to the great Creator for the truth revealed concerning his purposes and his kingdom.

“Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live: and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord.” (20: 25, 26) Briefly, this means that God permits such to take their own wrongful course until his own good time to call them to account. The word “gave” in the text means “to give up to” or ‘to suffer’, as in Judges 15:1 and 1 Samuel 24:7. Hence one of the translators renders the text: “I myself indeed suffered them [to walk in] statutes which were not good, and regulations in which they could not live,” (Roth.) This means that God suffered or permitted the Israelites, without hindrance, to walk in the statutes of the heathen nations. The statutes or rules of the heathen nations were not good and could not bring them life, but, on the contrary, brought death, exactly the contrary to what God had given them. (20:11) They disregarded God’s statutes and followed their own evil course.

This is an explanation of the permission of evil on a small scale. God’s purpose in not restraining evil is to demonstrate that he is the Life-giver, and that life can be gained only by walking in the way of his rules. Those who are set in their own ways he gives up to their own selfishness and wilfulness. In effect the Lord says to such: ‘If you want to go in the way of wickedness, go the limit and take the consequences’; and thus ho said to the Jews: “As for you, 0 house of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me; but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols.” (20:39) Jehovah absolved himself from all connection with or responsibility for wickedness. It is men who have made it to appear that Jehovah is responsible for the practice of evil. Men have called themselves by the name of the Lord, and have thus associated their own evil ways with the name of Jehovah and thereby cast reproach upon him. Jehovah never permits evil for the purpose of teaching men ‘the exceeding sinfulness of sin’; but when men insist on taking their own selfish course, he lets them do it. By his Word of truth he teaches that which is right.

Those who attempt to come to the Lord with impure and unrepentant hearts cannot receive his counsel. In harmony with this statement he directed Ezekiel to say unto the house of Israel: ‘‘ Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? for when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day; and shall I be inquired of by you, 0 house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you.” (20:30,31) Such have no right to inquire of the Lord and to receive his counsel. To permit them to do so would belittle the dignity of Jehovah, and he would have them know that he will not hear them. The heady, self-centered and self-important ones who follow their own selfish course and compromise with the enemy God will not hear, but those who come to him in humility and with contrite hearts he will not east away. (Ps. 51:17; 34:18; Isa. 57:15) The famine of the hearing of the Word of God in the land of Christendom is due to the sin of rebellion and unfaithfulness. This applies to the elders or rulers in nominal churches, the clergy and the chief ones of the flock, and also to the elders in any and all other professed Christian organizations that follow a like course.

The elders and leaders of Christendom insist on following after the ways of satanic religion by compromising with the Devil. In this they are following in the way of their fathers. “And that which cometh into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you.” (20: 32, 33) This does not mean that God would force them to serve him, but he tells them that they cannot decide to ape idolatry and practice satanic religion and at the same, time continue to call themselves God’s people. Jehovah intervenes for his name’s sake. He must either clear out the hypocritical and unfaithful or else cast the whole company away. There can be no partnership or compromise between Jehovah and the house of the Devil. (2 Cor. 6:15) Jehovah is not a tyrannical ruler, but the terms of the covenant provide for punishment upon the other party to the covenant when such party becomes delinquent in the performance of that covenant. This is God’s fixed rule. After the punishment of the Jews failed to bring them into subjection to their covenant, “seven times” of punishment came upon the unfaithful nation. “Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins. ’’ – Lev. 26: 28.

PURGING AND RESTORATION

In the prophecy, chapter twenty (34-36), the Lord declares his purpose to gather out his covenant people from others and to bring them into the wilderness. This part of the prophecy manifestly applies to the latter days, and is again mentioned in Ezekiel 34:12,13. During the period of time of ‘preparing the way before the Lord’, as stated by another prophet (Mal. 3:1), Jehovah was accomplishing this particular work of gathering out from the peoples of the earth “a people for his name”. This was the work done just before the appearing of Christ Jesus at the temple. This work took on a greater momentum about 1914, when there was a wide proclamation of the truth by means of the “Photo-drama” and other means; and it was about that time that God’s indignation against Satan and his organization began to be expressed.

In the years 1917 and 1918 the Lord brought his gathered-out class into “a wilderness” or “desert” amidst the worst throes of the World War. It was then that The Finished Mystery was published; and God’s purpose in permitting it to be published surely was for it to serve as an instrument to do a separating work that manifested the real heart condition of those who had professed to be in the covenant with him. “And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant.” (20:37) In harmony with these words of the prophet, and in those darkest days of the World War, God’s people did pass under the rod of correction and affliction and felt the harsh “rod of the wicked” upon them. They were chastised with “the rod of men”. (2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 89:32; 125: 3) The wicked rulers of Christendom (including a number of elders in the ecclcsias of God’s covenant people and who had served present truth) “smote” the humble followers of Christ Jesus, and in so doing they “[smote] the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek”. (Mic. 5:1) ‘Inasmuch as ye did it unto my brethren, ye did it also unto me.’ (Matt. 25:45) The words “the bond of the covenant” (vs. 37) mean the obligation of the covenant. God’s law covenant with Israel provided that if they forsook their covenant, they were under bond to receive punishment with a view of their correction. In 1918 “the Messenger of the covenant” came to the temple, and under the bond of the covenant he subjected “the sons of Levi” to a great fiery test. – Mal. 3:2, 3.

There was a separating or cleansing work done by the Lord at the time of his coming to the temple, in harmony with the statement of Ezekiel 20: 38: “And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me; I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord.” This coincides with the prophecy of Malachi: “And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. ’’ (Mai. 3:3) Also the words of Christ Jesus: “So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just; and shall east them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.” (Matt. 13:49,50) “The wicked” specifically refers to the elders or leaders who rebelled against God and followed their own selfish course; and such he declares are not permitted to “enter into the land”, that is to say, into the spiritual blessings that God has provided for his remnant. (1 Cor. 2: 9,10) According to the whole argument of chapter twenty of Ezekiel it is evident that the rebellious elders do not return to the Lord and become a part of his servant class.

During the World War some of the elders in the ecclesias of God’s people consorted with others of Christendom and caused the imprisonment of certain members of God’s organization. Following the release of these imprisoned ones God’s covenant people on earth were in a “wilderness” condition for three and one-half “times”, or 1260 days. (Rev. 12: 6-14) (See Light, Book One, page 246.) In that time God faithfully pleaded with his people while in the wilderness condition, that they might discern and prepare for the kingdom service which followed shortly thereafter and which is still in progress. This drew the remnant into a class to itself with the Lord, but at the same time hardened the hearts of “the rebels” and resulted in their being separated from amongst the faithful people of God. Thus it is seen that Ezekiel 20: 39 corresponds with Revelation 22:11.

Zion is God’s kingdom organization, wherein his temple is located. (Isa. 27:1,13; 66:20-22; Joel 3:17) Concerning this, through his prophet Ezekiel, the Lord says: “For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me; there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things.” (20:40) This statement, and also that of verses forty-one and forty-two, would indicate that after the Lord returned unto Zion in 1918 and brought about the restoration of his remnant, and made such the custodian of his kingdom interests, then Jehovah, his purposes, and his name would be revealed to his people more clearly than ever before. (Ps. 102:16) Such is in exact harmony with the facts that have come to pass. The “land” which Jehovah swore with uplifted hand to give unto his anointed was the kingdom and the kingdom privileges and places in his organization as his witnesses to do the work he has commissioned them to do. – Luke 22: 29, 30.

After the coming of the Lord to the temple God’s faithful children began to grow in wisdom and to see many of their mistakes and shortcomings, and this is indicated by the words of the prophet: “And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for all your evils that ye have committed.” (20:43) This began with the fulfilment of the remorseful words uttered by Isaiah: “Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King: the Lord of hosts. ’’–Isa. 6: 5.

As God’s children progressed in the understanding and wisdom they saw things by which they had polluted themselves, such as so-called “character development” to fit them to 'help God run the universe’; and such Babylonish formalities in the congregation as long-tailed black coats worn upon the platform, and a solemn and prayerful attitude assumed in the presence of the public; and sanctimonious speech; and the setting up upon a pedestal of the leaders in the church, and insisting that one man is God’s “faithful and wise servant” to whom God has committed all his work concerning the kingdom of heaven; and further, the observance of such things as “Christmas” and other heathen idolatrous customs. God’s people thereafter came to see that they are commissioned to do his work and to represent him, and not to follow the hypocritical practices of Christendom. In the past his covenant people have not resorted to such practices with a wrongful intent; but their course was not right, and God could not pass it by unnoticed, and in due time he made it known to them; and this brought remorse and reformation, and this to their good.

Jehovah has worked or “wrought” with his professed people, even as the prophecy says, and that for his name’s sake: “And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name’s sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, 0 ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God.” (20:44) He has been long-suffering and forbearing with them, in order that he might bring forth “a people for his name”, and that his name might be vindicated and honored. Before 1918 the church was not without fault, but the Lord ‘withdrew his hand’, as stated in verse twenty-two, until the time for judgment should begin, in 1918.

FIERY DESTRUCTION

Jehovah then directed Ezekiel to prophesy against the people of the south: “Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field.” (20:46) At that time Ezekiel was in captivity in the north; hence to set his face toward the south meant to look toward Jerusalem. The destruction which was to come upon Jerusalem was said to come from the north. (Jer. 1:14) Relatively, Judah and Jerusalem were to the south. When the captivity was returned to Jerusalem it was said to be turned southward. (Ps. 126:4) "The forest of the south field” would therefore have reference to the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, both to the rulers and to the ruled. In its larger fulfilment it would represent Christendom and would pertain to the rulers and to the ruled that support the rulers. These are made up of the haughty and godless men, amongst whom there are very few "trees of righteousness”, and these "trees” who are in the world are not of it. The prophecy, therefore, was directed against the peoples of Christendom.

Jehovah then directed Ezekiel, who represents the "faithful servant” class, to speak to the people thus: "And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the Lord, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein.” (20:47) The people of Christendom, that is, the rulers as well as the ruled, must feel the wrath of God, because they have all turned to folly: "For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest; and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.”–Isa. 9:18,19.

Christendom- is boastful and heedless of God’s Word. The clergy and the leaders are boastful and arrogant, and many of the people “love to have it so”; and concerning this the Lord says: “Behold, I am against thee, O inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the Lord; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations? But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord; and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it.” (Jer. 21:13,14) Out from this burning destruction Jehovah plucks his remnant, and such are as “a brand plucked out of the fire”. –Zech. 3:2; Amos 4:11.

When Jehovah God gives expression to his righteous indignation against Christendom at Armageddon no one will be able to check that conflagration. It will sweep Christendom like a forest fire. “And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it; it shall not be quenched.” (20:48) The people will see that it is no ordinary trouble between men and nations, but that it is the expression of God’s wrath. It is his decree that calls for the destruction of Christendom, and it will be enforced.

At this very day there are a number of elders, who have been elders amongst the people of God, but who have little or no interest in God’s kingdom. They are more interested in getting themselves into a soft place and in opposing and doing evil to God’s true witnesses, against whom they speak snceringly. God will not hear them nor advise them. He caused Ezekiel to say, and likewise his “faithful servant” now says: “Then said I, Ah Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?” (20:49) The hearts of such rebellious leaders are hard, and they do not understand or heed the warning of the Lord. Their supporters and followers they lead into Satan’s trap.– 2 Thcss. 2:11,12.

CHRISTENDOM’S RULERS

(Ezekiel, Chapter 21)

The outstanding thought of the twenty-first chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy is “the sword’’, used to symbolize war or destruction at the hand of Jehovah’s executive officer. Jehovah directed Ezekiel then to prophesy against Jerusalem, which foreshadowed Christendom. “Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel. And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked. ’’–21: 2, 3.

This applies against those who claim to have special favors from God and that they are ruling by divine right; and hence its application is against the clergy and the principal of their flock in the land, or nations, called “Christendom’’. Since 1922 God’s anointed “servant’’ class has been delivering this hard saying against the controlling powers of Satan’s visible organization, to wit: ‘Jehovah is against you, because you have rejected THE STONE, Christ Jesus, who is God’s King and earth’s rightful Ruler.’ Against these rulers in Christendom God will now draw out his sword, which means that he will destroy the organization called “Christendom”. His faithful servant class must give testimony concerning it.

During the time that Jesus was required to sit at the right hand of Jehovah and wait, God’s sword was in its sheath. It is his chief instrument for the execution of his judgment against the wicked organization, and the sword therefore represents Jesus Christ, God’s chief executive officer: “For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me.”–Deut. 32:40,41.

Among the rulers of Christendom there are two classes, to wit, those who are self-righteous and who claim and assume to be pious and to serve God, and another class made up of those who deny God and his Word and who oppose openly everything pertaining to his kingdom or that names the name of the Lord. Both of these classes shall be cut off, as the prophecy declares. This is shown by the statement of verses four and five. God unsheaths his sword, and it will not return to its sheath until his judgments are executed upon Christendom, which has taken his name in vain.

In 1928 God directed his people, then assembled in convention at Detroit, to throw down the gauntlet, declaring his purpose to destroy Satan’s organization and directing attention particularly to Christendom. There will be no withdrawal therefrom. The remnant is now telling “the testimony of Jesus Christ” in obedience to God’s commandment, and telling it against Christendom; and when God’s sword smites Christendom she will know that it is from the hand of the great Jehovah.

The “faithful and wise servant” class, pictured by Ezekiel, is then directed by Jehovah to sigh with bitterness before the eyes of Christendom. When asked the reason for such bitter sighing, the servant is to say: “For the tidings, because it cometh.” (21: 6,7) God’s faithful witnesses are now certain that they have the correct understanding of what is coming upon Christendom and upon all of Satan’s organization. God has revealed to his faithful people that the battle of Armageddon will be truly terrible and be the greatest of all tribulations, because God through Christ Jesus, and not by man, will execute his righteous judgment against Christendom. Seeing the terrible disaster that shall befall the peoples and the nations, necessarily those of the remnant sigh with bitterness, because of what they see coming.

The remnant must tell this message to Christendom by giving plain notice of the approaching great tribulation; and by their so doing, the “heart [of Christendom’s rulers] shall melt, and [their] hands shall be feeble, and [their] spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God”. (Vs. 7) The remnant is now delivering this message, but little heed is being given thereto. The remnant must continually tell the message; and when the rulers of Christendom actually face the crisis her rulers, lords and defenders will grow weak and will realize their utter inability to hold out against God’s power. They will be brought face to face with the situation that will destroy all their boastfulness and courage and take away their impudence before God. The remnant must continue to press the battle to the gate. Jehovah will provide his remnant with all needed strength to do the work he has commissioned them to do.–Isa. 6:11,12; 28:5,6.

Jehovah’s witness, the faithful remnant, must call attention to the threatening “sword of Jehovah”. Only by so doing can the remnant be the faithful watchmen. Therefore the remnant is commanded: “Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord ; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished.” (21:9) The responsibility is upon the “servant” class to deliver the message, and the responsibility is upon those who hear and who have failed to heed it. (Ezek. 33: 2-4) It is the time to perform this solemn duty, because the Lord has drawn his sword for the vindication of his name. The time has come for God to act: “ It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter; should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree.” (21:10) Christendom’s rulers claim to be the sons of God and God’s favorites. (Ps. 82:6) They claim that they have a strong rod or scepter, and that they rule the earth as God’s special favorites and by right from him. But even if their rod were as large as a tree, God’s Word would contemn or despise it, because Christendom will not be permitted to escape. With boastful arrogance Satan now assembles his forces for Armageddon, and by various treaties and compacts his rulers on earth bind themselves as rods together until they have the appearance of a tree for thickness; yet God’s great sword despises them and they are contemptible in his sight. The remnant must do their duty in declaring the truth.

Christ Jesus is the mighty warrior who will wield the sword of Jehovah and slay his adversaries. The Lord God has prepared it that it. may be handled. “And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled; this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer.’’ (21:11) Christ Jesus is the great slayer, and now he girds his sword upon him and rides victoriously to the war. (Ps. 45: 3, 4) As this sword glitters in the divine light, the remnant class on earth catch the flashes of its lightning and see the way to go and how to use “the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God”, in harmony with his will. Christ, 'with his mighty invisible armies, is marching to the war, and the small division, the remnant on earth, is announcing the approaching battle and singing the praises of Jehovah. Those in the covenant who do not joyfully obey the Lord do not see the flashes of light and cannot appreciate what is about to come to pass. Without doubt Jehovah sends to his faithful people these flashes of light in “the day of his preparation” that they may be able to use the Word of God with effect and to be encouraged and to press the battle to the end. It is God’s truth, and he gives it to his people according to their needs. He feeds them upon food which is convenient.

In the light of God’s commandment to Ezekiel, as set forth in verses twelve and thirteen, no faithful member of the remnant could now remain idle or indifferent. It is the judgment time upon all professed people of God, which includes all in Christendom. Sentimental religionists think it strange that God would despise “organized Christianity” and destroy it, but they do not understand. Concerning this the Lord says: “Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith the Lord God.” (21:13) Ezekiel was commanded to smite upon his thigh, directing attention to the fact that God’s wartime was at hand. It is a “trial”, or test time, upon those who bear the rod or scepter to rule, and these shall fall. Christendom’s power shall be no more, because it is an abomination in God’s sight. The kingdom-sword will not return to its sheath until all the adversaries of Jehovah are silenced.

The proclamation of this message is of such tremendous importance that God commands that an extra effort be made to attract the attention of the people thereto. Hence to Ezekiel he said: “Thou, therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain; it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers.” (21:14) It is manifest that the words here used, “let the sword be doubled the third time,” are used to emphasize the importance of the message and the complete effectiveness of God’s war against Satan’s organization. “And let 'The sword’ be repeated the third time.” (Leeser) That means, Let the proclamation of the message of the day of the vengeance of our God continue with emphasis until it is complete. Repeatedly call the attention of the people thereto.

Let the battle cry of God’s anointed people be: “THE SWORD OF JEHOVAH AND OF HIS ANOINTED.”

The remnant has continued to use this battle cry since 1928. It is a message of Jehovah through Christ Jesus concerning his vengeance upon Christendom. It is the sword that slays the great and mighty rulers in Satan’s earthly organization. “It is upon all the princes of Israel,’’ that is to say, upon the rulers of Christendom. “Cry and howl, son of man; for it is upon my people, it is upon all the princes of Israel; they are delivered over to the sword with my people; smite therefore upon thy thigh.”–21:12, R.V.

The Lord in this present day makes the truth clear and bright, that it might cut deep into the ranks of the adversaries. “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.” (21:15) The word “point” is rendered “consternation” in the Revised Version, margin. Other translators render the text: “Ah, it is made bright [made as lightning, to flash like lightnings]. It is wrapped up [pointed, keen, thin-edged, sharp; it is well prepared] for the slaughter,” and is put in the hands of the slayer, Christ Jesus.

“The point,” as used above, is from the root word which seems to mean “to turn”, and hence to brandish. Jehovah has ordered his sword to be turned or brandished against the gates of the traitors of “organized Christianity”, and that causes consternation to the enemy. The Lord makes everything ready for the execution of his judgments of vengeance against Christendom, and it will be done in grand style. Christendom has not a “ghost of a chance” to withstand the assault of the Lord and to survive. The remnant is now exhibiting the Word of God before Christendom, and is brandishing it by declaring his message of vindication. It is not a rusty or dull-edged sword either, but is keen, thin-edged, pointed and polished, and an effective weapon. The remnant are confidently and boldly going forward proclaiming the message of the Lord’s judgments, until he shortly executes his judgment against the adversaries.

Verse sixteen of the twenty-first chapter of this prophecy is addressed to the sword, and this is indicated by the gender of the verb. According to another translator it reads: “One firm stroke to the right, turn to the left, whithersoever thine edge is directed.” (Roth.) It is therefore certain that this is the command of Jehovah to Christ Jesus, his polished “Sword”, and to his army that faithfully follow after him, including the remnant, to proceed to the battle, and for each member to do his duty and to smite in three different directions, to wit, to the right, to the left, and in front of them, which means, against the three divisions of Satan’s organization. God’s remnant is commanded to do a smiting work; as it is written: “I have . . . raised up thy sons, 0 Zion, ... as a sword of a mighty man.” (Zech. 9:13,14) The remnant, however, does the smiting work by declaring the message of truth, and the Lord Jesus does the great actual smiting against Christendom.

It is a time of war, and therefore the time for vigorous action. “I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest; I the Lord have said it.” (21; 17) The Lord brings forcibly together his strength and power for his work, causing all divisions of his mighty army to work with complete unity. There will be no peaceful time until Jehovah’s fury has been satisfied upon the enemy at Armageddon. All the adversaries of Jehovah must go down, that his name and word may be vindicated.

OVERTHROW CERTAIN

Having determined that Jerusalem should fall, Jehovah used the king of Babylon to accomplish his purpose. To Ezekiel, therefore, Jehovah said: “Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come; both twain shall come forth out of one land; and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the eity. ” (21:19) What follows seems clearly to show that God will first destroy Christendom and will then destroy the entire organization of Satan. Jerusalem was first destroyed, and then, later, Babylon was destroyed.

Did Nebuchadnezzar, in destroying Jerusalem, typify Jesus Christ? The answer is No. To be a type of Christ one must be wholly devoted to God, like Moses. Nebuchadnezzar was not devoted to Jehovah, but was the instrument of Satan, and therefore could not be a type of Christ Jesus.

Prior to his rebellion Lucifer was a servant of Jehovah, clothed with power and authority to inflict the death penalty for the violation of God’s law. (Ezek. 28:14; Heb. 2:14) When Jehovah withdrew his favor from Israel and determined upon its destruction, that nation passed under the control of Satan by sufferance, and Satan, by the sufferance of Jehovah, became the god of the entire world. Nebuchadnezzar, being the visible head of the universal world power, there sat in the position similar to that occupied by Lucifer prior to his rebellion. God used Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to punish Israel; and for that purpose Nebuchadnezzar was the servant of Jehovah, and Jehovah spoke of Nebuchadnezzar as his servant. (Jer. 25:9; 27: 6 ; Ezek. 29:19, 20) Nebuchadnezzar was not a type of Jesus Christ merely because God used him for his purpose to foreshadow the destruction of Christendom. As long as Israel was a covenant people of God, Nebuchadnezzar could not be the universal ruler of the world; and when God east Israel off, Nebuchadnezzar, being the representative of Satan on earth, became the universal ruler of the world by reason of what God did to the Israelites; and hence it is properly said that Jehovah gave Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom, that is to say, he suffered him to take it. Daniel, addressing Nebuchadnezzar, said: ‘‘Thou . . . art a king of kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee [the] kingdom.” (Dan. 2:37) That does not mean that God had made Nebuchadnezzar his representative in the earth; but by reason of what God did to Israel he made Nebuchadnezzar king of the Israelites.

There is no reason to believe that Nebuchadnezzar knew he was serving God’s purposes; but that did not preclude him from being so used. Any creature whom the Lord uses in his service, even if that creature be an ass, is his servant. (Num. 22:28-30) God could have caused even the very stones to do his service and therefore to be his servant. (Luke 19:40) Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon stood, as it were, at the forks of the road, considering whether he should take the road that led him to Ammon, and smite first the

Ammonites, or should take the other road and smite first Judah and Jerusalem. God intervened and so controlled the affairs of Nebuchadnezzar that Nebuchadnezzar chose to go to Jerusalem and did go and smite it first. In thus controlling the action of Nebuchadnezzar Jehovah said to Ezekiel: “Choose thou a place ... at the head of the way to the city [Jerusalem].” “And a hand engrave thou, at the head of the way to the city engrave it.” (Both.) (21:19) Just as though one would place a signboard with an index finger there at the fork of the road, the finger pointing a certain way, in like manner the Lord directed that Nebuchadnezzar go to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was more reprehensible before God, and he directed the assault with the sword to be made there first.

Then the prophecy discloses a picture of Nebuchadnezzar appealing to an unseen power, which meant, of course, to the Devil and his angels. “For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways [at the fork of the road] to use divination [to appeal to his deity, Satan]: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images [tera- phim, or idols], he looked in the liver.” As Nebuchadnezzar stood there facing the south, “at his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem.” (21:22) While he consulted his various signs, Jehovah overruled the omens or signs so that God’s will would be accomplished upon Jerusalem. Without doubt Jehovah had his angel on the spot to see that Nebuchadnezzar did as he wanted him to do. Jehovah called to remembrance the iniquity of Jerusalem, and so controlled the affairs of Nebuchadnezzar that the assault was made upon it first.–21: 23.

Even so today: those of the Devil’s organization call upon their deity, “the god of this [wicked] world,” and consult mediums and idols to know what they shall do; but regardless thereof the will of Jehovah shall be done against hypocritical “organized Christianity”. It was Jehovah who brought punishment upon Jerusalem, and it is Jehovah that will bring a like punishment upon Christendom. In both instances the instrument used is Jehovah’s servant, but it does not at all follow that the first servant was a “type” of the last.

Jerusalem had come to the full in wickedness, and God caused Ezekiel to announce his decree against her. Likewise, Christendom has come to the full in wickedness, and God causes his anointed people, whom Ezekiel foreshadowed, to announce his decree against her: “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand.” (21:24) Thus Jehovah sets forth that it is the measure of sinfulness and wickedness, in proportion to light, that brings responsibility and that therefore brings down upon the wicked his sword. In this verse (24) Jehovah laid the charge against the Jews at the beginning of the Gentile times; and with stronger reasoning the charge applies to Christendom since the close of the Gentile times and before bringing upon Christendom the sword at Armageddon.

Zedekiah was then the ruler in Jerusalem, and Zedekiah foreshadowed the exalted rulers in Christendom. To such Jehovah says: “And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end.” (21:25) This applied, of course, to Zedekiah; and its wider application is to the exalted ones of Christendom who are lifted up, haughty, austere, and who are “profane” [meaning “death-deserving” (Leeser)], lawless ones who assume to be worthy to rule in God’s name and who hypocritically claim to be God’s representatives on the earth. Other renderings of the text are illuminating: “Whose day hath come in a time of final iniquity” (Roth.) ; “And thou, death-deserving wicked one, prince of Israel, whose day is come, at the time of the iniquity of the end.” (Leeser) This means that the time has come when God will restrain evil, and that time is marked by extreme wickedness in Christendom ; and now it must come to an end.

Jehovah then addresses his chief officer, saying: “Thus saith the Lord God, Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high.” (21:26) Christ Jesus is the one who knocks the crowns off the heads of the rulers of the world, and who takes away all kingdom privileges from the unfaithful, and who exalts the obedient ones who are faithful to their covenant. This work began with the coming of the Lord to his temple for judgment, in 1918. The fall of Zedekiah marked the end of the Jewish nation. The fall of Christendom will mark the end of hypocritical “organized religion”.

Then with decided emphasis Jehovah announces: “I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him.” (21:27) The it means the crown, or authority to rule. The rulers of Christendom assume to wear it, the crown, and God will take it away completely from Christendom and all other earthly rulers. Christ is earth’s rightful King, and God has placed him upon his holy hill in Zion. (Ps. 2:6) The kingdom of God is taken from Christendom and given to the “nation bringing forth the fruits thereof”, to wit, Christ Jesus and his faithful body members, the faithful servant of Jehovah. (Matt. 21:43) “The Lord lifteth up the meek; he casteth the wicked down to the ground. ’’–Ps. 147: 6.

Other renderings of verse twenty-seven disclose a flexibility of phraseology of the text, making it apply both in 1914 and at Armageddon. “Also this shall not belong (to any one) until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him.” (Leeser) “Even this hath not befallen until the coming of One to whom belongeth the right, then will I bestow it.” (Roth.) This shows that the prophecy applied at 1914, when the Lord Jesus was then placed upon the throne, but applies more particularly at the coming of the Lord Jesus to the battle of Armageddon. Then the crowns of Satan’s organization will be thrown down, and the heads broken. (Ps. 110: 6) There will then be no rival contender for the crown, but it belongs to and will be used exclusively by Christ Jesus.

Now earth’s rightful King has come, and three and one-half years after his coming, to wit, in 1918, he was presented as King and was rejected by Christendom; and the next great act is the complete overthrow and destruction of Christendom. Three times the word “overthrown” or “overturn” is used, and manifestly for the purpose of emphasis, as the words “sword be doubled the third time” are used. Such means the certain and complete destruction of Christendom that it may rise no more.

ANTI-RELIGIONISTS

Jehovah so directed the lots cast by Nebuchadnezzar that Nebuchadnezzar first went to Jerusalem and destroyed it, although he had considered to first effect the destruction of Ammon. Rabbah was the capital city of the Ammonites. That people was descended from Lot, the nephew of Abraham. They were unfriendly to the Israelites; and they hated both the faithful and the unfaithful Jews, just because they were called by the name of Jehovah, or Jehovah’s covenant people. When Nebuchadnezzar was actually reducing Jerusalem, the Ammonites indulged in reproaching Jehovah’s name. The sword of God must smite the Ammonites. (Ps. 83:7,12; Ezek. 25:1-7) The decree of Jehovah marks their fall and was announced by the Prophet Ezekiel: “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; whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end.” – 21: 28, 29.

The Ammonites represent those in the land who do not profess to be God’s people but who have a spite and contempt for any and all who do claim to represent God, whether they be faithful or unfaithful. They reproach the name of God and do evil to his people. Such are the atheists, many of whom are today in Russia, and who have come to the fore since the World War. They are anti-religionists, and are prognosticators who oppose whatsoever is called by the name of Jehovah God. They despise his Word and the people who use it. They make false pretexts, to publish lies for the purpose of provoking anti-religionists to tear down professed Christianity and also true Christianity. They carry on a campaign to propagate their anti-God and anti-kingdom doctrines. They put up the bars and hinder God’s witnesses from entering their land to deliver the message of truth.

After the sword of the Lord has smitten Christendom it will not be put back in its sheath until it has smitten others, such as the Ammonites or those whom the Ammonites represented, and who have reproached and do reproach God’s name. Concerning such the Lord says: “Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity.’’ (21: 30) God’s judgment will come home to the defamers of his name. Jeremiah prophesied concerning the execution of God’s wrath at Armageddon upon such as the Ammonites. (Jer. 25:21) “For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name [Christendom], and should ye [Ammonites and other heathen] be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished; for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts.’’–Jer. 25:29.

The prophecy of Ezekiel 21: 31,32 briefly sums up the matter of the punishment God will bring upon all nations aside from Christendom. These shall be for ever forgotten. Jehovah has spoken the decree, and Jehovah’s word and name shall be vindicated.

WHY JUDGED

(Ezekiel, Chapter 22)

JEHOVAH has committed all judgment to his beloved Son Christ Jesus, with full power and authority to execute his decrees. (John 5: 22, 27) In connection with the judgment of Christendom the Lord assigns to his faithful body members of earth certain duties to be performed. Ezekiel foreshadowed this faithful class, and to Ezekiel Jehovah said: “Now, thou son of man, wilt thou judge, wilt thou judge the bloody city? yea, thou shalt shew her all her abominations.’’ (22:2) To God’s remnant now on earth is therefore assigned the duty or task of pointing out why the judgments of the Lord must come upon Christendom, and particularly upon the clergy and their allies who rule. If not hindered, Satan would prevent the people from knowing the reason for such judgments’ being inflicted. God will not permit Christendom to have any excuse to say that she had no chance to know.

Since the World War there has been a studied and organized effort on the part of Satan’s representatives to prevent the public proclamation of anything that might produce a ‘religious controversy’. There has been and is an attempt in all Christendom to harmonize Catholics and Protestants, Jews and others, but the real effort is directed at God’s faithful witnesses. The agents of Satan prevailed upon owners of public halls to refuse the use of their halls for public proclamation of the truth upon the Bible. Owners and controllers of radio stations are warned by the clergy and are threatened, and every possible influence is brought to bear by them to prevent the broadcasting of the message of God’s kingdom and of the reason for the expression of God’s vengeance against the wickedness of Christendom.

As an excuse and attempted justification of their course of action these agents of Satan say that all controversial matters should be avoided. They are afraid to come out in the open and so they attempt to prevent the proclamation of the message of truth. Those who once made a covenant to do the will of God, who were favored with the truth and many of whom were put in positions as elders, and who still claim to be the favorites of the Lord God but who are unfaithful to him, insist that nothing should be said that would provoke the clergy to controversy. The real reason behind all this is an effort on Satan’s part to keep the people in ignorance of the truth. The message of Jehovah God’s Word is not controversial, and it is not proclaimed for the purpose of provoking controversy. Being the truth, it could not be controversial. That message of truth is, of course, important to all who have a desire to live. None shall ever live everlastingly without first having an opportunity to accept the truth, and then accepting and obeying it. It is God’s message, and not man’s, and no man can afford, for his own good, to push it aside.

Satan is therefore using his agents greatly to the disadvantage of the people. That message of truth is a warning to the rulers and to the ruled, that they might know what is coming to pass, in order that those who desire to heed and who do heed and obey God may be carried through the great tribulation that is about to break upon the world. The responsibility to tell the message is laid upon God’s anointed people, and this responsibility they cannot escape. When the message is faithfully delivered by God’s anointed ones, then their responsibility in connection therewith ends.

Jehovah briefly states the reason for judging and condemning Christendom, in the words of his prophet Isaiah (24:5). Then he states what is the result to those who are wrongdoers and who thus continue: “Therefore hath the curse devoured the earth, and they that dwell therein are desolate; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men left. The land shall be utterly emptied, and utterly spoiled; for the Lord hath spoken this word.’’ (Isa. 24:6,3) God’s everlasting covenant, stated to Noah, defines the sanctity of human life. This covenant Christendom, and every part thereof, has repeatedly broken by unrighteously shedding human blood. The divine ordinances for the church, respecting the worship and service of Jehovah, are set forth in the Scriptures by Jesus and his faithful apostles. Christendom has changed these ordinances and instead has substituted a form of idolatrous worship. The laws of God concerning honesty and righteousness and fair dealing are set forth in the Bible. Christendom has broken every one of these laws and has committed every crime known to the criminal calendar.

The bloody and unrighteous deeds of Christendom are set forth by Ezekiel in chapter 22, particularly verses 3,4, 6 and 13. The chief ones in crime are those whom the Devil has exalted in his organization and has made the ruling factors in Christendom. These have attempted to hide behind religious formalism carried on in the name of God and of Christ; and Jehovah is indignant at the hypocrisy and other crimes committed by them and at the reproach brought upon his name by Christendom, and therefore he says to such: “Behold, therefore, I have smitten mine hand at thy dishonest gain which thou hast made, and at thy blood which hath been in the midst of thee. Can thine heart endure, or can thine hands be strong, in the days that I shall deal with thee? I the Lord have spoken it, and will do it. ”–22:13,14.

The truth must now be made known that Jehovah is God and that his time has come to put an end to lawlessness. “But the Lord is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting King; at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation. Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.”–Jer. 10:10,11.

Christendom, and particularly her clergy and the principal of her flocks, has fraudulently acquired that which belongs to the common people, and has oppressed and continues to oppress them; and has beaten, persecuted and maltreated the people of God, and has brought great reproach upon Jehovah’s name. “The Lord standeth up to plead, and standeth to judge the people. What mean ye that ye beat my people to pieces, and grind the faces of the poor? saith the Lord God of hosts.” (Isa. 3:13,15) Christendom has sowed degradation and profanity amongst the heathen, even as God caused Ezekiel to write: “And thou shalt be profaned in thyself, in the sight of the nations; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord.” (Ezek. 22:16, R.V.) God’s purpose is now to make himself known and to expose wickedness. If he did not do so, those who flout him and his laws would not be brought to a recognition of who Jehovah is, and would not know that he does not approve wickedness. For his name’s sake he will judge and fully recompense the wicked. His name shall be vindicated.

Jehovah sends his beloved Son to his temple for judgment and to perform the work of a refiner and purifier. “Son of man, the house of Israel is to me become dross; all they are brass, and tin, and iron, and lead, in the midst of the furnace; they are even the dross of silver.” (22:18) The house of Israel here mentioned corresponds to “both the houses of Israel” to whom God’s anointed King has become “a stone of stumbling” and “a rock of offence”. (Isa. 8:14,15) When the refining work is done, Christendom is found to be nothing but dross. The refining work gathers out and makes known the remnant class; the “great multitude” in due time also takes its stand on the side of the Lord; the people of good will and honest heart will take their stand on the side of the Lord and draw as near as they may to him, seeking meekness and righteousness, and the “sheep” will be fully separated from the “goats”; and that which Christendom once held, and which is likened unto silver, all comes to dross or nothing.–Isa. 1: 21,25.

God will pour out his fury upon Christendom, and she shall come to naught. “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because ye are all become dross, behold, therefore, I will gather you into the midst of Jerusalem. As they gather silver, and brass, and iron, and lead, and tin, into the midst of the furnace, to blow the fire upon it, to melt it; so will I gather you in mine anger and in my fury, and I will leave you there, and melt you.” (22:19-22) When Nebuchadnezzar assaulted Jerusalem, doubtless many of the people of surrounding territory, towns and suburbs, rushed into the city to find refuge there, and they were thus cooped up or gathered together like metallic ore in a crucible, to be melted. In the present time the Lord, by casting Satan out of heaven and smiting the nations with fear, has caused “organized religion” to seek refuge in the strongholds of Satan’s organization, which is headed for complete destruction. They become as tares gathered together in bundles for burning. Thus they are put in a convenient position to be devoured by the fire of Jehovah’s jealousy, and like dross they shall all be consumed. “Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like dross; therefore I love thy testimonies.” (Ps. 119:119) “Take away the dross from the silver, and there shall come forth a vessel for the finer.”–Prov. 25:4,5.

The prophecy had a miniature fulfilment in 60S B.C., when Jerusalem was destroyed; and its final fulfilment will be after the fire of God’s jealousy blows upon Christendom. (Zeph. 3:8; 2 Pct. 3:7-10) The prophecy thus contrasts the hypocritical wicked with the way of the faithful. The gathering of the professed Christians into “organized Christianity” takes place at the same time that God gathers together his remnant unto Christ and brings them into Zion his organization. The false are gathered together for destruction, and the faithful remnant are gathered together unto the Lord in safety and for preservation and for Jehovah’s use and service.

It is the duty and privilege laid upon the faithful thus gathered together for service to make known God’s righteous judgment and to make known his reason for executing the same. Jehovah will afford ample opportunity for his name to be known, and his remnant is given the privilege of declaring his judgments and of telling the testimony, that his name may be known. It may appear to some that such is an unpleasant duty, but to those who love the Lord nothing can be an unpleasant duty when performed at the commandment of Jehovah. It is an unpleasant message to the ears of those who do not love the Lord God, but it is a joy to those who delight to have some part in the vindication of Jehovah’s great name.

Jehovah then speaks against polluted Jerusalem and Judah, and directs his prophet to say: “Son of man, say unto her, Thou art the land that is not cleansed, nor rained upon in the day of indignation.” (22:24) This is directed also against Christendom. The day of God’s indignation follows 1918, which year marked the end of the Elijah work of the church. Christendom is not cleansed; and its so-called “spiritual revival” following the World War, and which brought forth the League of Nations and peace pacts and crime commissions with the announced purpose of cleansing Christendom, did not succeed and has not succeeded in cleansing it. Christendom is dried up, and has the appearance of parched ground that is cracking open. The heavens of Jehovah have become unto Christendom as brass, and the curse that Jehovah pronounced against Jerusalem applies now to Christendom. “And thy heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee shall be iron. The Lord shall make the rain of thy land powder and dust; from heaven shall it come down upon thee, until thou be destroyed. ’’ – Deut. 28: 23, 24.

CONSPIRACY

The clergy of Christendom are in a conspiracy against the truth of God and against the kingdom interests, as evidenced by the federated churches and the course of action thereof. These consort with bootleggers and political “crooks”, and attempt to prevent the radio from being used to proclaim the kingdom message, and use every other means within their power to prevent the message of God’s kingdom from going to the people. Being Satan’s instruments they know that the truth will expose their own wickedness, and they work against the peoples’ interest to shield themselves. By taxing their congregations to keep them going, and by sanctifying war, “they have devoured souls,” and “taken the treasure and precious things” to build imposing cathedrals, by which they hope to impress the gullible people; and they have “made . . . many widows” by preaching war, by conspiring to poison manufactured alcohol, and by approving the shotgun method of enforcing the Prohibition law. Therefore says the Lord to them: “There is a conspiracy of her prophets in the midst thereof, like a roaring lion ravening the prey; they have devoured souls; they have taken the treasure and precious things; they have made her many widows in the midst thereof.”–22:25.

Jehovah then describes the “wicked servant” class, called “priests”, because such were once in line for the priestly office by reason of being called to the kingdom. (Rev. 1:6) Those who were disapproved when the Lord came to his temple, and out of whom is formed the “evil servant” class, are thus addressed by the prophet: “Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things; they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.” (22:26) These lawless ones have broken God’s law governing those in line for the priesthood, by refusing to give public witness against Satan’s organization and in favor of God’s organization, and by declaring themselves subservient to Satan’s organization, claiming his representatives on earth to be “the higher powers”. They have profaned the holy things by refusing to stand by God’s organization, and, in fact, they refuse to believe that God has an organization and that Satan has an organization. Instead of resting in the faith of the great ransom sacrifice, they have taught and teach so-called “character development” as a means of getting them into heaven, and have refused to proclaim that the kingdom is here, which is the great sabbath day and the only means by which the people can obtain rest and relief.

This “evil servant” class now attempts to keep the people in darkness, by opposing the work of God’s witnesses who go from house to house to deliver the message of his kingdom. Through his prophet Jeremiah the Lord speaks concerning the prophets (preachers) and the priests (those once in line for the priesthood), and says: “For both prophet and priest are profane; yea, in my house have I found their wickedness, saith the Lord. Wherefore their way shall be unto them as slippery ways in the darkness ; they shall be driven on, and fall therein; for I will bring evil upon them, even the year of their visitation, saith the Lord.” (Jer. 23:11,12) Both preachers and priests have brought the name of Jehovah into disrepute.

The Lord then speaks by Ezekiel with reference to the political engineers, or directors, of the governments of Christendom, who manipulate the affairs of government and get “dishonest gain” by fomenting war, by resorting to bribery and fraud, by betraying the peoples’ interest, and by operating the public affairs for private gain. These he speaks of as “princes”, saying: “Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.” (22:27) The preachers put forth their best efforts to make these unrighteous rulers and engineers and directors of political affairs to appear good in the eyes of the people. In this they are aided by the “priests”, that is to say, the class once in line for the priesthood but which has become the “evil servant”. “And her prophets have daubed them with untempered morter, seeing vanity, and divining lies unto them, saying, Thus saith the Lord God, when the Lord hath not spoken.” (22:28) On the pretext of being patriotic these preachers attempt to uphold the politicians who practice wicked schemes upon the people; and thus the “princes” destroy souls and get dishonest gain, and the people suffer. These same political prognosticators predict better times just ahead and the success of their worldly schemes for cleaning up the land, and the preachers follow in their lead and try to lend a sanctimonious and holy air thereto; such, for instance, as the clergymen’s offering to follow the lead of the president of the United States with his "Crime Commission”, and declaring such to be God’s way, when, in fact, ‘‘the Lord hath not spoken” by them.

Following the World War the number of “newly rich” amongst the people greatly increased and have been particularly engaged in oppressing the poor. They have robbed and vexed the people by various unholy schemes. For instance, on the pretext of improving the country, they put forth all manner of schemes that have made the burdens of the people grievous to be borne. Among these are the real estate promotion schemes, taxing the owners of property by a bonding system, which is a great oppressive scheme of “taxation without representation”. The consent of the property owner is neither sought nor asked, but schemers get laws enacted and proceed to carry out their schemes through which the people suffer. Therefore says the prophet of God: “The people of the land [that is, the prosperous ones in commercial affairs, aside from the officials who become oppressors] are guilty of extortion, and practice robbery, and the poor [the small property owner] and the needy [those who really need consideration] they defraud: and they extort from the stranger with injustice. ’’ – 22: 29, Leeser.

Such schemes have they practiced throughout America, particularly since the World War, and the small property owner has grown poorer each year, and these, together with the laborers that produce the wealth, are greatly oppressed. They oppress the poor and draw them before the courts, where unjust judges assist in robbing them. One of America’s able and fearless lawyers publicly said: “Nowhere in our social fabric is the discrimination between the rich and the poor so emphasized to the average citizen as at the bar of justice. . . . Money secures the ablest and most adroit counsel. . . . The poor must be content to forego all these [things].” This is in line with what the apostle wrote: “But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?”–Jas. 2:6; 5:1-6.

God’s faithful people are “strangers and pilgrims” in the land of Christendom. (1 Pet. 2:11) Big Business, politicians, and the clergy, acting together with the cruel and newly rieh, have oppressed and do oppress these “strangers”. Also the people of heathen lands, such as China, and who are therefore “strangers” to Christendom, have been and are victims of oppression by Big Business and their allies. Christendom has afflicted the people more than any world power that ever existed.

The Lord’s prophet then shows that Jehovah has looked in vain in Christendom for any of her leaders to take a stand for righteousness. He says: “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found none.” (22:30) In the early history of America there were bold and fearless men who would stand for the people ; but not so in modem times, and particularly during the past half-century. For many years God has sent his message of truth to the land of Christendom, and this work was foreshadowed by what Elijah the prophet did. (Mal. 4:5,6) But this work of proclaiming the truth to the leaders of “Christendom” did not cleanse them nor turn them away from unrighteousness. Instead of the clergy’s standing for God’s kingdom, they openly joined hands with the others of Satan’s organization and declared against God’s kingdom under Christ, and have persecuted those who dared tell the truth.

No one can ever be heard to say that Jehovah God did not show mercy and long-suffering toward Christendom. The mouths of her leaders, and particularly of the clergy, are for ever stopped from making any such claim. Having spurned the message of the Lord and refused to be cleansed, Jehovah now pronounces final judgment against Christendom, declaring what shall be her end. “Therefore have I poured out mine indignation upon them: I have consumed them with the fire of my wrath; their own way have I recompensed upon their heads, saith the Lord God.” – 22:31.

COVENANT-BREAKERS

(Ezekiel, Chapter 23)

The twenty-third chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy finds its complete fulfilment in the two branches of “organized Christianity”, that is to say, Catholicism and Protestantism. Jehovah continues to state through his prophet the reason why his judgment shall be executed against Christendom, and particularly upon these two branches. These two are daughters of one “woman”. They are the two great religio-political world powers. The first one was, and is called, “The Holy Roman Empire,” which was entirely Roman Catholic until 1521; and the second is called the British-American Empire system. The name applied to the first, in the Scriptures, is “Aholah”, and that applied to the latter is “Aholibah her sister”. With this prelude let us now proceed to the examination of the twenty-third chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy.

In the Scriptures a woman is symbolic of an organization. Jehovah gave his word of promise to Abraham that Sarah, who had long been barren, should bear him a son, and that with that offspring he would establish his covenant for ever. (Gen. 17:15-21) In this symbolic picture Abraham represented Jehovah the “husband”, Sarah represented God’s organization called Zion, while Isaac the son represented the King that shall rule the world in righteousness. (Isa. 54:1-7) Then God set up a typical organization called Jerusalem or Zion. Out of this typical organization came two daughter-organizations, to wit, the two tribes of Judah and Benjamin, which had their capital city at Jerusalem, and the ten tribes of Israel, which had their capital city at Samaria. The two were sister organizations, and were two political divisions or establishments, both claiming to be God’s kingdom and God’s representatives on the earth. (1 Ki. 11:35-38; 14:7, 8; Gen. 22:18; 28:14) These two governments or political organizations, symbolized by women, had their birth from the womb of one mother, to wit, God’s organization, and are therefore sisters. They both fell away to Satan and became the daughters of his wicked organization by adoption. Thus says the Lord by his prophet: “Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother; and they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth; there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity. And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister; and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names, Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.” – 23:2-4.

The fulfilment of the prophecy on a larger scale, and which relates to Christendom, is this: God planted true “Christianity” as a pure and noble vine, Christ Jesus being the vine, and the apostles the branches thereof; then there came forward an organization which in fact was and is a political organization called “Christian” and which has been known by the name and title of “The Holy Roman Empire”. The sixth world power had adopted a religion and named it “Christianity”, and then it was called “The Holy Roman Empire”. Later there came forward another organization, in opposition to “The Holy Roman Empire”, called “Protestant Christianity”. The Protestant reformers had among their active men some, without a doubt, who were honest and sincere; but Satan got control of the organization. It soon revealed itself as a political organization, separate and distinct from the other part of the so-called “Christian world”.

“The Roman Empire,” the sixth head of the beast, converted itself into “The Holy Roman Empire” (so called) and continued to dominate the so-called "Christian world” and was entirely Catholic until 1521. Her younger "sister”, the Anglo-American Empire, and particularly Britain, is the seventh head of the "beast”, or the seventh world power. Both of these world powers, that is to say, Romanism and Protestantism, have laid claim to being the kingdom of God and the heir of the promise through which the blessing to all the nations should come; and hence both of these organizations set out to convert the world to their respective religious views. Both claimed and still claim to rule by divine right. They both lay claim to being offspring of the same mother, to wit, God’s organization, and both call themselves "organized Christianity” or “Christendom”, but, in truth and in fact, their common mother is “Babylon the Great”, which is Satan’s "woman”, symbolic of Satan’s organization. These are both therefore the daughters of one mother, or the offspring of Satan’s organization. (See Revelation 17:5; Light, Book Two, page 89.)

The prophecy above quoted and other supporting prophecies show that Samaria and Jerusalem were typical of the organizations of Catholicism and Protestantism. As both Samaria and Jerusalem "committed whoredoms in their youth”, likewise Catholicism and Protestantism committed whoredom from their youth on. Neither the Catholic nor the Protestant organization, as such, was ever in fact God’s organization; but they took the name of God and of Christ and thereby assumed to be God’s organization, and professed to be children of the Lord and his representatives on the earth. They openly committed "whoredom” by allying themselves with the politics of the world, and, in fact, by making their organization political but with a religious name, to wit, the name “the Christian world”, or “organized Christianity".

The name Aholah means “tent woman; her tent”. The name Aholibah means practically the same thing. According to the Leeser and Rotherham translations the prophet of the Lord says: “And they became mine.” Both “The Holy Roman Empire” and the Anglo-American Empire claim to be God’s by adoption, and hence both take the name “Christian” and together form what is generally called “Christendom”. Jehovah applied the name Aholah to Samaria, and Aholibah to Jerusalem. Samaria therefore foreshadowed the Roman Empire. Samaria means “watchstation”, and the Roman Empire claims to be the “watch” nation for the whole world. Jerusalem means “foundation of peace, or inheritance of peace”. The British Empire, together with America, has expanded its domains by what they call peaceable means; and is the author of modern peace movements, and lays claims to being the bulwark of the peace of the world and the stabilizer of civilization. Thus the meaning of the names well fits the two world powers, the Roman and the Anglo-American.

Samaria sought, political connection and strength from the heathen nations round about. (Hos. 7:10,11; 2 Ki. 15:19, 20; 17:1-3) Instead of relying upon the Lord and his promises Samaria looked elsewhere: “And Aholah played the harlot, when she was mine; and she doted on her lovers, on the Assyrians her neighbours.” (23:5) Likewise the so-called “Holy Roman Empire” sought political connection, aid and support, not from God, but from Satan’s organization, which is pictured by Assyria. Rome centered her strength in political rulers and military powers, symbolized by “desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses”, “which were clothed with blue, captains and rulers, all of them desirable young men, horsemen riding upon horses.” (23:6) The same relationships, or “whoredoms”, which Rome had practiced with Egypt (the Devil’s organization) she continued to practice after she became the so-called “Holy Roman Empire” or “Christian” world power. “Thus she committed her whoredoms with them, with all them that were the chosen men of Assyria, and with all on whom she doted; with all their idols she defiled herself. Neither left she her whoredoms brought from Egypt; for in her youth they lay with her, and they bruised the breasts of her virginity, and poured their whoredom upon her.” – 23: 7, 8.

Jehovah then names these things as a reason for the execution of his final judgment upon Aholah, the Roman wing of so-called “organized Christianity”: “Wherefore I have delivered her into the hand of her lovers, into the hand of the Assyrians, upon whom she doted. These discovered her nakedness; they took her sons and her daughters, and slew her with the sword; and she became famous among women; for they had executed judgment upon her.” (23:9,10) This could not have reference to what the arrogant Napoleon did in 1799 to Papacy. Napoleon was only one part of Satan’s organization, whereas “the Assyrians” symbolically stands for all of Satan’s organization to which the Romans looked for aid; and she (“Aholah”) has had to take whatever the political factors, including Napoleon and others, provided. “Organized Christianity” was handled in the World War in the worst manner she was ever handled up to the present time. She was exposed, and all the world saw that she was unfaithful to God; and millions of her sons and daughters were slain. Doubtless more Catholics than Protestants were slain in that war, because more were engaged in it. But the worst trouble for all “organized Christianity” is still future, and that at a very early date.

Protestant “organized religion” saw how Roman Catholicism had defiled herself with the commercial and political powers of the world, and said much against the Catholics for that reason; but then Protestantism went and straightway did likewise, and even worse: “And when her sister Aholibah saw this, she was more corrupt in her inordinate love than she, and in her whoredoms more than her sister in her whoredoms. She doted upon the Assyrians her neighbours, captains and rulers clothed most gorgeously, horsemen riding upon horses, all of them desirable young men. Then I saw that she was defiled, that they took both one way.” (23:11-13) Both have taken the same course; but Protestantism had had more enlightenment than Romanism, and therefore is the more reprehensible.

The clergy of organized Protestantism in the Anglo- American Empire have shown more lust for political power since the World War than her elder sister, Romanism, has shown. The two have taken the same way, as the prophet says, but “organized religion” in the seventh world power has been and is by far the worse. Both have appealed to Satan’s officers and recognized representatives for aid, and both have joined hands in their political and financial schemes.

About the close of the World War a new government came into power in Russia, which new government has continued to heap many indignities upon so-called “organized Christianity”. Since then the pope of Rome, the archbishop of Canterbury, the archbishop of York, the archbishop of New York city, and other clergymen of the Protestant systems, have protested against the action of Russia and have appealed to the commercial and political rulers for aid and relief. The American Committee on Religious Rights and Minorities appealed to the president of the United States against Russia and her persecutions of so-called “organized Christianity”, and advised that the American government refuse to recognize Russia unless the ‘religious persecutions are stopped’. The United States has not recognized Russia.

Jerusalem increased her whoredom with the Chaldeans by giving herself over to the Babylonish religion. (See Ezekiel, chapter eight.) When she saw the images of the Chaldeans portrayed in gaudy and beautiful colors, she yielded to the temptation and she immediately opened negotiations with the Babylonians to come and make common cause with her. (Ezek. 23:14-16) Both Samaria and Jerusalem fell away to the heathen. “And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoredom; and she was polluted with them, and her mind was alienated from them. Then said I unto her that was old in adulteries, Will they now commit whoredoms with her, and she with them? Yet they went in unto her, as they go in unto a woman that playeth the harlot; so went they in unto Aholah and unto Aholibah the lewd women.” (23:17, 43, 44) For this reason God inflicted punishment upon both of them.

MODERN FULFILMENT

The modern fulfilment of the prophecy is this: “Organized religion” of the seventh world power, to wit, the British-American Imperialism, saw the beautifully painted pictures drawn by the president of the United States, and by a general of the British army, of and concerning a world power, made up of a League of Nations, and which is the eighth world power; and it pleased their vanity. To have to do with bringing such a thing into existence would cover them with everlasting fame; so they thought. Immediately “organized religion” began to flirt with the commercial and political powers and to open negotiations with them, and without hesitation united with the devilish scheme manifested in the League of Nations. As an open and flagrant act of hypocrisy they even named this makeshift of the Devil (the League of Nations) “the political expression of the kingdom of God on earth”. Since then the Protestant clergy in particular have preached in favor of the propositions brought forward by modern Babylon, to wit, by the political powers of the world. They have advocated and supported the World Court, the peace pacts, the military disarmament movements, naval parleys, crime commissions, and all of such movements; and have fully endorsed and allied themselves therewith.

“Organized Christianity” has sent messengers, in the form of delegations of clergymen, to the political world powers. They have passed resolutions and memorialized the political powers, including them in all such matters. During all that period of time from and after 1919 to the present hour God’s witnesses on the earth have continued to call attention of “organized Christianity”, or Christendom, to the fact that such are Satan’s schemes; and have warned the nations and the people that the League of Nations, peace pacts, and like worldly arrangements, are the offspring of Satan. To all of such warning and testimony “organized religion” has turned a deaf ear, just as the message of Jeremiah was rejected by the Jews. God had sent Jeremiah to warn Jerusalem, and Jeremiah did this faithfully and repeatedly, and his message was despised and rejected. God has sent his witnesses to warn Christendom and to testify to her of the truth; and Christendom, particularly Protestantism, has opposed and persecuted these witnesses of the Lord.

The political and commercial elements believe that they can use the clergy of organized religion for their purposes; therefore they make an illicit alliance with them and, for a time at least, ‘come into her bed of love. ’ The overt acts committed by the religious leaders of Christendom show a complete alliance made by them with other parts of the Devil’s organization. Religionists have opened their arms and received into illicit relationship the political and commercial rulers. They completely separate themselves from God and from his kingdom, and acknowledge their strength comes instead from the schemes of the Devil. “Therefore, O Aholibah, thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will raise up thy lovers against thee, from whom thy mind is alienated, and I will bring them against thee on every side; the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod, and Shoa, and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them; all of them desirable young men, captains and rulers, great lords and renowned, all of them riding upon horses. ’’–23: 22, 23.

This prophecy, like others, has a twofold fulfilment. The first was in the siege of Jerusalem and the fall of that city to the Babylonians in 606 B.C. The latter or modern fulfilment is upon Christendom, particularly in relation to the seventh world power, or Anglo- American Empire, the Protestant wing thereof. It betokens a rift between “organized religion” and the other worldlings with which she has had an illicit alliance. To be sure, “organized Christianity” will never reform, because she has passed completely beyond that stage. Organized Protestantism has gone into complete infidelity, and the majority of her leaders are against God and against the Bible. Even now the political and commercial rulers are getting their eyes open to the fact of the hypocrisy practiced by those who stand for and represent the modem church organizations; and the Lord will put it in the mind of such to “burn her with fire”. (See Revelation 17:16; Light, Book Two, page 108.)

God’s judgment is pronounced against modern “Christianity”, because she has forsaken the Lord and played the harlot and the hypocrite: “I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols. Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand. Thus saith the Lord God, Thou shalt drink of thy sister’s cup, deep and large; thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much. Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria. Thou shalt even drink it, and suck it out, and thou shalt break the sherds thereof, and pluck off thine own breasts; for I have spoken it, saith the Lord God. Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because thou hast forgotten me, and cast me behind thy back, therefore bear thou also thy lewdness and thy whoredoms.” (23:30-35) The cup here mentioned is not one of doctrine, but it is the “cup of astonishment and desolation”, the manifestation of God’s wrath against the great hypocritical crowd that has defamed his holy name. God’s judgment is written against both wings of Christendom, or “organized Christianity”, so called. The judgment is final and will now be enforced and fully executed.

Jehovah called upon Ezekiel to pronounce judgment against Samaria and Jerusalem. Jehovah likewise directs the Ezekiel class, his faithful witnesses on the earth, to proclaim his judgment against Christendom, particularly the hypocritical religion thereof as represented and practiced both by Catholicism and Protestantism. “The Lord said moreover unto me, Son of man, wilt thou judge Aholah and Aholibah? yea, declare unto them their abominations.” (23:36) The responsibility is upon the faithful witnesses of Jehovah to declare his judgments. Such is not the judgment of men or the message of men. It is God’s judgment and God’s testimony delivered to Christ, and the giving of which testimony has been committed to the faithful members of the body of Christ, the witnesses of Jehovah now on the earth. Such judgment he has caused to be written in his Word. The reason for the enforcement of his judgment is stated by Ezekiel in 23:37-44.

Christ Jesus the great Judge executes these judgments, and his true followers on the earth must make announcement thereof, as commanded, and this work is now in progress.

Neither the clergymen, that is, the preachers of “organized Christianity”, nor the “priests”, who were once in line for the kingdom, have told the people about God’s organization as distinguished from Satan’s organization. They have not attempted to cause the people to take their stand on the side of Jehovah in his organization. They have caused the people to pretend to call upon the name of the Lord God, and at the same time have induced them to feed upon the Devil’s food. They have not told the people the difference between the clean and the unclean. They have claimed to stand in the house of the Lord God and to be his representatives; and at the same time they have profaned God’s sabbath, that is to say, his rest, and the rest of his people in Christ, and have turned the people to idolatrous worship and to trust in worldly powers. Instead of telling the “children” of the church organizations that their hope of blessing rests wholly in the kingdom of God under Christ, they have turned to the Devil’s makeshift for aid, and have received no aid, but have received discomfort.

Jesus Christ is the righteous Judge to whom is committed all judgment and the execution thereof. He has brought his faithful remnant under the robe of righteousness which Jehovah provided. (Isa. 61:10) The obligation is therefore laid upon those who are God’s witnesses and members of the “servant” class to pronounce the judgment that will be executed by the great and righteous Judge. “And the righteous men, they shall judge them after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands.” (23:45) This does not mean that the faithful witnesses of Jehovah render any judicial decisions; but it does mean that the judicial decision which God has rendered, and which he will execute by and through Christ Jesus, must now be announced or declared by those who are faithful witnesses of Jehovah and hence “righteous men” in the sight of Jehovah. These witnesses are directed to announce the judgment that is written against those, after his manner of judging and punishing the Israelites that committed adultery. (Lev. 20:10) That judgment against such offenders was death. Therefore the witnesses of Jehovah must proclaim that God will destroy Christendom by the hand of Christ Jesus, his chief executive officer. The “servant” class, or remnant, has nothing to do with the execution of the judgment. The work of such is limited to bearing before the people the testimony of God’s purposes; and this they must do.

Jehovah’s “righteous” ones, to wit, his witnesses on earth, are now sent forth to pelt the guilty with hailstones of truth and to ‘dash their little ones against the Stone’, that is, against God’s kingdom. (Ps. 137:9) But concerning the execution of the judgment the Lord says: “For thus saith the Lord God: I will bring up an assembly against them, and will give them to be tossed to and fro and spoiled. And the assembly shall stone them with stones, and dispatch them with their swords; they shall slay their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses with fire.”–23:46,47, R.V.

“The assembly” above mentioned is the Lord Jesus Christ and his army that is with him. (Rev. 19:14-16) The result of this judgment enforced will be to completely cleanse the land. “Thus will I cause lewdness to cease out of the land, that all women may be taught not to do after your lewdness.” (23:48) This could not refer to punishment inflicted by the worldly forces, because nothing that they could do would cleanse the world of filthiness. What Jehovah, by his Son Christ Jesus, does will completely clean up the world. Thus will be fully demonstrated to all that Jehovah is God. “And they shall recompense your lewdness upon you, and ye shall bear the sins of your idols; and ye shall know that I am the Lord God.” (23:49) Everything of Satan’s organization must cease, that righteousness may be established in the world to the vindication of Jehovah’s name and that all may know that Jehovah is the Lord Almighty God.

SCUM OF CHRISTENDOM

(Ezekiel, Chapter 24)

In the twenty-fourth chapter of Ezekiel’s prophecy Jehovah continues to set forth the reasons for his judgment against Christendom and those who support her and walk in her way. The setting and the language of the prophecy show that it is Jehovah’s prophecy, and not that of man. In giving proclamation to the prophecy it should be recognized by all that it is the announcement of God’s prophecy, and not the opinion or expression of any man. Ezekiel was merely an amanuensis or instrument used by Jehovah to cause the record of the prophecy to be made, and that for the particular benefit of those who should live on earth at the present time. In like manner those who make proclamation of the prophecy today are merely the instruments in the hand of the Lord, whom he uses to declare his purposes concerning the vindication of his name. Primarily the announcement is for the encouragement of his witnesses, and secondarily that notice may be served upon those against whom his judgment shall be executed.

Jehovah is an accurate and exact timekeeper. He causes his purposes to be executed at the time which he has set, and there is no delay in his so doing. He knows the end from the beginning, and everything comes to pass at his appointed time. He has waited his own good pleasure and time to vindicate his name and his word, and we may be sure that when his due time arrives his work will be accomplished exactly as he has arranged and willed. His accuracy in marking time is notable in this prophecy. “Again, in the ninth year, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, Son of man, write thee the name of the day, even of this same day; the king of Babylon set himself against Jerusalem this same day.” (24:1, 2) At the same time that Jehoia- chin the king of Israel was carried away captive to Babylon Ezekiel was also taken captive. (See chapter 1:1, 2.) The king of Babylon began operations against Jerusalem on a day certain. “And it came to pass, in the ninth year of his [Zedekiah’s] reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came, he, and all his host, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it; and they built forts against it round about.”–2 Ki. 25:1; Jer. 52:4.

At that specific time Ezekiel was hundreds of miles east of Jerusalem and in captivity in the land of Babylon. Reference is here made to Ezekiel 21:21, 22, when “the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways, to use divination”. He then called upon his deity, the Devil, to direct whether he should assault Rabbath of the Ammonites or Jerusalem. It was then that Jehovah intervened and so directed the affairs that Nebuchadnezzar moved against Jerusalem. Jehovah directed Ezekiel to write the name of the day, “even of this same day,” and this may have reference to that day when the king Nebuchadnezzar stood at the parting of the ways, as above mentioned, or it may have been on the day that the siege actually began against Jerusalem. There is no way of definitely determining whether it was one or the other.

It is certain that Ezekiel could have received the information, to write it at that time, from Jehovah alone. This proves that Ezekiel was inspired to write what he did write. The radio was not then in use; nor was there any other means of instant communication, except by special communication from the Lord in his own chosen way. To be sure, it was easy for Jehovah to send one of his angels to direct Ezekiel what to write, which he did write on that selfsame day. The two important points here are, that Jehovah God directed Ezekiel what to do, and that he fixed the exact date of the event and caused an accurate record thereof to be made. As God directed his work then, so he can direct it now. This would show to the Ezekiel class, namely, God’s faithful witnesses, that Jehovah wants his people to note, mark and make a record of the time that he begins to express his wrath against antitypical Jerusalem, that is to say, against Christendom. This exact date is fixed by the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to the temple of God for judgment, and which time the Scriptures clearly fix as in the spring of 1918, or three and one-half years after Jehovah installed his beloved Son as King.

At the time of the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple of God, and therefore at the beginning of the expression of Jehovah’s wrath, Christendom or “organized Christianity” was rebellious, and there was rebellion on the part of others who had been calling themselves members of the house of God. Jehovah directed Ezekiel to speak a parable, which parable relates to his rebellious house: “And utter a parable unto the rebellious house, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Set on a pot, set it on, and also pour water into it.” (24:3-5) This parable was uttered as a further illustration of Jehovah’s judgment against the rebellious people and of his purpose to execute it. It is a parable that possesses its own peculiar features, and is profitable now for study, admonition and application.

The “pot”, mentioned in verses three to five of the prophecy, and by the Revised Version called a “caldron”, is symbolic of the unfaithful organization, both the typical and the antitypical. The sixth verse describes the organization as a “bloody city”; “Wherefore thus saith the Lord God, Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose scum is therein, and whose scum is not gone out of it! bring it out piece by piece; let no lot fall upon it.” The organization is found and pronounced guilty by the great Judge, and guilty of exploiting and making prey of the poor and weak and defenseless amongst the inhabitants.

As a pot is used to boil or roast flesh, so this fitly describes the bloody organization which has ‘boiled’ and ‘roasted’ the poor and defenseless. The rulers mentioned are the chief ones in Israel, and they did that very thing concerning the peoples of Israel. Concerning them the Lord said: “And I said, Hear, I pray you, O heads of Jacob, and ye princes of the house of Israel: Is it not for you to know judgment? Who hate the good, and love the evil; who pluck off their skin from off them, and their flesh from off their bones: who also eat the flesh of my people, and flay their skin from off them; and they break their bones, and chop them in pieces as for the pot, and as flesh within the caldron.” (Mic. 3:1-3) It appears to be a fixed habit of the unfaithful clergy at all times to do this very thing. Jesus said of them: “For they bind heavy burdens, and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.” (Matt. 23:4) The cruel operations practiced by the leaders in Israel had greatly befouled their “pot”, or organization, with scum and blood which testified against them. Silent witnesses they were, but such as stood firm without contradiction. There was no answer to their testimony. The scum and blood upon the sides of her “pot” Israel could not remove; that is to say, the wicked rulers in Jerusalem could not wipe out or remove the evidence against them. God will remove it by his fiery judgments, however; therefore he said: “With fraud hath she wearied (the poor) ; therefore shall not go forth from her the greatness of her scum: through fire shall her scum (be removed).”–24:12, Leeser.

By following the direction which Jehovah gave, Ezekiel performed the parable; and after making the pot boil he removed everything from it, leaving the pot entirely empty, except for its scum or rust remaining on the sides thereof. The evidence abundantly proves that the bloody city of Jerusalem was a type of the bloody organization of Christendom; and the physical facts that have come to pass stand boldly out as witnesses against Christendom at this time. A few of these facts are here considered.

OPPRESSIONS

The nation that is the head of the seventh world power, and therefore the head of so-called “Christendom” has at all times been a government of arrogance and oppression. Its princes and rulers have been haughty, austere, and holding themselves above the common people, and acting as oppressors of the common people. Because of its cruel oppression of its citizens, and because of the love of liberty by such citizens, many of them fled from England and took refuge in the wilds of the American continent. In the course of years these American colonies grew in number and wealth and power, but in all that time the few ruled and controlled. These princes or rulers reaped the fruits of the poor man’s labor. Although they had fled from oppression, the rulers continued to practice the same upon the subjects of the American colonies; and the mother government of England likewise continued its unjust and oppressive measures, carried on through its representatives in the American colonies. Taxation without representation and other indignities brought on the great revolution that resulted in the independence of the American government.

For some time America was designated as '‘the land of the free and the home of the brave”. But not so now. In the year 1823, at the adoption of the Monroe doctrine, the United States became a part of the imperialistic seventh world power. Since then both of these leading nations of Christendom, Britain and America, have carried on wars of conquest, even though they were called ‘wars in the interest of humanity’. The British imperial government has extended its domains wherever the sun shines, and the poor of all of its dominions are oppressed by the few who rule. As the result of war and bloodshed the United States has enlarged her territory both on the mainland and on islands of the sea; and both parts of the Anglo-American Imperialistic arrangement have moved forward together, especially during the past hundred years.

Britain sent her so-called “Christian” missionaries into China, upon the pretext of converting the Chinese to the “Christian religion”: but for the real purpose of using the “Christian” missionaries, so called, as a shield behind which the political powers and financial powers operated to get the opium trade spread over the great land of China. Such trade has resulted in tremendous oppression and degradation of the common people of that land.

The oppression of the peoples in India, the slaughter of the Boers of South Africa, and like operations of conquest and oppression, represent some of the scum and blood upon the antitypical “pot”, or great world organization. Like acts of conquest and oppression, carried on by the United States in support of the British wing of the Anglo-American system, mark also the scum and blood upon the “pot”. All this was done by governments that have called themselves the representatives of God on earth.

Then came the World War of 1914, in which America, without just cause or excuse, engaged; and that conflict caused the death of hundreds of thousands of men, who left behind them a multitude of widows and orphans to mourn their loss. In that war both Britain and America pushed their poor to the front, there to bleed and die. It is these two great nations, acting really as one, that have sought to bring about a combination of nations, that the whole world might be controlled and kept in subjection; and while apparently the American government has kept out of the League of Nations, by various hooks and crooks she is really in it. Being a party to the World Court and to various treaties that are subsidiary to the League of Nations, she operates in connection with the head of the seventh world power.

Following the World War there has been oppressive rule in all the lands called “Christendom”. The war produced a new crop of rich who have obtained their gain by fraud and oppression and by means of dishonest dealing with public affairs. High government officials openly indulged in bribery and fraud by which the people are exploited and much of the common property is taken for private use. It is true that there were criminal prosecutions of some of these, but doubtless those guilty of the greater amount of fraud escaped unscathed. The larger banks have absorbed the smaller ones, the chain stores have driven out the individual merchant, and the mighty corporations have made serfs of their employees and the common laborers. These great corporations are the most prolific cause of corruption in the politics of the state, and they are aided and abetted and plastered over by the palaver of the clergy. The poor labor to produce the wealth of the nation; and the few who rule by fraud and deception exploit them and take away the profits of their honest labor. The few, who hold and wield the power of rule, figuratively cast lots upon the poor and they gamble with the fruits of the poor man’s labor.

Throughout the land the burdens of taxation have steadily increased since the World War, and this has had much to do with depreciating the values of property. Corporations or companies arc formed with such names or titles as “tax factors”, or “appraisal companies”, whose business it is to fix the values of property as a basis for taxation. The political rulers who have control of the peoples employ these so-called “experts”, who know little or nothing about the value of the real estate where they go to operate, and care less for the burdens they place upon others. These so-called ‘expert valuation companies’ have so greatly increased the valuation placed upon property for taxation purposes that hundreds have lost their small savings. The valuation of some property has been increased as much as fifteen hundred percent.

As an illustration: A man of moderate means owns a home. It is mortgaged for less than half its value, but the interest thereon must be paid, and the taxes must also be paid. The assessed valuation is greatly- increased by the so-called ‘expert valuers’, and this for the purpose of fixing general taxes; and added to that is the special burden for local improvements which are done under contract at exorbitant and robbery terms. These burdens of taxation are put upon the property owners and become so great that the small owner cannot meet the obligation and pay his interest on the mortgage. The result is that many have lost their homes, and they and their families suffer. Millions of such cases exist in the land today.

The burdens of oppression continue to increase upon the people, and they see no way of relief. It would be impossible to recount all the wicked operations and crimes of which Christendom is guilty. By divers and numerous means the ruling factors have defrauded, exploited, robbed and killed “the poor innocents”, and the clergy, as one of the factors that rule, have held up hypocritical hands and said: ‘This is the kingdom of God on earth.’ When the wars have come the clergy have endorsed these and urged the people into them, only to die. Therefore upon all the skirts of this ruling element is found the blood of the poor innocents. (Jer. 2:34) The “pot” has on the inside of it a thick scum of unrighteousness and human blood wickedly shed.

The Lord, therefore, caused Ezekiel to utter the parable concerning the pot, which pot now means Christendom or “organized Christianity”. Ezekiel is directed to bring out each piece from the pot and leave therein only the scum and rust and blood. Thus is indicated God’s purpose to completely deliver the people, particularly the poor and the oppressed, from the organization of Christendom, represented by the pot. Jehovah will spoil the pastures of the workers of wickedness and oppression, and thus deliver the people therefrom. (Jer. 25:34-36) No longer will Jehovah allow the ultraselfish to gamble with the property and lives of the poor. Therefore Jehovah now commands the Ezekiel class, that is to say, his witnesses, to tell the people that their deliverance draws nigh and that this will come by and through the operation of his kingdom under Christ.

The wicked organization of Christendom, as represented by the pot, not only has exploited and robbed the people, but has violated the everlasting covenant in the most flagrant manner, and the blood and scum thereof remain in her as silent and eloquent witnesses against her. ‘‘ For her blood is in the midst of her; she set it upon the top of a rock; she poured it not upon the ground, to cover it with dust; that it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance; I have set her blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered.” (24:7,8) So wanton, bold, reckless and cruel have been the actions of Christendom that she has been like a senseless drunken man. With boldness and arrogance she has held up her bloody record which testifies now against her as though she had poured the blood of her innocent victims upon the top of a rock for exhibition. God will not now permit it to be covered, but it will stand until his due time to completely destroy the system.

Christendom has cruelly persecuted to death many of those who have loved and served Jehovah God. As the blood of Abel cried out from the ground, the blood of these ones faithful unto God cries out against them that now dwell on the earth as Satan’s representatives. “And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held; and they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?” (Rev. 6: 9,10) God will avenge their blood. Upon Jerusalem came all the righteous blood shed from Abel to Zacharias; and upon her counterpart, Christendom, shall come all the righteous blood shed from then till now. – Matt. 23:35-37.

The scum and blood in the pot, that is to say, in Christendom’s organization, can be removed only by the scorching fiery indignation of the Lord God expressed against it. “Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Woe to the bloody city! I will even make the pile for fire great. Heap on wood, kindle the fire, consume the flesh, and spice it well, and let the bones be burned. Then set it empty upon the coals thereof, that the brass of it may be hot, and may bum, and that the filthiness of it may be molten [annihilated, Roth.] in it, that the scum of it may be consumed.” (24: 9-11) “Organized religion,” which mockingly and fraudulently has taken the name of Christ and called itself “organized Christianity”, shall be annihilated by the Lord.

There is no way for Christendom to be now cleansed except by the fire of destruction from Jehovah. The great God would have cleansed Christendom through the antitypical Elijah-work, but she refused to be cleansed, and the work has failed as did that of John the Baptist toward the Jews. (Mal. 4:5,6; Luke 1:13-17) Therefore says the Lord concerning “Christendom ’’ now: “ In thy filthiness is lewdness; because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.” (24:13) Christendom and all the workers of iniquity who work in the name of God are condemned by him as filthy. “He which is filthy, let him be filthy still.” The Lord will ‘give to each one according as his works shall be’. –Rev. 22:11,12.

The officials of the Federal Council of Churches, representing organized Protestant religion, confessed to the scum and bloodstain of its pot (organization), and then with hypocritical and outward pious methods attempted to cleanse their organization, but cannot. In 1919 that organization issued officially a document in which these words appear: “The League of Nations is rooted in the gospel. . . . The heroic dead will have died in vain unless out of victory shall come ‘a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness’.” By quoting these words from the Scriptures that organization admits that its own record and course have been and are unrighteous. Then that document adds: “The church [meaning, the Federal Council of Churches] ean give a spirit of good will without which no League of Nations can endure.” In other words, organized Protestant religion admits its filthiness, and then has the temerity to say that cleansing can come by its efforts. The end of that unrighteous system is at hand. Jehovah’s decree is made and sealed, and he will execute it: “I the Lord have spoken it; it shall come to pass, and I will do it; I will not go back, neither will I spare, neither will I repent; according to thy ways, and according to thy doings, shall they judge thee, saith the Lord God.”– 24:14.

THE UNFAITHFUL

Marriage is a relationship by covenant. All in the ‘covenant by sacrifice’ are in such relationship and therefore are and should be dear to one another. God took away Ezekiel’s wife by sudden death. ‘‘Son of man, behold, I take away from thee the desire of thine eyes with a stroke; yet neither shalt thou mourn nor weep, neither shall thy tears run down. Forbear to cry, make no mourning for the dead, bind the tire of thine head upon thee, and put on thy shoes upon thy feet, and cover not thy lips, and eat not the bread of men. So I spake unto the people in the morning; and at even my wife died; and I did in the morning as I was commanded.” (24:16-18) Ezekiel’s wife may have been unfaithful to him or unfaithful to God, and is therefore used to picture those persons, once in the covenant by sacrifice, that are unfaithful thereto and unto God. These unfaithful ones blasphemed God’s name and defamed his temple and disobeyed his commandment.

Ezekiel’s wife pictures the class found unfaithful to the Lord when he came to the temple for judgment. These unfaithful ones are like a wife, as ‘‘ the weaker vessel”, not continuing “strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might”. (1 Pet. 3:7; Eph. 6:10,12) They refuse to obey God’s commandments and to bear the fruits of the kingdom. They were once dear to the heart of the faithful, even as Ezekiel’s wife was dear to him, as ‘the desire of his eyes’. As death dissolves the relationship existing by marriage, so the sweet relationship and communion between the faithful and unfaithful comes to a sudden end, as “with a stroke”. The Lord Jesus suddenly came to the temple and purged “the sons of Levi”, and removed the offending ones and cut them asunder. (Mal. 3:2,3; Matt. 24:51) As Ezekiel’s wife died in the evening, so the death of these unfaithful ones occurred “at even”, at the dark period of 1918.

Clearly the lesson for the anointed here is, that those who are faithful are not to weep or bemoan the fate of the unfaithful. The judgment of the Lord is not to be doubted, questioned, resented or bewailed. His judgments are always right. It is no time for mourning, because ‘the joy of the Lord is the strength of the faithful’. Ezekiel obeyed God’s commandment; and the Ezekiel class, the “faithful servant”, must obey joyfully. Similar instructions were given to Samuel the prophet concerning Saul. (1 Sam. 16:1) These scriptures prove the proper course for God’s anointed to take.

Then the people asked Ezekiel the meaning of this sudden death. (Vs. 19) Antitypically the meaning is that “judgment must begin at the house of God”, and, starting there, in due time it will certainly reach the unfaithful nominal house of God, or “organized Christianity”, and the unfaithful who make up the “evil servant” class or the “man of sin”. What happened to Ezekiel was merely a small illustration of what will befall “the man of sin” first, and also “organized Christianity”. If judgment begins at the house composed of those in the covenant, what shall be the end of “organized religion” that has not obeyed the gospel of God? “If the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?’’ (1 Pet. 4:17,18) “Organized Christianity’’ has not one chance to survive. The “evil servant” class is marked “the son of perdition”, which means certain destruction. The death of Ezekiel’s wife, therefore, pictures what awaits the “man of sin” and “organized Christianity”.

The relationship by blood is also close and dear amongst those who are honest. The relationship by affinity in Christ is much dearer, because such as are therein have the spirit of the Lord. Those brought into the covenant with God are more enlightened than those whose relationship is merely by blood alone. When the ties between the faithful and the unfaithful are broken, those who love God will not murmur or complain. Jehovah is selecting the ones who shall be in his kingdom; and when, by the decree of his just Judge, he determines that one is unfaithful and unfit for the kingdom, all who have the spirit of the Lord should gladly acquiesce in that judgment. It is therefore wrong and contrary to God’s commandment for the faithful to weep or bemoan the fact that some who have been in the truth have gone away.

Looking back over the experiences since 1918, those who love God see that many have fallen away. Some of these false ones have been very dear to others who remain faithful. Let none, however, mourn for those who have fallen away. The greatest privilege that any creature could possibly have is to know and to faithfully serve Jehovah God. If this privilege is not appreciated, no one having the spirit of Christ could love the ungrateful who withdraw from their covenant. Let the unfaithful pass out of mind and be forgotten for ever, as though they never existed. Let all who truly love God stand firmly together and serve him. It is love like that of Christ that binds and holds together the faithful. There is nothing else that can hold them together, and there can be no such love without complete faithfulness to God.–2 Cor. 5:14.

“ORGANIZED CHRISTIANITY” DESTROYED

“Organized Christianity” claims to be the temple of God, and that claim is false. Many regard it with superstitious awe and reverence, but it is now marked for destruction by Jehovah’s judgment. That “organized Christianity” is prized by many is shown by the fact that they resent any criticism of the organization. Concerning this organization God said: “Speak unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will profane my sanctuary, the excellency of your strength, the desire of your eyes, and that which your soul pitieth; and your sons and your daughters whom ye have left shall fall by the sword.” (24:21) The zealous supporters of “organized Christianity” would go the limit to protect and safeguard it. When God says: “I will profane my sanctuary,” clearly the meaning is that such organization claims to be his sanctuary because taking the name of Christ. The temple of Jerusalem was the pride and “the desire” and the ‘pity’ of the zealous Israelites; and yet they defiled and polluted it by their idolatrous practice and worship, and for this reason God destroyed it. Likewise “organized Christianity” claims to be the temple of God, which “temple” is her desire, pride and pity, and which she has polluted by the satanic ceremonies and idolatrous practices introduced therein; and God will destroy it in vindication of his name.

Out from “organized Christianity’’ have come “sons” and “daughters”, meaning, organizations such as leagues, lodges, clubs and societies, which have falsely taken the name of God and of Christ and which with “organized Christianity” shall be destroyed.

This scripture may also mean that many will see their own children slain in the great tribulation and will for that reason be in great anguish. The expression of God’s indignation will bring upon the world such tribulation as has never before been known. The grief will be too heavy for expression. So astonished will be the peoples of Christendom that they will be stunned beyond expression in grief. The land will be strewn with the dead, and “they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried”.–Jer. 25:33.

When Ezekiel’s wife died he did not cry. From this and from his words the surviving Israelites learn that they must not lament: “And ye .shall do as I have done; ye shall not cover your lips, nor eat the bread of men. And your tires shall be upon your heads, and your shoes upon your feet; ye shall not mourn nor weep; but ye shall pine away for your iniquities, and mourn one toward another. Thus Ezekiel is unto you a sign; according to all that he hath done shall ye do; and when this Cometh, ye shall know that I am the Lord God.” (24:22-24) Even a few million persons’ being slain within an hour would so stun the survivors that they would find no words to express their astonishment and grief. They would know that such is the infliction of God’s judgment upon “organized Christianity” which for centuries has defamed his name, and that now his word and his name shall take their proper place in the mind of creation.

Jeremiah described the organization of Christendom and those who practice therein as like unto “a pleasant vessel”. A beautiful vase or other vessel appeals to “the lust of the eyes”; and when it suddenly crashes upon the pavement, its possessor is struck dumb with astonishment. This description indicates that the shepherds or leaders will see their institutions, on which they have looked with great pride, suddenly crumbling into dust, and they will find no way to escape. “And ye shall fall like a pleasant vessel. And the shepherds shall have no way to flee, nor the principal of the flock to escape.” (Jer. 25:34,35) Their destruction will quickly follow. The survivors will then shortly know that such disaster is the expression of God’s indignation against Christendom. Because they will know that it is from Jehovah, the survivors are instructed ‘not to mourn or weep’ for those who have fallen; “but ye shall pine away in your iniquities, and groan, looking one at the other.” (Vs. 23, Lesser) Jehovah will have the people to know that he is the Almighty God. In order to vindicate his name he will destroy that wicked and hypocritical thing that Satan has erected in the earth.

GOD’S REMNANT SURVIVES

Ezekiel, because of his location, was safe from harm at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. The Ezekiel class, the “faithful servant” or remnant, is now in “the secret place of the Most High”, abiding under the shadow of his wing. God has put his protecting hand over his “servant” while these deliver his message. (Ps. 91:1-9; Isa. 51:16) The fact that Ezekiel survived the destruction of Jerusalem indicates that some of the remnant at least will be on the earth after the destruction of Christendom.

“Also, thou son of man, shall it not be in the day when I take from them their strength, the joy of their glory, the desire of their eyes, and that whereupon they set their minds, their sons and their daughters, that he that escapeth in that day shall come unto thee, to cause thee to hear it with thine ears?”-(24: 25, 26; 33:21) Ezekiel, by commandment, spoke the word of prophecy, and Jehovah would have that word verified by eye witnesses who survived the disaster upon Jerusalem and who would testify that Ezekiel had spoken truthfully. Thus is indicated what shall come to pass after the fall of Christendom, and thus God “con- firmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers”. (Isa. 44:26) In such manner God will prove to the survivors that there has been a class of people in the land who have been and are faithful to him and who have truthfully proclaimed his word.–Ezek. 33: 33.

These scriptures support the conclusion that the “servant”, that is, Jehovah’s faithful witnesses, whom Ezekiel foreshadowed, will be on earth for some time after the destruction of Christendom, and that the survivors will be eye-witnesses of that destruction and will seek out the remnant and will confess that God has used the remnant to declare his truth.

There was a measure of disappointment on the part of Jehovah’s faithful ones on earth concerning the years 1914, 1918 and 1925, which disappointment lasted for a time. Later the faithful learned that these dates were definitely fixed in the Scriptures; and they also learned to quit fixing dates for the future and predicting what would come to pass on a certain date, but to rely (and they do rely) upon the Word of God as to the events that must come to pass. Jehovah has spoken his word and will perform it, and the Scriptures seem clearly to indicate that Jehovah will grant to his faithful witnesses the privilege of seeing his great “act”, thereby proving that his witnesses have spoken his word of truth according to his will; and that this he will do before his witnesses are “changed” into the glorious organism like unto Christ Jesus’. This is not predicting dates, but is merely calling attention to events that must come to pass because clearly set forth in God’s Word.

Now the witnesses of Jehovah are not in good repute with men. There are many who believe the truth but who shun the witnesses of Jehovah because of fear of losing their reputation or their property. By so doing they are moved by selfishness, of course; but as surely as the witnesses of Jehovah speak his truth, just so surely God will make the people come to know that such witnesses have spoken truthfully. This will not be that the witnesses may have an exaltation amongst men, but that the people may know that God has had witnesses amongst them.

Great is the privilege to now be a witness for Jehovah. Only those who have full faith and confidence in and love for God and his kingdom will now declare the truth with boldness. This is the day of judgment, and those who really love God will speak with boldness. (1 John 4:17,18) Others who have received the truth but not the love of it will go to the rulers in Christendom and declare their own allegiance to such rulers, recognizing and acknowledging them as “the higher powers”, thereby hoping to save their own hides and at the same time to cause greater persecution to come upon God’s remnant. Such work after the manner of Satan, and God’s judgment concerning them is already written. (2 Thess. 2: 9-12) And now a great reproach is laid upon the witnesses of Jehovah who love God and who tell the truth; but when Jehovah’s name is vindicated, the surviving people will know that Jehovah had in the land men and women who without fear and with joy declared his truth. The survivors will turn to such for aid and comfort, when the fiery judgment of God’s righteous indignation is past.

Why has God put these things in the Bible, and why, before they come to pass, does he show them to those who are devoted to him? To those who are his witnesses, and therefore his “servant”, Jehovah says: “Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them.” (Isa. 42:9) The reason Jehovah does this is stated by the apostle to be “that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”. – Rom. 15:4, 6.

The end of the world has come. The temple in heaven is open, and those who have been so marvelously favored by being brought into the temple now receive a vision of the prophecies that have come to pass. Jehovah graciously permits those in the temple to see other things that shall shortly come to pass. For this reason he has now opened to his people the meaning of Revelation and of the prophecy of Ezekiel. Only those of the temple can have a keen appreciation of these blessed things. Therefore Jehovah says to them: “Sing unto Jehovah a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth’’; and they are doing it. (Isa. 42:10, A.R.V.) In obedience to Jehovah’s command, his witnesses go up and down the land fearlessly and joyfully proclaiming the truth and singing his praises to the glory of his name.

VERIFICATION CERTAIN

From the time when Ezekiel was given the vision and he began to prophesy against Jerusalem, to the time of the fall of Jerusalem, was a period of approximately six years. During the time of the siege there would be no reason why Ezekiel should prophesy against Jerusalem. That was a time for the enforcement of the judgment of God which had been announced by the mouth of his prophet. The prophecy discloses that for a period of time Ezekiel was dumb: “In that day shall thy mouth be opened to him which is escaped, and thou shalt speak, and be no more dumb: and thou shalt be a sign unto them; and they shall know that I am the Lord.” (24: 27) This scripture does not state that Ezekiel was utterly speechless from the beginning of the siege of Jerusalem until the arrival of the first survivor to inform him of the fall of the city. What it really means is that Ezekiel was dumb, that is to say, did not speak under inspiration, against Jerusalem during that period of time. God had previously caused Ezekiel to speak all that needed to be said concerning Jerusalem before her siege. During the assault it was his portion to wait in silence, so far as prophesying against Jerusalem was concerned, and until what he had said was verified by eye witnesses. When the city fell and the eye witnesses saw it and escaped to tell it, such was a verification that Ezekiel’s prophecy was from Jehovah and therefore true and correct.

Furthermore, the facts show that chapters 25-31 of Ezekiel’s prophecy against the heathen nations were uttered during the siege, hence proving that Ezekiel was not actually speechless during that period of time, but was without speech concerning Jerusalem.

During the period of ‘preparing the way before Jehovah’, and until the coming of the Lord Jesus to the temple of God, the faithful people of God were preaching or declaring against the false religious organizations of the world. Prior to 1918 God’s people did not have a vision of Satan’s organization. They did not see that the visible ruling powers, to wit, commercial, political and religious elements, jointly constituted Satan’s organization that opposes God and his kingdom. Since 1918 no one has seen and appreciated this fact except those who are in the temple and who are therefore of the “servant” class. For this reason many who claim to be in the truth refuse to speak against Satan’s organization. When this great truth was discerned by the Lord’s faithful witnesses, they began a campaign of preaching against Satan’s entire organization and continued to carry on such campaign. This prophecy may also mean that after the testimony against “organized Christianity” is given, then a more thorough and complete testimony must be given against the other nations of the world.

What Jehovah caused Ezekiel to do in the presence of the Jews was a sign or testimony unto them of what was coming to pass: “And thou shalt be a sign unto them.” Whether they believed the testimony or not at the time it was given, after such testimony was verified by the fulfilment of the prophecies upon the Jews the survivors would know that the Lord God had accomplished it: “And they shall know that I am the Lord.” Particularly from and after the coming of the Lord Jesus to the temple of Jehovah the faithful ones, foreshadowed by Ezekiel, have gone through varied experiences. They have had to do with many things which they did not understand at the time but which afterwards the Lord revealed to them. What the faithful witnesses of Jehovah have done in obedience to the commandments of the Lord has been observed by many of Christendom. Now the witness class understand those events through which they have passed, and in due time Jehovah will cause other events to come to pass that will fully verify the truth of the testimony as given by these faithful witnesses. Then the survivors of the “great tribulation” will call to mind these things and will know that at no time has God left himself without witnesses in the earth. “In that day,” or period of time after the great trouble, the survivors will call the witnesses of the Lord and make inquiry of them and learn more of God’s purposes concerning them.

JEHOVAH’S PURPOSE

Jehovah’s name is beyond just reproach. All the reproaches that have been placed against his name were and are without cause or excuse. Jehovah is the source of life to all creation, and gives his gift of everlasting life to those who do what is right. Life was granted to Adam upon that condition. Jehovah’s name stands for his purposes concerning his creatures. His purposes have ever been and ever will be right and just. His announced purpose was to put men on earth who would remain faithful to him and who would therefore do right. Satan the rebel defied God and denied that he could put men on earth who would under stress maintain their integrity toward Jehovah. That defiance raised the vital issue which must be decided right. It pleased Jehovah to pursue a course that in time would vindicate his name, that is to say, that would prove that Jehovah is true, just and righteous, and which would exonerate and completely justify him in the eyes of all creation.

Jehovah therefore gave his word that his “woman”, named Zion, meaning his organization, would produce a seed that would exonerate his name and his word and be used by him as the instrument to bring blessings to all the obedient ones of creation. It pleased Jehovah to have testimony given in support of his word and name and to declare his purposes. To that end he sent his beloved Son Jesus to earth to be his witness and to bear testimony to the truth and to provide redemption for condemned man. Jesus fully performed the duty laid upon him.

Jehovah gave his word that he would take out from amongst men “a people for his name”, and that such people would maintain their integrity toward him under the test, be his faithful and true witnesses, and proclaim his praises; and he has accomplished this and has proven his word and name thereby. Jehovah gave his word that he would produce and set up a kingdom or government that would rule the world in righteousness and afford men the opportunity for the blessings of life. His kingdom is now here.

Satan, the rebel and defamer of God, built up his own organization, symbolized by his “woman” Babylon. His woman, or wicked organization, brought forth a seed which for centuries has ruled the world in unrighteousness and has oppressed mankind, and which continues to reproach Jehovah’s name. Satan brought forth a people for his own name, amongst which are the hypocritical religionists who practice the Devil religion in the name of God and of Christ and to the reproach of the Most High. Christendom and her associates, the unfaithful “servant” or “man of sin”, stand in the lead of a long list of defamers of Jehovah’s name and word.

The great crisis has now arrived, and the issue shall be determined now, to wit, Shall the name and word of Jehovah stand firm and for ever, and shall his kingdom of righteousness rule? If yes, then the wicked organization and seed of Satan must be completely cleared out, which can be accomplished only by the destruction thereof. There is no alternative. Jehovah has written his judgment against Satan and his wicked organization and representatives, and that judgment is annihilation.

It pleases Jehovah to now give testimony and warning to the people of his purpose to shortly destroy the “man of sin”, and Christendom, and Satan’s entire organization. He is under no obligation to give such notice, but in so doing ho affords men the opportunity to take their stand on the side of Jehovah and his kingdom, before the judgment of destruction is fully executed. That testimony is now being given, at Jehovah’s commandment, by his witnesses. When the testimony and warning arc completed, then Christ Jesus, the chief executive officer of Jehovah, will fully execute his judgment and thus will prove, justify, exonerate and completely vindicate the word and name of the Most High.

(To be continued in Book Two)