The Watchtower — June 15, 1956

The Book of Books

“OH GIVE me that Book! At any price give me that Book of God. Here is knowledge enough for me. Let me be a man of one Book.” That one book, the greatest of all books that John Wesley so desired, is God’s Word the Bible. Men in all ages, of all nationalities and in all walks of life have sung the praises of the Book of books.

George Washington, the first president of the United States, hailed the Bible in these words: “It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible . . . He is worse than an infidel who does not read his Bible and acknowledge his obligation to God.”

President John Adams called the Bible “the best Book in the world.” President Thomas Jefferson had this to say: “I have always said and always will say that the studious perusal of the Sacred Volume will make better citizens, better fathers, better husbands . . . The Bible makes the best people in the world.”

President Abraham Lincoln considered time studying the Bible well spent: “I am profitably engaged in reading the Bible. Take all of this Book upon reason that you can, and the balance by faith, and you will live and die a better man.”

President Theodore Roosevelt remarked: “To every man who faces life with real desire to do his part in everything, I appeal for a study of the Bible.” President Woodrow Wilson closely linked the destiny of America with the daily study of the Bible. “I have a very simple thing to ask of you,” he said. “I ask every man and woman in this audience that from this day on they will realize that part of the destiny of America lies in their daily perusal of this great Book.”

President John Quincy Adams saw in the Bible a storehouse of wisdom, knowledge and virtue. Of himself he said: “My custom is to read four or five chapters of the Bible every morning immediately after rising. . . . It seems to me the most suitable manner of beginning the day . . . It is an invaluable and inexhaustible mine of knowledge and virtue.” General Douglas MacArthur prefers to do his reading before going to bed: “Believe me, sir, never a night goes by, be I ever so tired, but I read the Word of God before I go to bed.” Daniel Webster, statesman, lawyer and student of literature, recalled: “From the time that, at my mother’s feet or on my father’s knee, I first learned to lisp the verses from the sacred writings, they have been my daily study and vigilant contemplation.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson called the Bible “the most original book in the world.” The Scottish national poet Robert Burns said: “I have taken tooth and nail to the Bible and am got through the Five Books of Moses and halfway in Joshua; it is really a glorious book.” The Scottish essayist and historian Thomas Carlyle called the book of Job “one of the grandest things ever written with pen.” The English poet and prose writer Walter Savage Landor declared that the Bible “contains more specimens of genius and taste than any other volume in existence.” Sir Isaac Newton, natural philosopher and mathematician, stated: “I find more sure marks of authenticity in the Bible than in any profane history whatever.”

The American educator William Lyon Phelps once said: “I thoroughly believe in a university education for men and women, but I believe a knowledge of the Bible without a college course is more valuable than a college course without the Bible.” And ex-President Herbert Hoover stated: “The study of the Bible is a post-graduate course in the richest library of human experience.”

The Bible is much more. “The Scriptures contain a declaration of the mind and will of God . . . They ought also to be read, believed and fulfilled in our day. We accept them as the words of God Himself,” said William Penn. Merchant John Wanamaker had this to say: “I cannot too greatly emphasize the importance and value of Bible study—more important than ever before in these days of uncertainties, when men and women are apt to decide questions from the standpoint of expediency rather than upon the eternal principles laid down by God Himself.”

American statesman, scientist and philosopher Benjamin Franklin advised: “Cultivate an acquaintance with a firm belief in the Holy Scriptures. This is your certain interest.” William E. Gladstone, statesman, recognized that the Bible builds real men. “I have known ninety-five great men of the world in my time,” he said, “and of these, eighty-seven were all followers of the Bible.”

The Bible’s Author gave this counsel: “This book of the law should not depart from your mouth and you must in an undertone read in it day and night in order that you may take care to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way successful and then you will act wisely.”—Josh. 1:8, NW.

A psalmist praised the wisdom of this counsel: “Oh how love I thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thy commandments make me wiser than mine enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers; for thy testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, because I have kept thy precepts. I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might observe thy word. I have not turned aside from thine ordinances; for thou hast taught me.”—Ps. 119:97-102, AS.

A prophet and king, Jesus Christ, hailed the words of God as truth: “Your word is truth.” He said that “every utterance coming forth through Jehovah’s mouth” was necessary for life.—John 17:17; Matt. 4:4, NW.

The apostles of Jesus Christ also praised the Word of God. Paul declared: “All Scripture is inspired of God and beneficial for teaching, for reproving, for setting things straight, for disciplining in righteousness, that the man of God may be fully competent, completely equipped for every good work.” And Peter added: “The word spoken by Jehovah endures forever.”—2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 1 Pet. 1:25, NW.

Getting and Giving the Thoughts of God

Since the maker is greater than what it makes, the human brain is superior to the thoughts it produces. And it follows that the God who made our brain is far greater than it is, and his thoughts are more lofty than ours.

WORDS are the bullets used in the war for men’s minds, and they are fired from every weapon in the arsenals of propaganda. They incessantly drum on our ears and seek to fill our minds with the thoughts and promises of men. In tireless waves they come to brainwash everyone into conformity, dissolving and rinsing from the mind any thoughts that contradict their message. If they can deluge the mind continually other thoughts will have no room, will be crowded out. That is the strategy of the sustained fire of these verbal bullets, the purpose of their churning in like the ocean surf. And different groups fire at our minds with different doctrines, deluge us with varying propagandas.

But whose thoughts are right? Whose contain the highest wisdom? Whose words will prove to be true? Whose promises will be fulfilled? Do you know any man who is completely free of all wickedness, who is wholly righteous? Jesus said: “Nobody is good, except one, God.” Paul quoted: “There is not a righteous man, not even one.” Hence the Bible counsels: “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto Jehovah.” Why to Jehovah God? Listen: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith Jehovah. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts. For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, and giveth seed to the sower and bread to the eater; so shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.”—Mark 10:18; Rom. 3:10, NW; Isa. 55:7-11, AS.

When God created man he gave man a brain capable of thought. Some of the thoughts of man are beautiful and wise and reflect the marvels of the brain able to conceive them. But Jehovah made this brain. It is the product of his thinking, only a minute reflection of his limitless wisdom. Man’s loftiest thoughts must always be light-years below God’s thoughts, just as the earth is below the incomprehensible heights of the heavens. Only a vain fool would try to compete with God’s thinking. A grasshopper would have more chance of outwitting a man. Jehovah’s thoughts are infallible. His word is always true, finding fulfillment, never returning to him void. Its expressed purpose is always accomplished, just as the falling rain and snow fulfill their mission to water the earth to make it produce food for man and beast.

Each passing year piles higher the rubbish heap of man’s broken promises and erroneous thoughts, but “the word spoken by Jehovah endures forever.” By getting the thoughts of God we can get wisdom that is higher and more reliable than man’s. Jehovah’s words will guide us in the right way and we can hold on to them with confidence: “The words of the wise are like goads; and collections which are given by one teacher are like nails driven with a sledge.” In ancient times goads, long sticks with iron points, were used to keep oxen moving in the right direction. Wise words from God will keep us moving in the right way, and if we stray into wicked ways they will prick our conscience and cause us to change our course. Like nails sledged into a board, these wise words given by the one true God, Jehovah, will hold fast and support us, steady and stabilize us. Jesus said he did not speak his own thoughts but those of God, and that any who heard and obeyed those sayings were like a discreet man who built his house on a rock foundation. Men who refused to do this were building on sand and when the storm came their houses would collapse. Any who build their hope on the promises of men are building on sand.—1 Pet. 1:25, NW; Eccl. 12:11, AT.

GETTING THE THOUGHTS OF GOD

Jehovah’s created works declare his glory and power and reflect his wisdom, but they do not convey to us his specific thoughts or precepts. These we must get from his words recorded in the Bible. Will you receive those words, listen to them, try to understand them? “My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and lay up my commandments with thee; so as to incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply my heart to understanding; yea, if thou cry after discernment, and lift up thy voice for understanding; if thou seek her as silver, and search for her as for hid treasures: then shalt thou understand the fear of Jehovah, and find the knowledge of God. For Jehovah giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding: he layeth up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to them that walk in integrity.” So we must seek and search out his thoughts by studying the Bible, for it is in that book that he has laid up sound wisdom for us. To know and understand his thoughts will shield our mind from the brainwashing propagandas of worldly men.—Prov. 2:1-7, AS.

As a man thinks, so is he. Changed thinking changes the man, but no apparent change is genuine if the thinking remains the same. To serve Jehovah one must oust the thoughts of men that contradict the thoughts of God. Any conversion short of this is only surface sham. “Put away the old personality which conforms to your former course of conduct,” Paul said, adding: “Be made new in the force actuating your mind.” It is an accurate knowledge of God’s thoughts that makes us over: “Strip off the old personality with its practices, and clothe yourselves with the new personality which through accurate knowledge is being renewed.” We are no longer shaped by worldly thinking and propaganda: “Quit being fashioned after this system of things, but be transformed by making your mind over, that you may prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and complete will of God.”—Eph. 4:22, 23; Col. 3:9, 10; Rom. 12:2, NW.

Note the admonition, “Prove to yourselves.” If you can prove to yourself from the Bible the thoughts of God you have adopted, no brainwashing will sweep them from your mind. It is not enough to know what you believe; know why you believe it. The U.S. News & World Report, February 24, 1956, published an interview with an army major on the subject, “Why Did Many GI Captives Cave In?” He said an amazing one third of all the American prisoners became either Communist sympathizers or collaborators during their stay in Communist prison camps. The reason he gave was that they had no thorough knowledge of democratic principles and lacked real loyalties and convictions based on deep understanding. When asked about those with religious convictions, he said if those convictions were deep and were a part of their daily life the men could resist successfully, but if their religion was a “foxhole religion” picked up on the battlefield during an intense emotional experience or crisis it did not sustain them over a long period of time. It was not really a part of them. It must be “an active, working, practical, meaningful moral code of their own, not just a set of abstract ideas, but a way of living among others.”

An article in the New York Times Magazine, May 9, 1954, discussed Communist brainwashing techniques and concluded: “There is only one form of immunization against the totalitarian attack on human convictions.” That one way was shown to be having deep convictions and thorough understanding of your belief. Otherwise, the article said, you “will become an easy and willing victim, howling with the wolves in the woods.” Jesus spoke of wolves in sheep’s clothing trying to rob men of their faith in God by lying propagandas, and Revelation 16:14 (NW) speaks of the lies of Satan and his organization by which men are herded into a fight with God: “They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” So to resist the brainwashing propagandas of Satan and his world system, we must thoroughly study God’s Word, get his thoughts, entrench them through knowledge and understanding, and apply them in our daily lives.

GIVING THE THOUGHTS OF GOD

One of God’s words or commands is to preach his thoughts to others. We must apply this in our lives. It will help entrench his thoughts deeper in our own minds while we impart them to others. And though getting these thoughts of God brought us much happiness and contentment of mind, we shall find that giving them to others brings even greater happiness, just as Paul quoted Jesus as saying: “There is more happiness in giving than there is in receiving.”—Acts 20:35, NW.

To preach effectively we must have a good knowledge of God’s thoughts and we must study to present them with force and conviction. Our words of preaching must enter minds already filled with words of worldly propagandas, with the thoughts of worldly men. Ours must be powerful and convincing to crowd out what is already there. Paul said: “The weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things. For we are overturning reasonings and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ.” Erroneous thoughts of men are entrenched in many minds. Often these thoughts are contrary to Jehovah’s Word. These falsehoods must be overturned before those minds can think the thoughts of God and conform their ideas to the teachings of Christ Jesus.—2 Cor. 10:4, 5, NW.

Though these thoughts are worth far more than silver or gold, it is difficult to give them away. By his flood of propaganda “the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through.” Satan keeps millions in the dark by filling their mind so full of trivialities and falsehoods that no room remains for enlightening truths about Jehovah. Through his demonic mental assaults Satan thinks for these millions, implanting his thoughts in their mind and filling their heart with his ways, yet doing it so subtly that they think these thoughts are their own. We usually believe what we want to believe, and one thing we like to believe is that we do our own thinking. Hence it is not too hard for clever propagandists to make us think their thoughts are ours. They plant the thought and nourish it, but do it so subtly that we think it is our own.—2 Cor. 4:4, NW.

“We may not be overreached by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his designs.” We should know the clever tricks of his propagandists. They are many, but to mention just one, unsavory labels are stuck on anything that they oppose. If one is intellectual he is an egghead. If he likes good music he is a longhair. If he has good manners he is a sissy. If he reads good books he is a bookworm. If he takes his true worship seriously he is a fanatic. But if he breezes airily by the better things, not being overly serious, he is a regular fellow. But to be pushed around by such social pressure, to be shoved and maneuvered by a fear of labels, is to show a pathetic immaturity, an inability to think for ourselves, a lack of intelligent convictions. We should gain accurate knowledge for ourselves, “in order that we should no longer be babes, 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.”—2 Cor. 2:11; Eph. 4:14, NW.

Why be tricked by crafty men into adopting their thoughts, especially when those men have themselves been snared by Satan and pumped full of his poisonous subtleties and like ventriloquists’ dummies chatter them out under his unseen direction? Why allow yourself to be brainwashed by dupes oblivious to their own mental bondage? The brains of millions need a washing, but not with the political or religious propagandas of this system of things under Satan. Rather, everyone needs regular cleansings “with the bath of water by means of the word” of Jehovah God, to get his thoughts instead of man’s or Satan’s. Then all will rest content in the highest possible wisdom: “The wisdom from above is first of all chaste, then peaceable, reasonable, ready to obey, full of mercy and good fruits, not making partial distinctions, not hypocritical.”—Eph. 5:26; Jas. 3:17, NW.

Nobody but Jehovah’s Witnesses

The April 16, 1956, Newsweek published an interview with a German youth from East Germany. He had been indoctrinated by the Russians, though not a card-carrying Communist. When asked about the books that were read he replied: “We read Russian and German classics, hardly anything else.” “And the Bible?” his interviewer asked. “(Laughter.) Nobody but Jehovah’s witnesses reads the Bible.” That doubtless accounts for their success in withstanding the brainwashing techniques of the Communists.

Approaching the Presence of God

TO MOST true Christians prayer is one of their most sacred acts of worship. They realize that they are invited by the Most High Ruler of the universe to approach personally into his august presence and petition him for their needs, and this fills them with the greatest respect and awe. With some persons, however, this very willingness of the living God to consider their problems and their wants leads to lack of courtesy, to disrespect, often to audacious impudence.

These view the all-wise Counselor as a “back-yard philosopher and miracle maker” to whom they can run whenever all else fails; or they speak of him as “the man upstairs” with whom they can idly chat about all the trivial affairs of a humdrum life. To such people prayer is merely an outlet for pent-up emotions, a “good-luck charm,” a surcease from loneliness, a solace for sorrowful longing. With many this might be intended innocently and sincerely but it demonstrates a total lack of understanding and appreciation of the relationship mankind have as completely dependent inferiors to the self-sufficient though loving Supreme Sovereign.

Suppose, for a moment, that such persons could be transported back in time to 1513 B.C., to the occasion when Jehovah by his holy angel approached the families of Israel and stood before them in Mount Sinai on the peninsula of Arabia. Jehovah had said to Moses: “Go to the people, and you must sanctify them today and tomorrow and they must wash their clothes. And they must prove ready for the third day, because on the third day Jehovah will come down before the eyes of all the people upon Mount Sinai. And you must set bounds for the people round about, saying: ‘Guard yourselves against going up into the mountain, and do not touch the edge of it. Anybody touching the mountain will positively be put to death. No hand is to touch it, because he will positively be stoned or will positively be shot through. Whether beast or man, he will not live.’ At the blowing of the ram’s horn they themselves may come up to the mountain.”—Ex. 19:10-13, NW.

For three days the people were sanctifying themselves, washing their clothes and otherwise purifying and preparing themselves to meet their great Deliverer who had just released them from Egyptian bondage. “And on the third day when it became morning it came about that thunders and lightnings began occurring, and a heavy cloud upon the mountain and a very loud sound of a trumpet, so that all the people who were in the camp began to tremble. Moses now brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they went taking their stand at the base of the mountain. And Mount Sinai smoked all over, due to the fact that Jehovah came down upon it in fire, and its smoke kept ascending like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain was quaking very much. When the sound of the trumpet became continually louder and louder, Moses began to speak and God began to answer him with a voice.”—Ex. 19:16-19, NW.

At such an awesome display of Jehovah’s glory surely we too would tremble. It was at this time that Jehovah began to organize the families of Israel into a nation and gave them a body of laws and established for them a means of regular approach into his presence as their God and King. This was through the sacred tabernacle and all of its furnishings, and it was in this way of presenting themselves that Jehovah gave us the typical pattern that we must follow today if we are to be accepted into his presence. On this point we have the inspired testimony of the apostle Paul.—Heb. 9:9, 10.

In the tabernacle the most sacred article of furniture was the ark of the covenant. Situated in the innermost room or Most Holy, it denoted to the Israelites the presence of Jehovah God on earth in their midst. It meant that any one of them could come before Jehovah and petition him for blessings or forgiveness of wrongdoing. But it was not possible for these people to run to him at will in any way of their own choosing. In spite of the fact that Jehovah was hereby making himself accessible to the least person in the nation—and even to the strangers among them—only one man out of the entire nation, the high priest of Israel, was permitted to stand before the ark in Jehovah’s presence.

Furthermore, in spite of the inspired workmanship that went into the superb design and fashioning of the ark’s actual structure and in spite of the great intrinsic wealth that was represented in this one article alone, comparatively only a very few mortal men ever saw it. But why would Jehovah give such a careful pattern and inspire craftsmen to fashion such a beautiful article of worship if it were only to be hidden from the eyes of the worshipers? Certainly among other reasons would be to impress upon mankind the awesome presence of Jehovah God and the need that man has to study carefully to approach him in a way that is acceptable and in keeping with his position as the greatest Personage in the universe.

The Scriptural description of the ark and its cover is brief. (Ex. 37:1-9) It was a box made of wood, the close-grained and durable orange-brown-colored wood of the species acacia tortilis or acacia seyal that still grows plentifully in the Sinai peninsula.¹ It was three feet nine inches long and two feet three inches wide and high.² Then it was overlaid inside and outside with pure gold. Just how the gold plate was applied is not stated, but it was likely more than just gold leaf. And unlike the walls of the temple later built by Solomon, the box itself was no doubt solidly covered. As to the design of the side walls, again nothing is reported, but there is indication at least that there might have been corner posts that terminated in feet as rests at the bottom. This would correspond also with the table that was used in the outer room or Holy for the bread of Presence.³ (See Exodus 37:13, 14.) As one reason for this conclusion it is stated that rings were attached “above its four feet,” which could not mean at the very bottom of the ark, because gold-covered poles were inserted through the rings to carry it and this would make it top-heavy. (Ex. 37:3, NW) So the feet must have extended upward as corner posts to the border that encircled the ark at the top and it was no doubt here, just under the border, that the rings were attached.

This border or molding (“crown,” AV) has also occasioned considerable conjecture, although it is generally believed to have extended above the sides of the ark sufficiently to keep the cover securely in place during the march when the ark was borne on the shoulders of the priests. It is also believed to have been of a general cable design, since that of the table is compared with it and this seems to answer the description.⁴

The cover must certainly have been an art treasure in itself. It was made of a slab of pure gold and there were upon the top two cherubs of exquisite hammered work. These were so situated, one at each end, that they faced each other, and since this cover or “mercy seat” represented the throne of Jehovah, the cherubs can only be imagined in some posture of reverence. The account does not describe them or even suggest their general appearance. It merely states: “And they came to be cherubs spreading out two wings upward, screening over the cover with their wings, and their faces were each to the other. The faces of the cherubs proved to be toward the cover.” (Ex. 37:9, NW) From this meager description an almost unbelievable variety of pictorial reconstructions has been attempted. These cherubs have been represented as being everything from four-footed human-headed animals to figures of women with long hair. The reasonable conclusion is that they resembled men. Cherubs were posted at the entrance to Eden with a flaming blade of a sword. (Gen. 3:24) Men use swords. Ezekiel envisioned and described certain cherubs who appeared in a special and distinct form of a highly symbolic nature. But their general appearance was that of men. (Ezek. 1:5; 10:20-22) However, it cannot positively be stated what these golden cherubs here looked like.

Although the mercy seat pictures Jehovah’s throne in heaven, it is not to be thought that Jehovah’s presence was represented as being confined to this small space between the cherubs. (Heb. 9:24) The Scripture records that Jehovah rides “above” the cherubs. (Ps. 99:1) Here, in the Most Holy of the tabernacle, shone the so-called “Shekinah” light of Jehovah’s presence. How high above the cherubs it had its source or extended we do not know, but it was a sign to all Israel that Jehovah’s favor continued with his people. So powerful and magnificent was this presence, manifested through the ark and its accompanying Shekineh light in the Most Holy, that any unauthorized person who even touched the ark when it was carried, all covered over, from place to place died on the spot.

In the awesome manner in which Jehovah appeared to Israel at Sinai, in the loving care with which he provided for those who properly approached him and in the speedy execution of his wrath many times against those who treated his presence with audacity, Jehovah has demonstrated to us the proper manner and reverential attitude of the true Christian’s approach in prayer. Only through the great High Priest, Christ Jesus, who himself personally appears before the heavenly throne for us, can we have our petitions recognized.

[References]

¹ Moldenke, H. N., Plants of the Bible, pp. 22, 24.

² Based on a cubit of eighteen inches (actually, 17.6 in.) Harper’s Bible Dictionary, p. 813; Encyclopædia Britannica, 11th Ed., Vol. 26, p. 604, footnote 1.

³ Hastings, J. A., Dictionary of the Bible, p. 663.

⁴ Ibid., pp. 663, 665.

Jesus said to him: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”—John 14:6, NW.

Waging the Right Warfare

“For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things.”—2 Cor. 10:4, NW.

1, 2. What are some causes for war today?

IN THE Word of Jehovah it is written: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven . . . a time for war, and a time for peace.” For centuries the nations have been waging war among themselves, just as Christ foretold that there would be wars and rumors of war during the period before the complete end comes to this present system of things. Now we are living at the climax of centuries of waiting. It is a time when peace has been taken from the earth.—Eccl. 3:1, 8, RS.

² Have you been taught to believe that all the miseries and heartaches, the cruelties and barbarisms of war have been brought by God? Is it reasonable to think that a God of love, wisdom and mercy would originate the waste and ruin, the loss of precious life, that come with war? Certainly not. Rather, James 3:14-16; 4:1-4 shows that the greed, conflicts, wars and disorders are all of demonic origin, from Satan, “the god of this world,” who is ruining the earth in his lustful desire for power as a rebel against Jehovah. His control over the nations is clearly reflected in their way of thinking. “For from the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to coveteousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every one dealeth falsely.” So degenerate have they become that we see the clergy invoking the blessing of God on the carnal wars of the nations as they put national or religious interests above God’s Word, crying: “Peace, peace; when there is no peace.”—Jer. 6:13, 14.

3. Why should we be guided by the Scriptures?

³ What is the best course for honest men to follow in the midst of this world confusion? Should we drift with the crowd, or is there a surer and better way mapped out for us? The Scriptures counsel us that just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so Jehovah’s ways and thoughts are far higher than ours. We do well to consider his way, not rejecting it lightly. Consider seriously what the Bible says about the right kind of warfare and see if it is not far more practical than the course of the nations. The end of those who follow their own course is well described for us. Despite their crimes against mankind they are so calloused and unashamed that they cannot even blush; but “they shall fall among them that fall; at the time that I visit them they shall be cast down, saith Jehovah.” Why? Because they have broken the rainbow covenant, the law of Jehovah respecting the sanctity of life-blood, and have brought his wrath and indignation against the nations and against their armies. (Jer. 6:15, AS; Isa. 34:1-4) The results of all the wars to date have not brought a sureness of peace, only an uneasy, armed makeshift.

4. What is spiritual warfare?

⁴ The wars of the nations are against blood and flesh. The Bible instruction for Christians is to fight a spiritual warfare. “The weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God” to the accomplishment of his purpose. In order to pursue this spiritual war we must know the reason for the fight and what we are fighting against. This is no hand-to-hand combat or a struggle for supremacy through superior scientific methods of destruction. In chapter six of Ephesians Paul tells us it is a fight “not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world-rulers of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.” In no sense does this mean we are to fight against or oppose the human governments of our day. In fact, we are told to pray for kings and rulers that we may continue to lead peaceful and quiet lives, accomplishing the work God has assigned. Jesus told his disciples: “If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight.” (John 18:36) The fight the apostle Paul referred to above in his letter to the Ephesians is against the spiritual organization of Satan, which has dominated and controlled the earth for centuries.—2 Cor. 10:4; Eph. 6:12; 1 Tim. 2:1-3, NW.

5. How have many been blinded to the truth, and what can we do to aid them?

⁵ The effect of this powerful demonic control over the people has been to blind the minds of the unbelievers to the light of truth. A veil has been cast over the good news so that those perishing cannot discern or comprehend it. Confusion and darkness with regard to God’s will have been spread by the wicked spirit forces in heavenly places, who themselves are held in dense darkness because of their rebellion. How well they have succeeded is seen in the widespread ignorance of the Bible, even in Christendom. Faithful churchgoers show abysmal ignorance of God’s purposes, apart from memorizing a few key scriptures. This is not surprising, since many are instructed not to read publications concerning the Bible unless they are first approved by the church. They forget the invitation from God himself: “Come now, and let us reason together.” As a result ‘darkness covers the earth and gross darkness the people.’ (Isa. 1:18; 60:1-3, 19, 20) Combating the effect of this spiritual apostasy is one of the foremost works of a Christian. Just as Gideon’s men broke open the pitchers they held to let their torches shine brightly to the consternation of the enemy, so Jehovah’s servants in the earth are letting the light of truth be seen from the darkest corner of Christendom to the darkest corner of pagandom.

6. Explain Christian warfare and its benefits.

⁶ One feature of the spiritual warfare that brings the greatest joy is the releasing of the prisoners, the proclaiming of liberty to the captives and the opening of the prisons to those who are bound. This is done by patiently teaching the truth to men of good will, gradually pulling aside the veil of superstition and religious darkness to which they have become accustomed from childhood. When they are finally freed through a knowledge of the truth, their joy is as great as that of a captive who is liberated or as a blind man to whom sight is restored. To accomplish this we must do as Paul says: “Preach the word, be at it urgently in favorable season, in troublesome season, . . . keep your balance in all things, suffer evil, do missionary work, thoroughly accomplish your ministry.” The apostle Paul goes on to say: “I have fought the right fight, I have run the course to the finish, I have observed the faith.” (2 Tim. 4:2-7, NW) This is the kind of warfare no earthly nation need fear, for it is in the best interests of the people. It promotes a knowledge of God and a love for him and our fellow men. This fight is a constructive one, building up those of good will mentally, morally and spiritually. Its benefits are lasting in value, leading to life, with God’s favor. There are none of the usual aftereffects of war that foster bitter enmity and slavery while ravaging the face of the earth. Instead, godly Christian warfare unites men of all kinds and from all nations in the bonds of enduring peace and mutual understanding through the Word of God.

7. Give examples of the fight to uphold pure worship.

⁷ In all parts of the world Jehovah’s witnesses are sharing in this fight to advance Bible knowledge. They have taken the fight against darkness to the homes of the people, just as Jesus and the disciples did before them. Paul knew from firsthand experience what a fight the ministry meant, as he recounted for us the incensed fury of the religious mob in Ephesus who for two hours cried out: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” in an attempt to intimidate the early Christians. (Acts 19:28, NW) He told also of the plots against him, of the jailings, beatings, dangers on sea and on land, the hardships and privations that he endured in his fight to spread the knowledge of Christ. (2 Cor. 11:23-27) The fight has not abated down to this day, but Jehovah’s witnesses have continued with their peaceful ministry despite mobs, bans and imprisonment. In Trinidad, for example, four Watch Tower missionaries were recently declared to be “undesirable visitors,” although no reason was given, when they brought their motor vessel to port to refuel and get supplies in order to carry on their ministry among the people scattered on the Caribbean islands. In other places Jehovah’s people have been mobbed, ridiculed, deported, separated from loved ones, have suffered imprisonment and even death, but still have remained faithful as true fighters. They have brought their message in peace, but it has been rejected with violence. This is a time not only of war among the nations, but also of intensive spiritual warfare for the proclamation of the truth.

INVINCIBLE EQUIPMENT

8. Why must we gird ourselves with truth? How?

⁸ What can we do to have a share in this battle on behalf of God? As with any soldier, to fight we must know our equipment well. We should understand the reasons for the fight and be convinced that they are right. Drawing on his many experiences and long years of missionary service, Paul itemized the main pieces of Christian battle equipment. He spoke first of having the “loins girded about with truth.” This indicates that the truth must be always close to us; we must be girded with it as with an essential support. This is a far different attitude from that of some who push aside a discussion of the Scriptures, carelessly protesting, “I have my church.” They put on a cloak of godliness once or twice a week but cast it aside the remaining time. Such ones do not even examine the texture or quality of what they assume is truth, being unversed even in the creed of their faith, much less conversant with the Word of God. But an accurate knowledge of truth is essential to a Christian. By our not knowing the difference between true and false worship, we shall be unable to share in the fight to expose error. (Isa. 28:17, 18) True Christians are not divided. They know there is one true faith as recorded in the Bible. They believe Jesus’ statement, “Your word is truth,” and they act in keeping with it. By this knowledge they are able to cast off the fetters of ritual and tradition and bring their minds to oneness with God. “For such freedom Christ set us free. Therefore stand fast, and do not let yourselves be confined again in a yoke of slavery.”—Gal. 5:1; Eph. 6:14; John 17:17, NW.

9. What protection is the breastplate of righteousness?

⁹ Next we must put on the breastplate of righteousness. If we preach the truth we must live in keeping with it in righteousness; otherwise we are hypocrites, not true servants of Jehovah. Our service must be whole-souled, never halfhearted. Those who give in to the inclinations of the flesh by immoral conduct are warned that they will never inherit God’s kingdom, and even a little corruption will quickly ferment and spoil all our good works in God’s sight. Such fleshly desires war against the interests of our soul and must be warded off by means of the breastplate of righteousness.—Gal. 5:9, 13; 1 Pet. 2:11, NW.

10. What good news are we commanded to spread?

¹⁰ “Stand firm, therefore, . . . with your feet shod with the equipment of the good news of peace.” (Eph. 6:14, 15, NW) This is the message and comfort Jehovah’s witnesses bring to the people. It is the same announcement Jesus gave prominence to when he declared: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth . . . and then the accomplished end will come.” (Matt. 24:14, NW) Today Jehovah’s witnesses throughout the world are telling the people the good news that Christ is now enthroned in heaven and that we are living in a time of change that will bring lasting peace to all men of faith through God’s kingdom. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace, that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!” (Isa. 52:7, AS) What is wrong with that message of peace and hope? Even the feet of these couriers of good news appear beautiful in the sight of our God. Yet this message of peace is like an open declaration of war to Satan’s organization.

11. (a) How is faith a protection and how is it gained? (b) Give past examples of great faith.

¹¹ Therefore we are warned to “take up the large shield of faith, with which you will be able to quench all the wicked one’s burning missiles.” We can expect to be under attack in this warfare, and we need faith in Jehovah in order to carry on. By faith we can conquer the world, overcoming any hindrances that may stand in our way to faithful service. Strong faith will prevent us from being discouraged, even though our patient preaching does not have the immediate effect we should like to see. Noah did not get discouraged or give up after years of preaching. He knew God was true. Isaiah says: “Jehovah, who believed our report? . . . All day long I have stretched out my hands toward a people that is disobedient and talks back.” Yet he did not give up, and Paul cites this example to the Romans because he understood that even though many did not believe, the work of God was still being accomplished. But we cannot have faith without a foundation of knowledge on which to establish it; The greater our accurate knowledge of God and the more we use it, the more protective will be our shield of faith.—Eph. 6:16, 17; Rom. 10:16, 20, 21, NW; Isa. 53:1; 65:2, AS.

12. How do we receive the helmet of salvation?

¹² Accept also the “helmet of salvation” as part of your equipment, Paul advises. He well knew how God in his undeserved kindness had become the author of everlasting salvation for us through Christ. This provision is a gift that we must accept in order to receive its benefits, as it is not forced on anyone. Paul saw the fulfillment of many prophecies, so he wrote: “Now is salvation nearer to us than when we first believed.” (Rom. 13:11, AS) This is doubly true for Christians today because we are living in the generation that will see the salvation of men of faith. (Rev. 12:10) Those in line for salvation are easily identified, not because of some peculiar garb, but by their faith and works. They let their light shine by living and preaching as Christian witnesses for Jehovah.

13. Why are we glad to take up the sword of the spirit, and how is it used?

¹³ A very important piece of equipment for the spiritual warfare is the “sword of the spirit, that is, God’s word.” (Eph. 6:17, NW) This is essential for both defensive and offensive actions. (2 Cor. 6:2-10) What good is a soldier without his weapon? or how long will he last in battle if he does not know how to use it? In like manner, for a minister of the gospel to have a Bible without being able to use it effectively and to find scriptures is to render himself helpless in spiritual warfare. Yet many of the clergy find themselves in such position today. Rejecting the Word of Jehovah by denying its authenticity or inspiration, what wisdom is in them? Accept the sword of the spirit, Paul says. He commended the Beroeans for their diligent consideration of the Scriptures and their acceptance of what was proved. We should do as they did. It is by this Word that God reveals his purpose and his will for mankind and his requirements for life. With this sword of the spirit we are armed for the attack and made mighty through God for the pulling down of strongly entrenched things.

14. What prayers will God hear?

¹⁴ Paul continues his inspired counsel: “While with every form of prayer and supplication you carry of prayer on every occasion in spirit. And to that end keep awake with all constancy.” Prayer provides our means of access to and communication with Jehovah through Christ, our Leader and Commander in this spiritual war. We must petition God for his spirit to give us strength and guidance in every time of need. We can be assured he will hear our prayer if it is in accord with his will; whereas he refuses to listen to the prayers for selfish interests regularly offered by the blood-drenched fighters of the old-world system. (Isa. 1:15; Eph. 6:18, NW) As to keeping “awake with all constancy,” this is certainly necessary for a soldier, but especially so for Christians today in this time of urgency. As Christ foreknew, his coming has been unobserved by the world in general, even though it is announced publicly by Jehovah’s witnesses. The majority sleep on, not aroused by the rejoicing over the sign of his presence.—Rev. 16:15, NW; Matt. 24:42-44.

15, 16. How do we share in spiritual warfare? What provisions have been made for us?

¹⁵ Lastly, every fighter for Jehovah must have the ability to make known the truth to others. As Paul said: “That ability to speak may be given me . . . with all freeness of speech to make known the sacred secret of the good news, . . . that I may speak in connection with it with boldness as I ought to speak.” (Eph. 6:19, 20, NW) Even though writing as an ambassador in chains, Paul did so freely and with boldness, because he fully understood the issue and the reason for the fight. The Christian soldier gets this knowledge by means of God’s Word of truth. From this source also he draws the courage that comes with faith. Being well equipped in all these ways with the weapons of light or of righteousness, do not now timidly draw back. The night is well along, the day has drawn near, and this is the time for action!—Rom. 13:12.

¹⁶ “Blessed be Jehovah my rock, who teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight.” (Ps. 144:1, AS) Yes, the equipment for battle, a knowledge of the foe, strength and courage to press on, all these are wisely provided by Jehovah. We must do our part, however. Just as drill and training precede any human battle, so with the spiritual warfare. Jehovah knows what we need and is aware of our requirements, but we must use his provisions. What are they? Study, association and service. Each plays an essential part in equipping and preparing us. Study includes both intense and constant personal study and also sharing actively in congregational studies, all a part of the training program to prepare us for the fray. From association we draw encouragement and confidence and are assured of the wholehearted support of our brothers. None has a chance in a fight if he stands alone; so association is vital. Then in the service we have the opportunity to test our equipment, strengthen our knowledge and get accustomed to using the sword of the spirit. Use these provisions of Jehovah to the full and, after you have done everything within your power, God will supply what is needed for victory. For “we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the power beyond what is normal may be God’s and not that out of ourselves.”—2 Cor. 4:7-11, NW.

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Holy Bible

Entrenched false doctrines

Fighters for Truth

“Go on waging the right warfare, holding faith and a good conscience, which some have thrust aside and have experienced shipwreck concerning their faith.”—1 Tim. 1:18, 19, NW.

1. Who qualifies for the ministry?

Do you qualify to share in the ranks of Jehovah’s fighters for truth? Anyone who dedicates himself to Jehovah’s service will qualify, whether man or woman, young or old, if he observes the requirements. Paul spoke of being the “right kind of soldier of Christ Jesus”; for just as we must wage the right warfare, so we must be the right kind of soldier to have God’s approval. We must be devoted to the ministry and willing to share the hardships and persecutions that attend it along with many joys and blessings. “As a right kind of soldier of Christ Jesus take your part in suffering evil.” (2 Tim. 2:3, NW) The kind of soldier a person really is shows up in the fight. Can he be depended on for any assignment or is he absent from meetings and irregular in service? Is he dependable and steady, or more like a drifting mercenary who is looking first to his own interests? It is not men we are serving, but God. We are not called before a human tribunal if we neglect our duties; it is Jehovah who examines us.—1 Cor. 4:1-4.

2. How do we manifest a spirit of love toward our brothers?

² Many times we must not only carry our own load of service, but also lend a helping hand to others who need help. It is well known that the highest battle casualties occur when soldiers fight their first battles and before they become skilled in fighting. Just as a father looks after his children carefully, so the seasoned veterans of spiritual warfare must help the new ones through their first skirmishes to continue on walking worthily of God. (1 Thess. 2:11, 12) Furthermore, a well-trained regiment of soldiers has a pride in its achievements; and while a Christian will not get swelled up with personal pride, he should have a good spirit and delight in working with his brothers. “For God gave us not a spirit of cowardice, but that of power and of love and of soundness of mind. Therefore do not become ashamed of the witness about our Lord.”—2 Tim. 1:7, 8, NW.

3, 4. What are some of the requirements of the ministry?

³ Besides advising us to prove ourselves worthy to be in the ranks of Christian fighters through such qualifications, Paul stresses another requirement: Live according to our faith. He wrote to Timothy (1 Tim. 1:18-20, NW): “This mandate I commit to you, . . . that by these you may go on waging the right warfare, holding faith and a good conscience, which some have thrust aside and have experienced shipwreck concerning their faith.” Paul had good reason for mentioning this, because some in his time had tried to subvert the faith, resisting the truth to an excessive degree; and he warned that such ideas would be as deadly as gangrene if permitted to take hold. Just as a soldier who is hesitant or indecisive might well pay with his life, so may we if we do not hold firmly to our faith. We must let God prove to be true by faith and confidence in his Word. Hang on to it as to life itself. Those who try to destroy the faith of others will be disciplined by Jehovah’s organization and removed from the ranks. Paul told the Corinthians: “We are holding ourselves in readiness to inflict punishment for every disobedience.” In the early days of the Christian organization such disciplinary action was necessary, just as it is on occasions today. An early case is mentioned: “Hymenaeus and Alexander belong to these, and I have handed them over to Satan that they may be taught by discipline not to blaspheme.”—2 Cor. 10:6; 1 Tim. 1:20, NW.

⁴ As the soldiers in Israel had to keep clean by sanctification for their warfare under God’s leadership, today we must keep “a good conscience” by living according to his requirements. “Behave in a manner worthy of the good news about the Christ, in order that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear . . . that you are standing firm in one spirit.” (Phil. 1:27, NW) Some of the ways to walk worthily are described as being “with complete lowliness of mind and mildness, with long-suffering, putting up with one another in love, earnestly endeavoring to observe the oneness of the spirit in the uniting bond of peace.”—Eph. 4:1-3, NW.

5, 6. How may some be disqualified from the ranks of Jehovah’s fighters?

⁵ Even more pointedly, Galatians 5:19-21 describes the works of the flesh, including such things as fornication, idolatry, spiritism, jealousy, anger and drunkenness, and states that those who practice such things will never inherit God’s kingdom. Thus in order to qualify in God’s sight to share in the spiritual warfare under the leadership of Christ, the Christian must shun such things and must demonstrate instead the fruitage of God’s spirit. He cannot be a witness in name only, but must hold to faith and a good conscience, which means a conscience trained in keeping with God’s Word. While our conduct may appear proper in the sight of our friends, we must remember that God discerns the secret intents of the heart. At the time of our dedication to Jehovah we not only vow to put away the filth of the flesh but also make the request to God for a good conscience toward God. (1 Pet. 3:16, 17, 21, NW) So we war against the inclinations of the flesh, being strengthened in the fight by the spirit of God.—1 Cor. 10:13; Rom. 7:23.

⁶ Paul knew that just being associated with God’s people would not ensure one of life, nor would having a share in the service unless we live and serve as befits Christian warriors. He did not want to be among those who run the race of faith and share in preaching to others, only to find himself disqualified from the prize of life. (1 Cor. 9:24-27) For anyone in Jehovah’s service to follow a rebellious, stubborn course not only will bring punishment to himself but may very likely bring reproach on the cause he serves and cause the faith of others to be shaken. A powerful illustration of this was seen in the case of Achan, when as a soldier for Israel he violated Jehovah’s commands. As a result of his trespass thirty-six of his fellow men died because Jehovah’s blessing was withdrawn. Because of this one unfaithful act of willful disobedience Achan and his family and possessions were all destroyed.—Joshua chapter 7.

ORGANIZED BATTLE ACTION

7. What effect does Christian oneness have on the enemy?

⁷ In the army a soldier cannot act on his own. He needs the help of others for supplies and fighting support. He looks to his officers for instructions and leadership. In like manner Christians today work together in an organized manner, accepting the leadership God provides through his visible organization and through appointed servants, “with one soul fighting side by side for the faith of the good news, and in no respect being frightened by your opponents. This very thing is a proof of destruction for them, but of salvation for you; and this indication is from God, because to you the privilege was given in behalf of Christ, not only to put your faith in him, but also to suffer in his behalf.” (Phil. 1:27-29, NW) We depend on God more than on any individual. “For not the one who recommends himself is approved, but the man whom Jehovah recommends.” All our efforts are of no avail without his support. That is why Paul said: “But he that boasts, let him boast in Jehovah.”—2 Cor. 10:18, 17, NW; Jer. 1:19; Ps. 35:1-10.

8, 9. Describe the demon organization.

⁸ Understanding more fully now the details about our equipment and the qualifications necessary to engage in the fight, what problems may we expect to face? No army goes into battle without first feeling out the enemy to determine its weaknesses. To be forewarned is to be forearmed. Therefore we do well to examine the structure and methods of operation of Satan’s organization. “Organization?” Yes. Jehovah God scored a triumph over it by means of Christ’s faithfulness to the death on the torture stake; as it is written: “He has taken it out of the way by nailing it [the law condemning Christians] to the torture stake. Stripping the governments and the authorities [of Satan’s organization] bare, he exhibited them in open public as conquered, leading them in a triumphal procession by means of it.” (Col. 2:14, 15, NW)a Jesus, when on earth as a man, had to war against those demon governments and authorities, resisting the temptations presented by Satan their chief and casting out more than a legion of demons from unfortunate persons obsessed by these wicked spirit forces. After the birth of God’s kingdom in heaven A.D. 1914 Jehovah’s King Jesus Christ and his angels launched a war against Satan and his demons and cast these wicked angels out of heaven down to the vicinity of our earth. Therefore we are warned to be on special guard against these demons now massed here.—Rev. 12:1-12.

⁹ In his letter to the Ephesians the apostle Paul again makes reference to Satan the Devil’s invisible organization of demon powers, naming the several parts of this unseen organization arrayed against us. He tells us how to “stand firm against the machinations of the Devil,” who is not of blood and flesh. “Because we have a fight, not against blood and flesh, but against the governments, against the authorities, against the world-rulers [cosmocrats] of this darkness, against the wicked spirit forces in the heavenly places.” (Eph. 6:11, 12, NW) It is these wicked spirit forces now restrained at the earth that inspire the misleading expressions that come out of the mouth of the dragon and wild beast and false prophet, to march earth’s kings to the battle of Armageddon.—Rev. 16:13-16, NW.

10. How does Jehovah protect his people from annihilation?

¹⁰ Ezekiel, chapter 38, tells of the encirclement of God’s people as these live in apparent defenselessness throughout the earth in “unwalled villages,” while Satan’s hordes come against them like a storm with darkness and threatening destruction. But are Jehovah’s people helpless and defenseless? Not while they have on the fighting equipment Jehovah has provided. They are within his protective care, just as surely as the prophet Elisha was when an army detachment of the king of Syria surrounded him at Dothan. On that occasion Jehovah’s angelic hosts protected and guarded Elisha, but blinded the enemy Syrians. (2 Ki. 6:14-19) Jehovah still protects and cares for his servants lest Satan overwhelm them. Thus protected, we can look fearlessly ahead to the showdown fight soon to come at Armageddon, when Jehovah fights against Satan, the modern-day Gog, and his demonic hordes.—Ps. 34:7, AS.

11, 12. What is the cause of the controversy, and how do we respond?

¹¹ These are the days of real fighting for Jehovah’s servants, as Satan brings woes like a flood over earth’s people and wars against those who “observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.” (Rev. 12:17, NW) The Scriptures indicate that he will become so successful in his scheme to blind the people’s minds to the truth that “the hour is coming when everyone that kills you [Jesus’ disciples] will imagine he has rendered a sacred service to God.” (John 16:2, NW) This is a fight of truth against error, of Jehovah against Satan, and we can be proud to have the privilege of serving in the proclamation of truth.

¹² Paul tells us: “Put on the complete suit of armor from God that you may be able to stand firm against the machinations of the Devil.” This indicates he has a line of attack to break down our faith and integrity. What are some of these burning missiles that we must guard against?—Eph. 6:11, NW.

13. How can we demonstrate affection for Christ?

¹³ A Christian may find himself under constant attack in his own home. Regarding this Jesus said: “Do you imagine I came to give peace on the earth? No, indeed, I tell you, but rather division. For from now on there will be five in one house divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” “Indeed, a man’s enemies will be persons of his own household. He that has greater affection for father or mother than for me is not worthy of me; and he that has greater affection for son or daughter than for me is not worthy of me.” (Luke 12:51-53; Matt. 10:36, 37, NW) It is very difficult to stand up under the test of constant family opposition and ridicule against the truth. To overcome this we need the large shield of faith, which is strengthened by the truth, and to carry on prayer on every occasion in spirit. We must keep seeking the Kingdom interests first. If we give in to family pressure and forsake our worship of Jehovah, we shall lose the battle and shall be cut off from vital association with the brothers.

14. Why did Paul warn against commercialism?

¹⁴ Another trap always ready to snare us is entanglement with commercial interests because of love of what the present system offers. Demas, Paul’s companion in the ministry, was one who stepped aside in this way. As Paul put it: “Demas has forsaken me because he loved the present system of things.” (2 Tim. 4:10, NW) We cannot serve two masters acceptably, nor can a soldier serve two causes at the same time. “No man serving as a soldier involves himself in the commercial businesses of life, in order that he may meet the approval of the one who enrolled him as a soldier.” (2 Tim. 2:4, NW) Paul had to work to support himself, but he never permitted it to stop his ministry, and we should take the same point of view. There is no need for us to store up for the future. All we need, as with any soldier, is provisions for the day, and with food and clothing we should be content.

15. In what way can we resist Satan?

¹⁵ However, Satan’s most successful maneuver to mislead the people is by propaganda contrary to God’s Word. From the time in Eden when he deceived Eve by promising her a knowledge of good and evil he has been subtly misrepresenting the truth and fostering religious deception. Down through the centuries he has built up false doctrines and ideologies until the world is now divided, with a man against his brother in every feature of life, including worship. Now is the time to walk again in the old ways of truth, tearing down the stronghold of error and building up knowledge of God. By doing this we can resist Satan and have a share in freeing those he has held in mental servitude. “For the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things. For we are overturning reasonings and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are bringing every thought into captivity to make it obedient to the Christ.”—2 Cor. 10:4, 5, NW.

16. (a) How can truth be determined? (b) How can it best be presented to others?

¹⁶ “What is truth?” Pilate asked. Most persons credulously believe that the faith of their parents is the true one. But taking into account only the more than 260 so-called “Christian” denominations, we would have about one chance in 260 of being raised in the Scriptural “one faith,” one hope. So intelligent inquiry is necessary in order to determine the truth about God’s purposes; we cannot be simply lulled into a false sense of assurance and drift along with a perhaps demonically originated religious inheritance. In making such inquiry we can be grateful that Jehovah, like a loving father, has provided for our instruction and guidance by revealing his will to us in the inspired pages of the Bible. Once we come to a clear understanding of the Scriptures, we should not be on the defensive with regard to our faith, but on the offensive, fighting the spiritual warfare to share our knowledge with others. Rather than a frontal attack on false worship Paul advises the use of strategy in order to gain the most persons. “And so to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to those under law I became as under law, though I myself am not under law, . . . I have become all things to people of all kinds, that I might by all means save some. But I do all things for the sake of the good news, that I may become a sharer of it with others.” Paul did not compromise the truth by his preaching, but he used tact and discernment in his presentation. He considered how he might most effectively attack and tear down the mental barrier of error, thus freeing his hearers for joyful acceptance of the truth.—1 Cor. 9:20-23, NW.

AVOIDING BEING A BATTLE CASUALTY

17. How do we demonstrate love for God and neighbor?

¹⁷ We have been greatly privileged to have been assigned to share in this ministry, and we want to treasure that opportunity and use it rightly. If we say we have love for God, then we must show it by excelling in the ministry. This means studying hard for accurate knowledge and full discernment, making sure of the important things, so we shall not stumble anyone, and having a real zeal for service. (Phil. 1:9-11) Having this correct knowledge and using it rightly means the difference between life and death in this fight. (Eccl. 7:12) It serves to guide men from the divisions and disunities of this world to a oneness of mind and action, possible only in Jehovah’s service. As the great crowd of people from all nations respond to the invitation to assemble in the household of faith, they learn Jehovah’s way and walk in his path. No longer do they lift up the sword against one another in nationalistic enmity, for now theirs is the good fight of faith. Thus spiritual war promotes lasting peace based on truth and coupled with love for God and neighbor—something carnal fighting has never achieved.—Eccl. 9:18.

18, 19. What dangers do we face? How are they overcome?

¹⁸ Are there casualties in this spiritual war? Yes, even with all the equipment given for our protection some are bound to fall by the wayside if they become indifferent. However, we have no cause for fear if we keep the right mental attitude. We should in no respect be frightened by our opponents or give in to the fear of men. (Isa. 41:11, 12) We know that as long as Satan continues his activities we are in for a fight, but we do not want to miss out on the opportunities before us: “For a large door that leads to activity has been opened . . . but there are many opposers.” (1 Cor. 16:9, NW) Have you boldly stepped through that door into active service?

¹⁹ Though many ridicule the truth, there is no reason for us to fall prey to their negative thinking or to slide into an apathetic state. Noah had the whole world of his time massed against his New World thinking, but he did not give up the fight. Indifference is a type of spiritual sickness—a part of Satan’s germ warfare. If you had a possibly fatal malady, you would try to get over it as quickly as possible. We can do the same with spiritual sickness with the help of our brothers and the treatment provided by Jehovah. Now is no time to follow our own ideas, everyone doing what appears best to him. It would be impossible to win a battle fighting in such a haphazard manner. Instead we need to have one mind on matters, the mind of the Lord, fighting shoulder to shoulder in the service and supporting meetings, holding to faith and a good conscience.

20, 21. What Scriptural encouragement do we have to continue in right warfare?

²⁰ The amazing thing is that after all the struggle to uphold the truth and live according to it, fighting off the attacks of Satan, we do not become weak and exhausted. We do not finally show signs of battle fatigue or shock. All these trials work to our good to strengthen us spiritually, for spiritual warfare is upbuilding. “Let us exult while in tribulations, since we know that tribulation produces endurance; endurance, in turn, an approved condition; the approved condition, in turn, hope, and the hope does not lead to disappointment; because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts through the holy spirit which was given us.” (Rom. 5:3-5, NW) However, no one will receive the rewards of his fighting unless he continues faithful to the end, fighting the right fight and serving the faith. The final reward we look for is life itself, and nothing can compare with that, as it is the greatest reward of all. Even though we lose our life now as faithful witnesses, still we have the prospect of life in the new world through the resurrection. So contend for the victory in the right contest of faith.—Rev. 2:10; 1 Tim. 6:12, NW.

²¹ Besides the promise of life, there are many other rewards from day to day that sustain us in our hope. These come not from looting or spoiling, but are spiritual bounties of great value. These rewards are bound up with the two great commandments to love God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength and our neighbor as ourself. The closer we stay to these right requirements, the greater our blessings. We must put God first in our life and serve him with all our strength. A soldier when called to arms drops everything to respond to the call; so it is with Christian warfare. Even family ties do not take precedence over the enlistment cry, “Be my follower,” for Jesus said: “Let the dead bury their dead, but you go away and declare abroad the kingdom of God.”—Luke 9:59, 60, NW.

22. Contrast old-world and new-world fighters.

²² Once having started in God’s service, do not turn back as many of the warriors under Judge Gideon did, thus missing out on the final victory. Remember, “No man that has put his hand to a plow and looks at the things behind is well fitted for the kingdom of God.” (Luke 9:62, NW) The greatest blessings come with abundant service. Therefore those who are in position to share in the full-time ministry, such as the pioneer service, have a wonderful opportunity to enjoy the rich blessings Jehovah showers on those wholeheartedly serving him. These full-time workers are truly in the front ranks of the fighters in this spiritual warfare, often carrying the full fury of the attack as they advance the fight in new territories. Despite all trials, however, they can have confidence in Jehovah, even perfect peace of mind. What a difference from the anxiety and worried outlook of the soldier on a war-torn battlefield as he waits for the signal to attack! (Isa. 26:3, 4; Rom. 8:6) His mind is not thinking about the commandment to love his neighbor, but quite the opposite. But it is by keeping this command that spiritual warfare becomes fully rewarding. It may take months and even years of patient instruction and care, but there are few joys to compare with the delight of helping a person grow and become strong in a knowledge of the truth. You can show such ones how to reflect the light of truth to those still in darkness. Lead them into active combat with the sword of the spirit, holding high the torch of truth and light like soldiers of the Greater Gideon, Christ Jesus. (Judges 7; Dan. 12:3) Have you personally had the privilege of helping to free some of the crowds of people held in darkness by the wicked spirit forces under Satan? This is the goal for each fighter for the new world, and the rewards of sharing this prospect of life with others who love righteousness and peace are rich indeed.

23. How is spiritual warfare a building and cultivating work?

²³ Spiritual warfare does not leave a trail of carnage over the face of a scorched earth with children bloated from starvation, their parents crippled or dead and their homes destroyed. To those causing such devastation Jehovah has declared that he will bring to ruin those ruining the earth, with Satan as chief among them. Instead of evil fruits, the fruits of the spirit and of spiritual warfare are good. It is a work of planting, cultivating and building up in a spiritual sense. Men and women of all nations are being brought together in understanding, love and trust. A New World society is being built up; not a secret society, but a free-speaking society of those who are real Bible Christians. They are building up a highway, clearing out stones of stumbling, and directing people along it to life in the new world. This is the right kind of warfare now being commanded by Jehovah and directed by Christ Jesus.

24. How and when will Jehovah bring an end to the great controversy?

²⁴ How long will this controversy continue? For our part we shall continue with the preaching offensive of truth as long as Jehovah permits; or, as Isaiah put it, ‘until the cities are wasted and desolated.’ There is no furlough for us; but who wants a furlough when he has the grand privilege of doing this preparatory work on earth as a build-up to the great climax of world affairs at Armageddon? (Isa. 6:11; Eccl. 8:8) At that time Jehovah through his Field Marshal, Christ Jesus, will move with vengeance to crush Satan’s world organization, both visible and invisible, pulverizing the visible earthly part and hurling the invisible demonic part into the abyss of deathlike inactivity for the thousand years of Christ’s reign. In this “war of the great day of God the Almighty” the servants of Jehovah on earth will have no part with carnal weapons. Our work comes now as the right kind of soldiers for Christ. God’s part comes at Armageddon. (Ps. 46:9; Rom. 12:17-21; Rev. 19:11-16, 19) Until that time we must continue waging the right kind of warfare, not the conflicts of the visible part of Satan’s organization, but the war of truth against error, of right religion against false religion, never slacking in zeal or in faith, “forgetting the things behind and stretching forward to the things ahead,” as Paul did. (Phil. 3:13, NW) By doing so we shall be given the victory by Jehovah and be rewarded with peace and life in his new world of righteousness. (2 Pet. 3:13) Now is the time for war; after Armageddon is the time for peace.

[Footnotes]

[Picture on page 376]

New World Highway

“Only God Has an Answer to It”

The United Press dispatch, March 29, 1956, reports that air force secretary Donald Quarles said that Russia and the United States are approaching a point in the arms race where neither side will dare attack the other. Subcommittee member Charles Deane of North Carolina declared: “It looks like we have reached a point where only God has an answer to it.” The air secretary replied: “Yes . . . But I think somebody said that God helps those who help themselves.” Whom was the air secretary quoting? Certainly not God nor his Word the Bible, for “there is no hindrance to Jehovah to save by many or by few.”—1 Sam. 14:6, NW.

Visit to the Pacific

FEBRUARY, 1956, was a busy month for Jehovah’s witnesses on the Hawaiian Islands. They were getting ready for a convention and the third visit of the president of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society, N. H. Knorr, accompanied by Don A. Adams. Assembly dates were set for March 2 to 4, but February was the month of preparation. It was an important event coming up for Jehovah’s witnesses, and advertising it in as many ways as possible was an important part of the preliminary work. Fifty thousand handbills were printed and used as personal invitations in Honolulu, inviting people to come to the public lecture. Nine hundred posters and placards were placed in advantageous positions to attract the public. A special series of notices was run in the local papers to heighten interest. Several interesting articles about the work of the Society were published before and during the assembly, and news co-operation was good.

Television was used for the first time in Hawaii by the witnesses to demonstrate the international flavor of this Exclusive Devotion assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses. A special television program was presented by the local witnesses in native costume and in six languages, including English, Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and Ilocano. This was very successful in announcing the public meeting topic, “Making All Mankind One Under Their Creator.” Certainly there was oneness here of the many nations represented. The radio was used, too, to reach a still greater invisible audience with spot announcements and interviews. A special program was arranged in the Japanese language using a question-and-answer arrangement, which caused many of the public to respond by telephone calls.

The climax of the advertising was reached on Sunday, March 4, when this widely advertised lecture, “Making All Mankind One Under Their Creator,” was tape-recorded and rebroadcast by KPOA, a local station, immediately following the live delivery of it at the assembly place, the American-Chinese Club Pavilion. So the Watch Tower branch office, through its public relations department, did excellent work in trying to get the islanders to hear this important message.

The president and his secretary were scheduled to arrive on Pan American Airways at 6:30 in the morning on March 1, but they got in a little ahead of time. Even at this hour just before dawn there were about 75 local Jehovah’s witnesses on hand to give them a typical Hawaiian welcome, as many present placed fragrant fresh flower leis around the visitors’ necks until they were piled high. And there were smiles and hearty welcomes so typical of the Hawaiian publishers. After a few pictures were taken by brothers and newsmen, Brothers Knorr and Adams were whisked away to the branch office and missionary home, there to look into local problems and make final assembly arrangements.

The American-Chinese Club Pavilion was fixed up beautifully for the assembly. The stage was a mass of colored tropical plants and flowers. All this variety of Hawaiian plants gave the Pavilion an exotic look. There were large wall panels on each side of the stage, and the one on the left as you faced the platform showed the extent of the work of Jehovah’s witnesses on the Hawaiian Islands in 1945. The islands themselves were cut out of cocoa-colored material and placed in their proper position on a sea of dark aqua. Lighter-colored stars indicated the five organized Hawaiian congregations, while chartreuse-colored letters announced that there were 102 Kingdom publishers living on the islands in 1945. On the opposite side a similar panel dated 1955 showed the islands with seventeen brilliant stars and indicating 948 publishers. This display showed ten years’ growth at a glance. Both panels were encircled with huge leis, giving it a distinctive Hawaiian touch.

With many conventioners of different nationalities it was a problem to operate a cafeteria; So the meals were quite varied but enjoyable. And to the American visitors the meals were unique. The whole assembly had a Far Eastern atmosphere and the grounds were surrounded with palms and tropical vegetation. Of course, the big thing was the spiritual food that the representatives from several islands came to hear. This Exclusive Devotion assembly proved to be the biggest gathering yet for the Hawaiian brothers.

On the opening day Brother Knorr spoke on the subject “Christians Must Be Happy.” He pointed out that Jehovah’s witnesses are the most fortunate people, for they have learned the way of salvation. They are in advantageous circumstances, with a close relationship to God, knowing the way to life and with good cause to be happy. He presented many scriptures to show that even under persecution and trial a Christian can be happy. Happiness comes from getting knowledge, wisdom and understanding. Happiness is assured because of one’s faith and belief. What he said was certainly reflected in the happy faces and in the joy expressed by those present at the assembly. The peak attendance at the Friday sessions was 874.

Saturday a baptism was arranged and thirty-eight persons symbolized their dedication to Jehovah God by being immersed. All of them were taken to a nearby beach and dipped beneath the waves of the blue Pacific.

On Saturday afternoon the program was devoted to the pioneer service. One portion was handled by a chairman who interviewed four pioneers whose total years in full-time service ran more than a hundred. Their remarks and experiences were an incentive to others, and showed that by careful planning and by depending on Jehovah’s spirit one could have a full and happy life in this blessed pioneer service in Jehovah’s New World society. There was much talk that day about pioneer service, and there is room for more pioneers and special pioneers on the islands of Hawaii.

On Saturday evening Brother Adams gave a stirring talk on “The Right Kind of Warfare.” He showed that Christian service should not be overshadowed by the modern world of materialism. He likened this present situation to one’s looking through a plate-glass window to see a clear view of the new world and its blessings. If the window is kept clean and one’s vision of New World activity is clear and Kingdom truths are kept in view, then one will keep seeking first the Kingdom. But once one allows the window to get dirty or coated over with gold or silver, commercial interests, then it automatically becomes a mirror and all one can see is himself. Then the New World vision goes out of view. The talk was very practical and stimulating to the 903 ministers who were present at this session.

Sunday brought the big event looked forward to by all the witnesses of Jehovah. They were eager to see what the results of all their advertising and preliminary preparations would bring as far as the public lecture was concerned. All were overjoyed to see the Pavilion packed out and overflowing. The tents that were erected outside the Pavilion in anticipation of this extra crowd were filled too. Excellent attention was given to Brother Knorr as he developed his theme showing that the great Creator was going to bring all mankind into one new world and that mankind, regardless of nationality, color of skin or language, would be made one under their Creator. He pointed out that now is the time for people to take their stand in order to gain everlasting life. When the count was taken it showed there were 1,355 who had come from all walks of life and of different nationalities to hear this encouraging discourse, which has already been published in the April 1 issue of The Watchtower.

All of Jehovah’s witnesses, along with many of the people of good will at the public meeting, stayed to hear the president give his final talk, which was announced at the public meeting. It dealt with Jehovah’s witnesses in Russia, and it was inspiring to learn how Jehovah’s spirit is manifest on his people despite almost insurmountable obstacles put in the way of Jehovah’s witnesses in Russia to stop them from preaching the good news of the Kingdom. The Hawaiian brothers were delighted to hear of the zeal of brothers in Russia and it made them more determined than ever to continue on and make the good news of the Kingdom heard in every nook and corner of the islands. The brothers were also enthusiastic about sending their love and greetings to the brothers in all parts of the world, particularly to those in the South Pacific, where the two visitors were to be traveling.

There is still much to be done on the Hawaiian Islands in the way of preaching the good news, because there are still hundreds of thousands of people who have not yet taken their stand for the Kingdom. But it is certain that within a few years there will be very few who have not yet had the opportunity to hear about the wonderful provisions that Jehovah God has made to bring all mankind into one society under their Creator.

ON TO THE FIJI ISLANDS

Because of a hurricane in the South Pacific the Pan American airline announced to all travelers that planes going in that direction would be grounded for twenty-four hours. So it was not until Tuesday evening at 10:30 that Brothers Knorr and Adams left a group of more than 200 at the airport to be on their way to the South Pacific. A short stop was made at Canton Island for refueling. This is just a narrow strip of land, a coral island far out in the Pacific. The travelers landed there just before dawn, and it was surprising how quickly darkness changes to daylight on this Pacific island. It takes only a few short minutes.

Away again, it was not long before the travelers reached Fiji, but because of high winds and heavy rain the plane could not get in to the airport at Nandi at once. As the clouds hung low over the field the plane circled for about an hour until informed that the ceiling had lifted sufficiently for the plane to come in on the landing strip. On the ground the rain was pouring down. Even as the plane came in over the island it was observed that the roads were covered with water and great lakes had been formed. Surely the hurricane had been felt in this vicinity. Several brothers were on hand to meet the visitors at the Nandi airport. Arrangements had previously been made for Brother Adams to address a convention at Suva while Brother Knorr was to continue on a connecting plane to New Zealand, where a convention had already started in Auckland. The hour spent talking to the brothers was delightful, but then the time came for Brother Adams and the group to make their way to Suva, sink or swim.

A taxi was hired and the brothers started on their way over the muddy roads and through deep puddles to Suva, 130 miles away on the other side of the island. Before long they came to a swollen river that no truck or car could go through unless it could submerge and come out the other side. But not having that kind of vehicle they got out of the taxi, rolled up their trousers, took off their shoes and socks and waded out to a rowboat equipped with an outboard motor. The newly formed stream was fast flowing to the ocean, but the amateur navigator got them across safely. Again they had to hire a taxi, which carried them a few more miles, and then they went through the same procedure crossing the second swollen stream to reach the Land Rover, with which they were to drive on to Suva. They finished the journey in this, but it was rough going and many times the water in the road came up as high as the axles. Once they had to cross a flooded part of the road by driving along a railroad trestle, but after many harrowing experiences, never to be forgotten, the brothers reached Suva an hour before the public talk.

The convention was in session and all the brothers were delighted to know that the special representative from headquarters had gotten there and now they could hear him talk on “Making All Mankind One Under Their Creator.” Brother Adams had picked up a cold in Honolulu because of the change in climate, and now, with this rough travel and his getting wet coming to Suva, his voice was not in the best condition. He started to give the public talk but after about twenty minutes his voice failed; so he handed his manuscript to the chairman, the circuit servant, Brother Helberg, who did a masterful job of presenting the material even though he had never seen the copy before. The brothers were overjoyed with the message, as were also the public who had come to the talk, to the number of 170 in all at Suva’s Town Hall.

By this time the rains had just about stopped and the weather was much better. The next day the convention continued and Brother Adams was able to give two lectures on the work of Jehovah’s witnesses, providing the brothers with good spiritual food. To all the attenders it seemed as though joy had no bounds as Jehovah’s witnesses came together for their first full-scale assembly ever to be held in Fiji.

At the Kingdom Hall the brothers had prepared a unique platform with live banana trees bearing fruit, flowers, multicolored crotons and Fijian tapa and woven mats to decorate it. Conventioners came from Samoa 600 miles to the east, from the island of Rotuma 400 miles to the north and from the two main islands of the Fiji group. With such a mixture of South Sea islanders, the scene was bright with color. The Fijians with their sulus, the Samoan lavalavas and Indian saris all helped to decorate the auditorium. There were signs around the walls painted in the Fijian, Hindustani, Samoan and Rotuman languages. There were no racial difficulties, as all had gathered together for one purpose as a part of God’s New World society. These good people from different places in the South Pacific said: ‘Now we really know what an assembly is, meeting with brothers from overseas and from different islands.’ It was a small assembly, but truly lively.

Interesting experiences were given at the Fijian assembly concerning the work in the islands and the splendid progress that is being made. A special pioneer working in Samoa told of one schoolboy who accepted the truth and stuck by it even though his family disowned him and forced him to leave home. He is living with the brothers now and growing stronger daily in maturity and understanding. Though he lost his home for the sake of the Kingdom, now, as Jesus said concerning similar cases, he has brothers and sisters a hundredfold, as well as the hope of life in the new world.

The circuit servant told of hearing of a group of interested persons on one of the islands. When he tried to make arrangements to enter the island to help them get organized for theocratic activity, the officials advised that there were no accommodations, so they had to refuse him entry. But when the people of good will heard of that, they arranged to set aside a plot of land and build a place for him to live so that he can come and help them learn more of the truth and of God’s new world of righteousness. He hopes to be able to visit these scattered “sheep” on his next trip through the islands.

ACTIVITIES IN NEW ZEALAND

While Brother Adams and his companions were making their way to Suva, Brother Knorr was delayed at the Nandi airport (Fiji) owing to the fact that one of the engines on the plane got so wet they had to dry out certain parts before they could go on. Finally he got away and, after twenty-four hours of traveling from Honolulu, he arrived in New Zealand near the close of the day’s convention sessions. Friday, Saturday and Sunday were busy days filled with meetings with circuit and district servants and pioneers, an interview on the radio and with giving discourses to the brothers at the convention. The Carlaw Park Football Ground had been chosen for this Triumphant Kingdom assembly of Jehovah’s witnesses as there was no other place in Auckland, New Zealand, that they felt would hold the Sunday attendance. Having the sessions outdoors made it very pleasant. They did not expect rain, but the hurricane that came near Fiji started south and some of the rain it brought along fell during the latter days of the assembly, but not enough to interfere with the sessions, as the program went right ahead, rain or shine.

They had arranged for the speaker’s platform out in the playing field and it was fixed up with beautiful shrubs, flowers and ferns. During the evening sessions it was brightened by colored lights scattered through the floral display, which added to its beauty. But one evening while Brother Knorr was speaking as the rains came down, these hot light bulbs began to explode, which added to the adverse speaking conditions. The first day’s attendance at the Auckland assembly was 1,726. This was just 200 short of New Zealand’s previous best convention attendance. The next day the attendance rose to 2,200, and by Saturday it had climbed to 2,317. Saturday morning was of great interest as 173 new ministers dedicated their lives to the service of Jehovah and symbolized it by water baptism. This was almost double the number of any previous group baptized at one time in New Zealand.

All the talks that were delivered during the sessions by local speakers were those that were used at the Triumphant Kingdom assemblies throughout North America and Europe the previous summer. The brothers found them to be most enlightening and encouraging and they were strengthened to continue on in the service of Jehovah. The speeches of Brothers Adams and Knorr were all different from those of the summer of 1955. Brother Adams flew in on Saturday night from Fiji. His plane was a little behind schedule, but a few brothers picked him up and rushed him to the convention grounds, where he was scheduled to talk at 7 p.m. He got there about 7:07, but the brothers had telephoned from the airport to keep the program going until he arrived.

In discussing problems with the different brothers concerning New Zealand, especially with the circuit servants, it was learned that practically all the large towns within the country have congregations and there is very little isolated territory. They have more than 2,500 publishers to preach to the 2,131,000 inhabitants of New Zealand. While this gives each publisher an average of about 840 people to talk to, still it must be remembered that there are approximately 2,128,500 persons who do not have the truth. By proper organization and coverage of the territory all these can be given the opportunity to learn of the new world, and the brothers in New Zealand are determined to give the territory systematic coverage and let the people decide whether they will choose God’s kingdom or hold on to the old world of unrighteousness. Sometimes Jehovah’s witnesses may feel content in that they have one publisher for perhaps every four or five hundred people in a land. While the average may be good and shows a healthy condition as far as giving ministerial service to all the population, still one must never lose sight of the tremendous numbers of people who still do not accept Jehovah and the way to life eternal. This is the case in New Zealand. The brothers are very confident that within a short time they will have 3,000 publishers, probably this year; but they too appreciate that the witness work is not done, even though there is no isolated territory.

The president of the Society made arrangements to send special pioneers into some of the larger cities and block off a section of the city for a concentrated effort. It has been found that the more a territory is covered by the witnesses of Jehovah the faster the congregation grows. Jehovah’s witnesses should never be satisfied with their progress, for as long as Jehovah wants this gospel of the Kingdom preached in all the world for a witness they must be diligent in their service. They must plant and water and Jehovah will give the increase.

Sunday morning broke with an overcast and a little drizzle of rain, but this did not keep the witnesses from attending the morning sessions. Brother Adams gave the concluding Sunday morning talk, “Offering a Sacrifice of Praise to God,” which was truly a fitting conclusion to the morning’s feast.

Around noon the sky cleared and by three o’clock, the time announced for the public meeting, the people were flowing into the grounds to hear the widely publicized talk—not widely publicized by the newspapers or radio stations, but by Jehovah’s witnesses. All were happy to learn that 3,510 were there to hear this important lecture given by the president of the Society. The fact that there were 1,200 of the public from Auckland who attended this lecture certainly shows that there are many who are interested in the message of God’s kingdom. Many people turned in their names as wanting more information, and undoubtedly the work will grow very rapidly in Auckland. It is the city of activity in New Zealand, and the Society is planning to purchase property in that city and move its branch office from Wellington to Auckland. Of course the brothers in Auckland are very enthusiastic about this and are eager to see the branch office of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society established in their midst. The brothers in Auckland will give good support to the construction of this building. While Brother Knorr was in Auckland he spent considerable time visiting different locations, finally deciding on a lot to buy and drawing up rough sketches of the kind of building that might be constructed. While the capital of the country is Wellington and the branch office is there, still Auckland is the faster-growing city. It is the first port of call for commerce coming into the country and will bring things to New Zealand at least a week earlier than by having them go to Wellington and then be redistributed. The work in New Zealand certainly has moved ahead by leaps and bounds, the publishers jumping from 536 to 2,519 in the last ten years, with bigger prospects for the next few years.

In the concluding talk to all the brothers the president of the Society gave them information about the work in Russia and pointed out that no amount of brainwashing or harsh treatment of Jehovah’s witnesses will dampen their zeal for the preaching of the Kingdom message. Certainly the brothers working behind the iron curtain as well as in Russia are not retarded in their activity because of persecution, but they remain happy in Jehovah and in the work that is committed to their care. If our brothers in Russia and other parts of the world can work with such zeal in lands where there are such unfavorable conditions, why, certainly Jehovah’s witnesses in lands favorable to freedom of speech should accomplish much more. The prospects in New Zealand are great for future ingathering.

Immediately after the convention was over a flying trip was made to Wellington to check the branch office, and ways and means were worked out for further expansion. Then the brothers flew to Christchurch, where a public meeting had been arranged for Wednesday night. Not many of the witnesses of Jehovah had returned to this large city on the South Island, as many traveled by car and boat and some were on their holidays. So probably there were not more than a hundred of the 130 publishers in Christchurch in attendance at the Wednesday night meeting, but even so the total attendance came to 257. The people were very much interested in the thoughts expressed and it is believed that this meeting will aid the local congregation to grow still more because of the interest aroused by the advertising and by the lecture itself.

New Zealand is a beautiful country. Flying from the northern part to the southern part gives one an opportunity to see a great variety of scenery, snowcapped mountains, cone-shaped, the sea, rugged hills and green pasture. Just to the west of Christchurch is a range of mountains referred to as the Southern Alps, and away to the south, it is said, the terrain is some of the most beautiful in the world, with fiords, mountains and luxuriant growth. Of course, New Zealand is a great sheep country and it is a common sight to see these peaceful animals roaming over the hills. It makes one think of Jesus’ words, ‘Other sheep I have which are not of this fold, and these also I must gather.’ The gathering work goes on in New Zealand all to the honor and glory of Jehovah’s name.

[Map on page 377]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

Hawaii Fiji Islands New Zealand

[Picture on page 377]

D. A. Adams

N. H. Knorr

Clergyman Thanks God for Jehovah’s Witnesses

Toward the end of September, 1955, the Watch Tower Society received the following letter from a Baptist clergyman in New York city.

“Dear Brothers:

“It gives me great pleasure to write these few lines and I trust that they will also bring to you some pleasure. My sole purpose in writing is to thank God that I have found the truth. Let me make myself clear, I am not a member of your Society as yet. But I am a minister and have between seven and nine churches that I serve. About two years ago I met Mr. J. M——, and he spoke to me about this truth. Being a minister I listened and invited him to come to my home. As I heard him talk I realized that I knew very little; my people, however, did not know that. My training had been chiefly in the dramatic sphere and from an emotional standpoint and was based on a theology that does not mean much to me now.

“I had a number of your books and I studied ‘Let God Be True’. To sum it up, I am now a black sheep among the Baptist clergymen who held their convention a few weeks ago in Tennessee. But my people say that my sermons are very good—but so unusual, and they are requesting that I hold Bible studies with them, which I am doing to the extent possible.

“In conclusion I again want to thank God for you. And may he continue to bless such men as J. M——. [Signed]”

The Extent of Materialism’s Growth

Dr. Albert Wiggam’s “Let’s Explore Your Mind” column, syndicated in many American papers, asked the question: “Do men’s wants increase faster than their necessities?” It answered: “It is estimated that a century ago the average man had 72 wants, of which 16 were regarded as necessities. Today, the average man is estimated to have 474 wants, 94 of which are regarded as necessities. A century ago, 200 articles were urged upon the average man by salesmanship—but today there are 32,000 articles which require sales resistance. Man’s necessities are few—his wants, infinite.” Has your spiritual growth come anywhere near to equaling your increasing material wants?

Questions From Readers

● Is the “heat by the shade of a cloud” (Isa. 25:5, AS) a reference to the destructive heat and cloud accompanying explosion of an atomic bomb?—M. E., Illinois.

The answer to this question is definitely No! By trying to apply in this way this Bible expression as found in the American Standard Version one is taking it out of its context. Note how Isaiah 25:5 (AS) reads in full: “As the heat in a dry place wilt thou [Jehovah] bring down the noise of strangers; as the heat by the shade of a cloud, the song of the terrible ones shall be brought low.” What is Isaiah’s prophecy here doing? Not calling attention to the heat to be found under the atomic-explosion cloud of mushroom shape, but showing how Jehovah God in this “time of the end” would reduce the heat of trial and persecution upon his witnesses by the cloud of his presence and protection. On a hot day a cloud gives welcome relief by its shade; it brings down or reduces the heat. Jehovah God does likewise by his “cloud.”

Here it is appropriate to quote from The Watchtower of October 15, 1943, which comments on Isaiah 25:5:

“By the cloud of his presence with them, bringing divine approval and blessings for their faithfulness under stress, he has overshadowed them and made the heat of religious ferocity endurable. The Son of God [Jesus Christ] at the temple is with them in the furnace of fire. (Dan. 3:19-25) Their understanding that the primary issue of God’s universal domination is bound up with their holding fast their integrity toward him enables them to stand up immovable against the stormy blast of the religious, political, judicial and commercial conspiracy beating incessantly against them. The noisy demonstration with which the Babylonish tyrants start out their campaign of warfare against Jehovah’s witness work is brought down to a murmur of bitter disappointment as their fight against God comes to nought. Well did the prophecy [Isaiah 25:5] say: ‘The branch of the terrible ones shall be brought low’; or, better translated: ‘the song of tyrants become low’ (Roth.); ‘the singing of the terrible is humbled.’—Young.”

● Speaking of those who partake of the Lord’s evening meal unworthily, the January 15, 1956, Watchtower said on page 60, paragraph 18: “So let him benefit by the corrective, disciplinary judgment that Jehovah gives him. Let him discern what he himself is, and reform. If he has been at fault, yet he should obey the command and eat the Lord’s evening meal, but do so discerning the Lord’s sacrificed body and asking forgiveness for his sin. Then let this celebration strengthen him to follow Christ’s steps more closely during the coming year.” Does this mean a disfellowshiped person should partake of the loaf and wine at the Lord’s evening meal?—M. P., Germany.

This has no reference to persons that are in a disfellowshiped condition, but to only those who are continuing in the body of Christ but who are yet subject to sin and who therefore commit sins for which the sacrifice of Christ provides the basis for forgiveness. A disfellowshiped person is no member of Jehovah’s congregation and may not be served the emblems by those serving at the celebration of the Lord’s evening meal. Jesus did not serve Judas the emblems but sent him out of the house before instituting the Lord’s evening meal.—John 13:21-31; Matt. 26:20-25; Mark 14:10-21.

If a disfellowshiped person desires to partake of the Lord’s evening meal he should show full repentance by going to the service committee of the congregation from which he has been disfellowshiped and let them examine him as to the sincerity of his repentance and his willingness to be put on probation. If he satisfies this service committee, then they may reinstate him and put him on a period of probation, and they will so advise the congregation. If he shows good deportment during the time of his probation and up to the celebration of the Lord’s evening meal, then he may be served the emblems at the celebration with sincere appreciation of God’s forgiveness through the things symbolized by the emblems. Then his participation in the Lord’s evening meal should strengthen him to continue on conducting himself properly through the rest of his probation period and onward after it has ended and the reinstatement is full and complete, no longer qualified by any probationary restraints.

Announcements

UNWAVERINGLY DECLARING IN MEETINGS OUR HOPE

The inspired apostle associated the public declaration of our divinely inspired hope with meetings of God’s people. (Heb. 10:23-25, NW) The meeting is one place in which to speak about our hope; but it is not the only place. Christian witnesses must also speak of their hope to those not yet assembling with other believers. During July Jehovah’s witnesses will declare the good news of God’s kingdom from house to house in city and rural areas and also in isolated and remote villages and sections not often served. They will endeavor to leave with people in isolated territory the special offer outlined for this special activity, while in serving their regularly worked territory they will offer three Bible study aid books and three booklets, all on a contribution of $1.50. All are invited to share.

THEOCRATIC AID TO BIBLE STUDY

Great treasure is to be found in books. When you enter the public library and see the rows of books you use the card files or ask the librarian for help in finding information buried somewhere in these stacks. Most valuable of all books is the Bible, which is itself a small library of sixty-six books. Can you locate readily in this little library answers to your problems in life? Your key and reference that will direct you to vital subjects discussed in scattered parts of the Bible is the theocratically prepared Bible study aid. Three of such aids are the books “The Kingdom Is at Hand”, “The Truth Shall Make You Free” and “Let God Be True”. Send only $1.50 for all three of these bound books and receive also three smaller publications free. They will make your Bible reading a profitable pleasure.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

July 22: Waging the Right Warfare, and Fighters for Truth, ¶1-4. Page 364.

July 29: Fighters for Truth, ¶5-24. Page 370.

Check Your Memory

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

✔ What attitude the first president of the United States took toward the Bible? P. 355, ¶2.

✔ How to get the highest wisdom? P. 358, ¶2.

✔ How to have a faith that resists brainwashing? P. 358, ¶4.

✔ What wrong view of prayer many people have? P. 361, ¶2.

✔ What the ark of the covenant looked like? P. 362, ¶4.

✔ How the Christian’s warfare differs from the world’s? P. 365, ¶4.

✔ Why saying “I have my church” is insufficient? P. 366, ¶8.

✔ How to remain equipped for Christian warfare? P. 368, ¶16.

✔ How to resist religious persecution even within your own home? P. 372, ¶13.

✔ How to avoid being a Christian battle casualty? P. 374, ¶18.

✔ How a large attendance was attracted to Jehovah’s witnesses’ Hawaiian assembly? P. 377, ¶1.

✔ How the number of Jehovah’s witnesses in New Zealand compares with the population? P. 381, ¶1.

✔ How man’s material wants compare in number with his necessities? P. 382, ¶7.

✔ Whether Isaiah’s reference to “heat by the shade of a cloud” predicted atomic explosions? P. 383, ¶2.