The Watchtower — January 1, 1951

God Knows and Protects His Own

“Surely he that toucheth you toucheth the pupil of mine eye.”—Zech. 2:8, Ro.

“JEHOVAH knows those who belong to him.” (2 Tim. 2:19, NW) His creatures, then, should try to know Jehovah. The majority of men have failed in gaining knowledge of Jehovah because of their indifference toward his Word. It is through his Word, the Bible, that Jehovah has revealed himself to men; yet very few persons have taken time to read this collection of letters to us or even to listen to those who have read and are familiar with the Bible. The many letters and books contained within the Bible were written under inspiration for our learning and admonition. However, by far the greater number of the human race have chosen a god to their own liking or have set themselves above God and outside his authority. They do not see how he shows loving-kindness and protection under any and all conditions to those who belong to him. At the same time, men of the world do not fear Jehovah, the one who is able to destroy those opposing him.

² When Paul wrote to Timothy the words, “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” he had in mind a situation that existed many centuries earlier. It was an occasion that happened in the wilderness near Sinai where Moses had led the children of Israel when they left the land of Egypt. This was what happened: Korah, Dathan and Abiram became arrogant and, along with two hundred and fifty of the Israelites who were leaders in the community, gathered together and protested against Moses and Aaron. They said they had had enough of Moses and Aaron and that they needed their services no longer. They claimed these two men had exalted themselves above the Lord’s assembly. (Num. 16:1-3) God’s Word shows us that it was Jehovah who chose and used Moses as his mediator and special servant to express his will, not only before kings as he did before Pharaoh, but also before the children of Israel. Even though the Israelites had been brought through the Red sea and protected by the hand of Almighty God, and although he had used Moses to lead them all the way, still these Jews were against Moses. So Moses told this wicked group and the whole community of Israel, “In the morning the LORD will show who belongs to him and who is holy, that he may have him come near him; and whomsoever he chooses he will have come near him.” (Num. 16:5, AT) Readers of God’s Word know the results of the next day’s happenings.

³ The account informs us that Moses directed the children of Israel to withdraw from the neighborhood of the dwellings of these obstreperous persons. He told them, “Move away from the tents of these wicked men, and do not touch anything at all that belongs to them, lest you be swept away with all their sins.” (Num. 16:26, AT) So those who did not want to be contaminated with unrighteous deeds moved away from the neighborhood of the dwellings where Korah, Dathan and Abiram were. When Dathan and Abiram came out of their tents and stood in the doorways with their wives, sons and their little ones, then Moses spoke to the entire congregation: “Hereby shall you know that the LORD has sent me to do all these deeds, and that it has not been of my own choice: if these men die as all men die, and suffer the fate of all men, it is not the LORD who has sent me; but if the LORD does something new, and the ground opens its mouth, and swallows them up, with all that belongs to them, and they descend into Sheol alive, then you shall know that these men have despised the LORD.” (Num. 16:28-30, AT) That is just what happened: the ground moved away from under their feet and the men disappeared, swallowed up alive in the crevice that was made. They descended into Sheol, the grave, and then the earth closed over them and they perished from among the children of Israel. Yes, it is true that “Jehovah knows those who belong to him”, and he is able to remove forever the unrighteous ones and those who speak evil, separating them from “those who belong to him”.

⁴ On other occasions Jehovah God took an opposite course of action. He removed his righteous servants from the evil ones. A case in point is that of Lot. The cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were filled with wickedness; so God directed his angels to take Lot, his two daughters and his wife out of the wicked city. “Remember Lot’s wife.” She did not have full confidence and faith in the deliverance that Jehovah God made for them. Her interest was in the old system of things; so she looked back and as a result was turned into a pillar of salt. (Gen. 19:1-26; Luke 17:28-32) Jehovah knows those who belong to him, and he will be faithful to his promises if we heed his instructions.

⁵ We have another true account in the book of Genesis, beginning with Ge chapter six, about a man who had great faith in Jehovah. He lived in a time when there was terrible debauchery among the people and the minds of all the people were filled with evilness. This man was Noah. With him were his three sons. All four were married men. They kept themselves clean from the wicked world and followed the instructions of Jehovah. Noah was told to build a boat. To do this would take many years, and it would require faith on his part, because he was to build this boat on dry land. There is no indication from the Scriptural account that this boat was built near a river; for it says that when the rain fell “the waters increased, and bare up the ark, and it was lifted up above the earth”. (Gen. 7:17, AS) Noah must have built the ark in a locality where there was plenty of gopher wood on hand to cut down and to shape into such form that he could construct the vessel according to God’s instructions. (Gen. 6:13-22) During all the years of construction “Noah, a preacher of righteousness”, gave due warning to all walking in an ungodly way. (2 Pet. 2:5, NW) When the time came for Jehovah God to show his displeasure with the wicked conditions that existed in the earth, he opened the windows of heaven and rain poured down for forty days and forty nights. The earth was flooded with water. But Noah and his household, along with the animals that he was directed to take into the great ark, floated on the surface of the water. Jehovah knew those who belonged to him, and he preserved them through that great flood that destroyed the old world.

⁶ Therefore, it is quite evident from the Lord’s Word that those who renounce unrighteousness can gain the favor of Jehovah God. That is why Paul said to Timothy, “For all that, the solid foundation of God stays standing, having this seal, ‘Jehovah knows those who belong to him,’ and, ‘Let everyone mentioning the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.’” (2 Tim. 2:19, NW) It is necessary, then, for every creature who loves life to “do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth aright”. (2 Tim. 2:15, NW) This is the time to shun the empty speeches of those who have so much to say but who do not have God’s backing, much like Korah and the 250 older men of influence of the Israelites, all of whom were fighting against God’s servants. Individually, everyone must see to it that he understands the Lord’s Word, studies it well and keeps presenting himself before God in service so as to be an approved person. Doing the work that is assigned to you to do is what counts. If you do that which is proper in the Lord’s sight, he will bless you richly and you will find that you have an abundance. Service in God’s organization anywhere satisfies! When one turns to the Father of all mercy and the God of all comfort and relies on Jehovah, doing his will, he finds that great stores of blessing are on hand for him. One must truly be interested in the work of God and want to know him well. “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” and we, his creatures, should certainly want to know him. To do so means life everlasting.

Theocracy’s Increase

1. Why did the young man have a measuring line? What was the angel told to tell him?

THE prophet Zechariah, an individual used by Jehovah, had a vision of a man with a measuring line. The account, according to the second chapter of Zechariah, tells us that this young man with a measuring line in his hand went out to measure Jerusalem and to see how broad and how long it was. Just as the angel who was talking to the young man was going away, another angel came forth to meet him and said, “‘Run, speak to that young man yonder, saying, “Jerusalem shall be inhabited like unwalled villages, because of the mass of men and beasts within her.” And I will be unto her,’ is the oracle of the LORD, ‘a wall of fire round about her, and I will be the splendor within her.’” (Zech. 2:4, 5, AT) This young man was certainly interested in Jerusalem or he would not have taken time to find out how broad or how long it was.

2. Whom does the young man picture? Why is the city unwalled?

² Today we find in the earth a group of Christian men and women who, like this young man, are sincerely interested in the Jerusalem which is above and which is the mother of us all. (Gal. 4:26, NW) They are really interested in God’s organization and in its expansion. Walls are not its boundaries. No, it is an expanding city like an unwalled village. It would be hard to take accurate measurements, because of its constant growth due to incoming crowds. The class of faithful Christians prefigured by this young man was quite a small organization during the years from 1914 to 1918, for then there was only a remnant of God’s faithful people who were truly examining the prophecies and trying to ascertain their meaning in order to find out what their work would be in this great organization of Jerusalem. They wanted its measure and they wanted to know more about God’s work.

3. How did the interest of worldly religionists differ from that of the “young man” class?

³ The world had gone to war. Nation had risen against nation and kingdom against kingdom. There was sickness and sorrow and pain, scattered from one end of the earth to the other, as foretold in Matthew, chapter 24. The nations and peoples of the earth were extremely selfish and interested only in getting the things they wanted. They had no time for God nor were they endeavoring to measure up to God’s principles of truth and righteousness. Even the religionists of the great Protestant and Catholic organizations, the Jewish and pagan religious orders, were involved in the affairs of the world, afterward devoting their attention to the League of Nations and the problems of this old, dying system of things. Forgotten was the statement in the Word of God: “Whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” (Jas. 4:4, NW) No, the nations of the earth had no time to seek the kingdom of God as the only hope for mankind. This seeking was left to a remnant of God’s people, just a few faithful followers pictured by this young man in the vision of Zechariah. They were willing to use the measuring line in God’s organization.

4. How, following 1918, did expansion begin with the organization as with an unwalled city?

⁴ This city of Jerusalem was not to be like a walled city, having limited boundaries so no one could get in or out if the gates were closed; but it would be like an unwalled village without limits. It was to be a growing city because of the mass of men and of beasts that would come to inhabit it. It would continue to spread and reach out into new fields. This is just what is now happening to God’s organization. From 1918 onward this little remnant of God’s people persistently continued to proclaim the kingdom of God as at hand. The nations were not interested in that kingdom. They were opposed to it. But, on the other hand, thousands of persons of good will from all these nations hearkened to the message of God’s anointed and they came to God’s organization, Jerusalem, this expanding city, and sought advice and instruction within it. According to the Society’s own reports, back in the year 1918 there were only 3,868 persons who were proclaiming the message of the Kingdom to the peoples of the world, inviting them to seek refuge, comfort and consolation within Jerusalem. The Lord’s spirit was upon this little band of faithful servants as they steadily preached and reached out to the ends of the earth with this good news. It was not long until many people who were listening and studying with Jehovah’s witnesses in order to learn of Jehovah took their stand on his side. The city continued to grow.

5, 6. How did Isaiah 54:2, 3 go on fulfilling despite World War II? How did it become “one flock, one shepherd”?

⁵ As the nations of the world went into their second world war and brought about greater regimentation and totalitarian rule among the people, still this remnant with the people of good will kept right on preaching the Word. Today we see gathered into this unwalled city even greater numbers of those who Jehovah knows belong to him. Is it not now as it was stated by Isaiah the prophet centuries ago in Isa chapter 54, verses 2, 3, “Enlarge the site of your tent, and stretch without limit the curtains of your home; lengthen your cords, and make fast your pegs! For to right and to left shall you spread abroad, and your descendants shall take over the heritage of the nations, and shall people the desolate cities”? (AT) Jehovah’s witnesses see this expansion work going on. They live in the growing city.

⁶ With this great “mass of men” there is a multitude of cattle, and this may fitly represent the wealth of God’s organization. Christ Jesus said, ‘Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold; these also I must gather so that there will be one flock, one shepherd.’ Christ Jesus is the Good Shepherd of this great organization which he gathers together in its completion just before the battle of the great day of God Almighty, which is Armageddon.

7. Who will yet be found and ‘marked in the forehead’, and why?

⁷ Today, in 1951, we find the remnant of God’s people working alongside the great crowd who have been marked in their foreheads by the anointed class. The prophet Ezekiel (9:1-11) gave us a picture of the man with the writer’s inkhorn who went through the city and marked in the forehead those who were sighing and crying because of the abominations that existed in their city or organization. Certainly there are thousands, and it may yet run into the millions, of people who are sighing and crying because of the terrible conditions that exist in Christendom and throughout the whole world and who are seeking consolation, truth and comfort. These will be found; there is no doubt of that, because, as Paul said, “Jehovah knows those who belong to him.”

8. Why do those coming into the organization not fear because it is without material walls?

⁸ Jehovah God’s Good Shepherd, Christ Jesus, is doing the gathering work today, and he has assigned to his people in the earth the work of preaching the good news of the incoming new world. This good news attracts the meek to God’s Word, and that draws them closer to Jehovah. Having come to this unwalled village, trusting in God and having confidence in his Word, they are not afraid of what might happen to them. They are sure of protection. Was not God able to protect the congregation of Israel from being engulfed in the landslide that covered up the unfaithful opposition? Was not God able to preserve Noah and his family through the flood? So, then, is Jehovah God not able to preserve those who have come into this unwalled village? He certainly is! For according to the vision of Zechariah, “I will be . . . a wall of fire round about her, and I will be the splendor within her.” So, then, those who have come to the Lord’s organization, Jerusalem, recognize Jehovah as their God and Jerusalem as his organization and feel safe because God is their protector. They need not depend on the walls or bulwarks that nations of this world set up to protect themselves, because “Jehovah knows those who belong to him”.

9. Who is the glory in the midst of the organization, and why?

⁹ The glory of this entire organization, the Jerusalem which is above, his woman, is Jehovah himself, for he said, “I will be the glory in the midst of her.” In these last days of the old world, it is Jehovah God who has built up this organization and brought about Theocracy’s increase. Its growth and splendor are not due to any man or earthly organization. It is he who through his Son is gathering together the “other sheep” by the hundreds of thousands, making a great city. Jehovah gives it his blessing and protection. These people in the great city are not idle, but they continue to spread out and preach the message of God’s kingdom unto the ends of the earth so that all shall know that Jehovah is the Supreme One of the universe and that the vindication of his name and word is near at hand.

FLIGHT FROM GREAT BABYLON

10, 11. What call to his people in Babylon has gone forth? How has this been heeded, and by whom?

¹⁰ The call goes forth in the sixth verse of this prophecy of Zechariah, “Ho, ho! flee from the land of the north.” This is an oracle of the Lord or a direct command from him. “For as the four winds of the heavens have I spread you abroad . . . Ho! Zion, deliver thyself,—thou that dwellest with the daughter of Babylon. . . . For his own honour hath he sent me unto the nations that are spoiling you,—Surely he that toucheth you toucheth the pupil of mine eye.”—Zech. 2:6-8, AT, Ro.

¹¹ It is due to God’s mercy and loving-kindness that he has gathered together the remnant from the nation of the north, which is Babylon. He elsewhere stated, ‘Come out of her my people, and be not partakers of her plagues, and do not be contaminated with her sins.’ (Rev. 18:4) He has seen to it that the remnant of his people, Zion, escape from this wicked Devil-ruled world to a place of safety in his city, along with his “other sheep” who are now coming out. The rulers of the world have tried to regiment all peoples of the nations and make them keep in line with their selfish dictates. However, God commands that they shall escape from Babylon and become a free people—if not in body, then in conscience; and they do! They come out from under its oppression and servitude and sinful way of life. No longer are they slaves to that wicked organization. They will render to Caesar the things that are his, but not what belongs to God! Their eyes are opened to a new world and a New World society. “For such freedom Christ set us free. Therefore stand fast, and do not let yourselves be confined again in a yoke of slavery.”—Gal. 5:1, NW.

12. How are they satisfied not with just freedom for themselves?

¹² Those who have already been freed from the oppression of Babylon, even though in some cases they are still in jails, work camps or concentration camps, are not satisfied just to hold this freedom to themselves. At every opportunity they will talk to strangers, even though physically still captive in Babylon. They will help strangers to see clearly the way of life by directing them away from this old system and into a new which leads to life eternal. Paul said, at Hebrews 13:1: “Let your brotherly love continue. Do not forget kindness to strangers.”—NW.

13. How does it affect Jehovah for persecutors to touch his people? But why does he permit it?

¹³ Those who renounce unrighteousness and take their stand wholly on Jehovah’s side, he will look after as his very own because “Jehovah knows those who belong to him”. If anyone touches these that he has chosen and blessed, it is like touching the pupil of his eye. Jehovah’s organization, the free Jerusalem, is our mother and is the closest thing to the Lord. He has created it and made it for his praise. It will be just too bad for the individuals or the nations that fight against God or his witnesses. These belong to him and in due time he will execute judgment against opposers. This does not mean that Jehovah will not allow individuals or part of his organization to suffer hurt. He will; in order that the individuals involved therein may prove their integrity and faithfulness. However, he will take cognizance of the offenders, and at the same time advises us, “If possible, as far as it depends upon you, be peaceable with all men. Do not avenge yourselves, beloved, but yield place to the wrath; for it is written: ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says Jehovah.’”—Rom. 12:18, 19, NW.

14. How did he show foreknowledge of how we would be treated? Despite this what gathering work goes on?

¹⁴ Jehovah is watching what is going on throughout his entire organization. He knows how his people will be treated. “Moreover, you will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and relatives and friends, and they will put some of you to death, and you will be objects of hatred by all persons because of my name. And yet not a hair of your heads will by any means perish.” (Luke 21:16-18, NW) Even so, a greater witness than ever in vindication of Jehovah’s name will be given. We are in the last days of this old world and we must expect these things. Now is the time to gather together a great crowd for his name’s sake, and this crowd is being gathered together from the ends of the earth with haste. So a sharp call and a loud one goes out unto the ends of the earth to all the inhabiters of Babylon who are sighing and crying to flee from her and escape from her oppressive acts now and her complete destruction later. If you love the Lord, then seek his protection and come to his city, the unwalled village, for Jehovah is a wall of fire round about it. Those in it he loves, and to touch one of his faithful servants is like touching the pupil of his eye.

15. What will he do shortly to the nations? So what are we commanded to do?

¹⁵ The time is not very far distant when Jehovah God will plunder the nations and destroy them. When Jesus was asked what the sign of the end of this world would be, he gave his apostles many things that they could watch for, and these we see in fulfillment today. It will not be a long time, therefore, until Armageddon. Those who have come to know the Lord can do as commanded: “‘Shout with joy, and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For lo, I am coming to dwell in the midst of you,’ is the oracle of the LORD. Many nations will attach themselves to the LORD on that day; and they will become his people, and he will dwell in the midst of you; and you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent me unto you. And the LORD will take possession of Judah.” (Zech. 2:10-12, AT) Do you believe it? Will you tell others what you know? Will you show patience and endurance while telling them?

16. In what direction will we help individuals to make up their minds? Why, and how?

¹⁶ It is a hard thing for an individual to make up his mind as to what he wants to do: stay with this old, dying world with its wealth, pleasures and present popularity, or, as he puts it, “take a chance” on the new world. Will you who know God and who are acquainted with his Word show your faith by good works? When one studies and knows the Word of God and believes that Word, it is not a matter of taking a chance. It is a matter of being sure what the outcome will be. If you are sure, you will try to convince others who are ready to pull away from Babylon. If one flees from the old world and from the nations that are spoiling him, just what will the outcome be? Primarily it means the individual will be in line to receive everlasting life. He will have the opportunity of worshiping the Most High God, his Creator, for eternity. But in order to receive the blessings of this life he must accept the Son Christ Jesus; for the scripture says whosoever believes on Him will be able to get everlasting life. Are you, as a Christian, going to help him learn these things? It will not be easy; it will take patience and time on the part of both.

17, 18. What is the attitude of the world in which we live? Yet for what must we take a stand, and in imitation of whom?

¹⁷ All of us must remember we are living in an old world, the world that is opposed to the establishment of God’s kingdom. It has been opposed to the Kingdom for centuries. Even when the King Christ Jesus was upon the earth and did his wonderful preaching, the nations of the world saw to it that he was put to death and destroyed by being staked. He died as a condemned sinner, as a seditionist, a man against the Roman rule of Caesar and a man hated by the very religious Jews who were seeking the Messiah. He was one who went through great persecution. It was not easy for the King Christ Jesus to live in this old world. He knew they were out to kill him, and they finally did, but that did not scare him. He had his work to do and he did it to become the greatest witness of all time in favor of the name and word of Almighty God.

¹⁸ The faithful followers of Christ Jesus must take a similar course. There are no two ways about it. They must be for Jehovah’s kingdom. They no longer want to be spoiled by the nations and come under their subjection; so they flee this old world of Babylon with its devilish rule and place themselves under the rulership of the King of heaven, Christ Jesus, who they know now rules in the heavens. He was placed upon his throne by Jehovah God and made ruler in 1914.

A GREAT CROWD ANNOUNCING THE KINGDOM

19. In fulfillment of Revelation 19:6 what is a great crowd now saying, and why?

¹⁹ What a marvelous thing has happened! Today we find a great crowd of people who have listened to the message of the Kingdom and who are saying, “Praise Jah, you people, because Jehovah our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king.” (Rev. 19:6, NW) Yes, the time has come for the vindication of Jehovah’s name, and those who have fled from the Babylonish organization recognize that Jehovah has become king by placing his Son upon the throne to rule in the midst of his enemies. This is a day in which to rejoice.

20, 21. What was the effect of the miracles done by the apostles and their fellows? How were they even misunderstood and resented?

²⁰ In the early days of the church Jehovah God through his holy spirit or active force gave power to the apostles to perform miracles, and this attracted many people to the message and to what the apostles were saying. However, these special or miraculous gifts came to an end with the death of the apostles, and we do not see them in operation at the present time.

²¹ You will remember the account in Acts 14 where the apostles Paul and Barnabas were preaching the good news and they had performed a miracle. After seeing the marvels done by these men, the people wanted to make them gods; for they thought that the gods of heaven had come down to the earth and had become men. “However, when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they ripped their outer garments and leaped out into the crowd, crying out and saying: ‘Men, why are you doing these things? We also are human creatures having the same infirmities as you do, and are declaring the good news to you, for you to turn from these vain things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all the things in them.” (Acts 14:14, 15, NW) Paul and Barnabas did not take credit for doing this miracle themselves. They knew it was done by the power of God, so they gave all the honor to him. They told those surrounding them that the one who backed them up in doing this miracle was the Creator of heaven and earth, and as for themselves they were just mere ordinary human creatures. Their whole purpose in preaching and performing the miracle was to turn the people toward the only true God and for nothing else. They wanted to show the people that their heathen gods in the temples where the Gentiles offered sacrifices were not living gods worthy of worship. It was the truth from God’s Word that they were contrasting with false religion. Even though sincere and honest and trying to do the people good, they were greatly persecuted and hounded by them at other places on their travels because of miracles they performed and especially because of the message they preached. Nevertheless, the truth found a sure foothold in those early days.

22. What about such miracles today? What do we undergo from the nations, and yet what are we showing endurance to do?

²² So it is today with the ministers of the gospel. The good news is still being preached, and while they do not have the power to perform miracles, they do have from God the power and the commission to preach this gospel unto the ends of the world. The Lord’s people have been delivered from the Babylonish organization and from the nations that spoiled them. Because they fled from these organizations they are tormented by Babylonians. Oh, yes, they are still in the world, but they are no longer a part of it. They have come to the unwalled city under Jehovah’s protection and they know that “Jehovah knows those who belong to him”. The faithful followers of Christ Jesus, regardless of oppression, will pursue righteousness and godly devotion. They will stand up against all the opposition that is brought to bear against them, because they know that even as Christ and the apostles were persecuted and were permitted to go through many trials and tribulations; so even today they must do likewise, and it is only by endurance that they will be able to gain the victory. It is the aim of Jehovah’s witnesses to help the people; therefore they cannot give up.

23. With what qualities must we endure in preaching work? Why?

²³ When Paul wrote to Timothy, he pointed out that we must have faith, love and endurance and must continue in our preaching work with mildness of temper. We are not to get angry and rant and rave as the peoples of the nations of this old world do. We are not to act as their chief representatives do in the conferences of the United Nations. The loud, abusive talk at election time is typical of their lack of love for one another. Christians cannot share in that kind of speech. It is unbecoming. Rather, with a steady, faithful love and devotion they must show their endurance with a mild temper. This kind of disposition they will be able to use when talking to the people in the world, and they will be able to persuade all kinds of people to listen to the message that they have. They may not be proud or haughty, nor do they feel that they are better than anyone else. In order to contend for the victory in this contest of faith, they must preach the Word in a manner pleasing to God and in a manner that will attract the people who are seeking after truth and righteousness. Is it not the desire of God to see all kinds of men saved? and do not Jehovah’s witnesses feel that way about it, too?

24. How are we making a right confession world-wide, and with what results since 1945?

²⁴ Paul said, “Contend for victory in the right contest of the faith, get a firm hold on the everlasting life for which you were called and you declared the right confession publicly before many witnesses.” (1 Tim. 6:12, NW) So then, in order for a Christian to contend for the victory in the right contest of the faith, he must make a public confession and tell all kinds of people what he believes. Jehovah’s witnesses world-wide are doing just that, and the results in the past six years show the great blessing of Jehovah. Below is set out the number of Kingdom publishers or ministers who have been proclaiming the message of the Kingdom every month throughout the years mentioned. The last figure shows the increase in number of publishers over the previous year.

Publishers 1945, 127,478; increase over 1944, 16,973.

Publishers 1946, 158,034; increase over 1945, 30,556.

Publishers 1947, 181,071; increase over 1946, 23,037.

Publishers 1948, 230,532; increase over 1947, 49,461.

Publishers 1949, 279,421; increase over 1948, 48,889.

Publishers 1950, 328,572; increase over 1949, 49,151.

25. So what increase in ministers has there been yearly? How are they contending for victory?

²⁵ It is noted that during the last three years there has been an increase of approximately 49,000 ministers preaching the Word every year. In other words, 49,000 persons have been coming out of the old world each year, taking a definite stand for God’s kingdom and making proclamation of this stand publicly before many witnesses. In this way they are contending for the victory. While they have had many trials and difficulties, “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” and he who touches one of these witnesses touches the pupil of his eye. Jehovah loves their faithfulness, and he gives the increase! Are you having a share in it?

Measuring the Visible Part of the Restored City

1. What questions come to mind, especially in view of the many not yet given the opportunity to take a stand?

THE big question that comes up in the mind of many people is, Just how long will it be until the battle of Armageddon? and when will the accomplished end come? How long must I keep on working? The Lord Jesus answers the question in the 24th chapter of Matthew, wherein he says, “And this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness to all the nations, and then the accomplished end will come.” (Matt. 24:14, NW) Then, as long as this witness must be preached to the nations, the end will not come. It is quite evident that there are thousands upon thousands of persons who have not yet been given ample opportunity to take their stand on the side of the Kingdom. What shall be done? With thousands of persons of good will coming to the Lord’s organization and becoming ministers of the gospel after a period of study, and this at the rate of 49,000 a year, one would think that the Theocracy’s increase would be even greater. Could it be greater each year? Is each one consecrated to God getting a firm hold on everlasting life by declaring the right confession publicly? It is good for every one of Jehovah’s witnesses to carefully analyze his work in line with these questions. What would your answer be in view of what follows?

2. During 1950 how many reported publishing, in how many lands, and for how many hours?

² Reports have come in from 115 countries, islands, provinces and different territorial divisions of the nations, and we find that there are 328,572 of Jehovah’s witnesses scattered even to the ends of the earth who have been proclaiming the good news of God’s kingdom every month throughout the year. That is splendid. They devoted a lot of time to seeing to it that this message was preached. The Society keeps a record of the hours that are spent in preaching the message, and we find that 54,707,445 hours were used during the 1950 service year to preach the Word. This good work of preaching the Word of God has ascended to heaven as a sweet savor in the nostrils of the Lord, and to his servants, on the earth it brings satisfaction because we know we have been able for another year to preach that Jehovah is King.

3. To what persons are we especially interested in talking? With what result in back-calls and book studies during 1950?

³ The Lord’s people are not interested in just talking to everyone and everybody, although they will; but they are primarily interested in talking to those who have an ear to hear. They go from door to door to find such and then they arrange to call back on those persons who have shown interest. Perhaps someone of the many persons spoken to has obtained a book or a magazine or a booklet, so this interest is followed up. During the year the many thousands of Jehovah’s witnesses made 18,782,972 back-calls on persons interested in God’s Word. As you read the report in the Yearbook you will note that many miles were traveled in order to reach these eighteen million people and then these ministers would spend perhaps an hour or more with them, answering their questions on the Bible and bringing the good news from God’s Word to their attention. In addition to making these back-calls it has been found advisable to study regularly with people who really want to learn. So these publishers of the good news have been making 234,952 calls on persons every week, conducting Bible studies in their homes. But is this enough? No. We must help them to get a firm hold on everlasting life and help them to declare the right kind of confession publicly. We want them to know God so well that they will be able to preach to others also, doing so because they want to, not from coercion, but rather because of love for the truth and a desire to see Theocracy’s increase.

4. What was the 1950 peak of publishers? So what can be done to improve the activity generally?

⁴ It is observed that in the over-all picture among these 115 nations there has been an 18 per cent increase; or, there were 49,151 more persons proclaiming the message of the Kingdom this past year, 1950, than during the year of 1949. That is excellent progress and it shows that many more people have come to renounce unrighteousness, having taken to themselves the name of Jehovah, and being blessed by him in their service toward him. But what can we do in 1951 to improve that activity? If the general trend is to increase, then our individual results must also take an upswing. As we go over the report for last year, we find that sometime during the year each country had a peak in publishers. In other words, a greater number of all those associated with the organization of Jehovah’s witnesses world-wide were out in the work in one particular month than in any other month. Adding all these peaks of publishers who were witnesses for the Kingdom, we note that there was a total of 373,430 persons doing ministerial work. If these 373,430 persons engaged in the field service every month, the witness would be tremendous, and the shout that would go forth to the Lord’s praise would be as the voice of a great crowd and the sound of many waters. So it should be.

5. How mighty was the voice of the great crowd John heard? So what questions may we properly ask?

⁵ In Revelation 19:6-8 (NW) it is stated, “And I heard what was as a voice of a great crowd and as a sound of many waters and as a sound of heavy thunders. They said: ‘Praise Jah, you people, because Jehovah our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king. Let us rejoice and be overjoyed, and let us give him the glory, because the marriage of the Lamb has arrived and his wife has prepared herself. Yes, it has been granted to her to be arrayed in bright, clean, fine linen, for the fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the holy ones.’” It is time now for this great crowd to shout forth the praises of the Most High and declare Jehovah as King, and this sound must be so great that it will appear to be the sound of many waters and as heavy thunder. The questions might be asked by all of Jehovah’s witnesses, Is the sound that is going forth that strong? and, Shall we, by the Lord’s grace, make it that strong?

6. How many lands had a 50 per cent or more increase? How many 34 per cent or more? What questions may therefore be asked?

⁶ It cannot be denied that the great multitude of men and cattle are being gathered to this unwalled city. It cannot be denied that we see Theocracy’s increase. It cannot be denied that Jehovah God is protecting his people as though we were under the shadow of his hand. It cannot be denied that this gospel of the Kingdom is being preached world-wide. But, being servants of the Lord, we ask ourselves the questions, Can we do better? Can we do more? Are we finding all of the “other sheep” and aiding them properly? Look over the chart as it is published and observe that 28 countries had a 50 per cent or more increase in publishers. Are we to say that these countries have more “sheep” in them than can be found now in other countries? Or are we to assume that those working in these countries are working more diligently as far as back-calls, Bible studies and house-to-house work are concerned? Are the efforts that they are putting forth in their homelands reaping greater results because of better efficiency, using the time to greater value? Are they right in the homes with the people, talking to them and studying with them? or are they just standing on the street corner holding the magazines and saying nothing? Are they going from door to door enthusiastically and continually talking to those who have an ear to hear? Is our work efficient? These are questions that we can all propound to ourselves. Then again as we look over all of these countries, we find that 45 countries out of the 115 report at least a 34 per cent or more increase in their publishers in the field on the average every month as compared with last year. We wonder, How can they have such a marvelous increase” Again the same questions might be asked.

INDIVIDUAL ACTION TOWARD INCREASE

7. To see Theocracy’s increase during 1951 as never before, what task may we set ourselves individually?

⁷ When we look at our task and the results thus far, the 18 per cent increase for all nations on the average is splendid; but if we are going to see Theocracy’s increase as we have never seen it before, what must we do during the year 1951? Individually, we cannot bring in a half a publisher or a third of a publisher, but we can, as publishers of the new world, aid another creature to understand God’s purposes, help him in going out in the work, grounding him well in the truth, and letting him see his privilege of being a minister of the Most High to join in this great shout like that of thunder and sing praises that Jehovah is King. By Jehovah’s undeserved kindness a far greater crowd will sing these praises before Armageddon, and Jehovah’s witnesses will share in gathering them. Would it not be well, then, for every one of Jehovah’s witnesses today to try to help at least one person to gain sufficient knowledge of the truth during the coming year so as to aid him to become a regular publisher? We may have to conduct many studies to gain one for the Lord; but if we are able to do this and everyone made it his goal, regardless of in what land, territory, city, village or countryside he lives, the number of publishers would be doubled by the end of the service year.

8. Besides our regular quota, what goal of increase may we strive for and with what total of publishers by the end of 1951?

⁸ Every company will continue to strive for the quota of a 10 per cent increase as it has in previous years, but it should not stop at that. Why not, in addition, have every company, by the Lord’s grace, strive for at least a 34 per cent increase on its peak number of publishers? In other words, let every company take the peak of publishers that it had during last year and add 34 per cent to that and make that your quota for your peak to be reached during your 1951 service year. If every organization, company, country or branch, can accomplish this, it will mean that by the end of 1951 we will have over a half million ministers interested in preaching this good news of the Kingdom. That will mean 500,396 persons, to be exact; surely a great crowd whose voice will sound like many waters and like heavy thunder, proclaiming that “Jehovah our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king”.

9. What attendance last year shows this is possible? And what does Zechariah 8:23 indicate we must do?

⁹ Can we expect such things to happen as we draw nearer to the battle of Armageddon? There is no reason why we should not, if all the good-will people are to be gathered into God’s organization. Take last year’s Memorial figures for example. There were 511,203 persons who assembled to celebrate the Lord’s death. Why not aid one and all to proclaim him as King? When the prophet Zechariah said, “Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘In those days, ten men, from nations of every language, shall lay hold of him who is a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you; for we have heard that God is with you!”’” what did he mean? (Zech. 8:23, AT) He meant a greater crowd would manifest themselves. Ten men would take hold of the skirt of a spiritual Israelite or Jew, a witness for Jehovah, one who is diligent in service and wholly devoted to the Lord, because they will hear “that God is with you”. Will we not then let them hear that God is with us and show them the evidence of it? It is very essential for us to make proclamation of the Kingdom so that all who will may share in our blessing and rejoice in Theocracy’s increase.

10. What special workers will support the companies toward this goal, and in what numbers?

¹⁰ The company organizations world-wide will be supported by the 14,093 pioneers serving full time in all parts of the world. In this group are found 779 missionaries situated in 79 countries outside the United States of America. With their aid the 34 per cent increase over last year’s peak will be made easier, especially since we have 511,203 persons coming to our Memorial service. The Society is sending out more graduates from its school of Gilead and will continue to do so as long as the Lord provides the funds to support them in their mission fields. They have been trained as are all of God’s servants to help in this great gathering work now going on.

11. What quantities of literature have been made available for the people? So what responsibility rests with us?

¹¹ To accomplish the increase the message of the Kingdom must be taken directly to the people, in the form either of the Bible or of the other publications as we print them. Good work has been done along these lines, for in the year 1950 there were 15,954,418 bound books and booklets distributed along with 17,376,611 magazines (Watchtower and Awake!), in addition to the 622,094 year’s subscriptions that were taken. This is feeding the people well with literature, but the question is, Has the proper follow-through been made to bring about Theocracy’s increase? We cannot stop with placing literature, but we must continually and regularly call on the people and study with them. Millions of tracts and handbills were distributed throughout the world. In fact, the Society in all of its printing plants shows a combined total of Bibles, books and booklets printed in the number of 12,650,267. As to the Watchtower and Awake! magazines, this total for the year reached to 46,084,937. The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is in position to print more if the demand comes from the field, and nothing would make the members of the branch offices happier than for that to happen. In addition to all this printing there were 242,215,027 other pieces of literature run off the presses, such as handbills, placards used for advertising public meetings, as well as the Informant, letters, letterheads, etc. The literature is available, and as far as the people of the world are concerned the majority of them can be reached with the good news. The responsibility to bring it to them rests with the Lord’s people as they preach the Word, and, by Jehovah’s grace, that they will do.

HOLDING ON FAITHFULLY

12. By whom has God spoken in these last days, and why does it behoove us to heed the commands of that one?

¹² Jehovah’s witnesses know that long ago the Supreme One of the universe spoke to the faithful men of old, and that he spoke to them by means of the prophets. But now, at the end of this old system of things, he speaks to us by means of his Son, who is his appointed heir of all things. (Heb. 1:1, 2) We have a record of what he said and we can study it. Not only that, the greatest event in history has occurred, namely, Christ Jesus has been placed upon his throne and is ruling as Jehovah’s king! He is God’s reflected glory and the exact representation of his being. He is much better than the angels because he has inherited a name more excellent than any of these. If what the angels said happened, more surely will the sayings of the Son of God take place. Certainly we must listen to his commands and do them.

13. Why should we be more diligent than ever for Theocracy’s increase?

¹³ It is because of the instruction of the Son of God that Jehovah’s witnesses go out and proclaim the message of the Kingdom. Paul said to us, as God’s spokesman, at Hebrews 2:1 (NW): “That is why it is necessary for us to pay more than the usual attention to the things heard by us, that we may never drift away.” We must keep in mind that the one speaking and giving directions is the only-begotten Son of God. We are to walk in his steps and follow his example, preaching the Word. This is not the time to become lax and indifferent and to think that the battle of Armageddon is far away. “The time left is reduced.” (1 Cor. 7:29, NW) He revealed to the apostles the sign of the end of this world and of his second presence, and we have proof that he is invisibly here. One of the marks of his presence is the great preaching work. Therefore, it is necessary for Jehovah’s servants on the earth to be more diligent than ever concerning Theocracy’s increase. “Do your utmost to present yourself approved to God, a workman with nothing to be ashamed of, handling the word of the truth aright.”—2 Tim. 2:15, NW.

14. What do we seek first, and so we interest ourselves mainly in what assembling, and where?

¹⁴ Jesus said, ‘Seek you first the kingdom of heaven, and all these things will be added unto you’; so then, we must have this one principal idea of seeking first the Kingdom, and then follow it through to the finish. That is why Paul said to Timothy, “For this very cause I remind you to stir up like a fire the gift of God which is in you through the laying of my hands upon you. For God gave us not a spirit of cowardice, but that of power and of love and of soundness of mind. Therefore do not become ashamed of the witness about our Lord, neither of me a prisoner for his sake, but take your part in suffering evil for the good news according to the power of God.” (2 Tim. 1:6-8, NW) We must expect persecution; we may expect imprisonment, even as Paul, who spent time in prison. We may expect to find many faithful even though behind totalitarian iron curtains, forced out of communication with the rest of God’s people. We may expect to find some when we are in concentration camps or scourged by mob violence. This one thing we know for sure: we cannot expect favor from this wicked world, for this old world is not for God’s kingdom. Jesus said, “My kingdom is no part of this world.” (John 18:36, NW) And we know this, too. We have been warned concerning these conditions, and despite them all we will interest ourselves only in the assembly of the “other sheep”, for this is in vindication of Jehovah’s name.

15. What rule of faithfulness should we apply now, and in view of what future demands of service upon us?

¹⁵ If we are to gather persons of good will into the unwalled city now because it is Jehovah’s time, and that at a rate of 34 per cent increase over the previous year’s peak, Jehovah’s witnesses want to be prepared to take care of them. By the kindness of God his servants have been faithful in the work entrusted to them, and we remember Jesus’ words at Luke 16:10 (NW): “The person faithful in what is least is faithful also in much, and the person unrighteous in what is least is unrighteous also in much.” Those who have taken up the faithful service of the Most High must be faithful in all their work, large or small. The little details relative to house-to-house witnessing are just as essential to faithfulness as the looking after a large company. We have greater work ahead of us, the gathering of a big crowd of the “other sheep”; for they are coming in now in greater numbers than ever before and we must be in position to receive them. Should we cringe back and say it is too much for us when ten persons take hold of our garments and demand our time to tell them the truth because they have heard about our God and that he is with us? No! We will be glad they have joined in the song, “Praise Jah, you people, because Jehovah our God, the Almighty, has begun to rule as king.”—Rev. 19:6, NW.

16. With what assurance of protection do we press on?

¹⁶ When these thousands, yes, maybe millions, someday come into Jehovah’s unwalled city before Armageddon, he will protect them no matter where they may be on the face of the earth. When the opposers of Jehovah’s kingdom harm one of these his little ones it is like touching the pupil of his eye, for “Jehovah knows those who belong to him”. With this assurance Jehovah’s witnesses press on in the grand work of preaching the good news of Jehovah’s kingdom, all to his honor and in true worship of our Sovereign Lord.

[Chart on page 16, 17]

1950 SERVICE YEAR REPORT OF JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES WORLD-WIDE

(See bound volume)

It Was All a Bit Confusing

If forced to explain any number of worldly ceremonies taken for granted but never investigated, many would find themselves in the state described by the above title. It proved a fitting caption for an item appearing in the London Catholic Herald of April 14, 1950, in reference to such a ceremony in the midst of this world’s political upheaval. The item follows:

“A letter received in Hong Kong from a village in Communist-held China tells of an odd ceremony at the opening of a new term at the little Catholic school. The Communist flag was hung on the classroom wall. Then a large holy picture was hung in front of it. Three bows were made to the flag—and three to the holy picture. The new national anthem was sung, followed by three Hail Marys. A Communist official made a speech, and then came a talk by the Catholic teacher. Finally ‘God bless China’ rang out amidst the traditional burst of fireworks.”

“Put Off Every Weight”

WHEN Jehovah God said to the Serpent in Eden, “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel,” it constituted a declaration of war. War that was to last down to the final battle of Armageddon, when Christ the seed of God’s woman would bind the satanic serpent in the abyss. Then, according to God’s promise, the Seed will bless all families of the earth. But until that time the servants of God would always be at enmity with the seed of the Serpent, with that demonic one constantly throwing pressures, weights and obstacles into the pathway of the servant of God to cause him to turn aside, stumble, fall and break integrity.—Gen. 3:15; 22:18; Rev. 20:1-3.

Down through the centuries the struggle has run. Like contestants in a race the faithful witnesses of Jehovah have kept their eyes upon the goal of his final vindication and new world blessings. As distance runners, men of faith insured final victory by sticking to the fight, laying aside every weight, side-stepping obstacles the wily foe put on the race course.

The perfect example of the one who laid aside every weight to engage in the centuries-long struggle is Christ Jesus. By no stretch of the imagination could we see him burdening himself down with the religious traditions and doctrines of the scribes and Pharisees. No subtleties of Satan could convince him that he should take upon himself the responsibilities of the Roman political rule. His carpentry business was set aside when he reached the age of thirty years; no contracting business was to interfere with his engaging fully in the godly combat. As a free, unencumbered young man, he would not even consider taking on the responsibility of a wife and family. No self-desire or selfishness of any kind was to weight down this Seed of God’s woman. True to prophetic utterance, he was at last bruised in death by the Serpent, and the enmity between God’s woman and the Serpent raged on.

Pointing to this perfect example, the apostle Paul urged Christians on in the race for God’s approval and life by faithful fighting in the hotly contested issue. Throwing the mind of his readers back up the long corridor of years, he reviewed the fight, beginning with Abel. Down the see-sawing battle front of forty centuries the hostility of the Serpent is shown; but faithfully these valiant upholders of Jehovah’s supremacy beat back the assaults on their integrity. They “waxed valiant in fight”. (Heb. 11:4-40) Then to Christians Paul continues: “So, then, because we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also put off every weight and the sin that easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, as we look intently at the leader and perfecter of our faith, Jesus.” (Heb. 12:1, 2, NW) Paul could very appropriately write thus, for in this race he won: “I have fought the right fight, I have run the course to the finish, I have observed the faith.”—2 Tim. 4:7, NW.

Now the contest mounts to a climax. Christ took his Kingdom power to reign in 1914, and thereafter war in heaven spelled a major defeat for Satan. Now the reigning Seed of God’s woman has the angry Serpent cornered, down at the footstool earth, for the crushing of its head at Armageddon. Filled with wrath and rage, knowing his time is short, Satan as a roaring lion seeks whom he may devour. Woes he pours upon all mankind, but especially upon God’s servants does he bring weights and pressures to crumple their integrity. (1 Pet. 5:8; Rev. 12:1-17) But the faithful witnesses of Jehovah have their battle orders. Declare the day of God’s vengeance! Comfort all that mourn! Preach the Kingdom gospel in all nations! Preach the Word! (Isa. 61:1, 2; Matt. 24:14; 2 Tim. 4:2) To win out as the battle approaches its final stage, as the race enters its final lap, Christians must lay aside every weight that unnecessarily burdens their activity.

WEIGHTS BE LAID ASIDE

But what are the weights and burdens that must be laid aside to continue on in the fight and run the race through to victory? Foremost among the burdens that Satan has weighted upon man is false religion. Hiding Bible truth concerning human death and resurrection, demon religion has blasphemed God with its teachings of purgatory and eternal torment, both of which are based upon the pagan philosophy of human soul immortality. Denying God’s purpose for the earth and human habitation of it in paradise conditions, false religion has ridiculously taught that Jehovah is going to burn up this planet that he prepared for man’s home. Rejecting the supremacy of Almighty God, orthodox religion champions a pagan doctrine of a trinity of gods, not one supreme God, but three coequal ones. On and on one could go pointing out the errors of Christendom’s religions—Christian in name, but actually as pagan as ancient Rome, Greece and Babylon whence her religions have been drawn. What a tremendous weight these religions have been, that divide men into hundreds of quarreling and fighting sects and cults, that keep men from following Jehovah’s pure worship as outlined in his Word the Bible!—Rom. 6:23; Ezek. 18:4; Eccl. 1:4; Isa. 45:18; John 14:28; Matt. 23:4, 13.

When God’s witnesses perceived that Jehovah and Christ were the true “higher powers” to whom Christians must be subject, another heavy and grievous weight was lifted from the shoulders of his people. (Rom. 13:1) No longer did corrupt politicians wrongly occupy that position in the minds of God’s servants, and when such politicians pompously demand that the witnesses of Jehovah halt their preaching God’s servants answer back: “Whether it is righteous in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, make your decision. But as for us, we cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.” “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 4:19, 20; 5:29, NW) Nor do they become involved in politics.—Matt. 4:8-10; John 6:15; Jas. 4:4.

But some wise enough to side-step the trap of worldly religion, alert to the folly of supporting the weight of politics, are nevertheless snared in the pursuit of material gain, which is commerce, and carry around on their backs the staggering load of business obligations. So loaded down are some with the seeking of material possessions that they have little or no time to carry out their battle orders to “preach the word”. In the godly race they stagger and stumble, and many fall under the weight of commerce. They may never pick themselves up.

Follow the course of an individual from real life. A young man, raised in godly surroundings like young Timothy, knowing the Holy Scriptures from youth. (2 Tim. 3:15-17) Quickly his school years pass. Wonderful opportunities in Kingdom service lie ahead. Unencumbered, he is in position to heed the Commander’s invitation, “Come and follow me.” (Matt. 19:21) But a call comes from the old world also. A place opens for him in a business establishment. Self-desire and seeking after material possessions take hold of him. Not all of his time, at first. He preaches, some.

But gradually as he advances in business his theocratic activities suffer. He is getting to be somebody in the commercial firm. Most of his time is taken up by the growing weight of business responsibility. What little street witnessing he does becomes embarrassing. Business associates chide him. And what if he should run into his boss in the door-to-door work? Moreover, necessary social contacts with fellow employees bring him into the dangerous waters of the loose moral standards of this world. Before long the once free and unencumbered young man staggers in the fight. No, he is not out of the truth; he still comes to meetings occasionally, and engages in the service work spasmodically. But his conscience is heavy within him.

As was the case in Paul’s day, so is the case today: “Those who are determined to be rich fall into temptation and a snare and many senseless and hurtful desires which plunge men into destruction and ruin. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of injurious things, and by reaching out for this love some have been led astray from the faith and have stabbed themselves all over with many pains.”—1 Tim. 6:9, 10, NW.

“SEEKING FIRST THE KINGDOM”

Even necessities of life, if put before service, can weight us down. Jesus said: “You cannot be slaves to God and to Riches. On this account I say to you: Stop being anxious about your souls as to what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your bodies as to what you will wear. Does not the soul mean more than food and the body than clothing? For all these are the things the nations are eagerly pursuing. For your heavenly Father knows you need all these things. Keep on, then, seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added to you.”—Matt. 6:24, 25, 32, 33, NW.

Sometimes consecrated servants of God lose sight of this important counsel by Jesus. They fail to practice the admonition to seek first the Kingdom. First in their lives comes a new home, new car, radio, television set, and procuring the wherewithal to keep up the payments on these “necessities”. So to the daily treadmill they go. But it is not enough. Get a better-paying job. Still not enough. Go into business for themselves. Ah, that is better. Now that they are their own bosses, they reason, they will have lots of time for service. As soon as the business gets going they can pioneer. It is longer getting going than they thought. Financial burdens increase along with material possessions, and less time instead of more is spent in gospel-preaching. Yes, they own a business that has given them a nice home, a shiny big car, a television set, fine food and clothes—everything. Everything, that is, except peace of mind, happiness and prospects of eternal life. Better put, they do not own a business, house, car, television, and so on; these things own them.

Other servants may have such things, but rather than letting these possessions burden them down they control their use or even make such instruments an aid to them in service. They have not made such things their goal in life, having first call on their time and energy and concern. It is a great burden, this love of worldly possessions, “because everything in the world—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes and the showy display of one’s means of life—does not originate with the Father, but originates with the world. Furthermore, the world is passing away and so is its desire, but he that does the will of God remains forever.”—1 John 2:15-17, NW.

Some weights and responsibilities, once taken on, cannot be rightly laid aside. Once assumed, they must be carried. A servant can deliberately pick up weights because of giving way to “the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes”. To illustrate, here is another sad page from real life. A lovely young pioneer sister, six years ago, happy and carefree in the battle daily preaching the Word. Ahead of her were Gilead training and foreign missionary service, with all its added blessings. Today her plight tugs at one’s heart. It started innocently enough. But no point in relating details—your imagination can fill them in. Today the weights upon her are almost beyond endurance. A worldly husband, finally hospitalized with incurable cancer. Three young children, one born a cripple. How much running in the godly race do you suppose this once-free pioneer now does? Looking years older than her age, from morning to night it is drudgery to carry the responsibility she must shoulder. No time at all now for service, completely inactive and knocked out of the battle. Still she struggles to get back into the race, but the load she carries will make the future road very difficult to travel. With tears in her eyes she said, “I’d give anything to be that free young pioneer again.”

Example after example could be brought forth to show the sorry results of giving way to self and self-desire, rather than laying aside that weight and keeping to the fight at hand. Self in any form, self-gratification, self-importance, the self that makes you and your desires come first, ahead of the race to be run. That is the big weight to lay aside. The self that is discontent to the point where it causes quarreling, dissension and disunity among fellow runners in the race. The self and selfishness that produce envy, gossip, quick temper. The self that leads into immoral and bad practices, the self that always caters to the flesh and the works of the flesh, rather than following the spirit and its works. Such weights cannot be carried across the finish line and into the new world. They must be laid aside.

“BY MAKING YOUR MIND OVER”

But how to lay aside the weights and burdens that hinder and slow down? In the same way as we laid aside the weights of false religion and politics, by learning of their evilness through a study of God’s Word. Gladly and willingly we laid them aside as weights when we learned that they were Satan’s tools to prevent us from knowing and serving God. We changed our mind concerning them. So with respect to all other worldly, selfish practices, you must “quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and complete will of God”. (Rom. 12:2, NW) It is by study of God’s Word that we renovate and transform and make over our mind, train it to recognize and cast off needless weights.

To win in the race we must follow the rules, and it is God’s Word that lays down the rules: “No man serving as a soldier involves himself in the commercial businesses of life, in order that he may meet the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier. Moreover, if anyone contends even in the games, he is not crowned unless he has contended according to the rules.” (2 Tim. 2:4, 5, NW) The rules require that we do not get tangled up in pursuit of selfish gain. The rules require that we preach. The rules require that we walk according to God’s spirit, and not according to sinful, selfish, fleshly desires. Walking by the spirit, that is the way to remove weights. “Keep walking by spirit and you will carry out no fleshly desire at all. For the flesh is against the spirit in its desire, and the spirit against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other.”—Gal. 5:16, 17, NW.

To run the race through to final victory, every weight must be laid aside until the servant of God is stripped like a runner in a marathon. Describing the wise course, the apostle Paul says: “Do you not know that the runners in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may attain it. Moreover, every man taking part in a contest exercises self-control in all things. Now they, of course, do it that they may get a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible one. Therefore, the way I am running is not uncertainly; the way I am directing my blows is so as not to be striking the air; but I browbeat my body and lead it as a slave, that, after I have preached to others, I myself should not become disapproved somehow.”—1 Cor. 9:24-27, NW.

Even so, “the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong.” (Eccl. 9:11) The victory comes to those who make over their mind by Bible study and submit themselves to the leading of Jehovah’s spirit. His spirit will help us in stripping off the weights that hinder and hold back, and he will uphold us under the burden of weighty responsibilities that cannot be rightly set aside. “Cast your burden upon the LORD, and he will sustain you. He will never let the righteous totter.” (Ps. 55:22, AT) Christian brethren may assist one another by “bearing the burdens of one another”. (Gal. 6:2, NW) And if faith the size of a mustard grain will move a mountain, then no mountainous burden or obstacle exists that cannot be removed or overcome by exercising faith. (Matt. 17:20) Faith is shown by work; so increase your faith and show it by increased activity.

The closing years of the sixty-century enmity between the seed of the Serpent and the Seed of God’s woman are upon us. Every consecrated servant of God will feel that enmity more and more as the final hurdles are taken before the victory at Armageddon. To take those hurdles in stride we must keep at the work assigned, taking up our part in the struggle alongside the faithful servants of God in past centuries. As Paul wrote, “Take your part in the same struggle that you have seen me engage in and that you hear I am still keeping up.”—Phil. 1:30, AT.

The race course is still ahead, the cry is still forward, the battle orders are still “Preach the Word”. So fix your eyes upon the goal, learn the rules of the race, and abide by them. Put off every weight. Strip down to bare necessities and run the race. Run as though your life depended upon it. It does!

The Christian’s Sabbath

“THERE are six days on which work ought to be done; on them, therefore, come and be cured, and not on the sabbath day.” Thus spoke a presiding officer of a Jewish synagogue to a crowd that had just witnessed the Son of man perform a miracle of healing. (Luke 13:14, NW) That mental attitude was doubtless due to the teachings of the Talmud, such as “the sins of everyone who strictly observes the Sabbath, though he be an IDOL WORSHIPPER, are forgiven”. Although with varying degrees of strictness, this same sabbath (Saturday, actually beginning Friday evening) is observed by Jews today.

It was A.D. 321 that the pagan (unbaptized) emperor Constantine caused the first day of the week, then dedicated to the worship of the sun and hence called Sunday, to be set aside for “Christian” worship. Throughout the Dark and Middle Ages Sunday observance was strictly enforced by the Catholic Church. Leaders of the Reformation held to this Sunday observance.

Early in the history of the American colonies Puritans were so strict that they even forbade one to smile or kiss his own child on Sunday. Clergymen stretched chains across the streets to keep their parishioners from using their horse and carriage on Sunday. “Blue laws,” among other things, made church attendance on Sunday compulsory; those failing to attend were fined. When the automobile first became popular so many people spent Sunday driving in their cars that the clergymen shouted from their pulpits that their automobiles were taking the people to hell.

Today, among professed Christians Sunday is observed rather irregularly, the meager attendance at many “churches”, as compared with the large crowds at sport events and the movies, testifying to the extent to which the day is taken seriously. A striking exception are the Seventh-Day Adventists, who observe the seventh day of the week, Saturday, and for whom such observance is one of the paramount features of religion.

WHEN SABBATH OBSERVANCE WAS COMMANDED

Are Christians required to observe one day in seven? Do they have a sabbath or rest day? and, if so, what is it and how is it to be observed?

As we consider God’s dealings with His creatures we find that his commandments for them are not the same at all times. To our first parents in Eden God gave the mandate to be fruitful, multiply and fill the earth, etc., and also commanded them as to what trees they could eat the fruit of. But he said nothing to them about a rest day. Noah was commanded by God regarding the building of an ark, the sanctity of life and blood, etc., but not a word did he receive regarding a sabbath. Coming down to Abraham, we find that God gave him certain instructions regarding the offering of sacrifices, circumcision, etc., but he was neither commanded to build an ark nor told to observe a sabbath day.

During the time that the children of Israel were slaves in Egypt they certainly could not have kept a sabbath day. In fact, it was only after the Israelites had come out of Egypt and were in the wilderness that a rest day, one out of seven, the seventh, was enjoined upon any of God’s creatures, and that in connection with gathering their food supply, the manna which fell from heaven. God distinctly told them that they were to gather twice the usual amount on the sixth day, as no manna would fall from heaven on the seventh day. In spite of this, however, on the seventh day “there went out some of the people to gather, and they found none”. For this Jehovah, through Moses, severely rebuked them. Their difficulty in complying with this law is further circumstantial evidence that they were not accustomed to sabbath observance.—Ex. 16:25-30, AS.

On the plains of Moab, where God’s law was restated to the Israelites, they were plainly told: “Jehovah our God made a covenant with us in Horeb. Jehovah made not this covenant with our fathers, but with us, even us, who are all of us here alive this day.” Nor was this sabbath for other peoples, it was to be a sign between them and Jehovah.—Deut. 5:2, 3; Ex. 31:17.

Nor was the sabbath for the Israelites limited only to the seventh day of the week. The seventh month was made outstanding, both by the day of atonement, the tenth day, and by the feast of tabernacles, which began on the fifteenth day. The seventh year was a sabbath year; no crops were to be planted or harvested, God assuring them that enough would grow on the sixth to last them until they had harvested the crops of the eighth year. After seven such sabbath years came the jubilee year, on which freedom was proclaimed throughout all the land, when all debts were canceled and when, with few exceptions, all that had been lost during the past forty-nine years was restored. All these sabbaths were part of one system. If one sabbath is still to be observed, then also should the others. And, for that matter, keep all the law, its sacrifices, etc., “for,” as James says, “whoever observes all the Law but makes a false step in one point, he has become an offender against them all.”—Jas. 2:10, NW; Lev. 16:29-31; 23:34; 25:2-28; 26:2.

CHRISTIANS NOT UNDER THE LAW

The apostle Paul, however, assures us that Christians are freed from all obligation to the law arrangement: “He kindly forgave us all our trespasses and blotted out the handwritten document against us which consisted of decrees and which was in opposition to us, and He has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the torture stake. Therefore let no man judge you in eating and drinking or in respect of a feast day or of an observance of the new moon or of a sabbath, for those things are a shadow of the things to come, but the reality belongs to the Christ.” (Col. 2:13, 14, 16, 17, NW) Note too that Paul here does not distinguish between the so-called “ceremonial” law and the Ten Commandments; no more than did Jesus in his sermon on the mount.—See Matthew 5:23-43.

To Christians who had been deceived into accepting the bondage of the Mosaic law Paul wrote: “How is it that you are turning back again to the weak and inadequate elementary things and want to be slaves to them over again? You are scrupulously observing days and months and seasons and years.” (Gal. 4:9, 10, NW) Yes, why should they when Christ’s sacrifice “abolished the hatred, the Law of commandments consisting in decrees”?—Eph. 2:13-15, NW.

Because some in the early church insisted that Gentile converts must be circumcised and keep the law, the apostles and the older men gathered at Jerusalem sent out the following instructions; and note that keeping a sabbath is not included: “For the holy spirit and we ourselves have favored adding no further burden to you, except these necessary things, to keep yourselves free from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things killed without draining their blood and from fornication.”—Acts 15:1-29, NW.

But did not Jesus, when on earth, observe the sabbath? Yes, he did. Why? Because he was “made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law”. (Gal. 4:4, 5) But remember that he observed not only the sabbath day but also the passover and all the other features of the Mosaic law. “Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill,” he stated, adding that not even the smallest part of the Law would pass away until all had been fulfilled. With the fulfillment of the pictorial features of the Law arrangement by Christ Jesus it passed away, and to take its place he instituted a new covenant.—Matt. 5:17, 18, NW; John 1:29, 36; 1 Cor. 5:7; 2 Cor. 3:5-11, NW.

OTHER SABBATHS

While we thus see that Christians are not obligated to observe a weekly rest day, nevertheless they do have a rest, a sabbath: “So then, there remains a sabbath rest for the people of God; for whoever enters God’s rest also ceases from his labors as God did from his.” (Heb. 4:9, 10, RS) God rested from his works, not that he was tired, for he wearies not, but in the sense that he “desisted” from further creative activity as regards this earth. He viewed his creation with exhilarating satisfaction and was “refreshed” thereby.—Gen. 2:1-4, AT; Ex. 31:17.

Does that mean that God is still resting in that sense? Yes, it does. Note Psalm 95:7-11 where God states that he swore that the rebellious Israelites in the wilderness would not enter into his rest, and that was about 2,500 years after creation. And since Paul counsels Christians to enter into God’s rest, it must have continued until his day, 4,000 years after creation. Other scriptures indicate that God’s day will continue until the end of the thousand-year reign of Christ, thus giving it a total length of 7,000 years.—Heb. 4:11; 1 Cor. 15:25-28; Rev. 20:5, 6.

Then the days mentioned in Genesis chapter 1 were not 24 hours long? No; remember that the sun did not shine upon the earth until the fourth day and it is the sun that gives us the 24-hour day. Besides, from such sciences as geology it appears that both plant and animal life have been on this earth far more than 6,000 years. Note too that the entire period of creation is referred to as “the day that Jehovah God made earth and heaven”. (Gen. 2:4, AS) A day in the Bible is not always 24 hours long; 7,000 years for each of the creative days as well as the rest day is consistent with the Scriptures.—2 Pet. 3:8.

Getting back to God’s rest day. How, then, does the Christian enter that rest? Paul states that the Jews failed to enter it because of disobedience and lack of faith. So “we who have exercised faith do enter into the rest . . . Let us therefore do our utmost to enter into that rest, for fear anyone should fall in the same example of disobedience”. (Heb. 4:3-11, NW) Yes, by exercising faith in God and by following in the footsteps of Christ we will have rest from all selfish works, a rest not just one day a week but every day.

Since the sabbath was a part of the law and the “Law has a shadow of the good things to come”, of what was the sabbath a shadow? Of the grand rest day for all mankind, the 1,000-year reign of Christ, the seventh 1,000 years of God’s rest day. For six thousand years mankind has been toiling and suffering under “the god of this world”, Satan the Devil. In that antitypical sabbath Christ will free men from the bondage of Satan and his demons, from sin, sickness and death, even as he freed a “daughter of Abraham” from the bondage of physical infirmity on a typical sabbath 1,900 years ago.—Heb. 10:1, NW; 2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 20:1-3; 21:1-4; Luke 13:16.

Learned Truth Before Too Late

ON JUNE 6, 1950, 60-year-old Teodoro Barrameda died in the electric chair at Muntinlupa, Rizal, in the Philippine Islands. He was executed for having been a pro-Japanese collaborator during World War II. His case was very unusual and caused a great stir among the people.

From 1931 to 1933 this man had been a policeman in Lipa. Then he served as a soldier, after which he turned to farming. Shortly before the war he became interested in politics and joined the Filipino Ganap “fifth column” in Batangas. When the Japanese came in he signed up with their occupational police force.

The war over, he was brought to trial and was sentenced to life imprisonment on four counts. He was accused of being involved in the death of four Americans, besides the burning of an aged woman, the cold-blooded killing of two blind boys, and giving aid and comfort to the enemy. These charges, however, he flatly denied as false. When the case was appealed the supreme court turned a jurisprudent handspring and changed the life sentence to the death sentence. Twice he pleaded to President Quirino and twice the president refused to commute the sentence. All human efforts to save his life failed.

Then something happened. During his confinement Barrameda came in contact with the message of the Kingdom and learned of God’s purpose to establish a new world of righteousness under His beloved King Christ Jesus. He began to study the Bible, gained knowledge of the truth, made a consecration, and was baptized June 12, 1949. During the last year of his life he served as one of Jehovah’s witnesses behind prison walls.

The day of execution came, and the formal order of death was read by the prison director. All present were astonished at Barrameda’s composure and calmness. Instead of spending the last few hours weeping and wailing and attending mass, as so many superstitious Catholic prisoners do, this man sang Kingdom songs of praise to Jehovah, thankful that he had had the opportunity to learn the truth before his death. He also talked freely with the prison guards, giving them comfort and hope. His conscience was clear. In ignorance he had become mixed up in politics, but he was entirely innocent of the barbaric crimes for which he was being executed. He declared that he was “a victim of manufactured accusations”, like Dr. Jose Rizal, the Philippine national hero.

Brought into the death chamber, he refused to take morphine or chloroform, saying: “Only the guilty would want to be anaesthetized.” Unlike hardened criminals that are hateful and bitter, he kindly bade farewell to those that strapped him in the chair, in the spirit of a true Christian.—Matt. 5:44; Acts 7:60; Rom. 12:14; 1 Cor. 4:12, 13.

The mental resoluteness and serenity that come over one who knows he is right made a great impression on those present at Barrameda’s execution. As reporter Virgilio Talusan wrote in the Manila Daily Mirror: “The six newsmen who saw the execution, as well as the other witnesses, were unanimous in praising the courage of the man. But I beg to differ with them. I believe it is not courage but resignation, sustained by a trust in the man’s belief of a judgment in the life hereafter.” Put in better language, Barrameda feared Almighty God, not those who killed his body. His hope was in the resurrection, and, like the evildoer that hung on the torture stake next to Christ, he appealed his case to the Supreme Judge and hopes for life in the new-world paradise of righteousness.—Matt. 10:28; Luke 23:39-43, NW.

Sharing in the Final Witness

AS ALREADY proved in the columns of The Watchtower, smug Christendom is in a position identical with that of ancient Jerusalem in Jeremiah’s time.a In proud haughtiness she boasts that she serves God and Christ, yet at the same time she brazenly practices a form of paganism and selfishly worships money, power and influence. To the god of war she sacrifices her sons and daughters. With the political rulers of the earth she commits fornication. Her clergymen ape the Pharisees in their traditions and philosophies of men. And for a pastime she ridicules and persecutes Jehovah’s faithful witnesses who are warning her as ancient Jerusalem was warned by the prophets of the Lord. The only difference: the present warning is the final witness for this world.—Matt. 24:14.

And who are those that share in giving this final witness in all the nations of the world? Not the orthodox priesthood of Christendom or heathendom, for they are very much a part of this world, hence enemies of God. (John 15:18, 19; Jas. 4:4) Not the worldly wise, or earth’s nobility, nor the “scientific” scoffers. God has chosen the weak and ignoble ones who are looked down upon, in order that his name may be glorified.—1 Cor. 1:27-29, NW.

It is this little band of Jehovah’s anointed witnesses and their companions who are given the strength from Jehovah God and are sent out under his spirit and direction to deliver this final witness. It is they who have flooded the world with hundreds of millions of books, magazines and tracts in more than ninety languages and dialects, which point out the “signs of the times”—modern wars, famines, pestilences, earthquakes, unrest, and delinquent humans—signs marking the presence of Christ’s kingdom and the consummation of this system of things. Some of these witnesses of the Lord are old, some are young, some are healthy and strong, while others are frail and crippled. But whether one is old, like Moses, Paul and John the apostle, or young, like Jeremiah and Timothy, or persecuted and in ill health like Job, individually these witnesses of Jehovah seize hold of every opportunity, in season and out of season, to preach God’s Word of truth.

From house to house these witnesses hasten, calling back where the people are not home, arranging to spend more time in systematic Bible study with those who are anxious to listen and learn. Taking up strategic places on the streets, these Christian ministers reach many people who hide away in hotels, institutions and apartments where the door-to-door witness is difficult to present. Thousands of public lectures are delivered every month and millions of printed invitations for such are distributed.

The effect of this witness is to divide the people. Scoffers, critics and indifferent ones are classed with those who violently persecute God’s witnesses. They are goatish and their end will be everlasting cutting off in second death. The sheeplike ones, on the other hand, give heed to the warning, investigate and prove matters for themselves, and then in turn tell others. Their reward will be endless life in a new world.

There is no time now to lose. This world is weighed in the balances and is found wanting. Her days are numbered. The final day and hour for Armageddon draws near. “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness to all the nations, and then the accomplished end will come.” (Matt. 24:14, NW) It is therefore a case of sharing in the final witness now or never!

[Footnotes]

Zechariah and Elizabeth, Aged Parents of John the Baptist

THERE are times when Jehovah seems to delay bestowing his blessings and rewards, but those who continue to serve him faithfully in spite of such seeming delay he richly rewards in his own due time. Such was the case with Zechariah the aged priest and his wife Elizabeth. “They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” Yet, although Jehovah had promised that he would bless the children of Israel with offspring if they served him faithfully, and that children were his reward, these two faithful servants were childless and both now well along in years.—Luke 1:6, 7; Lev. 26:9; Ps. 127:3.

Then one day while Zechariah was serving as priest, upon entering the sanctuary to offer incense “Jehovah’s angel appeared, standing at the right side of the incense altar. But Zechariah became troubled at the sight, and fear fell upon him. However, the angel said to him: ‘Have no fear, Zechariah, because your supplication has had acceptance, and your wife Elizabeth will be the mother of a son to you, and you are to call his name John. And you will have joy and great gladness, and many will rejoice over his birth; for he will be great before Jehovah. . . . Also he will go before him with Elijah’s spirit and power, to turn back the hearts of fathers to children and the disobedient ones to the practical wisdom of righteous ones, to get ready for Jehovah a prepared people.’”—Luke 1:11-17, NW.

In reply to Zechariah’s question how such a thing could come to pass, since both he and his wife were aged, the angel replied: “I am Gabriel, who stands near before God, and I was sent forth to speak with you and declare the good news of these things to you. But, look! you will be silent and not able to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words.”—Luke 1:18-20, NW.

True to Jehovah’s promise, before long Elizabeth had reason to rejoice because her reproach of barrenness was being taken away. Three months before the birth of the child she was visited by her cousin Mary, who had just been advised by the angel Gabriel that she was to be the mother of the Son of God. Inspired by the holy spirit, Elizabeth said to her: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! So how is it that this privilege is mine, to have the mother of my Lord come to me? . . . Happy, too, is she that believed, because there will be a complete performance of those things spoken to her from Jehovah.”—Luke 1:24, 25, 39-45, NW.

In due time the child was born, and on the eighth day it was circumcised and named John. Then Zechariah’s tongue was loosed and he began to speak, blessing God. Filled with holy spirit he prophesied:

“Young child, you will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will pioneer before Jehovah to make his ways ready, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by forgiveness of their sins.”—Luke 1:76, 77, NW.

Yes, Zechariah and Elizabeth were amply rewarded for their obedience and patiently waiting upon the Lord. They had the privilege of being the parents of John the Baptist, concerning whom Jesus said that none born of women was greater than he; they had the privilege of bringing him up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; and they both were privileged to utter prophecies relative to the purposes of Jehovah under the influence of the holy spirit; and all this in their old age.

Questions From Readers

● Since our songbook, our prayers, our new Bible, etc., are doing away with archaic expressions, what about the word brethren?—H. K., Nebraska.

It is well to replace the archaic word brethren with the modern equivalent brothers, as is done in the New World Translation. When a congregation is addressed as “brothers” the sisters are included, just as they always were when the archaic expression brethren was used. For example, at Romans 1:13 Paul wrote: “I do not want you to fail to know, brothers, that I many times purposed to come to you, but I have been hindered until now, in order that I might acquire some fruitage also among you even as among the rest of the nations.” (NW) Certainly Paul was not excluding the sisters by his use of the term brothers. Again, “Brothers, the good-will of my heart and my supplication to God for them are, indeed, for their salvation.” And, “I entreat you by the compassions of God, brothers, to present your bodies a sacrifice living, holy, acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason.” (Rom. 10:1; 12:1, NW) In both of these cases the sisters were included. They certainly share in rendering sacred service, just as much as do the male members of the congregation. Not only may we reason from the contents of the letters that the sisters were included in the general term brothers, but also we may especially conclude so since in Christ there is neither male nor female and all are sons of God and are brothers of one another. (Gal. 3:27, 28, NW) So in using modern speech in addressing the congregation the word brothers is sufficient, including all present, and makes unnecessary the longer address of “brothers and sisters”.

● The Watchtower of October 1, 1949, spoke of the “day of Jehovah” as though it were future, yet to come. The April 1, 1950, Watchtower spoke as though we were in the “day of Jehovah”. How can these statements be harmonized?—J. B., Virginia.

The October 1, 1949, Watchtower dealt with the “day of Jehovah” upon antitypical Babylon, which is described in Isaiah 13. That day in type arrived back there when ancient Babylon fell. It arrives in our time when Great Babylon, the Devil’s organization, falls. So that “day” for Jehovah’s strange act, his battle of Armageddon, is still future. We pray for it. The “day of Jehovah” in which we have been since A.D. 1914, and to which “day” the April 1, 1950, Watchtower made reference, is his “day” upon his spiritual Israel, marked by assuming his power and enthroning his King, laying him in Zion as the chief cornerstone. This is the day Jehovah has made, and we will rejoice and be glad in it, happy that it is here. (Ps. 118:24) The backgrounds behind the expression “day of Jehovah” must be kept in mind, for they can give it a twofold meaning or application.

● I always thought Abraham, as well as Isaac and Jacob, was a Jew. Yet the August 15 Watchtower, page 246, says “Abraham was not a Jew”. Is that correct?—C.A., New York.

Abraham could not have been a Jew, because Jews or Judeans were descendants of his great-grandson Judah, whom Jacob blessed with the special promise concerning the scepter and Shiloh, when giving his deathbed blessings to his twelve sons. Hence the term Jew first appears in the Hebrew Bible in Jeremiah’s day, at Jeremiah 34:9, and also in Esther concerning Mordecai the Jew, and in the postcaptivity prophecy of Zechariah 8:23. The expression “Jews” also occurs at 2 Kings 16:6 and 2Ki 25:25, Jeremiah being understood to be the compiler of 1 and 2 Kings. All Israelites who held to the tribe of Judah because of the Kingdom promise attached to it were called Jews or Judeans, and the name is so used in the Christian Greek Scriptures.

● If Jehovah is all-powerful and knows the end from the beginning, then he must have known that the covering cherub in Eden would rebel and lead Adam and Eve into rebellion, and thus bring woe upon all mankind. Knowing this beforehand, why did God create these creatures that would fail?—I. C., Pennsylvania.

Acts 15:17, 18 (NW) says: “Jehovah, who is doing these things which he has known from of old.” In other words, Jehovah God knows from of old or from the beginning what works he is going to do, and therefore declares them for our information, as he did at Genesis 3:15. But he does not choose always to intrude his foreknowledge into what his creatures are going to do, but lets them exercise their free will as free moral agents. That is what God did in the case of Adam and Eve and of the covering cherub whom he anointed to be over them. For God to exercise foreknowledge concerning their case would have been to predestinate them, because that foreknown course would then have been required to fit God’s foreknowledge. In which case Adam and Eve and the covering cherub would not have stood a chance of going straight. That would be unjust on God’s part, to set before them verbally an opportunity to enjoy everlasting life in happiness in a righteous world, whereas all the while he foreknew and hence predestinated that they would never make it. It would be raising false hopes, which would be deceptive and unfair.

So in their case God did not choose to exercise foreknowledge of what these creatures (persons other than himself) would do. The only thing he did predestinate respecting them was that if they obeyed they would live forever, but if they rebelled they would suffer and die. God so informed Adam, and through him Eve. (Gen. 2:16, 17) So God did not become responsible for any of them going wrong. But after they had gone wrong he permitted Adam and Eve to live on and raise a family. If it had not been for such mercy by God, you and the rest of us would never have been born and had opportunity for eternal life in the righteous new world. God is not now exercising foreknowledge of whether we individuals will succeed or not, but he is leaving it entirely up to each one of us. But he does have foreknowledge of what he himself is going to do in vindicating his name and in blessing obedient creatures, and he has informed us by his prophecy, the meaning of which he is now revealing to us.

Announcements

“MAKE KNOWN THE GOOD NEWS” TESTIMONY PERIOD

While serving as an ambassador of the government of God, the apostle Paul was bound in chains by those who opposed the truth. Rather than be silenced, however, Paul prayed that he might open his mouth “with all freeness of speech to make known the sacred secret of the good news”. (Eph. 6:19, NW) Jehovah’s witnesses, who serve similarly as ambassadors of the Theocracy in this day, follow Paul’s example and have selected “Make Known the Good News” as the theme for their activity during February. Their offer will be a year’s subscription for The Watchtower, at the yearly rate of $1, with three booklets (Evolution versus The New World, Can You Live Forever in Happiness on Earth? and any other self-covered booklet) given free to each new subscriber. The Watchtower magazine has long been foremost in bringing the good news of the Kingdom to men of good will. Would you not like to join in this beneficial activity? A letter to us, or an inquiry directed to the local company of Jehovah’s witnesses, will bring you any instruction you may require, together with forms for obtaining subscriptions and reporting what you accomplish.

1951 YEARBOOK AND CALENDAR

All the joys and blessings of the Theocracy’s Increase Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses are emphasized in the 1951 Yearbook. Thousands thrilled as they attended the convention and heard reports from the representatives of over 65 nations. Now available to many more thousands of persons of good will is the report by the president of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society on the world-wide activities of Jehovah’s witnesses in their praise-giving work during the past year. With joy-filled hearts you will thrill at their experiences as they are recounted for you in the pages of this interesting Yearbook. In addition you will be able to read a daily Scripture text and appropriate comments to start your day right. Remit for your copy today, 50c each. If you attend any of the company meetings of Jehovah’s witnesses, turn in your order through that local organization. The beautiful new 1951 calendar may be ordered with your copy of the Yearbook. This may be obtained on a contribution of 25 cents each, or five to one address for $1.00.

CORRECTION

In the December 1, 1950, Watchtower, page 479, last paragraph, it states that the ancient cities of Sodom and Gomorrah “are now under water on the bottom of the Red sea”. It should have said “Dead sea”.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

Week of February 4: Theocracy’s Increase ¶1-25.

Week of February 11: Measuring the Visible Part of the Restored City, ¶1-16.