Upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the wavee roaring; men’s hearts falling them for fear, and for looking after those tilings which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall lie shaken. . . . When these things begin to come to pass, then know that the Kingdom of God is at hand. Look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.—Luke 21:25-31; Matthew 24:33; Mark 13:29.

THIS JOURNAL

ITS SACRED MISSION

THIS journal is published for the purpose of aiding the people to understand Jehovah’s purposes. It provides systematic Bible study in which all its readers may regularly engage. It gives announcement of the visits made to Bible classes by traveling speakers, announces conventions, and gives reports thereof. It announces radio programs and publishes suitable Bible instruction for broadcasting.

It adheres strictly to the Bible as God’s revealed Word of Truth. It stands firmly upon the great ransom sacrifice as tho fundamental doctrine by which all doctrines are measured. It is free from parties, sects and creeds of men. It does not assume a dogmatic attitude, but confidently invites a careful examination of its utterances in the light of the infallible IVord of God. It does not indulge in controversies, and. its columns are not open to personalities.

TO US THE SCRIPTURES CLEARLY TEACH

THAT JEHOVAH is the only true God, the Maker of heaven and earth, and is from everlasting to everlasting; that the Logos was the beginning of his creation; that the Logos became a man; that he is now the Lord Jesus Christ in glory, clothed with all power in heaven and in earth.

THAT GOB created the earth for man, and created perfect man for the earth and placed him upon it; that man wilfully disobeyed God’s law and was sentenced to death; that by reason of Adam’s wrongful act all men are born sinners and without the right to life.

THAT JESUS was made a human being in order that he might become the Redeemer of man; that he gave his life a sacrifice for man and thereby produced the ransom price; that Jesus the divine was raised from the dead, ascended into heaven, and presented the value of Iris human sacrifice as tho redemptive price for man.

THAT FOR MANY CENTURIES God, through Christ, has been selecting from amongst men the members of his church, which constitutes the body of Christ; that the mission of tho church is to follow in the footsteps of her Lord Christ Jesus, grow in his likeness, give testimony to the name and purpose of Jehovah God, and ultimately be glorified with Christ Jesus in his heavenly kingdom; that Christ, Head and body, constitutes the “seed of Abraham’’ through which all families of the earth shall be blessed.

THAT THE WORLD HAS ENDED; that the Lord Jesus has returned and is now present; that Jehovah has placed Christ Jesus upon his throne and now commands all nations and peoples to hear and obey him.

THAT THE HOPE OF THE PEOPLES of earth is restoration to human perfection during the reign of Christ; that the reign of Christ will afford opportunity to every man to have a fair trial for life, and those who obey will live on earth for ever in a state of happiness.

Yearly Suesciudtion Price

United States, $1.00; Canada and Miscellaneous Foreign, $1.50; Great Britain, Australasia, and South Awica, 7s. American remittances should be made by Express or Postal Money Order, or by Bank Draft. Canadian, British, South African and Australasian remittances should be made to branch offices only. Ilemittances from scattered foreign territory may be made to the Brooklyn office, but by International Postal Money Order only.

(Foreign translations of this journal appear in several languages.)

Terms to the Lord’s Poor: All Bible Students who, by reason of old age or other infirmity or adversity, are unable to pay for this journal, will be supplied free if they send a postal card each May stating their case and requesting such provision. We are not only willing, but anxious, that all such be on our list continually and in touch with the Berean studies.

Notice to Subscribers: Acknowledgment of a new or a renewal subscription will be sent only when requested. Change of address, when requested, may be expected to appear on address label within one month. A renewal blank (carrying notice of expiration) will be sent with the journal one month before the subscription expires.

Entered as Second Class Mail Matter at Brooklyn, N. Y., Fostoffice.

Act of March 3, 1879.

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WATCH TOWER. BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY

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OFFICERS

J. F. RUTHERFORD President         W. E. VAN AMBURGH Secremsy

EDITORIAL COMMITTEE .    -    - J. F. RUTHERFORD

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Please address the Society in every case

ADVERTISING WATCHTOWER CHAIN PROGRAM

To send the Sunday morning chain program to much of the most densely populated area of the country a large sum of money is being spent continually by the Society. The hour’s program is now broadcast over a chain of thirty stations, including

Bangor, Me. ......	...WLBZ
Boston ............	WLOB
Charlotte ..........	... WBT
Chicago.............	WCFL
Cleveland ..........	... WHK
Columbus ........	WCAH
Evansville ........	WGBF
Fort Wayne ....	wowo
Hamilton, Ont.	CKOC
Harrisburg ......	.. WHP
Hopkinsville ....	WFIW
Indianapolis ....	WKBF
Lincoln ............	KFAB
Muscatine ........	KTNT
New York ........	WBBR

New York ........ WMCA

Norfolk ............ WTAll

Paterson............ WODA

Philadelphia ........ WIP

Pittsburgh .......... KQV

Providence ........ WLSI

Raleigh ............ WPTF

St. Joseph ........ KFEQ

Schenectady ...... WGY

Scranton ............ WGBI

Sioux Palls ........ KSOO

Syracuse ........ WFBL

Washington .... WMAL Wheeling ........ WWVA

Youngstown .... WKBN

Reports of field woikers indicate an intense and steadily growing interest among listeners. During the chain program, announcement is made regularly that further information in printed form “will be offered by a representative from The TVatch Tower who will call at your home’’. As a result, workers find that many who have heard the program are eagerly waiting for the books.

On the other hand, millions of people in the area now served by this broadcasting DO NOT KNOW that there is such a program on the air. The most effective advertisement is the personal invitation. This can be given constantly by each field worker in a definite manner by use of the radio slip. Mere mention of the program when canvassing is good, of course, but uncertain, for the spoken word is soon forgotten.

Tho radio slip is an attractive folder, printed in two colors. It contains a list of the stations on one side and, on the other side, a brief description and illustration of the books. These slips are supplied by the Society at one dollar a thousand. They are for free distribution to every home by each worker while engaged in the house-to-house service.

SERVICE CONVENTIONS

(In each instance class service director’s name and address appear.)

Cambridge, Ohio                                Sept. 19-21

Dan Knowlton, 404 S. 11th St.

Atlanta, Ga.                                       Sept. 2C-28

Earl Withers, 477 Luckie St. N. W.

Colored: Wrn. Brown, 129 Hunter, Decatur, Ga.

Grcclc: E. Scouffas, 422 Georgia Av. S. E.

Johnstown, Pa.                                    Sept. 26-28

S. P. Bernard, 1334 Saylor St.

Sioux City, Iowa                                 Sept. 26-28

J. C. Rogers, 407 Court

Louisville, Ky.                                           Oct. 3-5

Wm. A. Toombs, 645 Lynn St.

Colored; Humphrey Smith, 2330 Green Alley

Atlantic City, N. J.                             October 17-19

J. L. Earl, R F D 3, Box 122, Pleasantville, N. J.

Colored: P. K. Blackman, 412 Roberson Ave.

AND HERALD OF CHRIST’S PRESENCE

Vol. LI                                         Septembeb 15, 1930                                         No. 18

THE MAN OF SIN

“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition.”—2 Thess. 2:3.

JEHOVAH has made it clear to his people that the “great sin” is disloyalty, rebellion and opposition to the Most High. Under the direction of the Lord the apostle wrote concerning the arising of another like unto Satan, the wicked one, and which one he designates ‘the man of'sin, the son of perdition’. The language shows that the one so likened unto Satan exalts himself and opposes God. It also shows that the “man of sin” and “the son of perdition” are one and the same.

IDENTIFICATION

^t To understand the meaning of the apostle’s words it is necessary to definitely and properly identify the “man of sin”. For this reason the article appearing in the previous issue of The Watch Tower, under the title of “Holy Spirit”, is first published, that it may be an aid in identifying the “man of sin”.

^s For a long while this scripture relating to the “man of sin” has been interpreted as applying to the Papal church system. Bible Students, having no better interpretation, have accepted the identification of the “man of sin” as the Papal system and have understood that power which had withheld, let or hindered its complete development to be the Pagan Rome empire and that when Pagan Rome was taken over by being overthrown by Papal Rome, then the Papal system or hierarchy was recognized as the “man of sin”. In support of this interpretation it has been said that the Papacy was organized as a hierarchy about A.D. 300 and advanced to the zenith of its power about A.D. 800; that its decline began in A.D. 1400; that it was bereft of its temporal power in A.D. 1870; and that from the beginning of the Lord’s presence in 1874 the Devil used the Papal system as the chief opposing instrument of God’s kingdom and that the Papal system will meet its final destruction at the beginning of the reign of Christ. —SIS Vol. B, pp. 267-3G1.

• * Without a question of doubt the Papal system is, and for a long time has been, an instrument of fraud and deception used by the Devil. It has been and now is a part of Satan’s organization. It is still the strongest part of organized religion, which forms a part of Satan’s organization. It is also certain that as a part of Satan’s organization it will be completely destroyed. These facts, however, do not identify the Papal system as ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition’. There are several reasons why ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition’ does not mean the Papal system, and some of these reasons are here given, to wit:

• * (1) The apostle was instructing his brethren concerning “the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him”. On another occasion he plainly stated that he, Paul, must wait for his reward until the coming of the Lord, when he and others of like faith and faithfulness would be resurrected and receive the crown of life. The resurrection of the sleeping saints and the gathering to the Lord Jesus of his own could not take place until after the Lord came to his temple. Elsewhere in this journal the Scriptural evidence is submitted showing that the resurrection of Paul and the other faithful ones could not take place prior to A.D. 1918, and that time is too far moved from the Papal power, its beginning, and decline, to fit the description of the “man of sin”.

• ⁶ (2) The apostle referred specifically to “the day of Christ”, which according to the Scriptures is not exactly synonymous to the “day of Jehovah”. It was in 1914 that Jehovah placed his Son upon his throne and sent him forth as his representative to rule and to oust Satan the enemy, and therefore that date marks the beginning of the “day of Jehovah”. (Ps. 2:6; 110:1,2) The term “day of Christ” evidently means the time in which all the members of Christ are separated from others and the approved ones brought into the temple and anointed. Since the resurrection of the saints took place in 1918, we believe, and preceded the examination and judgment of those on earth, it follows that the “day of Christ” could not begin until 1918 and, it may well be said, will bo completed only when all the body members are selected and completely separated from all others of the spirit-begotten ones and brought into the temple. (1 Cor. 1:8; 5:5; 2 Cor. 1:14; Phil. 1:6,10; 2:10)

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Although twelve years have elapsed since the coming of the Lord to his temple, even to this day some turn aside and forsake the Lord and his work. There are many others associated with the anointed that apparently must yet be taken out or separated in order that the true and faithful ones may be plainly discernible. That being true, “the day of Christ” is not yet completely accomplished, and the “man of sin” is not yet clearly revealed; therefore the Papal system would not fit the description.

’ (3) Preceding the “day of Christ”, the apostle states, there is a falling away and then ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition’ is revealed. Prior to that time there is some power that withholds or hinders the manifestation or revelation of the “man of sin” although it has been working as a mystery of iniquity for a long while. The withholding power is exercised in order that “he might be revealed in his time” and that due time for revealing the “man of sin” must be in the “day of Christ” and after the falling away. Since the power that withholds and continues to withhold until it is taken away is to prevent the manifestation of the ‘ ‘ man of sin ’ ’, it could hardly be said that such would be Satan’s power. Without a doubt Pagan Rome was an instrument in Satan’s hands, but Satan would not be withholding anything that would be a detriment to the Lord’s kingdom class and it is therefore not reasonable that he would use Pagan Rome as a power to withhold the operation of the Papal system against God’s anointed. Since the “man of sin” opposes God and his work, that power which has been withholding and withholds the wicked one must of necessity be a divine power.

• ⁸ (4) That those who are deceived by the works of the “man of sin” once had the truth, as stated by the apostle, and are deceived because they received not the love of the truth. It also appears from the apostle’s statement that the “man of sin” once had the truth, otherwise there could not be the falling away. It does not seem at all reasonable to conclude that the Papacy ever had the truth or that anyone having the truth and living in the “day of Christ” could possibly be deceived by the Papacy.

• ⁹ (5) The “man of sin” opposes God and in so doing uses fraud and lying, and this is done to accomplish deception in the “day of Christ”; whereas the Papacy has been practicing deception and fraud for many centuries past. The warning is to the saints who are on earth at the time of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the gathering together of the church to himself; whereas it is well known to all the saints that the Papacy is a part of Satan’s organization and there would be no need of warning the saints against the Papacy. There is not the slightest probability of the Papacy’s deceiving anyone who has a knowledge of present truth.

• ¹⁰ As we progress with the consideration of these scriptures other proofs will appear supporting the conclusion that the Papal system is not ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition’. Nor can it be said that Satan’s organization, as an entirety, is ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition’. In several communications to the church Paul stressed the importance to the saints on earth at the end of the world of their having an understanding of the truth, especially concerning the second coming of the Lord. Manifestly the purpose of warning the church concerning the “man of sin” was and is to fort'fy the faithful against loosely holding to or handling the truth. Greater light has been given to God’s people since the Lord’s coming to his temple, and the only reasonable presumption is that a greater test must come upon those who have made a covenant with the Lord by reason of having this increased light. We should look for a fulfilment at the present time of these prophetic words written by the apostle.

“EVIL SERVANT”

• ¹¹ There is no good reason to conclude that the “man of sin” is one individual creature. The psalmist describes God’s ideal man. (Pss. 1, 8, 16, 111, 113) The Prophet Isaiah refers to God’s ideal man as the “elect servant”. (Isa. 42:1-6, 19, 20) The Christ is one, and in the Scriptures is spoken of as a “perfect man”. (Eph. 4:13) The Scriptures also disclose that at the end of the world there will be manifest an “evil servant” which is the very opposite of Jehovah’s “elect servant” and which “evil servant” opposes Jehovah’s “elect servant”. The Scriptures seem fully to support the conclusion that ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition ’ is the ‘ ‘ evil servant ’ ’. Let the Scriptural proof be examined and carefully considered, and in this connection have in mind the administration of the holy spirit.

THE PROOF

• ¹² Judas Iscariot was for some time the servant of the Lord Jesus. God gave him to Jesus along with the other disciples. He heard and learned much about the truth of and concerning the kingdom of God. Jesus had said to his disciples, including Judas: “And whosoever will be chief among you, lot him be your servant.” (Matt. 20:27) And on another occasion he said, addressing his disciples: ‘ ‘ The servant is not greater than his lord.” (John 13:16) Jesus thus spoke concerning a good and faithful servant. Among the twelve servants of Jesus Christ Judas became an evil servant and lost all opportunity for the kingdom, about which Jesus had taught him, and to which doubtless he had been called. Jesus declared that Judas was lost, and he named him “the son of perdition”.—John 17:12.

• ¹³ At the same time Jesus referred to the prophecy written in the 109th Psalm and which Judas fulfilled at least in miniature. As many of the prophecies have a small fulfilment which foreshadows a far greater fulfilment that comes to pass later, it seems that the fulfilment of this prophecy by Judas Iscariot was in miniature only and must have a complete fulfilment in the “day of Christ’’. When the faithful disciples met to fill the vacancy made by Judas they quoted from Psalm 109 these words: “And his bishopric let another take.” (Acts 1:20) These facts and scriptures seem to foreshadow the “evil servant” class at the end of the world manifested in the “day of Christ”.

• ¹⁴ It is plain from Paul’s words that ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition’ must have a knowledge of the truth and by the use of signs and lying wonders will be able to deceive others having the truth but who are not of the “elect servant”. Jesus warned his disciples against false Christs, and such warning is particularly for the benefit of those on earth at the end of the world. “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect. ’ ’—Matt. 24:24.

• ¹⁵ “Antichrist” means anything that is against Christ. There have been many such during the Christian era. (1 John 2:18) This same apostle, however, clearly indicates that there will be those associated with the Lord’s people and who will form an antichrist at the end of the world. A false Christ is one that falsely claims to be the anointed one of God. A false Christ is also an antichrist because opposed to the true Christ. According to the words of Jesus the false Christs would appear after the coming of the Lord to his temple. Jesus also said that at the time of his coming to his temple there would be manifested those who would claim to have been looking for his coming and would claim to be in the truth but who would then say, in substance, that the Lord has delayed his coming. This class Jesus designates as the “evil servant”. As to the fate of the “evil servant” class, Jesus said that he would be cut asunder and his portion appointed with the hypocrites.—Matt. 24:49-51.

• ¹⁶ From the foregoing, taken together with the words of the apostle in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-15, it is clearly made to appear that ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition’ would first receive the truth concerning the second coming of the Lord and his kingdom and would look for and expect the second coming of the Lord and the setting up of his kingdom; that there would be a disappointment on the part of this class and they would say, “My Lord delaycth his coming” ; • and that later these, which the apostle designates as ‘the man of sin’, ‘would exalt himself above all that is called God’ and would exhibit himself as God’s special representatives, while at the same time they would be actually and vigorously opposing the work of God.

THE FACTS

• ¹⁷ In order to connect them with the Scriptures and emphasize the importance thereof, the facts well known to readers of The Watch Tower are here repeated, to wit: That from about 1875 the truth began to be preached concerning the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ; that responding to the message of truth many persons from inside and outside the church denominations associated themselves together in the study of God’s Word; that these claimed to be consecrated to the Lord and in the covenant by sacrifice; that they met together and often spoke of the second coming of the Lord and his kingdom; that they were strongly of the belief that Christ Jesus would come and set up his kingdom in 1914 and that all the called ones who had been faithful would then be taken into the kingdom; that 1914 came and many were disappointed in the fact that the kingdom did not at that time appear to be set up, and that from and after that time there was “a falling away from the truth and its seiwice”; that such falling away was particularly marked from A.D. 1917 onward; that those here described were once supporters of The Watch Tower and associated with and supporters of the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society; that from and after 1917 they and others who have since joined them have been opposing and still oppose God’s witness work concerning the kingdom; and that they now oppose the work that the Society is doing, and will have nothing to do with the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom and the declaring of the vengeance of God against Satan’s organization. About this statement of facts there will scarcely be any question.

• ¹⁸ Jesus, coming to his temple, is accompanied by his angels. (Matt. 25:31) Then begins the work of the Lord of gathering unto himself those who shall compose the temple class; and this conclusion is supported by his words, “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet; and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. ” (Matt. 24:31) These gathered and approved ones he brings under the robe of righteousness. (Isa. 61:10) It seems entirely certain that the apostle refers to this same time when he says, ‘the coming of the Lord Jesus, and our gathering together unto him.’ Without a question of doubt this work of separating the professed ones and the gathering to the Lord of the approved ones began ■with the Lord’s coming to his temple; and it seems that this work is yet in progress, and is not entirely finished.

• ¹⁹ The begotten of the holy spirit would receive the call to the kingdom, because, as stated, all are called in one hope. (Eph. 4:4) It is manifest that only those responding to the call and proving faithful up Io the time of the Lord’s coming to his temple are chosen. It seems certain from the words of the Master that many others are called who respond to the call but who are not faithful and therefore not chosen. All the called ones who had responded to the call would be in line for the kingdom and would be the kingdom if faithful. In this connection the words of Jesus are important: “The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity.” (Matt. 13:41) Manifestly the ones here mentioned as being gathered out would be in line for the kingdom, because otherwise they would not be gathered out. Being in line for the kingdom, and knowing of the kingdom, and expecting the second coming of the Lord and his receiving them into the kingdom, yet they are rejected and gathered out for some reason; and Jesus assigns the reason to be that they offend and that they do iniquity. “Iniquity” means lawlessness; therefore Jesus’ words must mean that they were expecting the kingdom but were not proceeding or pursuing a course of action according to God’s lawful way. This could apply only to those claiming to work in the name of God and Christ yet whose works are contrary to God’s law. The Apostle Paul’s language is that the “man of sin” is the worker of iniquity and at the same time sets himself up as God’s special representative. The description of the “evil servant” class that is gathered out and deprived of an opportunity for the kingdom, and the description of the “man of sin”, are essentially the same, and show that they refer to one and the same class. God seems to have described the same class by the words of his prophet.—Ps. 50:16-21.

RESTRAINING POWER

• ²⁰ What is the power that restrains the “man of sin” from being revealed until his due time? Paul told his brethren what it is, but he did not state it in terms in his epistle to the Thessalonians. He must have learned this from the Lord when, as he states, he was caught up to the third heaven and saw things that it was not lawful for him to speak about. (2 Cor. 12:4) He says that lawlessness or working of iniquity was going on in his day but was held back and would continue to be held back until the restraining power ‘be taken away’ and then the “man of sin” would be revealed. That restraining power is divine; and therefore it is clear that the holy spirit in its administration as a helper or advocate for the called ones who are in line for the kingdom is that restraining power.

• ²¹ In the preceding issue of The Watch Tower Scriptures are submitted showing that when Jesus was about to take his departure he told his disciples that he would pray his Father and his Father would send them another helper aside from himself and that the helper whom God would send would guide them into all truth and would comfort them and that the helper is the holy spirit. The administration of the holy spirit, or helper, is in behalf of and for the benefit of all who have responded to the call and who are in line for the kingdom. It seems reasonable to say that when that administration of the holy spirit is completed it is taken away, just as the gifts of the spirit were taken away.—1 Cor. 13: 8.

• 22 qq_lc “faithful _an(i wise”, being approved by the Lord and chosen, are covered with the robe of righteousness, and taken into the temple, therefore into the secret place of the Most High. These being made members of the “elect servant”, of which Jesus is tho Head, he (Christ Jesus) is now the helper and advocate for such, and only such. Those who were once in line for the kingdom but who were rejected and not chosen have no advocate, helper or comforter and are left to the open attack of the enemy Satan. It is Satan that makes war against and attempts to destroy the remnant because the remnant is working lawfully in doing God’s work. The others who are now of the “evil servant” are working unlawfully, and hence are called ‘workers of iniquity’, and they fall ready tools to the enemy Satan. The withholding or restraining power, to wit, the holy spirit, is withdrawn from those who go to make up the “evil servant”, and Satan, it seems, will organize them into an opposition work against God and his anointed.

• ²³ Arrogantly the “man of sin”, or “evil servant”, exalts himself as the anointed of God, and claims to be the little flock, and assumes to be God’s representatives, and claims to be the temple class, and thereby seats himself in the temple. By employing fraud, deception and lying he deceives many. Those of the “elect servant” class, however, cannot and will not be deceived. The warning is given to them that they may be fortified against the on-coming assault. Let the words of the apostle now be considered verse by verse as set forth in 2 Thessalonians 2.

• ²⁴ Verse one locates the time of the Lord’s coming to his temple and the gathering together unto himself of the body members, which time began in 1918, and which gathering is yet in progress. Verses two and three warn the faithful followers of Christ and tell them not to be deceived by any reports that may come to them, because this gathering together and tho revelation of the “man of sin” must be preceded by a falling away; which falling away began in 1917, and even before that, and continues until now.

• ²⁵ Verse four discloses that those falling away will organize or be organized by Satan into an opposition movement opposing God and his anointed. There aro now many opposing companies or bodies who are separate from each other in everything except one tiling. They were once in the truth, but now they are a unit in opposition to tho Society and its work in behalf of the kingdom of God. Upon the authority of Paul’s words the suggestion is made that these will increase in number and power of opposition; that they will claim that the Society and those connected with it are all wrong; that they will make the claim for themselves that they are God’s “elect and anointed” and therefore will fulfil the place of the false Christ foretold by Jesus and that they will ‘sit as a god in the temple of God, showing himself that he is a god’.— Diaglott.

• ²⁸ Verses five to seven show that even in Paul’s day there were some who had responded to the call to the kingdom and looked forward to the time that they might have the power of the kingdom for their selfish purposes, and that they were unlawful workers and hence were called ‘workers of iniquity’. Because the holy spirit was then operating in behalf of all who had responded to the call, that holy power held back the enemy Satan from organizing the opposition and bringing forth the “man of sin”. That restraining power being taken away when the Lord comes to his temple, then the wicked one is quickly organized and begins the opposition to God and his anointed and is revealed as ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition ’.

• ²⁷ Verses nine to eleven disclose that the “man of sin”, or organized opposition to God, is like that of Satan and uses fraud, lying and deceit and appears with all deceivableness and unrighteousness. Knowing Satan’s methods we may expect much hypocrisy to be connected with such a movement. The apostle further discloses that the “man of sin” will deceive others “because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved ’ ’. In other words they must receive the love of the truth in order to be saved and be of the kingdom. This docs not mean love for the truth, but clearly means what it says, “the love of the truth. ’ ’

• ²⁸ Many have received the truth but have received it with a selfish desire and used it with a selfish motive, whereas those that will be saved are saved because they receive the love of the truth; that is to say, they unselfishly devote themselves to the truth that the word and name of God might be glorified. Many have looked forward to the kingdom that they might have the great honor, power and glory of ruling, and have had much pride in the prospect of such honor, power and glory. Such has been the moving cause that induced them to embrace and confess the truth. They have assumed the attitude of being more holy than their brethren and have been haughty and proud and severe in their criticism of their brethren. The truth of God’s kingdom did not produce in them an unselfish devotion to God which is the love of the truth. For this reason they are open to deception by Satan and are deceived; and all who are looking for the kingdom with such selfish desire or motive will be deceived by the “man of sin”. It is stated that ‘God shall send them an energy of delusion that they may believe a lie’. (Diaglott) This would indicate a quick and energetic action on their part in their opposition to God and to his work And, being unrestrained, they will make many extravagant claims and practice deception. All those who have been negligent, or have refused to work lawfully and have worked unlawfully, or have declined to work at all, will be deceived.

• ²⁹ This clearly means that only those will be taken into the kingdom who unselfishly devote themselves to God and his cause of righteousness that they might see the kingdom of righteousness established and God’s name and word completely vindicated. Such is perfect love, and those who have perfect love will have boldness in the day of judgment in proclaiming the truth. (1 John 4:17,18) Only such receive the love of the truth. All others who have accepted the truth and look to the kingdom for some other reason are open to the deception of Satan’s instrument, the “man of sin”.

• ³⁰ Let the anointed of the Lord be on guard, and they will not be deceived. We know from the Scriptures that Satan is making his last desperate stand because he knows that his time is short. He is bringing to bear every force at his command to destroy the remnant because these composing the remnant have the testimony of Jesus Christ and are giving it out in obedience to God’s commandments. There is no instrument that Satan could use so effectually to accomplish his wicked purpose as the one made up of a class of people who have once received a knowledge of the truth but who have lost the holy spirit and have turned against God and his work. They are better equipped to make the attack than any others. They arc more ready instruments of Satan than any others.

• ³¹ The “man of sin” once had the truth and still holds a mental understanding thereof. When the Lord removed the restraining power and protection from such, then the Devil puts before them his special delusion and gathers them together, and they will constitute an effective instrument in his hands. They will not be gathered together or united in doctrine or in the conduct of their internal affairs. They will be united in opposition to the Lord’s work and to his people who are doing that work now on the earth. They are now attacking that work and make the claim that the Society and its work and those actively engaged therein are wrong and should be destroyed. Doubtless such opposition will grow stronger and many who are not fortified because they have not received the love of the truth will be deceived by the “man of sin” and fall to that deception. That delusion will be so strong that it will carry many off their feet and they will be induced to believe the lie instead of the truth.

• ³² The greatest of all truths is that concerning God’s kingdom. It is the kingdom of God that he purposed from the beginning to set up with his beloved Son as the Head thereof that will completely vindicate his word and his name. He makes only those members of his kingdom who have received the love of the truth and have therefore unselfishly devoted themselves to the kingdom interests. It should be expected that the great lie is exactly opposite to or against the kingdom of God; and such it is. It is the great sin. The lie and the sin are therefore anti-kingdom. Satan has been anti-kingdom since first he learned about it, and that is the reason he sought to destroy Jesus, who was sent of God to accomplish his purposes. The ‘‘man of sin” is described as the opposer of God, which means the opposer of God's kingdom, and that necessarily carries'with it opposition to the work of God's anointed in the interest of the kingdom.

• ⁸³ Satan has always practiced fraud and deceit in order to carry out his wicked works, and it is to be expected that he would bring forth a counterfeit in that it would be looked upon by many as the kingdom, because that would bt the best way to deceive. The “man of sin” is used for that very purpose, and in doing so exalts himself and sets himself up as the anointed of God. There is but one class of people on earth that fits this description or that Satan could possibly use for this purpose, and that class of people is made up of those who have once received a knowledge of the truth concerning the second coming of Christ and his kingdom but who did not receive the love of the truth. Because of their selfishness they fall to Satan and they are energized by a delusion and an error that causes many to believe that the counterfeit thing is the kingdom. These believe the lie and have pleasure in such unrighteousness.

• ⁸⁸ Judas Iscariot had a knowledge of the truth and was in line for the kingdom, because Jesus told him about it. But Judas looked forward to the kingdom with a selfish purpose, that he might receive some peculiar personal benefit therefrom. He did not receive the love of the truth that the name of God might be vindicated, and he willingly fell into the trap of Satan and betrayed the Lord. Judas foreshadowed the "evil servant” class. Judas is described as the “son of perdition”, which means destruction. The workers of iniquity are those who have a knowledge of the truth and are in line for the kingdom but because of their selfishness are gathered out of that class when the Lord comes to his temple. They do not lose a mental knowledge of the truth, but they hold their knowledge and use it selfishly and wrongfully. Concerning the end or fate of these, Jesus says: "And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”—Matt. 13:42.

is _The “_evii servant” is made up of the same class, identically. That class responded to the call for the kingdom and looked for the second coming of the Lord, but they had a selfish motive that induced them to take a selfish course of action. Jesus stated that their fate is the portion assigned to the hypocrites, which is destruction. (Matt. 24:51) The “man of sin” was once in line for the kingdom but looked forward to enjoying the kingdom wholly for selfish purposes, and he is specifically named “the son of perdition”.

• ⁸⁸ What is here said is not intended as a judgment upon individuals, but merely to call attention to what now clearly appears to be the truth, due to be understood by those who love the Lord. It is written: “Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.” (1 Cor. 4:5) It may well be said here, however, and in harmony with this text, that the Lord has come and he is now bringing to light the hidden things of darkness and is making manifest the counsel of the hearts, and this he is doing for the benefit of the faithful remnant now on earth. There would be no need or occasion for bringing these hidden things to light after the remnant is beyond the veil. Hence, in calling attention to these things it is not judging before the time.

BE COURAGEOUS

• ⁸⁷ That God now has a remnant on earth there is not the slightest doubt in the mind of anyone who loves the Lord. The fact that these are called “the remnant” shows that there are others who have a knowledge of the truth and who once were in line for the kingdom and are now not of the remnant because they have been set aside. The remnant is the Society, as that term is understood by us. These earnestly and diligently endeavor to carry on the work of the Society, which means diligence in giving the witness to the truth of and concerning the kingdom in obedience to God’s commandments. These have received the love of the truth and they delight to give their all in obedience to God’s commandments, that his name might be glorified. They are being vigorously opposed in their work by others who once walked with them and who were once in line for the kingdom but who have gone out from them. Concerning such it is written: “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us; but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.” (1 John 2:19,20) It is clear, therefore, that those here described who have gone out have not received the anointing. If it be correct that they no longer have the holy spirit as their helper, then we may expect Satan to quickly organize them into a strong opposition to the truth of God and his remnant.

We should expect that all manner of lies will be told about the Society and its work and those earnestly engaged in that work, and that all manner of opposition will be set up against that work.

• ⁸⁸ The mere fact that the Lord gave his people this warning is evidence that there is yet a crucial test ahead. But let all the faithful be of good courage. The enemy and all his powers cannot succeed. The opposers shall perish, even as the Lord has foretold.

• ⁸⁹ Great pressure is now being brought to bear by those who class themselves as the opposition to the Society to induce brethren to give up the witness work in which they are engaged. Let no one who is devoted to the Lord be at all discouraged by such efforts. Those who have received the love of the truth, and hold that love, cannot and will not be deceived. God will bring his “elect servant” through to complete victory.

• ⁴⁰ The provisions God has made for those that love him are marvelous in our eyes. Long centuries ago he caused Paul to see the coming “man of sin” and to write a warning to those who should be on earth in “the day of Christ”, which is this very day where we now are. For the encouragement of the faithful he caused Paul to further write: ‘ ‘ But we are bound to give thanks al way to God for you, brethren beloved cf the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth; whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of cur Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father, which hath loved us, and hath given us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace, comfort your hearts, and stablish you in every good word and work. ’ ’—2 Thess. 2:13-17.

• ⁴¹ God has now given his people an understanding of The Revelation which he gave to Jesus Christ to show unto his servants. The publication of the two books called Light, giving the explanation of The Revelation, will greatly anger the Devil and all who have not the spirit of Christ. We may therefore expect the opposition to the kingdom to quickly become stronger than ever. It will be of short duration, however, because the day of deliverance is at hand. The remnant is now giving honor to Jehovah’s name by faithfully serving him. ‘Great is the Holy One in our midst.’ He will furnish al! the needed help and comfort. Be of good courage and rejoice and continue to sing unto Jehovah the new song and let his praises be heard to the ends of the earth!

QUESTIONS FOR BEREAN STUDY

H 1. What is the “great sin’’J How is the “man of sin’’ related to “the son of perdition”1

2-4. What was the former view held regarding the identity of the “man of sin’’? What is the position of the Papal system?

V 5-9. Prove that the Papal system is not ‘the man of sin, the son of perdition .

10. Account for Paul’s specially warning the church concerning the “man of Bin’’, and his stressing the importance of their understanding and appreciating the truth at the end of the world.

V 11. What do the Scriptures show as to the nature of the two ‘servants’ that would be manifest at the end of the world ?

V 12-14. Describe Judas’ position and course of action as illustrating the manifestation of a class at this time.

f 15, 16. Identify clearly the class referred to in Matthew 24:24, 49-51.

1[ 17, 18. Trace the development and manifestation of “that servant” referred to in Matthew 24:46 and of “that servant” mentioned in the 50th verse of the same chapter.

T 19. Show that Jesus’ description of the “evil servant” is essentially the same as Paul’s description of the “man of sin”.

20, 21. What was the power restraining the “man of sin”? How is this ascertained?

V 22. Account for the manifestation of the “man of sin” after the Lord’s coming to his temple.

V 23, 24. In verses 1 to 3, what are the related points emphasized by Paul?

If 25. Point out the fulfilment of verse 4.

If 26. In this connection, what is the advantage of a knowledge of Satan’s methods of operation?

H 27-29. Distinguish between ‘love for the truth’ and “the love of the truth”. Why is the distinction important?

30, 31. Why should Satan seek to use those who have had a knowledge of the truth?

7 32-35. Point out particularly the peril of those who have been in line for the kingdom. Account for the falling away of many of these.

V 36. Why should the Lord “bring to light the hidden things of darkness” at this time?

H 37. Explain the significance of the term “the remnant”.

V 38, 39. What purpose should we see in the Lord’s now giving his people an understanding of the warning concerning tho “man of sin”?

40. Point out how the Lord has ‘given his people comfort and hope and established them in every good word and work ’.

SING, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel; he glad and rejoice with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem. Jehovah hath taken away thy judgments, he hath cast out thine enemy: the king of Israel, even Jehovah, is in the midst of thee: thou shalt not see evil any more. In that day it shall he said to Jerusalem, Fear thou not! and to Zion, Let not thine hands he slack! Jehovah thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing.—Zephaniah.

THE MISSION OF THE TRUE CHURCH

[Fifteen-minute radio lecture]

THE true, church was organized by God, and not by men. It has no sectarian name. It is composed of men and women who are fully devoted to the Lord and who have his spirit. In Romans 8: 9 we read: “If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” The spirit of Christ was one of full and complete devotion of all his powers to the service of Jehovah God. Members of the true church have this spirit. According to Revelation 7:4 and 14:1, the true church consists of only 144,000 persons. It is composed of a class who are selected from the rest of mankind and who, because of their faithfulness even unto death, are overcomers.

God began the work of selection on the day of Pentecost, nearly nineteen hundred years ago. Its first members were Jews, selected from that nation at the first advent of the Lord. After the rejection of the nation of Israel in A.D. 73 God turned to the Gentiles and began to select from them and will continue to select from them until the full number foreordained by God has been chosen. Then the company will be completed and the “door” will be “shut”, which means that then no more will ever become members of the true church.

The record of membership is kept in heaven; for, says the apostle, their names are written in the Lamb’s book of life. (Rev. 17:8) Not one of the denominations of earth today represents the true church, and it is also wrong to speak of them all, as a unit, as being the true church. However, it may be that among the membership of these denominations are scattered here and there a few who will eventually prove faithful and become members of the true church.

We read of the true church, in Revelation 20:6, these words: “Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection; on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” Two things are prominently mentioned in this text: (1) that the true church is to be resurrected before the rest of mankind, and (2) that she is to reign with Christ a thousand years.

What is the mission of the church ? What work has God for her to do? Why is he selecting a particular class from among men? In unmistakable language the Bible answers these questions. Members of the church are to share in doing the work of the kingdom of Christ. That is why they are to reign with him a thousand years. In symbolic language they are spoken of as the bride of Christ. When Christ begins the work of resurrecting all the dead and giving them life on the earth, the church, his bride, will share in that work. This explains why the church is selected first, and why the world has to wait for its blessings until the church is completed.

Think, for a moment, of this kingdom work. What a stupendous one it will be! It will mean the blessing of all families of the earth; and by that is meant all the dead as well as those living when the kingdom is established. But of what will this blessing consist ? It will consist of awakening twenty billions of human creatures from the sleep of death, and then educating and uplifting them until they shall all be restored to the image of God which Adam possessed before he sinned. They must be given a knowledge of the truth, until the entire twenty billion will know accurately just who God is and what God’s will is concerning them. In addition to this they must be delivered from the evil and selfish desires that now control the race. They must be brought up not only to the point where they know God’s will, but also to the point where they will have perfect ability to do that will.

This is the work of the kingdom, and Jesus Christ and his true church will do this work. It will be a work of glorifying God, vindicating his name and planting a proper appreciation of God and all his attributes of wisdom, justice, love and power in every human heart and mind. It will mean to deliver all the human family from the false teachings which Satan has planted in the human mind, such as “trinity”, “eternal torment,” “human immortality,” that th) soul cannot die, that the dead are not dead, that only a clergyman has any right to teach the Bible, and other similar false teachings. It will mean that all must come to the point where they will give God the glory for all their blessings, and not give the glory to some man as they have in the past. Then mankind will render unto God the glory that is due unto him. But as long as men have the false idea that God is a fiend, anxious to torment someone, they cannot give him the glory due to him.

It is impossible for people with false conceptions of God, or who are controlled by ignorance, superstition, bigotry or prejudice to render a proper worship to Jehovah. Hence the thousand years of instruction, discipline and uplift are necessary. This work of blessing will have to be done for the millions of worshipers of Baal, for Mohammedans, Confucianists, Buddhists, Taoists, Shintoists, Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans, Christian Scientists, Catholics, as well as all those who have lived and died with no special religious belief. And it will include the millions and millions of those who have worshiped stocks, stones and images, snakes and animals.

To deliver all the people from the thralldom of ignorance, bigotry and superstition due to their various religious beliefs and training, and to bring them out into the glorious liberty of the children of God, is the future work of the church. This will be done during the thousand-year kingdom and under the

supervision of Christ himself. This will be God’s appointed time and way for converting the world.

But the true church has a mission while its members are in the flesh. Many suppose that the only work of Christians while in the flesh is to try to be nice, sweet, moral, polite and genteel, and thus prepare themselves for the kingdom. This is a great mistake. It is true that the church are noiv in the school of Christ, and that they are being prepared for that glorious future work. But the work of preparation consists in much more than being nice, sweet, honest, moral and upright. The Scriptures teach that they have many lessons to be learned and that these lessons are found in the Word of God. But, above all, the true Christian now has a specified work to do while in the flesh. He is commanded to bear witness unceasingly to the honor of Jehovah. If he fails to do this work, then he is not a true Christian, is not and cannot be pleasing to God, and will certainly miss the kingdom, and hence will surely miss having a share in the future glorious work of the kingdom.

There are millions of professing Christians who do not study the Bible. These are not Christians, even though they are members of some so-called ‘ ‘ church ’ ’. There are many thousands of people who read the Bible and frankly confess that they do not understand it, and wonder what it all means. These too are not Christians in any sense of the word. There are other millions of professing Christians who do study the Bible but who boldly and brazenly deny its inspiration; deny that Jesus was the Son of God; deny his virgin birth; deny the necessity for his death, and deny his resurrection. These also are not and cannot be Christians in even the remotest sense. Not being Christians, of course none of these are members of the true church.

Jesus himself said: “Search the scriptures; for . . . they are they which testify of me. ’ ’ Paul says: ‘All Scripture given by inspiration of God is profitable.’ Again, Paul says: ‘The Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation.’ Also, Jesus said: “Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” These texts and many others reveal the necessity for diligent and persistent study of the Bible; and since these things are commanded, it means that a professing Christian who does not study it is disobedient to the divine command, and therefore cannot be a member of the true church. Neither can he fulfil the mission of the church, for the reason that he does not know what that mission is.

The mission of the true church while still in the flesh is, first, to ascertain what God is doing now, and then to ascertain what he requires them to do, and then to faithfully and loyally do it, regardless of whether it pleases others or not. By a careful and persistent study of the Scriptures they soon learn that God is not trying to convert the world now, but that he is selecting the true church from among the human family, and that the true church is to convert the world during the reign of Christ. They learn still further that as soon as they become aware of the purpose and work of Jehovah God they must engage in the work of telling others about Jehovah and his purposes. This means that each member of the true church is called to be, not a clergyman, but a preacher, and that he does not need any human ordination or theological training to be a preacher. All he needs is to know definitely what God wants him to preach, and then faithfulness in preaching that among the people.

He learns that he is commanded to preach the gospel, which means the good news of the coming kingdom of God; to preach that Christ was crucified for our sins, and that there is no salvation possible except to believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ; he must preach that God is now offering a special prize to 144,000 who will comply with the terms and conditions; he must preach the coming day of vengeance of God, called ‘ ‘ the battle of Armageddon”, and explain to the people why it is necessary; he must contend earnestly for the faith; he must not waste time in honoring men, but must exalt and honor Jehovah God; he must preach a coming resurrection of the dead, and that God purposes to give the majority of people everlasting life right here on earth; he must expose all false doctrines and blasphemous teachings about God and the Bible, and point out those who are putting these forth. This is the mission of members of the true church.

In Luke 9:60 we read: “Let the dead bury their dead; but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.” In 2 Timothy 4:2 we read: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season.” Again, in Matthew 24:14 we read: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” This text teaches that the gospel must be preached in all the world before the end, before the present wicked organization of Satan is destroyed.

Isaiah 61; 1-3 is a text that applies to the true church, and reads: “The spirit of Jehovah is upon me; because Jehovah hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound [this prison is the bondage to creeds, false doctrines and church systems under which millions of people arc restrained today] ; to proclaim the acceptable year of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance of our God.” Again, in 1 Peter 2:9 we read: “Ye are a chosen generation, . . . that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” And in 2 Corinthians 5:20 we read: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech by us: we pray iu Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.”

All these and many other texts tell us the mission of the church; and the apostle adds: “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee [the] crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10) There can be no misunderstanding about the matter, and those who do not serve as the Lord’s ambassadors now will be no part of the bride of the Lamb beyond the veil. It is not the work of the church to try to convert the world now; neither to dabble in the politics of the world, nor to engage in any of its reform movements. Those who do these things are unfaithful to the mission which God has given his church to do. The true church must proclaim the name, the purpose and the works of Jehovah God; they must show forth his praises; must be his witnesses in the world, proclaim his gospel, and preach his coming kingdom, which will bring the resurrection of the dead and the blessing of all families of the earth.

WATCHMAN, WHAT OF THE NIGHT?

[Thirty-minute radio lecture]

TIE morning is coming, good people! The man in the watchtower says so, and lifts up his voice to shout out the good news to the world! Aren’t you glad ? For all over the earth the common people are sighing, “Would God it were morning!” —Dent. 28: 67, 66.

With this night, this gloom, this perplexity upon the world, the people cannot be or feel secure about their lives and their little measure of happiness and of peace. Though in the deep dark of night, the world is not standing still; no, it is moving on somewhere in the darkness as though on the surface of a stream in an unlightcd cavern. No telling where or when the falls will be reached, and then—well, it is an uneasy feeling just now. Don’t you think so, Mr. Business-man? And don’t you also, Mr. Politician? And how about you, Mr. Social-reformer? And you, Mr. Laboring-man ?

It is quite unnerving to be in the dark and on the move, and so everybody thinks that somebody ought to do something. Hence lawmakers, and financiers, and reformers, and labor leaders, either with or without the advice and approval of religion, are trying to dp something. They do not admit that they are at their wits’ end, for they are still trying, as if there was something yet to experiment with that had not already proven a failure. Here we are, more than ten years after the signing of the Peace Treaty, and yet the words of “the prophet of Nazareth” are more true today than ever, “Upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which arc coming on the earth. ’ ’ —Luke 21: 25, 26.

Is there not a prophet somewhere in the land who can really assure us that this fright-marked time will not get worse or that there is some way out before the worst is reached? Of course, there are those who are looked up to as business prophets, others as political prophets, all reliable authorities according to business and political standards. How shall we take their statements and predictions ? No matter who such prophets be, it is merely the mind of man that speaks through them. They are fallible, just as all other men are; and God’s Word says: “It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man.” “Thus saith the Lord: Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the Lord.”—Ps. 118: 8; Jer. 17: 5.

What we need to hear today is the word of inspiration, the voice of divine infallibility, the voice of the One ‘ ‘ declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure”. (Isa. 46:10) That One is Jehovah, the God who speaks to us in his holy Word of prophecy. To his written Word we must take heed, as the Apostle Peter himself stated, saying, “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the holy [spirit].”—2 Pct. 1:19-21.

Why is there so much talk, talk, talk, by men of affairs in the world today? It is in reality because God has put the world to silence before him. How so ? Because none of the world can answer God and justify themselves as to their course of ignoring him and the perfect counsel contained in his holy Word. The challenge that God issued over two thousand years ago applies today: “Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say [of God’s Word], It is truth.” (Isa. 43:9) In fact, all that men of affairs can answer is, as prophetically stated in Jeremiah eight, verses fourteen and fifteen: “Why do we sit still? assemble yourselves, and let us enter into the defenced cities, and let us be silent there: for the Lord our God hath put us to silence, and given us water of gall to drink, because we have sinned against the Lord. We looked for peace, but no good came; and for a time of health, and behold trouble!”

The Hebrew word meaning silence is dumah. Anciently there was a town of that name in the Near East, in what was called Seir, or Mount Seir. Seir was inhabited by the enemies of God’s cause. It was sometimes called “the mount of Esau” (Obad. 8, 19,. 21) because peopled by descendants of Esau who sold his birthright for a mess of pottage. Hence, Seir prophetically pictured the Devil’s world organization; in fact, the name “Seir” is a close relative to the Hebrew word sa-ir, which means goat, satyr, and devil. Thus God’s prophecy used the town of Dumah in Mount Seir to picture today’s world organization, blustering with much talk but unable to justify itself before God and doomed to come to utter silence before God.

In the prophecy of Isaiah twenty-one, verses eleven and twelve, the Lord pictures night’s darkness hanging distressfully over Dumah, the town of silence. Someone in Dumah is very anxious, and is eager for the night and its terror to pass away. The prophecy says: “The burden [that is, the oracle] of Dumah. He calleth to me out of Seir.” In fulfilment of this prophecy in our day, the people who feel the oppression of Satan’s world organization and who begin to sense the approaching breakdown of so-ealled “civilization”, are calling out. What are they saying? The prophecy says: “Watchman, what of the night? Watchman, what of the night?”

Very likely many of the radio listeners can find in these prophetic words the expression of their own minds and hearts. You are honest-hearted; your eyelids are not puffed out with the fatness which prosperity brings (Ps. 73:7) so that your eyes are closed and cannot see the true world situation today. You know that although this is claimed to be a day of great enlightenment, yet materialistic science, questionable politics, and hard-fisted finance, have not, in all they have said thus far, given you an illuminating answer that brings you positive comfort and hope and certainty. As far as you are concerned, they might just as well keep silent in their defenced places. You discern that there is a nighttime upon the world, a night disturbed with piteous weeping due to sickness, accidents, calamities and death; a night of widespread poverty, of unemployment of men and women who honestly want work, of injustices and oppressions practiced on the poor multitudes, of increasing crime, a delirium of pleasure-seeking, a steady failure of human schemes, and a struggle for life growing ever harder and more burdensome. You long for the dawning of a better day; just as it was foretold long ago that the people would say: “When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.”—Job 7:4.

God’s sacred Word is the only book that explains the night which has been upon the earth since the year 1914. That Book accurately foretold the conditions and events that would begin at that date; it even foretold the date 1914. Hence if it is correct in forecasting the date and the events marking it, it must be accurate in assigning the reason for those events. What is the reason?

Nineteen centuries ago the foulest crime in this earth’s history was committed. It was the murder of God’s chief Son, Jesus. That murder was framed in order to prevent something which was in the interest of all the people, living or dead. The enemies of Jesus resorted to murder, thinking to prevent thereby the setting up of the kingdom of God on this earth, with Jesus as its King. In plain terms the Bible names those who were Jesus’ enemies. No, not the publicans, harlots, nor the so-called “sinners” of the day, nor the common people, for “the common people heard [Jesus] gladly”. The enemies of Jesus were the religious leaders of that time, the chief priests, elders, scribes, Pharisees, lawyers, the members of the Jewish supreme court, and the Herodians who were political office-seekers. Jesus had plainly told them, “The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.” (Matt. 21:43) They knew therefore that if he should become king they would not be given any political offices or favors, and besides, they would lose what popular and political and ecclesiastical powers they were then enjoying. Why should they want Jesus as king? or why let him bring the loss of what advantages they had in hand ? The interests of the afflicted and suffering common people never touched their grossly selfish hearts.

However, the chief enemy of Jesus was invisible. It was the Devil; his name Satan means “enemy, or adversary”. Satan knew that for Jesus to succeed meant the loss of everything for himself. Satan was “the god of this world”, or, as Jesus called him, “the prince of this world.” With the exception of Jesus and his faithful followers, all the people of the earth worshiped him in one form or another. He was not backward in boasting to Jesus that he (Satan) held all the kingdoms of this earth as his earthly organization; and he had legions of fallen angels in heaven who made up his invisible, heavenly organization. If Jesus became king, all this would be ruined for Satan. To forestall any such thing Satan used the religious leaders and their sympathizers, who because of selfishness were glad to play into the Devil’s hands. The nailing of Jesus to the cross followed.

Little did Satan calculate on the greatness of God’s power to raise Jesus from the dead; nor did he appreciate, apparently, that it was not God’s will for Jesus to rule as a king of "flesh and blood” over mankind, but that Jesus should be an invisible King, ruling from heaven, in the same manner as Satan has misruled earth’s peoples from heaven. Hence, God permitted Jesus to be persecuted and put to death, because if Jesus was to furnish a sin-offering for mankind’s transgression he must die innocently on their behalf; thus he would offer up a sacrifice that would precisely counterweigh the perfect human life that Adam had forfeited by yielding to the Devil. Hence, also, God resurrected Jesus from the dead, not as a man, but as an invisible, spirit or heavenly creature, no more able to die, but now immortal, divine.

Forty days after his resurrection Jesus ascended up to heaven to appear in the very presence of God with his sin-offering. Jesus was at that time fully entitled to the kingship over the human race by virtue of his being anointed with God’s spirit and his faithfulness to God even to the death of the cross. But it was not then God’s will nor time for Jesus to begin the active exercise of his authority as earth’s rightful Ruler. God had purposed a later season for this. Hence it is written that when Jesus ascended to God "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.” (Ps. 110:1,2) And, then "the Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion [saying]: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies”.

Logically, the time for Jesus’ enemies to be made his footstool is at the end of the world, which means nothing else than the end of Satan’s uninterrupted rulership of the people of this earth through his wicked organization. From ancient Egypt down to the mighty systems of our day, the great Gentile (or non-Jewish) world powers have all been part of Satan’s organization, even though some of them have camouflaged themselves under the name "Christian nation”. Therefore the end of the world means also the end of what Jesus called "the times of the Gentiles”, that is, the end of the age during which the human governments of the nations have ruled the people by sufferance of God, but not by divine right. By time measurements which are mathematically provable, the Bible fixed the year 1914 as the date when God’s sufferance would cease or "the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled”. At that most important date of human history Jesus must begin to rule the earth in the midst of his enemies.

By good proofs contained in the Bible and supported by facts in evidence on earth today, God’s sacred Word points out that war was declared on Satan’s organization in 1914, beginning in heaven first; and that by at least the time that our World War had ended Satan and his wicked angelic organization had been cast out of heaven and had been thrust down to the neighborhood of our earth, which is God’s footstool. While this "war in heaven” was progressing, the earthly part of Satan’s world organization, namely, the Gentile powers or nations, were involved in a world war, and also harassed by famines, pestilences, earthquakes, and manifold sorrows. The outbreak of these calamities on earth in the year 1914 proved Jesus’ prophecy on the end of the world to be correct; and of these dire events Jesus said: "All these are the beginning of sorrows.” (Matt. 24:2-8) Referring to Satan’s being ousted from heaven at that same time, the book of Revelation, chapter twelve, verse twelve, says: "Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth, and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.”

And now, all those of you who call out of Seir, saying, "Watchman, how far is the night gone?” (Rotherham) "Watchman, what of the night?” do you now understand why the nations of earth have been in a night of such darkness since August, 1914?

The Devil is enraged at his overwhelming defeat in heaven and his abasement to the earth, and consequently since the close of the World War it has been ‘Woe to the earth and to the sea’. And the people sorely feel it too, even though they do not understand it.

But how does the watchman answer the question called out to him? Before examining the prophetic answer, we might first ask, Who is this watchman? He is the man on the lookout up in the watchtower. The prophecy uses him, not to foreshadow a certain man or a single individual, but to symbolize a class of faithful men and women of God in our day, who have a higher view of things than the naturally-minded people of the world. This higher view comes to them, not because of a higher worldly education, but because they are completely devoted to God and have his spirit, a spirit of enlightenment which searches and reveals "the deep things of God”. (1 Cor. 2:10) They are in the watchtower in that they take the Bible as their guide and have the loftier, advanced and future view of things that the Bible gives. They are not lulled to sleep by pleasures or care of selfish worldly things or by what the political or business or denominational prophets have to say about conditions coming back to "normalcy”; but they keep awake and watch to see the fulfilments of God’s Word of prophecy which prove that the rule of earth’s new invisible King, God’s anointed Son, Jesus, has begun.

This watchman class is none other than the body of genuine followers of Jesus throughout the earth who are engaged in preaching "this gospel of the kingdom . . . for a witness unto all nations”, and for whose warning Jesus long ago said: "What I say unto you I say unto all [my followers], Watch.” (Mark 13:37) When these witnesses of God are rebuked and reproved by the worldly-wise and high-minded ones, they respond in the language of Habak-kuk, chapter two, verse one, “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the [watch] tower, and will watch to see what he [the Lord] will say unto me, and what I shall answer when 1 am reproved.” It is to this class of true Christians that the watchtower network lets out its facilities.

What, then, does “the watchman” answer as to the night? He does not answer in words of human wisdom or human origin, but in words which God’s Book, the Holy Scriptures, puts into his mouth; for all other words are foolish, unreliable, and in fact influenced by the Devil. Isaiah’s prophecy tells us: “The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night.” Many would see little consolation in such an announcement, that the morning is coming, but also a night. They would respond, What! more suffering? Yes! The true watchman class is just as honest as is God’s Bible, and as plain-spoken too. Though the morning of joy and blessing is surely coming, this night must come as prophesied. It must come, otherwise the glorious dawn, of day cannot come. It is a night particularly upon Satan’s organization, but the peoples who are in bondage to that organization will also feel to a great extent the depths of that night.

Satan is not yet bound; he has merely been cast out of heaven and down to this earth. He still has a lot of fight left. The Bible says he has now “great wrath”, and consistent with this fact his organization is manifesting extreme activity so as to hold its grip on mankind’s affairs. But the night which God’s watchman declares is coming will utterly wipe out that execrable organization and will end with the tight binding of the Devil. It is Jehovah God, the great Deliverer, who brings this jet-black night upon his enemies and the enemies of mankind. (Nah. 1:8; Isa. 45:7) You may think it is dark now, and it is; but Jesus called the World War, beginning in 1914, and the accompanying famines, plagues, earthquakes, and distresses, merely “the beginning of sorrows”. Referring to the approaching night, he said: “For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world, ... no, nor ever shall be.” —Matt. 24: 21, 22.

In this same prophecy on the end of the world, Jesus pointed out that the days of this great tribulation would be shortened by an intermission period between the World War and the final tribulation upon organized wickedness. This period of peace would be taken advantage of by the company of God’s watchmen to obey his command to preach about the setting up of God’s government over man. In other words, Jesus prophesied that after the close of the World War “this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations: and then shall the end come”. For more than ten years now those who are serving as watchmen, or witnesses for God, have been proclaiming this kingdom-gospel, and it is manifest that the end of Satan’s world organization is not now far off. For this reason God’s watchmen advise the people everywhere to flee God’s sword of destruction that is about to smite the Devil’s organization, and to align themselves on the Lord’s side. God’s Word says: “Seek the Lord, and ye shall live. . . . Seek good, and not evil, that ye may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, shall be with you, as ye have spoken. ” “ Seek him that . . . turneth the shadow of death into the morning. ’ ’—Amos 5: 6,14, 8.

How cheering to know that the loving Jehovah will disperse the death-pall of the night and that the dawn of a new, pure and holy life will arise for the people, with Satan’s darksome organization in desolate ruins, Satan himself bound, and Christ Jesus, as earth’s rightful Rider, in full charge of all mankind’s interests and affairs! The prophet says: “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” And, “Unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings.” (Ps. 30:5; Mal. 4: 2) With the advent of the morning the wounds that Satan’s organization has inflicted upon the human race will be healed; their broken hearts will be bound up, even though it requires God to go so far as to bring back their beloved dead from the graves. Best of all, the breach of peace and harmony between God and man will be healed by that great Sun of righteousness, the great Mediator, Christ Jesus. And the whole earth shall be flooded with the light of eternal day, for it is written in the prophecies that “the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea”.—Hab. 2:14; Isa. 11:9; Jer. 31:34.

For this reason God’s watchmen in the watchtower are glad to tell forth this message, world-wide, without money and without price. And to all who would have further information on this glorious theme of God’s dawning kingdom, they say in the words of the prophecy: “If ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come [again].”

No weapon that is fanned against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness is of me, saith Jehovah.—Isaiah.

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