The Watchtower — December 15, 1953

Selfish Christmas

WHOEVER heard of a birthday party where everyone got gifts but the one for whom the party was being celebrated? Christendom celebrates just such a party in what is called “Christ’s mass,” or Christmas. At this season people exchange gifts, but Christ is sadly neglected. True, the people parrot Christ’s words that there is greater happiness in giving than there is in receiving. (Acts 20:35) But this applies only when the giving motive is that of love. Think! Are Christmas givers really prompted to give because of Christ’s words, because they love Christ and their fellow man, or is selfishness the motive?

Giving presents has become a social necessity during Christmas time. To curry the favor of politicians and influential men Christmas giving is ideal, because it is legal and not frowned upon as are the out-of-season “mink coats.” Self-seeking givers are not the exception but the rule. If John, having given a gift to Bill, fails to receive one in return, he will probably not give Bill any further gifts, unless they be cheap ones, until Bill gets into this giving game. So Christmas is selfish because the givers give to be repaid. Such giving is condemned by Christ.—Luke 14:12-14.

But cannot Christmas selfishness be justified on the ground that it is a time when the poor benefit? To this we ask, How many of the poor really benefit? And those who give to the destitute, do they do it out of love or is there a selfish motive, such as a little limelight? A selfish motive prevails. This is why Christendom’s Christmas charity is condemned by Christ. (Matt. 6:2) And who ever thinks of the poor the other 364 days of the year? Or is one food basket supposed to last all year? Millions of dollars are spent on Christmas seals, but how few tuberculosis sufferers ever receive financial help! On the streets collection cups jingle in the hands of self-seekers, and bell-ringing Santa Claus beggars scoop in the coins. But, again, how few of the poor receive help!

The self-seeking motive appears in the mad rush to send out Christmas cards. Why, even Jews and agnostics and atheists zestfully mail them out; for everyone knows that Christmas cards build up good will for a business, help keep customers and enhance prestige. Does not the vast number of cards sent out and received by a person measure more accurately that one’s influence and wealth than his Christlike qualities?

Christmas is selfish because it is a time to gratify fleshly desires. It is a time to condone moral misbehavior. It is a time for revelries, a time when the belly becomes a god and when drunks and gluttons abound. And yet it is Christ’s apostle who shows that those practicing such things will not inherit God’s kingdom! (Gal. 5:19, 21; Phil. 3:19) Christmas is selfish because it is a farce. For the real, living Christ does not receive any more attention than he does the rest of the year. When Jehovah’s witnesses visit the people, which they do every day of the year, they find them too busy to listen to the good news of Christ’s kingdom. Even on Christmas, when Jehovah’s witnesses call, people are too busy with gala festivities to listen to the message of Christ’s kingdom. How farcical, this claiming to have a party for Christ! Do the celebrators view Christ as he is, as God’s king of the new world, the One having all power in heaven and earth, who soon will smash all governments to pieces with a rod of iron? (Rev. 12:5) No! They view Christ as a babe, think of him as a babe!

Commercialized Christmas is selfish. People are pommeled by big business to buy everything under the sun. Commerce never fails to tell the people how many shopping days are left before Christmas. Shop! Shop! Shop! the people are told. So a heavy burden is placed on the mind of man and on his pocketbook, already battle-scarred from inflation’s relentless attacks. Families must buy gifts when often they cannot afford butter for the dinner table! And how benevolent are the stores? Do prices come down out of regard for the poor? No! Prices go up. They come down only after Christmas.

Churches commercialize Christmas, as they do the Word of God. There are special prayers, masses and sermons. And special collections too! Christmas is selfish because it creates ill will. Employees feel hurt if the boss fails to give a “bonus” of some kind. Other workers, such as milkmen, newspaper boys and delivery men expect a Christmas handout. If no handout materializes, the worker feels insulted or much like a New York city taxi driver whose fare failed to tip. Christmas is selfish because it wastes time. Endless hours are spent trimming trees, wrapping parcels and pushing pathways through thick-pressed crowds. All this time could have been spent in studying God’s Word, learning about Christ’s kingdom.

Why is Christmas so selfish? Because it is pagan, not Christian. Jesus was not born in cold December. (Luke 2:8, 12) His birth was in early October. But even if we knew the exact day, there is no command to celebrate it. Christ commanded his followers to celebrate his death, not his birth. (Luke 22:15-20) Christmas comes direct from the pagan Saturnalia, celebrated December 17 to 23. Of this pagan holiday, the New Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia says (page 10,790): “During the Saturnalia the courts and schools were closed and military operations were suspended so that the army might celebrate. It was a period of good will and jollity, devoted to banquets, the exchange of visits, and the giving of presents.” How can the merrymaking of a pagan holiday honor Christ? Indeed it does not! Even Christmas’ “St. Nick,” as the Century Dictionary states, is none other than Christ’s opposer, Satan the Devil!

Assuredly; the early Christians did not celebrate Christmas. Neither did the early Americans. Today true Christians do not celebrate either pagan or antiquated holidays. (Gal. 4:9-11) For the truth is that Christmas is not anchored in the Bible and is not celebrated because of love. Rather, Christmas is rooted in paganism and is celebrated because of selfishness. Free yourself, then, from pagan shackles! Practice true Christianity by worshiping Jehovah in spirit and in truth. Give to others what Christ wants you to give: the good news of his kingdom. (Matt. 24:14) Do this now, for soon, at Armageddon, Christ the King will forever put an end to the pagan party of Christmas and its self-seeking celebrators.

Should the Religions Unite?

UNITE for survival! That is a trend in politics, with the United Nations, the Atlantic Pact and other alliances. In these alliances it is an admission of fear, fear of the common enemy. Uniting for survival is also a trend in religion, with interfaith mergers, brotherhood weeks and national and international councils of churches. Here it is an admission of weakness, of the need of help from others, for not only the political leaders, but religious leaders too, are afraid. Afraid of communism, afraid of trends they are unable to stop, afraid of bigger, more powerful religions. This leads some of them to seek the strength of numbers, and it is one reason that you hear a great deal about interfaith.

Some think all the divisions in today’s religions are satisfactory; they believe all religions are right. This idea comes to the fore in annual “brotherhood weeks,” the thought that all are religious brothers no matter what their beliefs. This common view was expressed in the New York Times, September 23, 1951: “Christian, Jew, Moslem, Buddhist, or whatever we may be, we are all children of God, however differently we may conceive him.”

But which is more important, to agree with your brother or to help him? The brotherhood idea is to agree, to pat him on the back and say: “You’re doing well, brother, keep it up.” But if you think that is a lie, would you not be doing him an injustice by encouraging his wrong course? God’s Word does not agree with the idea that all religions are right, that all men are his children, that they can conceive him any way they wish. It says some are Satan’s children, that the varying ideas about God are prompted by him, that “the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers,” “is misleading the entire inhabited earth.” Do we want to follow his lead? Would we want someone to fail to call it to our attention if he knew we were going wrong? Jesus made it clear to those who were teaching false doctrine, false ‘conceptions’ of God: “You are from your Father the Devil.” They had a different father, were no brothers of his!—2 Cor. 4:4; Rev. 12:9; John 8:44, NW.

Interfaith may go even farther than brotherhood and lead to actual mergers between closely related religious organizations. The national and international councils of churches are further examples of the proposed unity. In the United States the National Council of the Churches of Christ includes 29 denominations claiming a total membership of over 33 million persons. The World Council of Churches is even larger, being composed of 158 denominations from 43 lands.

While these councils may provide a strong political lobby, or aid in mission work, they have no unity of doctrine, no message for the world, no direction to the kingdom of God as earth’s only hope, no counsel for the Christian conscience in the present crisis. They are merely “United Nations” of religions, ‘agencies of cooperation’ between widely divided denominations, but are not organizations that could bring their members to a unity of correct belief.

ARE ALL WAYS RIGHT?

Could all these religions possibly be right? And, if not, is it correct to associate with them? One clergyman said the more than twenty factions in his group divides them “into a laughing stock before the world and probably a condemned people before God.” Others view it differently, saying the different churches please different “customers,” thinking it is man who is to be pleased, rather than God. They are often the ones who regard the churches, not as places for truth, but as places for socials and smokers and good causes. Of course, there is nothing wrong with amalgamating socials and good causes, but if they are concerned with true worship, which they must be to be Christians, then they cannot contaminate it with the false kind. Concerning false practices the apostle warned that just “a little yeast ferments the whole lump.”—1 Cor. 5:6, NW.

But some say: ‘This unity is among Christian denominations, not with false doctrine.’ Just having the name “Christian” does not make them right. If truly Christian, they would not be so divided on doctrine. The apostles were not. The Christian organization is one of strong internal unity, not division. Just saying, “I believe in Christ,” while going off on various teachings of their own, accepting the “yeast” of human ideas and pagan traditions, does not sanctify their conflicting man-made doctrines. Such ones call Jesus their master, but Jesus warned: “Not everyone saying to me, ‘Master, Master,’ will enter into the kingdom of the heavens.” Further, the Proverbs say: “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” And God warns against those who have drawn “near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.”—Matt. 7:21, NW; Prov. 16:25; Isa. 29:13.

Just as “Christendom” claims descent from Christ, the Jews of Jesus’ day claimed descent from Abraham, and therefore thought they were right. But like Christendom today, they no longer had the faith of their forefathers; they had split into sects and had added their own ideas, their own precepts, to what Jehovah had revealed. Did Christ unite with such varying beliefs to get numbers? No, he did not condone false doctrine. He stood up for truth despite popular opinion. Far from proposing unity with other religions, he showed that the truth would be a divisive force, separating those who would accept it from the ones who would not: “I came to cause division, with a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a young wife against her mother-in-law.”—Matt. 10:35, NW.

Those who would accept the truth could do so, but he had no intention of watering it down to please the multitude or to satisfy those teaching differently. Rarely has such an accusation been flung at religious leaders as his charge recorded in Matthew 23: He six times called the spreaders of falsehood hypocrites, five times said they were blind, once called them fools; he said they were “serpents, offspring of vipers” and resembled “whitewashed graves . . . full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.”

Interfaith with Judaism would have saved the apostles a great deal of trouble, but would not have gained God’s favor. It would have saved Stephen from stoning and Paul from prison bonds. But these Christians refused to be “tossed about as by waves and carried hither and thither by every wind of teaching by means of the trickery of men, by means of craftiness in contriving error.” (Eph. 4:14, NW) They knew what they believed and why; they had firm and accurate knowledge. No one could shake them from it, persuade them to contaminate it, or convince them to associate with or lend support to those who were leading innocent men the wrong way. Their hold on truth was viselike and unbreakable. They did not want to be among those having “a zeal for God; but not according to accurate knowledge,” who “because of . . . seeking to establish their own, . . . did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God.”—Rom. 10:2, 3, NW.

A DANGER SIGNAL

Many of today’s clergy have no such determination. They are not sure what is right. Even officials of a denomination will allow that group’s scholars and teachers to be so divided that some are liberal, others conservative; some modernist, others fundamentalist. If one is right, the other must be wrong, but they are not sure which is which. This is sometimes justified as “investigation,” a right the individual has to decide on doctrine, or it is argued that divine revelation available to the individual allows for differing doctrines. Certainly each individual has the right, even the obligation, to investigate. But when his investigation shows that even the scholars in his denomination cannot agree, or that they think the individual who has not studied God’s Word may know more than one who has, or think that divine revelation to the individual may differ from what the organization receives, then they have little confidence in their organization’s having truth, and feel that something is most certainly wrong! The Scriptures do not praise this lack of clear vision, but say: “If, then, a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”—Matt. 15:14, NW.

If today’s religions are no more firmly convinced that their doctrines are right than their willingness to merge with those having different doctrines indicates, then they are waving a red sign of danger before their members, a sign lettered: “BEWARE!” If their doctrines are identical with those of the group they plan to merge with, then the clergy are admitting that their previous divisions have not been based on doctrine, but were personal, sectarian. But if their doctrines differ and it is just that the clergy are not sufficiently convinced that they are right, or if they want a big organization so much that to get it they would accept doctrines they believe are false, then it is high time their members examined whether they are being led the way they want to go!

What interfaith usually proposes is a unity of headquarters, while true faith would require a unity of doctrine. Headquarters provide secular strength; doctrine, spiritual strength. Which is more important?

TRUE UNITY

Is a way to unity of doctrine available? Yes. It is found by getting back through the mound of human ideas and pagan teachings that have split Christendom, back to the simple worship that the first-century Christians had. That is done by returning to the Book that shows what true faith originally was. Even those who scoff at the Bible’s inspiration must recognize it as the record of what Christianity was before human ideas and interfaith with paganism had, by a few centuries after Christ, led Christendom astray.

The purpose of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society since its inception has been to check not just the “proof texts” every religion has, but every text relating to every doctrine of Christendom. The job is tremendous, and has taken decades. It could be done only with the blessing of the holy spirit, and it is the only way to return to the unity of true worship, the faith of the apostles, and the favor of God. If the Bible actually teaches a doctrine, then and then only should it be accepted. If it is speculation, human theory, some man’s idea, it should be rejected. The startling result has been that an amazing number of doctrines taught in Christendom are found false, are not supported by the Scriptures. And when one’s own belief conflicts with the Scriptures, the psalmist’s course was the wise one: “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Trust in that Word.—Ps. 119:105.

While the houses of twentieth-century religion may look alike from the outside, the Bible, the blueprint, shows misfit construction, false fronts and showy windows foreign to plan. The need to lean together in interfaith self-support is caused by major structural weaknesses. True Christianity never needs to compromise doctrine or principle to gain strength. It has no brotherhood with false teachings, and needs no support from other doctrines. It does not need great numbers to have strength, because its is the firm structure the psalmist spoke of: “In God have I put my trust.”—Ps. 56:11.

It heeds the warning: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols? . . . ‘Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,’ says Jehovah, ‘and quit touching the unclean thing,’ ‘and I will take you in.’” (2 Cor. 6:14-18, NW) God commands separateness from differing doctrines, rather than unity with them. The unity of true worship is internal, among its brotherhood; rather than external, with other denominations. The true Christian organization will hold firmly to the truth, just as firmly as did the apostles. Associating with false doctrine is forbidden, and the Christian principle narrows down to the four-word summary: TRUE FAITH, NOT INTERFAITH!

Syrian Girl Recognizes Shepherd’s Voice

● In the city of Aleppo, Syria, a Bible study aid was placed in a certain home. Upon making a return visit the missionary found that the only one manifesting any interest was the twelve-year-old daughter. She had read most of the book and wanted to subscribe for The Watchtower. A Bible study was started with her, and, being very studious, she made rapid progress. When the priest noticed that she was not coming to church, he paid her a visit. He told her that she must come to church to pray. She opened her Bible to where Jesus said that one should go to his private room to pray. (Matt. 6:6, NW) He had no answer. Then he told her that if she would give up studying with Jehovah’s witnesses and start coming to church again he would give her twenty-five livres. To this the girl replied: “Jesus said, ‘My sheep hear my voice and follow me,’ so if I am a sheep and you have the voice of the Lord, there would be no need for you to offer me money. But since you want to pay money, it shows that you do not have the voice of the Lord.” Upon hearing that reply the priest in rage stormed out of the house. This girl is now having a regular share in making the good news of the Kingdom known to others and expects to be baptized at the first opportunity

How True Christians Serve God

SERVING God, in the eyes of the clergy, means to establish a religious edifice with a cross on its spire, to ring a bell on Sunday and to deliver a sermon on morals or world conditions. To a much larger group, the laity, serving God means merely answering the toll of church bells, sitting in pews and placing “offerings” in collection plates. Other people claim to serve God by secluding themselves behind the austere walls of a monastery, where they absorb themselves in contemplation. Still others believe that living a “clean life” is sufficient to serve God acceptably. Why is Christendom’s picture of Christianity so muddled?

This “broad road” way of serving God stems largely from the fact that Bible-possessing Christendom is not Bible-reading. By its very name Christendom claims Christ as its pattern for living; but its very actions betray double-dealing: “They publicly declare they know God, but they disown him by their works.” (Titus 1:16, NW) To avoid being guilty of double-faced worship and to illuminate the pathway of true worship, the model God provided must be studied, must be followed. “Christ suffered for you, leaving you a model for you to follow his steps closely.” (1 Pet. 2:21, NW) It is not enough to follow Christ’s steps in a loose sense. To follow his steps closely is the only acceptable way of serving God.

Now concerning the Christians’ model, did the Lord Jesus become a monk and hide himself from people? Far from it! Instead of seeking to get away from people he sought to find people! How? Did he establish himself as a resident pastor and invite the public to hear him sermonize on morals, wars and taxes? Not that! Nor did Christ inaugurate pew-sitting or any other passive way of serving God. To the rich young ruler who hoped that merely living a “clean life” was the requisite for inheriting everlasting life, Jesus said: “There is yet one thing wanting about you: . . . come be my follower.” (Luke 18:22, NW) To follow Jesus meant to engage in the same work he did.

When before Pilate, Jesus summed up his life-ruling work: “For this purpose I have been born and for this purpose I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37, NW) As “the faithful and true witness” Christ bore witness to the Source of all truth, Jehovah God. (John 8:40; 17:17, 26) Since Christians must make Christ their model, it becomes apparent that the work of bearing witness to Jehovah and his purposes is not a trifling, optional work that comes with being a Christian. No, it is the Christians’ primary work; hence mandatory.—1 Cor. 9:16; 4:16, NW.

What made bearing witness to the truth so vital? Lives were at stake, the lives of lost sheep. These sheep “are men,” said the Great Shepherd, Jehovah. (Ezek. 34:31) “Sheep without a shepherd” was the phrase Jesus used to describe the people who, though under the shepherding of the Jewish clergy, had not come to know Jehovah. These sheep needed feeding or knowledge, so Jesus “started to teach them many things.” (Mark 6:34, NW) Jesus Christ is the “chief shepherd.” (1 Pet. 5:4, NW) All who follow Christ’s steps closely become shepherds too; that is, undershepherds of the “chief shepherd.” After his resurrection, Christ sharply defined the Christians’ chief work when he issued three emphatic instructions to Peter: (1) “Feed my young lambs.” (2) “Shepherd my little sheep.” (3) “Feed my little sheep.” (John 21:15-17, NW) In order to feed and shepherd the little sheep, the Christians must first find them.

METHODS OF HUNTING FOR SHEEP

Searching for sheep, Jesus “went journeying from city to city and from village to village, preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God. And the twelve were with him.” (Luke 8:1, NW) At appropriate times Christ taught the people right on a city’s thoroughfare. (Luke 13:26) Early Christians found valuable use for this method, as did the apostle Paul. (Acts 17:17, NW) So there was nothing degrading about declaring the good news on public streets. It was a pattern set by Christ and his apostles.

Public sermons were an excellent way to witness to large groups of people. Sometimes Jesus and his undershepherds gave public sermons in synagogues. Often they delivered sermons right out in the open countryside, on the mountainside or on the seashore.—Matt. 4:23; 5:1, 2; 13:1-3.

But the most effective way of hunting for sheep was the house-to-house work. What, preach from door to door? Yes, that is exactly the method inaugurated by our model, the “chief shepherd.” The Master did not consider it beneath his dignity to go from house to house. Why should he? His work was the most important work in the world; so it deserved the most effective means of presentation. Yes, Jesus, who Peter said knew “all things,” certainly knew that the practical way of hunting for sheep was from house to house. To go to the people, to visit them in their homes, this is the unselfish way. Very few Bible readers seem to notice the real nature of Jesus’ work. In the four gospel accounts of his ministry, the words “house” and “home” appear over 130 times, and in the vast majority of the cases they are used in connection with the preaching of Jesus. The “chief shepherd” instructed his undershepherds in house-to-house preaching: “When you are entering into the house, greet the household; and if the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it.”—Matt. 10:12, 13, NW.

Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, knew the importance of the house-to-house work. He wanted the Christians to “press on to maturity” so that they could teach others even as he did, from house to house. “I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house.”—Acts 20:20; 5:42; 1 Cor. 4:16; Heb. 5:12; 6:1, NW.

It was in private homes then that initial feeding of the sheep took place. When Jesus found people interested in the good news he visited them at their home in order to give extended personal instruction. In this manner, Mary, Martha, Lazarus, Zacchaeus and others were built up as true disciples. (Luke 10:38-42; 19:5-9) The early Christians did not consider one visit to a home sufficient; they revisited the sheep, making back-calls: “Paul said to Barnabas: ‘Above all things, let us return and visit the brothers in every one of the cities in which we published the word of Jehovah.’” (Acts 15:36, NW) So the key way to find and feed the sheep was by personal instruction: by initial visits at the home, by making back-calls and by home Bible studies.—Matt. 18:20; Acts 17:11; Gal. 6:6.

But even personal instruction in homes was not enough. After a sheep had been found, that one needed to attend Christian meetings. So important were these meetings that the apostle cautioned all Christians never to fail assembling together. (Heb. 10:25) At these congregational meetings the deep truths of God’s Word were explained; there was encouragement for one another, upbuilding for the entire congregation. (1 Cor. 14:26) At other times Christians assembled for service meetings, where they were trained in the proper method of serving God by preaching the good news. (Luke 10:1-16; Acts 6:1-7) There were also ministry schools for training early Christians in public preaching. (1 Tim. 4:13-15, NW) The prime purpose of all these meetings: to train Christians to teach others!—Eph. 4:11, 12.

TRUE WORSHIP TODAY

How different is Christendom’s way of worship from the pattern set by Christ! We found no pattern for monasticism or pew-sitting. Rather we found that the acceptable way to serve God is by engaging in the work he has commanded to be done. The “chief shepherd” made this work very clear. (Matt. 24:14) Who today are following closely the Christian model by bearing witness to the name of Jehovah? What organization today is proclaiming God’s kingdom as the hope of the world and warning the people of the impending war of Armageddon? There is only one organization doing all this: that is the organization of Jehovah’s witnesses.

Look! in 143 different lands Jehovah’s witnesses are proclaiming the good news, using the same preaching methods inaugurated by the Master himself. You find them giving public sermons in Kingdom Halls and in public places. They declare the good news on public streets, offering passers-by Bible study aids such as the Watchtower magazine. But their chief method of hunting for sheep is through the house-to-house work. They do not consider it undignified; they consider it, as Christ did, the best way, the most loving and effective way of finding and feeding the sheep. Back-calls are made on interested persons and free Bible studies are held in their homes. Jehovah’s witnesses also hold congregational meetings. As with the early Christians, there are instructive service meetings, ministry schools and congregational studies of God’s Word.

The clergy have not gone to the people or brought them the good news of God’s new world. As in Jesus’ day the clergy’s flock are really “sheep without a shepherd.” Now, before Armageddon, all the Lord’s other sheep must be found and gathered into the one fold of the “chief shepherd.” (John 10:16) Long ago Jehovah foretold this work: “Behold, I will send for many fishers, saith Jehovah, and they shall fish them up; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they shall hunt them from every mountain, and from every hill, and out of the clefts of the rocks.” (Jer. 16:16, AS) Who will do this work of fishing and hunting for men? Who will sally forth like a shepherd on the hunt for lost sheep? You are invited to respond to the call for fishers and hunters of men, that you may closely follow the Christian model and that the “chief shepherd” may stamp “approved” on your way of serving God by saying: “Come, you who have my Father’s blessing, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the world’s foundation.”—Matt. 25:34, NW.

Everlasting Praise Due the New World’s Sovereign

“Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.”—Ps. 145:2, CB.

1. Who is the new world’s Sovereign, and why?

JEHOVAH is the Sovereign, because he is chief or supreme over all others, including his Christ. “The head of the Christ is God.” (1 Cor. 11:3, NW) No one else could possibly be sovereign over the new world but its Creator, Jehovah God. Yet he will carry out his covenant or solemn contract to rule the new world by means of his Christ, his royal Son Jesus.—Acts 4:24-26, NW.

2. At Psalm 145:1 what recognition does the Greater David make, and for what must we now work respecting God’s name?

² It is really something when a mighty king recognizes he is not absolute in power but is subject to a superior, a sovereign over him. That was what King David of ancient Jerusalem recognized when he said: “I will extol thee, my God, O King; and I will bless thy name for ever and ever.” (Ps. 145:1, AS) There is today a Greater David, the Lord Jesus Christ, and he now reigns in the heavenly Mount Zion. Since A.D. 1914 he reigns as king of the new world in God’s name. The main purpose of his reigning is to extol his God and Sovereign King, for never in the history of all the universe has there been so much reproach heaped upon God’s name by man and demon. With such a king reigning, who is devoted to God’s praise and exaltation, his reproach cannot now go on for much longer. In harmony with Jehovah’s King we must now work to remove the reproach upon God’s name. Primarily, those who are the anointed remnant of his joint heirs should do so, and now, too, the great crowd of his prospective subjects.—Rev. 7:9-15, NW.

3. How is Jehovah a Theocrat, and, like Christ’s apostles, to what extent must we show recognition of this fact?

³ Jesus recognizes God as King. We also, if copying Jesus, will recognize the divine kingship, Jehovah’s kingship. Jehovah’s being both God and King makes him a divine King, a Theocrat or God-Ruler. In all the universe, visible and invisible, there is room for only one such God-King. This fact obliges us to take an uncompromising stand when there comes a clash between God’s rulership and man’s rulership, between God’s royal law and man’s political law. Nineteen centuries ago the Jewish Sánhedrin, or Supreme Court at Jerusalem, composed of priests and other religious leaders, claimed to represent God, yet rejected his Christ. When they tried to make laws to keep Christ’s apostles from teaching upon the basis of his name, the apostles Peter and John said: “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.” They confessed they had to be witnesses in obedience to God’s sovereign command. Up once more before the same judicial body on a charge of violating the anti-Christian legislation, Peter and his fellow apostles united in answering: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men. . . . And we are witnesses of these matters, and so is the holy spirit which God has given to those obeying him as ruler.”—Acts 4:19, 20; 5:29-32, NW.

4. How does such a decision for Jehovah’s kingship settle us, and how and where must we extol him?

⁴ A Christian witness of Jehovah may suffer for such a stand as this, but it does steady and settle us when we make the Christlike decision to have Jehovah as God and King. In the strength of this decision we can courageously face the future, despite all the political changes due to occur on earth. There remains no change for us to make. The main rulership in our lives is permanently fixed upon. We need never waver. We must keep extolling Jehovah as our God and King in our lives. That means, first of all, we must exalt him, set him on high in our own lives. Then we must seek to do so in the lives of others, by everywhere advertising His Sovereignty and Kingship to others.

5. What does the determination to bless God’s name forever show, and how will this be made possible?

⁵ When you say you are determined to do something forever and ever, it shows you have a firm hope of everlasting life. This is what we must have if we join Jehovah’s King, Jesus Christ, in saying: “And I will bless thy name for ever and ever.” The decision to bless Jehovah’s name is worthy of our making for all time to come, for if we decide to do this we cannot go wrong, and only those who decide to do this will be favored with endless life. There is no allowance here for halfheartedness or indecisiveness, for there must never be any quitting of this right course. Anyone that determines to bless Jehovah as God and King evermore has a motive worthy of being crowned with everlasting life, enabling him to carry out this determination. The anointed remnant of Christ’s joint heirs have hope of life beyond this earthly life, which will make their carrying out this determination possible in the Kingdom above. The great crowd of their loyal companions today look forward to endless life on earth, in order to bless the new world’s Sovereign forever and ever.

6. What does blessing his name mean, and who is our leading example in this?

⁶ To bless his name means to speak well of it and to its credit and exaltation, always to keep one’s integrity toward him and never to be induced or coerced by Satan the Devil to curse and renounce God. Satan tried to make Job curse God in renunciation of Him, but he failed to make Job break his integrity and curse God to his face. By divine help we can do what Job did, never having a bad word to say about God, never complaining and finding fault with him, never putting his goodness in doubt either in our own hearts or in the hearts of others. In blessing God, Jehovah’s anointed King Jesus Christ is our leading example, never breaking integrity toward Him. He is a godly King, a King inflexibly loyal to God, and he helps us to keep on blessing our God while we hold to our integrity.

7. Blessing him is what kind of service as to time, and what evidently is even Christ doing in his kingdom?

⁷ Every day of our existence it is proper for us to do this. How empty, barren, purposeless, even one day would be without doing this! We must therefore watch every day. “Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.” (Ps. 145:2, CB) Determining to do this puts us in line for the full-time service of God, or at least trying to make our works all count toward God, doing them “whole-souled as to Jehovah, and not to men.” (Col. 3:23, NW) “Do all things for God’s glory.” (1 Cor. 10:31, NW) Blessing him is an everyday service, a day-long service, a lifelong service, without retiring for old age. Always we try to find some way to testify in Jehovah’s favor before others. On earth Jesus especially took this step when he left his carpenter shop at Nazareth and got immersed and went preaching, to keep that up till he died. On his resurrection day he resumed it and on his day of ascension he was doing it. This gives us an inkling of what he must be doing now in his kingdom: Daily ruling and working in God’s interests and aiming to train all subjects of the Kingdom to bless God, the new world’s Sovereign.

8. When does praising Jehovah’s name begin, and why will it go on endlessly in the new world?

⁸ Just now Jehovah has a bad name with his enemies, even among the vast majority of those who pretend to be Christians. Satan, the false god, is primarily responsible for this. But just for that, should we be ashamed of His name and leave him nameless? By doing so how could we imitate the new world’s King and have his approval? We must identify our God by name, bring that name to the greatest prominence, and clear it of all besmirchments by God’s foes as well as by his professed friends. Our everlasting life depends on it, because praising Jehovah’s name forever and ever begins right here and now. No matter if life in the new world will go on endlessly, there will always be cause for us to praise God’s name. What wrong, what discreditable thing could Jehovah ever do? None in the slightest! He will ever cover his worthy name with glory. It is for us to cover it with praise and blessing.

9. To what degree should we praise him, and why is it beneficial for us to praise him?

⁹ “Great is Jehovah, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable.” (Ps. 145:3, AS) He is “to be praised exceedingly,” “highly to be praised,” “very worthy of praise.” (RoPss; AT; CB; Crampon) Such is no stinted praise, but is praise to the limit. It should exceed that of all others. Every day adds up reasons to praise him. This is so in our personal life, but is specially so in God’s dealings with his people with whom we are privileged to be associated. Read his Bible and take note of what he has done for his prominent servants and for his people as a whole. Today, too, he has his people, who are called by his name, and his dealings with his modern people run parallel with those of the ancient prototypes who performed many prophetic dramas. What we are today as his people, as a New World society, is due to what He, not any man or men, has done for us. It is good and spiritually healthful for us to praise Him, for our expressing of his praises deepens our appreciation of him.

10. How are the proportions of Jehovah’s greatness shown, and why will he always be found interesting?

¹⁰ How big Jehovah God is as to his body we do not know. His real greatness is in being what kind of God he is. This is beyond our power to search or fathom. In his ability to do things he is of such boundless proportions. We just cannot get to the bottom of his creation that is visible to us, not to mention his invisible creation. But, besides his creative works, how grandly he conducts himself! How like a real God he treats his creations! What perfect qualities he displays: his faithfulness to his purposes, his promises, his covenants, his keeping his word faultlessly, his surprising us by his wisdom, by his foreknowledge, by his way of clearing up the temporary mysteries of his purpose! What a book among books his Bible is! Throughout its sixty-six books, which were over sixteen centuries in being written in final form, it is expertly consistent. Throughout the seven thousand years of human history that his Bible covers, it discloses the divine purpose for vindicating his sovereignty and for everlastingly blessing mankind to be unchanged. Now we see the vindication and the blessing coming to glorious realization. Because of such unsearchable greatness, Jehovah God will always be found interesting. Never will saved mankind on earth get to the bottom of him or his works.

“GENERATION TO GENERATION”

11. What kind of race are the anointed remnant, and how have they been formed and kept up numerically?

¹¹ Whether any particular individual acts on the privilege or not, one thing is certain as to Jehovah: “One generation shall laud thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.” “Generation to generation will laud thy works.” (Ps. 145:4, AS; RoPss) We are in the last generation in this old world! Think of that! It shakes one’s composure a bit to think so, but it is true. (Matt. 24:34) But there are also two other generations that will survive this world’s end. How so? Reason it out: The anointed remnant of Christ’s kingdom joint heirs are a spiritual race, not trying to raise up a new generation by literal fleshly descent. The membership of that remnant has not been formed or kept up by the rearing of children in the flesh, but it has been kept up by spiritual means, the power of the Kingdom tidings and the begetting power of God’s holy spirit. The remnant are limited in number, being now just numerous enough to complete the full membership of the “body of Christ,” of 144,000 members under Jesus the Head. The remnant, when completed numerically here on earth, may not concentrate on themselves as a spiritual generation of God and laud his works only to themselves. Some have selfishly tried to do this, but have become an “evil slave” class toward their Master Jesus Christ.

12. By God’s use now of his remnant, what is being raised up?

¹² Jehovah’s greatness again stands out in what he is now using the anointed remnant to do in this “time of the end” of the old world! As a result a new generation is rising, for Jehovah is now using the remnant to raise up an earthly society that will pass through Armageddon alive. The remnant is a spiritual generation. Compared with them, these who respond to the Kingdom preaching and dedicate themselves to God as the new world’s Sovereign form an earthly generation by God’s life-giving power through Christ.

13. How, then, does one generation now laud Jehovah’s works to another generation and declare his mighty acts?

¹³ Marriage will not cease with Armageddon. These Armageddon survivors will have offspring to maybe grandsons and great-grandsons, to fill the earth. These Armageddon survivors will not pass off the scene and leave the new-world stage to their offspring as successors, according to the long-time rule of Ecclesiastes 1:4. No, these survivors will be an abiding generation on earth. Their sons, grandsons and great-grandsons will simply merge into that everlasting generation now begun. Those of the spiritual remnant who survive Armageddon will finally pass off the earthly stage, never to return, and they will leave behind this totally earthly New World society. Till then the remnant will laud and celebrate Jehovah’s works and declare his mighty acts to this generation already begun. To do this the remnant must go out preaching. They have notably done so since 1931, and with still more gusto since 1935, when the “great crowd” of Revelation 7:9-17 were identified to be the present members of the earthly generation. They acquaint this rising generation with God and his works and mighty acts. They use the Bible record of such and also bring God’s works and mighty acts up to date by showing how he has fulfilled his purpose and his prophecies toward his kingdom and toward his people in the very times in which we live, especially since A.D. 1914.

14. On what must we meditate, and how and why?

¹⁴ Oftentimes, before endeavoring to talk to others about God and his qualities and deeds, we have to talk to ourselves, or soliloquize, to impress things first upon our minds for the guidance of our tongues. Such meditation and self-preparation is good and serves a fine purpose. This is true of our King Jesus Christ, the Greater David: “Of the glorious splendor of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works, I will meditate,” or, “soliloquize.” (Ps. 145:5, RS; RoPss) When we set our minds to meditating about Jehovah God as Sovereign, our eyes begin to open to discern the glorious splendor of his majesty. To meditate on such, we must do some private, personal study. We need to do so for our own information and for deepening our own impression and self-conviction, so as to be able to talk to others properly. During Jesus’ forty-day fast and isolation in the wilderness after his baptism he meditated and endeavored to take in the full meaning of the things that the opened heavens had bared to his view. It fortified him against the Tempter and his assaults. After that he talked publicly, and he got others to talking.

15. Who is it that should be got to talking, and on what?

¹⁵ “And men shall speak of the might of thy terrible acts; and I will declare thy greatness.” (Ps. 145:6, AS) Emphasis is here put on speaking about God and what he has done and now does. The idea is to get men of the spiritual generation to talking, speaking about Jehovah, building up one another on our most holy faith in God, also informing and instructing the rising generation, a never-dying generation. This very information and instruction operates toward their never dying. (John 17:3) So the main theme of our conversation should be the great Life-giver and Wonder-worker. The works he does are wondrous, not to mystify his friends, but to deliver, save and bless them. It is the business of the spiritual generation to help the earthly generation to recognize God’s works and to understand them.

16. What is the first thing for a theocratic king to do toward his subjects, and how did Jehovah’s King do so even down to 1953?

¹⁶ On earth Jesus Christ did not hold back from declaring his heavenly Father’s greatness. The remnant of his joint heirs will not do so, either. Hence the king-psalmist said: “And I will declare thy greatness.” The first thing for a king is not to blow himself up in the estimation of his subjects, but to magnify the God whom the king worships. The King, the Greater David, sits as a subordinate King on the throne of Jehovah. He has to impress upon his subjects who their real Ruler is and how worthy Jehovah is to rule and to have their willing subjection. The subordinate King does not magnify himself against God, the way Satan did and the way Nebuchadnezzar did just before being struck mad. The godly King is like a shepherd to lead his subjects in right ways, in paths of righteousness. He would call for meetings to address his subjects. He would not except himself from the meetings God appoints for his people but would attend and take part in them, contributing his part to the meeting. That is one place where he could declare Jehovah’s greatness. Jesus Christ our King promised that where even a small group, two or three, would meet together in his name, there he would be in the midst. How his presence was manifest at the New World Society Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses at Yankee Stadium, New York city, N. Y., July 19-26, 1953, where the remnant of his “little flock” and a “great crowd” of his other sheep met together for the mightiest witness in Christian history! How they did speak there of the might of Jehovah’s terrible acts! They are still speaking of it!

17. What should we do about the fame of Jehovah’s abundant goodness, and how may we avoid the mistakes of ancient Israel?

¹⁷ “They shall pour forth the fame of thy abundant goodness, and shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.” (Ps. 145:7, RS) Jehovah has made a reputation for his goodness and it has made him famous with his people. It is so abundant that they must just let the fame or remembrance of it pour forth, gush forth in a strong stream of grateful expression, that others may learn how good God is toward those who dedicate themselves to him. All who long to know, worship and live in relation with such a good God are attracted to him by his fame as such. But those who worship false gods, that is, the vicious demons, are moved to envy at the goodness that Jehovah showers upon his people and they try to cut it off from them. We as Jehovah’s people should keep his abundant goodness in memory, always bringing it to mind and talking about it with appreciation. It was this kindly quality of God that led us to repentance toward him in the first place, and it can lead others to repentance also when they learn about it. (Rom. 2:4, NW) It is hurtful to forget it. When Israel let God’s goodness fade from memory, they lost their sense of gratitude, found fault and began desiring to experiment with other gods. So they went wrong and got into serious trouble. (Ps. 106:13-43) We want to avoid their mistakes. We can do so by remembering and then pouring out the fame of his abundant goodness in great volume and thus keep humble, trembling lest we become unworthy of his further goodness.

18. What grounds do we have for singing aloud of Jehovah’s righteousness, and how do we do so?

¹⁸ How right our God is! Whenever he is judged, he always wins and comes off vindicated as to what he said and did. So it is always good to let God be found true, although it proves every man a liar. Not only when compared with men but also when compared with those whom men worship as gods, how righteous Jehovah is! The false gods, as these are reflected in the thoughts, deeds, words and religions of their worshipers, are so unrighteous, so repulsive. But Jehovah never oversteps righteousness. Even when he justifies or declares sinners righteous he still remains righteous. He has made the arrangement through the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ whereby he can cancel the sins of those who repent and turn from their sins and dedicate themselves to him through Christ. That way he does not deny his own righteousness. (Rom. 3:4, 22-26, NW) This justice or righteousness of his is a grand theme for us to sing about. The Bible is our complete Songbook. From its pages we loudly sing of his justice, his rightness, his righteousness. That is, we joyously proclaim it to others, that they may know there is no iniquity in our God.—Deut. 32:4.

PATIENT FOR THE SALVATION OF CREATURES

19. How have Jehovah’s qualities mentioned at Psalm 145:8 been expressed toward the spiritual remnant of today?

¹⁹ We now live in the “time of the end” when Jehovah will destroy all unrighteousness of this old world. How dangerously near we were to being destroyed with it! Truly Jehovah has proved himself to be just as the Greater David, our King, now describes him to be: “Jehovah is gracious, and merciful; slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness.” (Ps. 145:8, AS) When we first came into the divine favor and under the divine mercy through Christ, we benefited by Jehovah’s display of these excellent qualities. While we were yet sinners, look at what he did for us, in sending his beloved Son from heaven to die for us that we might be reconciled to God and taste of his graciousness. (Rom. 5:6-11, NW) Thus he commended his love to us. But, in addition to that general goodness, what mercy he has exercised toward his anointed remnant in this “time of the end,” for when World War I closed in 1918 it found them in a state of delinquency toward him through fear of man and through being stained with this Babylonish world! But, instead of destroying them with the world, Jehovah cut short the days of tribulation upon Satan’s organization by interrupting it with a period of undeserved kindness before the battle of Armageddon is allowed to break out. He saved his remnant who were yet in the flesh and afforded them an opportunity to work out their own salvation by taking up bold service as his witnesses and Kingdom ambassadors in this postwar era. His mercy to them in cutting short the days of tribulation and reinstating them in his witness work has resulted in mercy to others, namely, to a “great crowd” of other sheep of his Right Shepherd, Jesus Christ.—Matt. 24:21, 22; Rev. 7:1-17.

20. How has Jehovah been “slow to anger” toward the generation of mankind down till now?

²⁰ “Slow to anger!” Jehovah has certainly been that toward the generation of mankind that he has had to deal with since the global inundation of Noah’s day. He has held up Armageddon, the terrific trouble that was foreshadowed by the Flood. He did not bring Armageddon in 1918 or right after the “war in heaven” by which Satan was cast out of heaven and down to the earth. It is now thirty-five years since then, and these years have added to Jehovah’s record as being “slow to anger, and of great loving-kindness.” We have done well in taking Peter’s advice and considering such patience of our God as salvation, as an opportunity for gaining salvation for ourselves and for assisting other sheep to do so. (2 Pet. 3:15, NW) Knowing as we do that this old world is doomed and its destruction is a deserved one, we see in Jehovah’s dealing thus with us a great expression of his loving-kindness.

21. Why is there no reason to complain that God is slow, that is, apparently slow?

²¹ We are wise to take advantage of this according to its purpose. We do not know how much farther this loving-kindness will last toward this generation and when his pent-up anger will blaze. Men ought to be glad God is slow about this, at least apparently slow, whereas they incline to complain that he is slow about fulfilling his good promises. When Armageddon comes, it will be soon enough, too soon for men who selfishly postpone taking the divine advice and acting. Then they will know what they were asking for, when they tauntingly asked us witnesses where this universal war was with its demonstration of God’s power and greatness. Jehovah knows what he is doing. He takes his own time to do it. He does not hurry up just to give scoffers a sign and satisfy their foolish defiance. He has in mind saving men of good will who long to know God’s grace, mercy and loving-kindness.

22. How have Jehovah’s tender mercies been over all his works, and how has his goodness widened out since 1931-1935?

²² The true God has a big heart. “Jehovah is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works.” (Ps. 145:9, AS) Most men do not appreciate this, just as Jesus said in his sermon on the mount. (Matt. 5:45, 48) Tender mercies, compassions—Jehovah has exercised these for thousands of years. When Satan forced a challenging situation upon God by rebelling and then leading mankind’s first parents into rebelling, God was not thrown into unbalance so as to destroy all three rebels at one time. Not only did he allow time for Satan to try to prove his boast against the Most High God, but by this he also allowed time for the human family to grow and for us to come alive, that He might show his tender mercies to those who wish to take their stand on his side and prove Satan a rebellious liar. And in this “time of the end” Jehovah’s goodness has widened out to all kinds of men, markedly so since 1931-1935, when the salvation of a “great crowd” of other sheep was revealed to be part of the divine program for this “time of the end” and when Revelation 22:17 took on a wider application: “And let anyone hearing say, ‘Come!’ And let anyone thirsting come; let anyone that wishes take life’s water free.”—NW.

23. The time has come for all Jehovah’s works to give what to him, and with what result to them?

²³ The marvelous works of creation give credit to the Creator. The inanimate creation gives silent credit to him, but it is the greater privilege for the animate, and particularly for the intelligent creation, to give deliberate credit, thanks and blessing to God. We know the time will come when this will be everywhere the case. “All thy works shall give thanks unto thee, O Jehovah; and thy saints shall bless thee.” (Ps. 145:10, AS) The time has come for all his intelligent works to give him thanks from a sincere heart. All kinds of men may now find cause to thank him. Those of good will do so, and for it salvation will result to them.

24. Who are Jehovah’s “saints” or “men of loving-kindness,” and of what, therefore, must they speak, and why now?

²⁴ Jehovah’s “saints” are his “men of loving-kindness.” Today they are the spiritual remnant who are in the new covenant, the ‘covenant by sacrifice’ as it is called because of being based on Jesus’ sacrifice. Since 1919 Jehovah the great Judge has been gathering such men of loving-kindness who are in this covenant, and now unitedly they must and do bless him. (Ps. 50:5, Ro; AS) They partake also of his loving-kindness through the Kingdom covenant that he made with King David. Through Jesus Christ, the Greater David, he brings them into this Kingdom covenant, that they may reign with Christ in the heavenly kingdom and be a blessing to all obedient mankind. (Acts 13:34; Isa. 55:3; Luke 22:28-30) They must make known this Kingdom covenant, this divine expression of loving-kindness. In this way they make known that God’s kingdom by Christ is something he covenanted for and it is therefore a certainty, and that it will have as its King the One who earned the right to it by Jehovah’s favor. At Psalm 110:1 (AS) King David called this one his “Lord,” to show how much higher this Kingdom Heir of the line of David would be in his royal position. Those who are highly favored with being made his joint heirs have extraordinary reason for blessing the great Arranger of it all, Jehovah; and this earth over which they will reign is the proper place for them to begin blessing him. Doing this now has a powerful effect upon the great crowd of other sheep for their salvation, because, through the remnant, they learn of the Kingdom and assemble to it.

25, 26. When was the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom to be spoken of, and how has the “glory of the majesty of his kingdom” been made known?

²⁵ “They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.” (Ps. 145:11, 12, AS) Jesus made God’s kingdom the foremost doctrine of his teaching. What did he say his disciples should preach down here at the consummation of the system of things? He prophesied that it should be “this good news of the kingdom.” (Matt. 4:23; 10:7; 24:14, NW) In the glory light of this good news of God’s kingdom that was brought to birth in 1914 the glory of the kingdoms of this world becomes deathly pale. Moreover, the record that they have made for themselves during this “time of the end” has been very inglorious.

²⁶ The glory of Jehovah’s kingdom is a superior glory, it being heavenly, not earthly. But its invisible glory will be visibly reflected in the captivating beauty with which it will fill this earthly realm, transforming it into a paradise of perfectly happy creatures, human and animal. No monarch can compare with the King, the Greater David, whom Jehovah has anointed to office. Jehovah has done with him just as he said: “I also will make him my firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.” (Ps. 89:27, AS) The Kingdom has already made a record for itself, winning the first war ever reported in heaven and humiliating the losers, Satan and his angels, down to the level of the King’s feet, this earthly footstool. Having made that conquest in heaven, the King rides on to complete his conquest at Armageddon in the greatest fight of all time. In setting up the Kingdom in 1914 Jehovah’s power was manifested. Since 1919 further divine power has been manifested in having the Kingdom’s establishment proclaimed in the face of world opposition. Divine power has stiffened Jehovah’s witnesses to stand loyal to the Kingdom, and in loving devotion these talk of its power that is to be fully manifested at Armageddon for Jehovah’s vindication.

27. What definite purpose does their speaking of the glory of Jehovah’s kingdom have, and why must we assemble to it?

²⁷ Their speaking of the glory of his kingdom and talking of his power has a definite purpose: “to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glory of the majesty of his kingdom.” That kingdom must be described and explained to men, that those who hunger for a righteous, God-fearing government may know that this is IT and may tender their unconditional allegiance to it. According to the prophecies God’s kingdom by Christ has a prodigious program to fulfill, but it will be adequate for it. The prophecies of what God’s kingdom is doing and must yet do clothe it with a glory of majesty that no other kingdom has ever had or could display. This is the worth-while government for us to assemble to in unqualified support. The kingdoms of this world that are in opposition to it must be abandoned to their destruction at Armageddon. We must make God’s kingdom our only hope. It is our only hope.

28. How do Jehovah’s kingdom and human governments compare as to duration, and why are the latter doomed?

²⁸ The kingdoms of this world had their death warrant sealed when the “appointed times of the nations” expired in 1914. They cannot stand up against the kingdom that was then born in the heavens. “Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations.” (Ps. 145:13, AS) “Your kingdom is a kingdom for all ages, and your dominion endures through all generations.” (CB) Alongside such an enduring government of God all governments of human origin would eventually have to perish. To avoid trouble with it the governments of men would have to recognize it and peacefully yield over their sovereignty to it. Their not doing so dooms them to pass away amid the greatest trouble mankind will ever have known.

29. Why will the enemies never be able now to stop all mouths’ talking about Jehovah’s kingdom?

²⁹ The issue today is Jehovah’s kingdom and dominion, his universal sovereignty. Satan wants to rule co-existently with God or to the total exclusion of Jehovah God, but he will not succeed. God’s government will persist without a rival in heaven or on earth. By his help we have made his kingdom known to many sons of men, and we have so many sons of good will talking about his kingdom of glorious majesty that the enemies will never be able to stop all their mouths. We are determined to keep preaching the Kingdom in order to move countless more sons of men of good will to talk about it as witnesses of Jehovah.

A FAITHFUL PROVIDER

30. What kind of psalm is Psalm 145 in construction, and what verse is missing from most extant Hebrew manuscripts?

³⁰ Psalm 145, on which we are meditating, is an acrostic or alphabetic psalm. That is, each Ps 145 verse 1-21 in its order begins with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet of 22 characters, in their regular order from aleph to taw. Not all translations of the Hebrew Scriptures show this fact, but some do, such as An American Translation, Crampon, etc. In the majority of extant manuscripts of the Hebrew text a verse to match the Hebrew letter nūn (=n) is missing, but in at least one Hebrew manuscript the missing alphabetic verse is found and it is confirmed by the appearance of this verse in the Greek Septuagint, Jerome’s Latin translation, the Syriac, the Arabic and the Ethiopic Versions. The Revised Standard Version admits the verse into its main text and reads: “The LORD is faithful in all his words, and gracious in all his deeds.” The Catholic Confraternity Bible renders it also: “The LORD is faithful in all his words, and holy in all his works.”

31. Why do we do right in sticking strictly to Jehovah’s Word, and why need we never fear for the future of his intelligent creation?

³¹ In view of Jehovah’s faithfulness in his every word, the New World society does right in sticking strictly to the Bible. Never shall we be disappointed about his Word, even if we do have to wait longer for some things than we used to think. There is no possibility that anything that Jehovah has promised will fail. Covenants, promises, stated purposes, truths, statements of fact—time will only add to the truthfulness of these and will verify Jehovah’s dependability in all his words. He is also holy, kind, gracious, toward all his creatures who appreciate his goodness, and we need never fear for the future of any of his intelligent creation. There is no basis for doubting him or suspecting him of cruelty. The full vindication of his Word is getting nearer, and those who will live forever will witness it or know it.

32. How did Jehovah act in accord with Psalm 145:14 toward the spiritual remnant and afterward toward the “great crowd”?

³² The anointed remnant of Kingdom heirs do not have to look back to the past for examples—to Job, to Israel in Egypt, to the shepherd David, to Israel captive in Babylon, but have to look just at themselves. In their own experiences recently they can appreciate what the psalmist next says of our God: “Jehovah is ready to uphold all who are falling—and to raise up all who are bowed down.” “The LORD lifts up all who are falling and raises up all who are bowed down.” (Ps. 145:14, RoPss; CB) He acted in accord with this rule in 1919 when he raised up his remnant who had fallen into his disfavor during World War I and who were bowed down therefore under their Babylonish enemies by the time that war ended. Particularly since 1935 he has done the same thing for the many captive “other sheep,” prisoners in the same Babylonish world. By bringing them out Jehovah began having the desirable ones of all nations come in, that thus his house of worship might be filled with glory. (Hag. 2:7, AS) He knew that the limited thousands of the remnant were not the only ones now on earth who wanted to worship God aright. Mankind, who are made of the earth, were originally made for worshiping the live, true God on earth forever. In tune with that original purpose, Jehovah will have such worshipers on earth forever, and so he starts right now with having such on earth for good. He starts with the hundreds of thousands of the “great crowd” of other sheep, who will survive Armageddon and, keeping integrity, will never die. We must bear in mind that Jesus Christ, “the Right Shepherd,” surrendered his human soul for these “other sheep” as well as for the “little flock.”

33. Why are those of the New World society spiritually the best-fed people on earth?

³³ Spiritually speaking, those of the New World society are the best-fed people on earth. Why? It is because they look to the right source for food. “The eyes of all look to thee, and thou givest them their food in due season.” (Ps. 145:15, RS) “The eyes of all look hopefully to you, and you give them their food in due season.” (CB) Those who know Jehovah according to his Word look intelligently and hopefully to him, not to Christendom’s clergy. Those who give their full time and energy to Jehovah’s service especially trust in his care for them, for they know they are of more worth than the beasts and birds for whom he does not fail to show care. He has sent his royal Son, the Lord of the Christian household, to the temple of worship, and the Lord Jesus has designated the loyal remnant of his body a “faithful and discreet slave” class to “give them their food at the proper time.”—Matt. 6:25-34; 24:45-47, NW.

34. Why will Jehovah not discharge his “faithful and discreet slave” after the resurrection of the faithful ancient witnesses, and how will earth’s permanent inhabitants always be fed?

³⁴ Jehovah has always given this slave class something to serve as seasonable food. Now not only the anointed domestics partake of it but also the other sheep who crave spiritual food that satisfies and leads to life. As long as this slave class remains on earth, be that also after Armageddon, Jehovah will not discharge them, even when he raises the faithful witnesses of ancient times from the dead. On what grounds would he discharge them? Those raised from the dead are not qualified for a superior position by a mere resurrection to life on earth, especially when the eyes and ears of the slave class have been blessed far beyond what those of the pre-Christian witnesses of Jehovah were. (Matt. 13:16, 17) Jehovah’s spirit and blessing are what qualify his slave class for superior service. But after this spiritual “slave” class departs from the earth to the heavenly kingdom, then the King, the “Everlasting Father,” will have his visible earthly organization of special servants, “princes in all the earth,” to minister for all those who abide on the earth forever.—Ps. 45:16; Isa. 9:6.

35. How are all our present desires satisfied now?

³⁵ We who are now in the way of life are satisfied in all our present desires. We join the psalmist in saying to Jehovah: “You open your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing.” (Ps. 145:16, CB) Everything is in Jehovah’s hand. He is the Giver, and a cheerful one at that, hence a most happy one. He is never made poorer by his generous giving. His stores never get exhausted. He knows living things desire to live—in happiness, even if they do not now recognize the Life-giver. He foreknew what they wanted and needed, and he got it ready for them and kept it in constant supply. But those in the enlightened, God-fearing New World society have a purpose in desiring to live. It is not just to enjoy existence like beasts, but to satisfy the craving of the heart and mind in their God and to praise him and serve his eternal purpose.

36. Why shall we not start off hungry and needy immediately after Armageddon?

³⁶ Our spiritual need is what we mainly appreciate now. We look to Jehovah’s hand to satisfy our spiritual need no matter how many years we have yet to live to Armageddon and no matter what world conditions may arise to surround us then. After Armageddon we shall keep looking to him. After this world lies in ruins and we enter the new world, we shall not be on any relief. Jehovah through his King will open his hand and we shall not suffer while we may have to carry on for some time amid the ruins of the old world, till these are cleared away. We shall be supremely glad to be alive then and will continue to look to Jehovah’s hand. If the animals are to feed on the carcasses of their former oppressors and have a post-Armageddon feast, then certainly we of the New World society are not going to start off hungry and needy as soon as we step into the new world.—Ezek. 39:11-20; Rev. 19:17-21.

37. In the light of Psalm 145:17, why need not earth’s permanent inhabitants fear for the endless future ahead?

³⁷ This divine openhandedness and satisfying of creature desires will carry on through all the new world, endlessly. So earth’s permanent inhabitants have no grounds for fear at any time, as if the universe were to run down and things were to go out of control, interfering with man’s continued happiness. In assurance of this we have the inspired statement: “Jehovah is righteous in all his ways, and gracious in all his works.” (Ps. 145:17, AS) So nothing will be subject to accident. No carelessness, no neglect, no oversight can possibly occur. Jehovah will do right and justly by us. His inherent graciousness and kindness will always come to the surface. What a God, what a King, to have like this always!

CALLING TO THE RIGHT SOURCE OF HELP

38. Upon whom is it now most urgent to call, and what obligation does this lay upon us?

³⁸ At Armageddon the people are going to call upon their many false gods for deliverance, but to no avail. We want men of good will to call then upon a god who will save them, that they may live and survive. It is now most urgent to call upon Jehovah and make it our fixed, unchangeable practice. By doing so we shall be saved. (Joel 2:32; Acts 2:21, NW) That means making public declaration of him in fearless confession before everybody. For men to do this we preachers, whom God has sent, must let them hear about this only god who is able to save by Jesus Christ. Hence we must be an information bureau or society and must impart information, even though at first it may not be solicited. Jehovah, who sent us as preachers, did not say to wait upon solicitation. He told us to go out and give the information, whether they hear or refrain from hearing. A numberless “great crowd” will hear.—Rom. 10:12-15.

39. In what way must seekers of salvation now call upon Jehovah?

³⁹ Anyone who calls upon Jehovah with salvation in view must “call upon him in truth.” The true way to call upon him is to do so through Christ, the now-reigning King. The natural Israelites of today, whose distant ancestors rejected the Messiah, cannot go to Jehovah direct. For salvation and in order to call in truth, according to truth, in the true way, they must do so through the Greater Moses, Jesus Christ the Mediator. To all doing so in sincerity Jehovah is nigh, near, close, easily within reach and consequently ready and quick to answer the call.

40. How will those who fear him have their desire completely fulfilled?

⁴⁰ We want to remember his nearness when sore distress arises for us either individually or as a New World society. The psalmist says with inspired conviction: “He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him; he also will hear their cry, and will save them.” (Ps. 145:19, AS) Our initial fear of him was what led to the divine wisdom we now possess. Our chief desire now is Jehovah’s vindication as the rightful Sovereign of the universe. His vindication will straighten out everything and put everything on a right basis. First of all, he must be accorded his rightful place and must be acknowledged according to what is right and true, and all that misrepresents him in any respect must be cleared away. Our desire for this we shall have completely fulfilled.

41. Why do we now cry to Jehovah, and why shall we yet do so, and with what result?

⁴¹ This is the time when Jehovah’s ability to save is being put to a crucial test. We cry to him now. But under enemy attack, especially Gog’s final attack, we are yet going to cry to Jehovah. (Ezek. 38:1 to 39:16) When we show we do not compromise or look to this world but look to Him as Savior, he will hear our cry for help and save us for his glory in the new world. He saved David his typical king in marvelous ways. He saved Jesus the King of kings, though it required resurrecting him from the dead on the third day; and he will now save his New World society. He is our fear; to him we shall cry.

42. Who will survive Armageddon, and what about some who may die faithful before Armageddon?

⁴² Do you know who will survive the battle of Armageddon? Here is the dependable inspired answer: “Jehovah preserveth all them that love him; but all the wicked [the lawless, RoPss] will he destroy.” (Ps. 145:20, AS) Knowing the answer, we must decide in which class we propose to be then. We know the destiny of each of the two classes. We do well to act now in order to be classified then as lovers of Jehovah, not as wicked, lawless toward him. The lawless do not love him; the law-abiding ones of the New World society do love him. (1 John 5:3) We know who are sure to survive Armageddon, and there is no excuse for deluding ourselves. The rule is simple, plain. Because of the “increasing of lawlessness” the love of many is cooling off, but the New World society must keep on loving Jehovah, doing so ever more fervently. (Matt. 24:12, NW) Those lovers of his who may die now before Armageddon Jehovah will preserve, because their worthiness of life in the new world continues on and will be rewarded in the right way or at his due time, whether by a spiritual resurrection to reign with Christ in the Kingdom or by an early resurrection to life in the earthly paradise.—John 5:28, 29; Rev. 2:10.

43. To what decision are we now moved, and what does such decision signify for us to do?

⁴³ At the climax of this review of what Jehovah is and what he does, how could we be moved to any other decision than that which the psalmist expressed? “My mouth shall speak [or, better, May my mouth speak, CB; AT] the praise of Jehovah; and let all flesh bless his holy name for ever and ever.” (Ps. 145:21, AS) Such a personal decision signifies, first of all, a determination that each of us shall preach in praise of Jehovah, for praise is due the new world’s Sovereign now and for all eternity. Appreciating him now as we do, how could we ever withhold such praise from him? We could not!

44. If we want all flesh too to bless Jehovah’s name forever, what must we do, and how?

⁴⁴ But if we want all flesh too to bless his holy name forever and ever, we simply must preach in order to make his holy name known to all flesh, people of all kinds, no matter what the color of the skin or the racial features in the flesh. We may not wait upon God himself to do this merely because of our wishing and praying for it to occur. We have within ourselves the God-given capacity and now so many other means to praise him to others. Let us unitedly use all in harmony with our wish and prayer. Let us get all kinds of flesh to bless the holy name of our God now.

45. Why will Armageddon not interrupt the blessing of His name, and what inspired wish of the psalmist are we determined to have a part in realizing?

⁴⁵ Imagine it! That will mean the start of all flesh in blessing his beloved name forever and ever on earth. Even the battle of Armageddon will not interrupt their blessing his name, for only the blessers will be preserved clear through it. Then think of the sweet work after Armageddon, not just of acquainting the children of the Armageddon survivors, but also of acquainting all those resurrected ones with Jehovah’s name to incite them to join in blessing it until all earth resounds with his deserved blessing and praise. What a blessed prospect! In view of it are we determined to have a part in realizing the psalmist’s inspired wish as to the divine name now and after Armageddon? Our love for God will respond with a fervent yes, and as a New World society we will take the course expressed in the words: “Every day will I bless you, and I will praise your name forever and ever.”—Ps. 145:2, CB.

Threats Fail to Intimidate “Sheep”

IN ENDEAVORING to fight the truth, the forces of error ever resort to threats of harm of one kind or another. But when men of good will gain a knowledge and understanding of Jehovah’s purposes, such threats are made in vain. Illustrating this fact is the following experience reported by a traveling representative of the Watch Tower Society, serving in Quebec.

“At St. Louis de Gonzague lived a very devoted Catholic who never missed mass and communion on Sunday although living three miles from church. About one year ago, or late in 1952, he attended my public talk at Ste. Germain, some twelve miles from St. Louis. He had previously obtained a Bible, and that evening, although still quite fearful, subscribed for The Watchtower and Awake! and obtained other Bible study aids. He had begun reading his Bible and now was studying the publications of the Society explaining the Bible. Incidentally, he had told the witness missionary, from whom he had obtained the Bible, not to call back as he was a Catholic. Nevertheless, a month after he had attended the lecture at Ste. Germain he was invited to attend an assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses at Trois Riviéres. This he did and as a result came back with such joy and conviction that it was the truth that he took a firm stand for the truth and began preaching to all what he had learned.

“It is needless to say that the news soon spread throughout his village of about 150 families regarding his having changed his religion. It was quite a shock to many and especially to the priest and such of his friends as were still as devout Catholics as he had been. But not all were shocked. Many were curious and wanted to hear about his new religion, some even coming twenty miles to hear him. He obtained a number of French recorded Bible discussions, which he played for his visitors, at times having as many as ten listening. As a result he has placed many Bibles and Bible study aids with the people.

“This young man has a saw mill and a blacksmith shop on his farm and at times he hires men to work for him. Being a bachelor he himself prepares the dinner for his men, and while doing so during the lunch hour he has one of the men read the Bible to the rest. The one who was doing this, the best reader in the group, was also a singer in the church, and became so interested that he requested the young bachelor to conduct a Bible study in his home, which study was soon increased as a neighbor across the way started to attend it.

“When I visited the group last week, to my surprise this young bachelor was now Brother R————, one of Jehovah’s witnesses. With a Kingdom smile and enthusiasm he said: ‘I would be very happy if you would come and give a public talk in St. Louis, because I have many friends who would like to hear it.’ A lecture was at once arranged for, to be held Thursday evening at the home of the singer with whom Brother R———— was holding the Bible study. We spent the whole day visiting and inviting all those who he thought would come, and in the evening eleven of them came.

“During my talk they repeatedly expressed appreciation of what they were hearing. While these were very happy, there were others who were not so happy, for at ten p.m. someone rapped on the door. It was the mayor of St. Louis, who wanted the man of the house to come outside as he wanted to speak to him. The mayor was accompanied by five other men, one of whom was the Inspector of Colonization, who came from Ste. Justine, some twenty miles away, at the request of the mayor. This inspector told the man of the house to chase the witnesses of Jehovah out of the house, warning him that if he did not he would be reported and might lose his home as he was a settler on government property.

“The man of the house replied: ‘I wish you would come in and hear the talk; it is the best thing I have ever heard in my life.’ They refused and so he told them: ‘I am sorry; I have never chased any people out of my home and I do not intend to start tonight. These people are my guests.’ Finally the men, failing to intimidate him, left quietly. Understandably, after this incident the people in the home were a little nervous, but I continued to talk to them about the persecution and about Jehovah’s help if they continued to study the Bible with Jehovah’s witnesses, and soon they were just as enthusiastic as during my first talk. Needless to say, Brother R———— will continue to study with these people.

“All this interest is the result of the groundwork laid by a missionary brother who for the past eight to nine years has been patiently and kindly calling, even when told not to return. Due to his perseverance in the door-to-door work many people are now listening and talking the truth.”

Questions From Readers

● Both Jeremiah 25:33 and Ezekiel 39:12 refer to those slain at Armageddon, yet one says the dead will not be buried and the other says they will. How are the two texts harmonized?—W. B., Canada.

Jeremiah 25:33 (AS) reads: “And the slain of Jehovah shall be at that day from one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth: they shall not be lamented, neither gathered, nor buried; they shall be dung upon the face of the ground.” Those slain by Jehovah will not be gathered up by the survivors of Armageddon and given a formal burial or funeral accompanied by mourning and lamentation. There will be no memorial stones to mark where their remains lie and to symbolize a hope of resurrection for them. Their former existence is not held in the memory of Jehovah so that he will raise them from the dead, nor are these ungodly slain ones remembered with any respectful mourning by Jehovah’s servants that survive the battle of Armageddon. Their bones will be picked clean by the wild birds and beasts so long ill-treated by godless men.—Ezek. 39:4, 17-20; Rev. 19:17-21.

Yet the survivors of Armageddon will not let the earth lie littered with bleached bones, but will bury them to cleanse the land, as Ezekiel 39:12 states: “And seven months shall the house of Israel be burying of them, that they may cleanse the land.” The Mosaic law declared unclean for seven days anyone touching a corpse, and the land would likewise be polluted by such remains. For an executed criminal to remain exposed was a defilement of the land, and the law required his burial to avoid this. (Num. 19:11; Deut. 21:23) Topheth of the Valley of Hinnom was defiled by its becoming a dumping place of garbage and dead bodies. (2 Ki. 23:10) Hence in time there must be a burial of the bones of those slain at Armageddon, but only to cleanse the land, and not to memorialize their existence or imply hope of resurrection.

● The book “New Heavens and a New Earth” says Satan offered to make Jesus the ruler of the seventh world power. Should it not have said sixth world power instead of seventh?—A. W., United States.

The statement in question appears at the bottom of page 109 and the top of page 110, as follows: “Offering to make Jesus Christ the ruler of the seventh world power if he would just forsake Jehovah’s worship and do one act of worship to the Dragon, Satan the Devil showed Jesus all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth and said to him in the mountain of temptation: ‘I will give you all this authority and the glory of them, because it has been delivered to me and to whomever I wish I give it.’ Unlike the beast, Jesus refused.—Luke 4:5-8, NW.”

The statement is correct as it is, seventh being meant, and not sixth. It was not a matter of Satan’s giving Jesus the sixth world power that then existed, and which empire Jesus would perpetuate. It was not to be a continuation of the Roman Empire, the sixth world power, only with Jesus in control; the satanic offer was that rulership would be taken from the sixth world power and given to Jesus, and that Jesus could then set up his own system of rule over the acquired kingdoms of the earth. This new ruling power under Christ would become the new power in the earth, replacing the sixth world power, and hence itself becoming the seventh world power of history. But Jesus rejected the offer, and did not replace the sixth world power of Rome with a rule of his own to make number seven. Centuries later a seventh world power did arise and take the position once held by Rome, the Anglo-American Empire; but this seventh power is not the one referred to in the above-quoted statement of “New Heavens and a New Earth.”

Before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of Jehovah come upon you, before the day of Jehovah’s anger come upon you. Seek ye Jehovah, all ye meek of the earth, that have kept his ordinances; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye will be hid in the day of Jehovah’s anger.—Zeph. 2:2, 3, AS.

Announcements

INDIVIDUALLY CHOOSING LIFE EVERLASTING

Jehovah God is the Life-giver. “Choose life . . . by loving Jehovah your God, by listening to his voice and by sticking to him, for he is your life.” Jehovah’s witnesses now take the course that leads to life everlasting by listening to God as he reveals his purposes today through the Bible study aid The Watchtower. Jehovah’s witnesses during the month of January will present a year’s subscription for The Watchtower at the regular rate of $1, with three booklets given free to each new subscriber.

YEARBOOK AND CALENDAR

The 1954 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses may now be obtained on a contribution of 50 cents. It contains reports from ministers proclaiming the Kingdom message in all parts of the earth. Also, you will benefit each day from considering a Scripture text and helpful comments presented in the Yearbook. The 1954 calendar is also available. It beautifully illustrates the earth-wide preaching of ‘this good news of the Kingdom’ and the assembling of God’s servants. A service theme and Scripture text for each month appear on the calendar pad. Calendars are 25 cents each. Five or more will be sent to one address at the rate of 20 cents each. Place your order now.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

Week of January 17: Everlasting Praise Due the New World’s Sovereign, ¶1-21.

Week of January 24: Everlasting Praise Due the New World’s Sovereign, ¶22-45.

Check Your Memory

After reading this issue of “The Watchtower,” do you remember—

✔ From what ancient holiday Christmas is derived? P. 740, ¶3.

✔ The vital difference between interfaith and true faith? P. 743, ¶3.

✔ Why the lifework of the servant of God allows for no retirement? P. 749, ¶7.

✔ Why the true Christian must identify the name of his God? P. 750, ¶8.

✔ How Jehovah’s mercy and patience have been demonstrated in this “time of the end”? P. 754, ¶20.

✔ Why God did not execute the Devil, together with Adam and Eve, immediately after the rebellion? P. 755, ¶22.

✔ When the death warrant was sealed for all the kingdoms of this world? P. 756, ¶28.

✔ Who are certain to survive Armageddon? P. 760, ¶42.

✔ Why one text says Armageddon’s dead will be buried and another says they will not? P. 763, ¶3.

Scripture Index for Texts Explained, 1953

GENESIS

1:1 535

1:2 23

1:20, 21, 24 538

1:20, 30 373

1:21, 24, 25 676

1:26 205

1:26-31 348

1:27, 28 368

1:29, 30 209

2:1-3 617

2:4 78, 243

2:5, 6 137

2:7 373

2:16, 17 205, 341, 350

2:18-25 37

3:1-6 350

3:4 445

3:15 115, 169, 268, 306, 339, 434, 583, 602

3:17, 19 206

3:19 317, 371

3:22-24 372

4:1 402

4:26 536

5:22-24 536

6:1-4 190

6:5 346

6:9 78

9:11-13, 16 278

9:20-27 478

9:24 478

9:25-27 338

10:1 78

10:1, 5 402

10:2 596

10:21 478

11:4, 8 404

11:10, 27 78

12:2 574

12:3 337

12:3, 7 115

13:4 242

15:6 537

15:7, 8 574

15:7, 13-16 574

15:13 159

17:9-14 351

17:14 352

18:3 535

19:4-11 191

19:11 382

21:8, 9 159

22:17, 18 306

22:18 337

23:4, 6, 9, 20 538

25:12, 19 78

25:23-26 338

31:14-16 735

31:17-55 735

31:47-52 474

31:49 735

35:1-4 735

36:1, 9 78

37:2 78

37:25 473

37:35 538

EXODUS

1:5 373

3:14 531, 575

3:14, 15 529

3:15 242

4:11 382, 383

4:20 351

4:21 351

4:24-26 351

5:2 575

6:1-8 574

6:3 574

7:3, 4 345

7:5 575

8:15 345

8:32 345

9:15, 16 421

9:16 135, 265, 604

12:21 723

12:40 159

13:18 246

14:3, 4, 28-31 603

14:31 537

15:1-3 179

15:1, 3 189

15:20, 21 179

18:19, 20 250

18:21, 26 246

19:3-8 670

19:6 336

20:1-6 670

20:3-5 241, 394

20:5 382, 670

20:6 185

22:16, 17 95

23:4, 5 479

28:41 617

29:33 617

31:13 617

31:16, 17 537

32:15, 16, 19 414

32:32, 33 307

33:19 185

34:1 414, 415

34:1-28 414

34:6, 7 377, 548

34:10-26 415

34:14 534

34:27 415

34:27, 28 414, 415

34:28 415

35:5 266

36:5-7 266

40:15 537

LEVITICUS

5:1, 2 373

Chap. 16 174

16:7-10 174

16:10 176

16:11-13 175

16:14 175

16:15 176

16:21, 22 176

16:29-31 285

18:6-19 478

19:18 479

19:33, 34 412

20:17 78

23:27 285

23:27, 28 174

27:20, 21 254

27:28, 29 254

27:34 78

NUMBERS

3:11-13 406

11:11-15 47

11:16, 17 542

11:18-20 48

11:23 48

11:31-35 49

12:2 49

12:9-15 49

13:1-33 50

14:1-3 50

14:11, 12 405

19:11 763

20:5 50

20:10-13 51

23:10 538

29:7 285

36:13 78

DEUTERONOMY

4:19 301, 703

4:35 536

6:4 24

6:4-7 196

7:6 336

7:6-8 405

8:3 60, 713

9:20 49

10:1-4 414, 415

10:17 242, 301, 403, 535

12:8, 9 499

13:12-17 254

16:18 542

18:19 666

19:12 542

19:21 206, 377, 723

21:1, 2 542

21:23 763

22:28, 29 95

24:16 670

28:9, 10 541

29:1 503

30:19 372

30:19, 20 313, 503

31:21 346

32:4 209, 255, 349

32:35 479

34:5, 6 518

34:6 716

JOSHUA

1:8 46

6:17 254

7:13 254

9:23 478

9:27 338

15:8 543

24:15 313

JUDGES

2:11-19 671

11:1-40 473

13:3-5 337

16:23, 24 536

16:30 538

17:6 499

19:22-25 191

21:25 499

1 SAMUEL

2:27-36 671

3:11-14 671

6:6 345

7:6 285

8:4-7 511

14:3 671

15:18, 33 254

15:23 735

15:26 264

16:7 333, 346

22:20 671

2 SAMUEL

7:12-16 273

7:12-17 467

7:23 575

23:2 23

1 KINGS

2:26, 27 671

8:1 277

9:21 478

19:14, 18 670

20:42 254

2 KINGS

5:1-27 671

22:13-20 671

23:10 543, 763

23:25-27 671

1 CHRONICLES

23:1-5 219

23:4 542

26:29 542

26:29, 30 219

29:5 266

29:14 266

29:23 273

2 CHRONICLES

2:6 703

6:18 703

19:2 479

19:6, 7 403

19:7 301

Chap. 20 442

20:3 286

28:3 543

33:6 543

EZRA

7:25, 26 542

8:21 285, 286

NEHEMIAH

4:14 491

ESTHER

4:3, 16 286

JOB

1:6-12 135

1:8-12 255

2:3-9 255

3:17-19 371

4:7, 8 255

5:14 202

7:21 318

12:13 205

14:4 206

14:13 318

17:13 318

27:5 136

31:29 479

38:31, 32 703

PSALMS

1:1, 2 45

1:1-6 660

2:1-6 561

2:1-9 497

2:2, 3 693

2:6-8 274

2:6-9 351

2:6-12 122, 123

2:7-9 561

6:5 318

8:1, 3, 4 243

8:6-9 243

11:4 282

13:3 318

14:1 63, 543, 675

14:3 722

14:7 89

15:4 479

16:10 518

18:1-3 701

18:25 683

19:1 208

22:22 188

24:1 90

25:1, 4, 5 334

26:9-11 142

29:2 19

33:8 20

33:10 391

33:12 46

34:3 334

35:13 285

35:27 348

36:9 22, 676

37:25 170

37:35-39 702

40:4 53

40:7, 8 101

40:8 38

41:1, 2 54

41:9 339

45:3 23

45:16 442, 758

49:7 206, 372

49:7-9 724

49:14 317, 464

49:15 372

50:5 755

51:5 206, 255

62:11 205

68:11 122

68:20 81

69:9 210

69:28 307

Ps. 72 436

74:2 277

78:2 455

83:2-5 691

83:18 231, 265

89:15, 16 55

89:27 499, 756

89:34-37 467

90:2 22, 511

92:7, 8 147

94:12 55

94:20, 21 693

97:2 205

98:1 178

104:24 208

106:4, 5 327

109:8 339

110:1 438, 467, 755

110:1, 2 90, 274, 646, 648, 689

110:1-3 75, 215

111:9 555

113:9 276

114:8 372

115:16 372

115:17 203, 318, 371

Ps. 118 182

118:1 182

118:14, 15 183

118:17 182

118:18 183

118:22 182, 309

118:24 183

118:26 639

118:27 183

119:9, 105 346

119:105 361

119:125-129 659

127:1 267

132:13 277

132:13, 14 189

138:1, 8 243

139:14 268, 343

139:21, 22 479

144:20a 445

Ps. 145 757

145:1 748

145:2 750, 761

145:3 750

145:4 751

145:5 752

145:6 752

145:7 753

145:8 754

145:9 755

145:9, 10, 15, 16 209

145:10 755

145:11, 12 756

145:13 756

145:14 757

145:15 758

145:16 758

145:17 759

145:19 760

145:20 760

145:21 760

146:3, 4 318

146:4 203, 371

147:11 348

149:4 348

PROVERBS

2:6 4, 58

3:5, 6 335

3:6 345

3:9 267

4:18 231, 621

6:6 261

6:6-11 213

8:13 243

8:22-30 101

8:22, 23, 29-31 177

8:35, 36 372

10:5 210

10:7 308

10:26 220

11:9 84

11:17 683

11:21 92

11:30 456

12:24 222

12:27 221

13:4 222

14:12 361

14:22 681

15:19 222

16:25 742

18:4 454

18:8 454

18:9 220

18:10 61

19:15, 24 213

20:4 210

20:5 453, 459

20:6, 7 56

21:2 361

21:25, 26 218

22:3 491

22:4 334

22:6 670

22:13 104, 217

22:29 217

23:7 343, 657

23:23 656

24:17 479

24:30-34 213

25:21 479

26:11, 12, 16 410

26:13 217

26:14-16 213

27:11 102, 268

27:11, 12 565

27:17 460

29:18 667

29:25 260

30:8, 9 60

30:15, 16 368

31:30 685

ECCLESIASTES

3:19-21 317, 371

5:9 374

7:12 171

7:15-18 62, 63

7:16 523

7:16, 17 62

7:27-29 63

7:29 350

8:11 345

9:4, 5, 10 317

9:5 371

9:5, 10 203, 363

9:10 371

9:11 255, 302, 340

10:18 213

11:4 104

12:12 658

ISAIAH

1:18 36, 656

1:18-20 728

1:26 502

2:2-4 638

2:4 203

6:8-12 570

6:10 345

7:14 309

8:9, 10 81

8:13 20

8:20 296

9:6 23, 249, 309, 758

9:6, 7 125, 430, 436

Chap. 12 183

12:2, 3, 6 183

12:5 183

14:4, 13, 14 431

24:5 214

24:6 346

25:6 350

26:1 178

26:20, 21 443

28:8 350

28:16 182, 309

28:17 454

29:13 742

31:1 81

32:1, 2 441

33:22 205, 496

33:24 203

34:5 254

35:5, 6 383, 487

35:10 504

40:3 215

40:6-8 668

40:15 628

40:22 341

40:26 208

40:28 208

41:22, 23 75

42:1 339

42:1-4 23

42:1, 6 309

43:10-12 231, 265, 308

44:6 31

44:28–45:13 500

45:1-4 339

45:4 336

45:9-13 723

45:18 368, 722

46:11 208, 341

46:13 301

48:22 700

49:8, 9 568

51:9 189

51:11-16 566

51:16 568, 600

52:11 76, 152, 618

53:3 88

53:4 255

54:1 277

54:2, 3 277

54:4-8 278

54:5 37

54:9, 10 278

54:11, 12 278

54:13 250, 276

54:13, 17 285

55:1 313

55:3 755

55:4 309

55:11 207, 341, 639

57:13-16 629

57:15 186

58:1-5 286

58:1-7 551

58:3, 5 285

58:6, 7 286

59:20 309

59:21 188, 569

60:1-16 635

60:1, 21, 22 122

60:2 202

60:22 218, 391

61:1, 2 11

61:1-3 221

61:1-7 634

61:2 570

61:3 494

62:2-4 308

62:4, 5 606

62:10 569

64:6 523

65:5 62

65:5, 6 524

65:11-15 629

65:17 83, 90, 178, 306

65:17-19, 21-23 443

65:25 715

66:1 626

66:1, 2 627

66:1, 2, 5 628

66:6-12 275

66:7, 8 598

66:7-9 567

66:8 276

66:10-14 633

66:22 570

JEREMIAH

1:5 337

1:5-7 291

2:13 714

3:14 247

5:30, 31 260

7:16 479

7:31, 32 543

8:9 264

8:20 457

10:6, 7, 10, 12, 11 241

10:23 345

11:14 479

16:16 747

16:19 373

23:16-32 260

23:29 662

25:29, 33 652

25:33 346, 763

25:33, 34 391

31:1 406

31:31, 32 248

31:32 352

31:33, 34 733

31:37 249

32:35 543

46:11 473

LAMENTATIONS

3:39, 40 45

EZEKIEL

3:17 265

3:18 639

3:26, 27 382

3:27 313

6:7, 10, 13, 14 575

7:27 314

9:1-4 471

9:4 75, 172, 265

9:6 314

11:19, 20 733

15:1-8 260

18:4, 20 363, 372, 444

18:20 670

18:21, 24, 31, 32 670

18:23, 31, 32 313

18:23, 32 348

21:21 239

21:24-27 273

21:25-27 436

21:27 439

24:27 382

27:12, 15, 20, 22 601

28:13-18 134

28:14 639

28:14-17 369

28:15 350

33:7, 11-15 313

33:11 348

33:12-16 308

34:2 652, 727

34:4-6 466

34:7-10 469

34:11-16 465

34:22-24 467

34:23 471

34:24 471

34:31 469

37:25-28 601

38:1-3 580, 599

38:3 596

38:3-8 602

38:6 597

38:7 604

38:7-9 598

38:10-16 599

38:16 604

38:17 603

38:18-23 605

39:1 596

39:1, 2 602

39:1-3 599

39:4 763

39:1-5, 17-20 606

39:6-8 605

39:9, 10 606

39:11-16 607

39:11-20 759

39:12 763

39:17-20 763

39:25-28 534

39:29 600

DANIEL

2:44 169, 231, 436, 646

Chap. 6 691

6:4, 5 691

6:5-8 692

6:10, 11 695

6:16 696

6:22, 23 699

6:24 699

Chap. 10 581

10:4-9 520

11:29-35 561

12:1 438

12:1, 10 123

12:13 318

HOSEA

2:2 248

2:7 248

4:1, 6 715

4:6 361, 652

8:7 457

13:14 318

JOEL

1:14 285

2:12-15 285

2:32 313

3:9-11 637

3:9-17 604

AMOS

3:1 247

3:2 247

8:11 172, 649, 714

9:1-4, 14, 15 703

9:11, 12 533

JONAH

3:5 285

MICAH

4:1-5 528

4:1, 2, 5 242

4:5 528, 536, 541

6:8 333

HABAKKUK

2:11 639

2:14 61, 91, 374, 715

2:20 282, 629

ZEPHANIAH

1:14 178, 220

1:14, 17, 18 702

2:1-3 326

2:2, 3 715

3:8 178, 701

3:9 231

3:14-17 183

3:14, 17 189

3:16, 17 218

HAGGAI

2:1-9 630

2:6, 7 625

2:7 632, 633, 636, 758

2:8 636

2:9 636, 637, 638

2:20-23 635

ZECHARIAH

1:14, 15 497

4:6 265

7:3-7 287

8:19 285, 287

8:19, 23 287

8:20-23 634

9:10 637

10:12 541

11:8 469

12:10 511

13:7 470

14:3-5 120

14:12 382

14:21 713

MALACHI

1:2, 3 338

1:11 157

3:1-3 215

3:1-6 282

3:6 86

MATTHEW

1:21 206

1:22, 23 309

1:25 42

3:16, 17 21

3:17 518

4:1, 2 286

4:4 60

4:7 491

4:8-10 23

4:23, 24 210

5:3 11

5:3, 6 260

5:4 11

5:5 11

5:6-9 241

5:7 12

5:11 62

5:11, 12 58

5:20 295

5:21 543

5:22 542, 543

5:27, 28 734

5:43 479

5:43-45 479

6:2 739

6:5-8, 16-18 551

6:9 533

6:9, 10 231, 252

6:16-18 287

7:1,2 682

7:2 683

7:12 195

7:13, 14 85, 143, 361

7:15 263

7:16, 17 213

7:16-20 255

7:20 308

7:21 308, 742

7:22, 23 713

7:28, 29 12, 516

8:16, 17 255

8:29 142

9:1 411

9:15 285, 287

9:35, 36 210

9:37 210

10:1-15 8

10:1–11:1 211

10:8, 9 709

10:11-15 9

10:14 488

10:16 9

10:16, 23 490

10:22 312

10:28 695

10:32 308

10:35 409, 670, 742

10:37 409

10:40 511

11:2-6 255

11:10 215

11:25 264, 533

12:5 414

12:25 37

12:30 361

12:32 72

12:34 10, 343

12:42 601

12:43-45 190

13:1-16, 36-43 211

13:13-15 383

13:14, 15 345

13:16, 17 758

13:23 350, 660

13:30, 39 555

14:10 261

14:13 210

14:14 210

15:1-9 62

15:3-9 734

15:6 304

15:14 260, 296, 743

15:19 343

15:24 411

16:1-4 117

16:6, 12 296

16:17 204

16:21 542

17:9 374

17:21 285, 287

18:3, 4 333

18:8-10 146

19:4-6 37

19:6 40

19:16-22 361

19:29 409

20:20-23 411

20:20-28 291

20:25-28 410

20:28 206, 209, 268, 378

21:13 281, 711

21:23, 31 62

22:14 305, 310

22:37-39 230

22:43, 44 467

23:1-3 293

23:2, 3 195

23:3 659

23:5 650

23:8-12 219

23:8, 10-12 410

23:13 296

23:16, 17 295

23:23 295

23:23-32 62

23:27, 28, 33 296

23:31-36 548

23:33 62

23:37, 38 313, 557, 726

23:38 560

Chap. 24 689

Chap. 24, 25 644

24:1-22 486

24:3 116, 211

24:3-14 498

24:3-21 447

24:3-25 561

24:3-39 528

24:7 123

24:9, 14 276

24:12 400, 760

24:13 312

24:14 73, 188, 215, 230, 268, 477, 639, 652

24:14-16, 37-39 265

24:14-22 559

24:15 561

24:15, 16 171, 326

24:21, 22 443, 604, 754

24:22 312, 689

24:30, 31 120

24:32-34 645

24:34 124, 751

24:36 23

24:45-47 215, 691, 758

24:45-51 39

Chap. 25 702

25:14-30 217

25:31, 32 122

25:31-33 142, 215

25:31-46 92, 283, 447, 601

25:34 125

25:40 562

25:40, 45 314, 511

26:26-28 153

26:31 470

26:39 210

26:52 491, 656

26:57, 59-68 542

26:64 122, 281

27:25 560, 671

27:46 511

27:54 511

28:19 76, 197

28:19, 20 73, 211, 245

28:20 438

MARK

1:38, 39 210

2:18-20 287

3:6 461

3:14, 15 245

3:20 210

4:38 517

5:1-16 190

5:6-13 190

6:2, 3 554

6:30-33 517

6:34 260

7:1-13 295

7:20-23 734

8:38 308

9:29 287

10:29, 30 172

11:12-14, 20 456

12:28-31 214

12:28-34 552

12:29-31 211

12:30, 31 5, 163

12:41-44 267

Chap. 13 644

13:9 542

13:22 312

14:30 339

16:9-20 262

16:12 519

LUKE

1:13-17 337

1:20, 22, 62-64 382

1:36, 58 42

2:7 42

2:8, 12 740

2:40 517

2:46, 47 291

3:7, 8 405

3:38 248

4:5-8 763

4:17-19 170

4:18, 19 221

4:28-31 491

4:42, 43 210

5:33-35 287

6:43-45 661

6:46 664

6:47, 48 665

7:30 295

8:2, 3 266

8:15 660

8:23 517

8:26-35 190

9:23 553

9:62 103, 221

10:1 542

10:1-17 211

10:2 210

10:5-7 411

10:17-21 8

10:20 307

10:25-37 479

10:38-42 171

11:23 75

11:27, 28 58

12:8 308

12:32 207

13:1-5 255, 340

13:6-9 455

14:11 334

14:12-14 739

14:12-15 3

16:9 172

16:14 295

17:20, 21 118

17:28-30 570

17:32 103, 220

17:32, 33 496

17:34, 35 409

18:8 700

18:9-14 62, 721

18:11-13 333

18:12 285

18:22 745

19:11, 12 252

19:22 569

19:37-40 639

19:41-44 559

20:25 40

Chap. 21 644

21:5, 6 556

21:16-24 558

21:20, 21 568

21:24 433, 439

21:24, 32 273

21:25, 26 81, 119

22:28-30 755

22:31, 32, 34 339

22:44 126

23:46 511

23:47, 48 511

24:13-32 519

24:17 511

24:27, 44, 45 309

24:32 516

24:36-39 519

JOHN

1:1 22, 206

1:1-3 248, 377

1:1-3, 10 209

1:3 389

1:14 206, 517

1:29 206, 378

1:36 283

2:12 42

2:17 210

3:13 374

3:16 496, 725

3:19-21 242

3:20 657

3:28 215

3:36 308, 343

4:6 517

4:14 730

4:14, 23 183

4:23, 24 730

4:24 204, 231

4:34 38, 210, 287, 456

5:1-16 414

5:17 208, 414

5:28 203

5:28, 29 207, 268, 318, 363

5:29 148

5:43 533

5:44 260

6:15 170

6:26, 27 170

6:27-29, 40 26

6:38 210

6:40 31

6:41-47 251, 279

6:57 22

6:58 663

6:59, 66 251

6:63 668

6:64, 70, 71 339

6:68 6, 663

7:5 41

7:21 414

7:22 414

7:22-24 414

8:1-11 262

8:31, 32 251

8:32 202

8:32, 45, 46 209

8:37-45 344

8:42-47 658

8:44 363, 370

8:51 207

9:1-3 254

9:4 210, 414

9:4, 5 26

9:38 255

10:16 84, 249, 283, 471, 619

10:22 615

10:30 22

10:34-36 23

11:11-23 318

11:26 207

12:28 533

12:42, 43 296

12:44-50 250

12:48 662

13:11, 18-30 339

13:34, 35 152, 211, 410

14:2 360

14:2-4 439

14:10 37

14:16, 17 24

14:19 447, 648

14:23 46

14:26 23

14:28 22

14:30 439

15:1-3 456

15:1, 5 211

15:8 18

15:13, 14 7

15:17-21 692

15:20 188

15:26 23

16:2 692

17:3 313, 344, 663, 715, 752

17:4 210

17:6 575

17:6, 11, 12, 26 533

17:15-21 247

17:16 214

17:17 618

17:18 554

17:20-23 22

17:21-23 37

17:23 187

18:28-40 542

18:36 732

18:37 209, 268

19:1-16 542

19:7 542

19:12-16 560

19:15 75

19:37 511

20:14-16 519

20:26 115

20:29-31 519

21:15-17 746

21:17-19 339

ACTS

1:3 252

1:5 23

1:6, 7 252

1:8 252, 639

1:9 281

1:11 115, 253, 447

1:13, 14 41

2:1-4 23

2:4 24

2:7, 8, 11 230

2:11 25

2:23 339

2:23, 36-42 511

2:31 518

2:41, 42 245

3:6 253

3:14 560

3:19-26 253

3:23 363

4:1-3 253

4:13 554

4:19, 20 749

4:24-30 561

4:27, 28 339

4:27-30 560

5:17 461

5:27-29 542

5:29 20, 409, 497

5:29-32 749

5:34 294

5:38-40 702

6:11-15 542

7:1, 54-60 542

7:6 159

7:38 246

7:54-60 344

7:60 318

8:1, 4 555

8:17-23 230

9:4, 5 447

9:7 382

9:8, 9, 17, 18 382

9:17, 18 518

9:26, 27 607

10:24-26 395

10:30 287

10:34, 35 314, 402, 409

12:17 42

13:1-4 607

13:2 285

13:2, 3 287

13:8-11 382

13:38, 39 724

13:48 346

14:14 607

14:23 287

15:13-18 534

15:14 336, 540

15:14-21 42

15:17, 18 340

15:18 336, 340

15:36 747

16:1-3 291

17:2, 3 189

17:5-8 62

17:11 623

17:22 237

17:26, 27 335, 402

17:27 260

19:6 230

19:23-41 238

20:27 6

20:28 6

20:29 6

20:29, 30 357, 432

20:29-32 661

20:31 6

20:34 6

20:35 6, 267

22:9 382

23:6 294

24:5, 6 62

24:15 318

28:25-27 345

ROMANS

1:20 75, 208

1:21-23 375

1:25 716

1:32 284

2:4 753

2:4, 5 345

2:6 222, 314, 670

2:11 301

2:12 378

2:12-16 348

2:28, 29 336

3:4 506

3:4, 22-26 753

3:10 372

3:21, 22 378

3:24 311

3:25, 26 436

4:7, 8 379

4:15 376

5:1 207

5:1, 2 378, 436

5:6 207

5:9 311

5:10, 11 725, 733

5:12 206, 255, 372, 722

5:14 368, 375

5:15 378

5:17 379

5:18, 19 379

6:11-13 380

6:16 313

6:22 380

6:23 301, 364, 372, 445

7:25 671

8:13 370

8:28 340

8:29, 30 304, 305

8:30 305

9:6 336

9:6-8 184

9:11 255, 338

9:11, 16 185

9:13 338

9:17 179, 185, 689

9:17, 18 604

9:21-24 344

9:31, 32 185

10:4 724

10:5-10 666

10:8-15 260

10:10 663

10:12-15 759

10:13 313

10:14, 17 314

11:6 314

11:17-21, 25, 26 336

11:20-23 726

11:26 89

12:2 264, 343, 661, 734

12:11 222

12:17, 19 479

13:1 212

13:11 220

13:11, 12, 14 665

13:12 381

13:12, 13 677

14:5, 6 287

14:17 99

15:1 221

15:1-4 690

15:4 203

15:4-6 251

15:16 618

16:17, 18, 20 413

16:20 583, 605, 647

1 CORINTHIANS

1:10-13 412

1:20 713

1:22 237

1:22, 23 119

1:26-29, 31 264

2:10 23

2:10, 12 204

2:14-16 700

3:6, 7 186

3:8 187

3:9 222

3:11-15 72

4:4 728

4:5 662

4:8 647

4:9, 16 555

4:16 221

5:6 362, 742

5:7 723

6:14 31

6:19, 20 310

7:3-5 41

7:5 287

7:5, 29-31 287

7:9 95

7:23 310

7:29-31 41

7:31 507, 555

8:5, 6 530

8:6 209

9:27 312

10:1-4 157

10:11 690

10:13 147

10:16 153

10:31 750

11:1 221

11:3 23, 37

12:4-6 245

12:13 359

12:18-20, 27 219

12:18, 26-28 245

12:19-22 624

13:4, 5 5

13:4-8 40

13:8 230

14:20 18

15:7 42

15:8 518

15:18 373

15:20 31

15:22 255

15:32 240

15:44, 45, 47, 49-52 280

15:54, 55 381

15:56 380

15:58 27, 222

16:1, 2 709

16:2 267

2 CORINTHIANS

2:14-16 351

2:16, 17 731

2:17 652, 709

3:5, 6 732

3:18 187

4:2 711

4:4 75, 135, 185, 363, 383, 596, 698

4:7 21

5:18 721

5:18, 19 731

5:18-21 733

5:20 11, 496, 733

6:1 222

6:2 689, 690

6:5 287

6:14-16 262

6:14-18 744

7:9, 10 504

8:12 266

8:23 607

9:1-5 709

9:6, 7 10

9:7 267, 709, 713

10:3-5 505

10:4, 5 454, 664

11:2 37, 95, 246

11:13-15 263

12:1-4 231

13:8 388

GALATIANS

1:17-19 607

1:18, 19 42

3:16 248

3:16, 29 306, 337

3:17 159

3:19 246

3:19-25 724

3:19, 24 376

3:28 413

3:29 207

4:4 206

4:4, 5 377

4:4-7 249

4:26 248

4:26, 27 277

5:7 185

5:19-21 212

5:22 230

5:24 287

6:5 662

6:5, 7-9 314

6:6 459

6:7 670

6:9 221

6:14 495

6:15, 16 336

EPHESIANS

1:1 127

1:4, 5 305

1:17, 18 204

1:18 447

2:1-7 281

2:8, 9 314

2:11-22 336

2:15 709

2:19-22 279

3:5-9, 18-20 204

3:20 346

4:1-3 335

4:8, 11, 12 555

4:11, 12 218

4:13 231

4:14 204

4:16 204

4:22-24 26, 343, 734

4:25 502

4:26, 27 501, 543

5:3 734

5:3, 4 335

5:6-11 284

5:16 457, 623

5:22-25, 28-31, 33 40

6:1-3 408

6:5-9 413

6:6-8 220

6:10-17 191

6:10-20 666

6:12 605

6:13 660

6:17 661, 667

PHILIPPIANS

1:1 246

1:27, 28 701

2:1-11 22

2:5-8 38

2:5-11 209

2:5-16 61

2:7 206

2:9-11 543

2:12-15 27

2:14-16 261

2:15 214

2:25 607

3:13, 14 728

3:13-16 19, 204

4:3 307

4:7 202

4:8 36, 734

COLOSSIANS

1:12, 13 500

1:15 22, 206

1:16 209

2:5 662

2:8 262

2:13, 14 709

2:18, 23 335

2:20-23 287, 551

3:5 287

3:5-10 734

3:5-11 715

3:5, 9, 10 264

3:8-10 27

3:9, 10 343

3:17 27

3:23 750

3:23, 24 222

4:16 127

1 THESSALONIANS

1:9 241

2:9 710

4:3 617

4:13-18 280, 281

4:14 318

4:15, 16 441

5:3 391, 605, 699

5:5 381

5:6-9 667

5:20, 21 623

5:21 24, 505

5:22 40

2 THESSALONIANS

1:6-9 699

1:6-10 447

2:8 447

2:9-12 383

3:7-12 220

1 TIMOTHY

1:3, 4 408

1:11 3

2:3, 4 729

2:5, 6 206

2:6 209

2:14 205

3:1 555

3:1-6 57

3:12 555

3:16 22

4:10 221

4:12 291

4:13-16 731

4:15, 16 204, 221

4:16 313, 350

6:1, 2 413

6:3, 4 664

6:16 518

6:17-19 485

2 TIMOTHY

1:9 314

1:12-14 664

2:2 555

2:4, 15 222

2:10 312

2:15 313, 623

2:20-22 344

3:1-5 36, 213, 629

3:1-6 400

3:1-7 142

3:1-13 644

3:1-5, 13 346

3:5 553

3:8 344

3:16 363

3:16, 17 714

4:2 457, 555, 702

4:3 553, 714

4:6-8 312, 439

4:7, 8 279, 312

4:8 280

TITUS

1:16 745

2:11-14 222

2:14 209

HEBREWS

1:1-3 249

1:3 23, 511

1:6 23

1:8, 9 23

1:9 204

1:13 646

2:1 623

2:6-9 243

2:10, 17, 18 437

2:14 377

2:15 81

2:17, 18 517

3:1 607

3:14 312

4:12 346, 657, 662, 663, 671

4:13 667, 671

4:15 209

5:8, 9 209, 437

5:9 313

5:12 13

5:13, 14 14

5:14 204

6:1 18, 204

6:4-6 311

6:10-12 222

6:11, 12 15

7:7 23

7:27 311

8:7-13 249

9:11, 12 174

9:11-14 175

9:25, 26 306, 311

9:26 557

10:5 377

10:7 38

10:12, 13 647

10:25 400

10:26-29 311, 728

10:26, 38, 39 287

10:39 350, 663

11:6 87

11:8-10, 13-16 374

11:10 91

11:11 685

11:11, 39, 40 687

11:34 659

11:39 374

12:2 274

12:2, 3 210

12:7, 11 55

12:8 363

12:13 345

12:14 619

12:18-28 435

12:26-28 631

12:26-29 120

12:29 20

13:9 204

13:15 214

JAMES

1:1 43

1:5 729

1:14, 15 369, 734

1:14, 15, 21, 22 244

1:17 205

1:18 663

1:22 313

1:25 58

1:27 214, 231, 394, 618

2:1-9 412, 554

2:14-26 220

2:17 76

2:18-26 27, 314

3:15 713

3:16, 17 412

3:17 301

4:1-4 495

4:4 713

4:6, 10 335

4:13-15 334

4:17 163

Chap. 5 645

1 PETER

1:10-12 251

1:14, 15 727

1:18, 19 206, 310

1:19 518

1:20 339

1:22-25 668

1:23-25 61

2:1-3 19

2:5 279

2:5, 6 441

2:6, 7 182

2:9 214

2:9, 10 337

2:11 287

2:21 26, 264, 350, 745

3:13-15 54

3:18 518

4:3, 4 240

4:12 350

4:15 63

4:17 215

5:2, 3 221, 410

5:5, 6 333

5:8 647

2 PETER

1:10 312

1:5-10 204

1:19-21 251, 666

1:21 23

2:1 357

2:1-3 310

2:3, 4 142

2:5 250

2:20-22 287, 310

3:1-4 93

3:3, 4 645

3:5-7, 13 306

3:9 209, 729

3:13 84, 203, 207, 283, 494, 555, 571, 646

3:15 51, 754

1 JOHN

2:8 381

2:15-17 495, 618

2:17 555

3:2 519

3:4 163, 376

3:10-12 284

4:8 205, 268

4:16 681

4:18 701

5:3 348

5:7 21, 262

5:17 163

5:19 373

JUDE

vs 9 518, 716

vs 12 456

vs 20 502

REVELATION

1:1 646

1:5, 18 356

1:7 116, 447, 511

1:8 31

1:17 31

1:18 381

2:8 31, 356

2:10 261, 280, 312

2:17 308

2:23 339, 347

3:5 307, 308

3:11, 16 312

3:12 308

3:14 22, 389, 543

3:15, 16 456

4:8 31

4:11 348

6:2 182

6:10 374

Chap. 7 283

7:1 186

7:4-8 337

7:9 285, 337, 346, 441

7:9-15 471

7:9-17 619, 752

7:10, 14 337

7:14 689

9:16 698

11:1-13 511

11:15-18 123, 687

11:15-19 282, 629

11:18 91, 374

Chap. 12 123, 142, 275, 689

Chaps. 12, 16 645

12:1-5 561

12:1, 2, 5 274

12:1, 5 439

12:3, 4 440

12:3, 5, 7 180

12:5 468, 740

12:7-9 90, 582

12:7-10 275

12:7-17 583

12:9 373

12:9, 12 119

12:10 180

12:11, 17 183

12:12, 17 400

12:13, 17 276

12:17 181, 696

13:8 306, 307, 339

13:15-17 75

14:1 533

14:1-4 305, 337

14:9, 10 75

14:13 308

15:3 180

16:13 583

16:13, 14 657

16:13-16 180

16:14 400, 700

16:14-16 265

16:14, 16 326, 569

Chap. 17 582

17:1, 2 212

17:8 307

17:8, 11 582

17:9-11 562

17:14 312, 437

17:16, 17 564

18:4 220, 265

19:6, 7 274

19:7 37, 504

19:10 395

19:11 181

19:17-21 606, 759, 763

19:19, 20 582

19:20 543, 583

20:1-3 142, 555, 605

20:1-3, 7 596

20:4 261

20:4-6 89

20:5, 6 207

20:7-10 444

20:8 596

20:10 583

20:10, 14, 15 543

20:13 314

20:14, 15 606

21:1-5 147, 555

21:3, 6, 7 31

21:4 203, 381

21:5 556

21:8 543, 606

21:27 307

22:12 31

22:13 31

22:15, 16 31

22:17 4, 183, 313, 652, 755

[Footnotes]

Subject Index for “The Watchtower,” 1953

Admissions of Failure 571

African Tour—Sierra Leone First Stop 105

Ami Tribe of Southeast Formosa, The 688

Appreciating The Watchtower 526

Are Images an Aid to True Worship? 393

Assembling with the New World Society 400

Assessing the Blame for Communist Evil 509

At Least as Bad as Hitler 88

Attack by Gog of Magog, The 581

Awakening the Sleepers 579

‘Be Cautious as Serpents’ 488

Be Clothed with Humility 333

“Become Reconciled to God” 721

Bible and Medical Science, The 451

Bible, an Ornament or a Light? The 112

Bible—but Only the Desirable Parts, The 383

Bible Truth Makes Free 201

Broad Road of Religious Divisions, The 357

Can Christians Learn from Hinduism? 677

Ceremony Is a Religious One, The 428

Choosing New World Life 94

Christian Holiday? A 687

Christianity Advances in Northern Rhodesia and Ethiopia 328

Christ’s Second Presence No False Alarm 644

Clerical Wishful Thinking 707

Cleveland’s Loss Is New York City’s Gain 28

Comments on New World Society Assembly 717

Commercializing the Word of God 709

Corresponding Ransom, The 205

Crafty Promoters of Religion 649

Creating Counterfeit Christianity 553

“Czech Reds Persecute Jehovah’s Witnesses” 595

Day for Salvation, The 689

Death—An Enlarged Continuation of Life? 317

Delighting to Do God’s Will 101

Deliverance to a Righteous World 81

Did Christ Institute the Mass? 155

Dispelling the Spirit of Complaint 52

Divine Name of First Importance, The 421

Does Common Sense Demand a Purgatory? 69

Does Nigeria Fear the Truth? 197

Does Sin Mean Progress? 163

Doing the Work Approved by God 208

“Do Not Loiter at Your Business” 215

Everlasting Praise Due the New World’s Sovereign 748

Examining Islamic Teachings 653

Exclusive God, The 241

Expansion of Pure Worship in Nigeria 109

Fear of the Sovereign Jehovah 20

Filling the House with Glory 625

Fleshly Body of Jesus, The 517

Flight to Safety with the New World Society 556

Foreknowledge Compatible with Free Will 341

Gathering Men of All Nations into One Flock 464

Generosity Enriches 611

“Get a Firm Hold on the Real Life” 485

Gilead’s Tenth Year—Twentieth Graduation 236

God’s Loving Way 268

“God’s Will Shall Prevail in Our Lives” 684

Gold Coast Comments, The 719

Gold Coast Stoops to Religious Discrimination 165

Greater Happiness of Giving, The 460

Happiness in Giving 3

Happiness of Kingdom Ambassadors 8

Helping Prisoners to Secure Freedom 527

“How Do You Make a Convert?” 99

How Our Money Can Praise God 265

How True Christians Serve God 745

Human Soul, Mortal or Immortal? The 444

Indifference and Contempt for Religion 148

Integrity Leads to Life 140

Is Compromise Excusable? 483

Is Monastery Life Christian? 549

James, the Brother of Jesus 41

Jehovah: Husband, Father and Teacher 247

Jehovah, Not a Primitive Concept 547

Jehovah’s Witnesses Neither Capitalists nor Communists 428

Johannesburg Triumphant Assembly 269

“Keeping a Tight Grip on the World of Life” 261

Keeping the Flock Clean 152

Kingdom Hall Stoning Protested 520

Language Barrier and the “Pure Language,” The 229

Launching the Kingdom Government 429

Letter from Kyoto 392

Life Through Accurate Knowledge 713

‘Like a Mighty Army’ 100

Living Now as a New World Society 492

Living Word, The 657

Loyalty to Theocratic Organization 669

Maccabees or Asmonéans, The 613

“Make Sure of All Things” 505

Making Your Decision 73

Marriage Copied from Divine Patterns 37

Maturity Brings Happiness 13

Maturity by the Spirit 204

Memorializing Christ’s Death 153

Mental Breakdown, The 35

Mercy for the Merciful 681

Misrepresentation Misfires 575

Missionaries and “Missionaries” 315

Modern Knowledge Vindicates the Bible 675

Monastic Essenes, The 521

Narrow Way Leads to Life, The 360

Never Heard of Bible or God 151

New World Society Assembly 323

New World Society Assembly (Report) 584

New World Society Attacked from the Far North 580

Nigerian Freedom of Worship Upheld 525

No General Motors of Religion! 524

Organizing for Increase in Liberia 149

Pastor Quits for Conscience’ Sake 367

Peace Measure? A 387

Philippine Men Shame Bigots 510

Political Expediency or Principle? 419

Posthaste “to the Mountains!” 565

Power for Life and Service 663

Preaching the Good News in South Africa 232

Predestination and Jehovah’s Foreknowledge 336

Predestination or Individual Choice—Which? 301

Priest-led Mob in Cyprus Foiled 29

Priestly Advocate of Error Discomfited 67

Principle Ignored 800 Years 619

Recovery of Rituals 172

Religion in Ancient Greece 237

Religious Bird Fails to Snatch Seed 396

Religious Pretext for Vain Show 355

Resolution 507

Rule of King Death, The 368

Rule of King Death Broken, The 375

Sadducees of Jesus’ Day, The 461

“Saint Displayed, A” 716

St. Peter’s the Site of Peter’s Tomb? 425

Sanctification, a Christian Requirement 617

Sarah, Comely Woman of Faith 685

Saved from Wrath to Come 89

Scriptures, Reason and the Trinity, The 21

Seed Sown in Gold Coast Yields Ninetyfold 572

Selfish Christmas 739

Shadows of Family Unity Hold Forth Promise 401

Sharing in the Prosperity of God’s People 327

Should the Religions Unite? 741

Showing Appreciation at Assemblies 397

Singing Fighters 177

Singing Lesson, A 184

Sleeping Pills from the Pulpit 68

Social Agencies as Delinquency’s Foes 446

Standing on Street Corners 526

Studying The Watchtower 457

Study to Be Fruitful 452

Sucklings Surpass the Preacher 656

Supernatural Religion a Superstition? 643

Sure Guide, The 296

Swiss Priest Fails to Intimidate Witness 415

Syrian Girl Recognizes Shepherd’s Voice 744

Taking the Popular Side? 680

Taught by Jehovah 273

Temple Teaching 279

Tens of Thousands of Years Wrong! 396

“The Truth Will Set You Free” 316

The Watchtower—a Bible Study Aid 620

“They Say but Do Not Perform” 195

Threats Fail to Intimidate “Sheep” 761

Tolerant or Apathetic? 176

Too Big for God? 389

Too Many “Witnesses” 477

Transmitting God’s Word 77

True Worship in Nyasaland and Southern Rhodesia 297

True Worship Progresses in Northern Africa and on the Iberian Peninsula 365

Unhappy Complainers 45

U.N. a Modern Noah’s Ark? The 326

Unity in New World Living a Reality 407

“Walk in the Name of Jehovah Our God for Ever” 528

Watch Out for the Pharisees! 293

What Has Happened to Religion? 300

What Has Happened to the Parents? 446

What Is Practical? 169

When an Understatement Serves as a Lie 191

When Will God’s Kingdom Come? 113

Which Papers Do You Read? 638

Which Side Are the Churches On? 624

Who Knows True Worship? 552

Why Maturity Is Lacking 259

Why Professed Christians Lack Zeal 227

Why Seminaries Weaken Faith 515

Why the Struggle to Keep Integrity? 134

Words That Mean Life 60

“Work the Works of God” 25

World’s Integrity on the Wane, The 131

Worshiping Jehovah in Holiness 720

“Your Sins Are Forgiven You” 173

Youth No Bar to the Ministry 291