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Published Semimonthly By

WATCH TOWER BIBLE & TRACT SOCIETY 117 Adams Street •   • Brooklyn, NY., U. S. A.

OFFICERS

J. F. Rutherford, President_______W. E. Van Amburgh, Secretary

“And all thy children shall be taught of Jehovah; and great shall be the peace of thy children.” - Isaiah 54^:I3-

THE SCRIPTURES CLEARLY TEACH

THAT JEHOVAH is the only true God, is from everlasting to everlasting, the Maker of heaven and earth and the Giver of life to his creatures; that the Logos was the beginning of his creation, and his active agent in the creation of all things; that the Logos is now the Lord Jesus Christ in glory, clothed with all power in heaven and earth, and the Chief Executive Officer of Jehovah.

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

THAT JESUS was made human, and the man Jesus suffered death in order to produce the ransom or redemptive price for obedient ones of mankind; that God raised up Jesus divine and exalted him to heaven above every creature and above every name and clothed him with all power and authority.

THAT JEHOVAH’S ORGANIZATION is a Theocracy called Zion, and that Christ Jesus is the Chief Officer thereof and is the rightful King of the world; that the anointed and faithful followers of Christ Jesus are children of Zion, members of Jehovah’s organization, and are his witnesses whose duty and privilege it is to testify to the supremacy of Jehovah, declare his purposes toward mankind as expressed in the Bible, and to bear the fruits of the kingdom before all who will hear.

THAT THE WORLD has ended, and the Lord Jesus Christ has been placed by Jehovah upon his throne of authority, has ousted Satan from heaven and is proceeding to the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth.

THAT THE RELIEF and blessings of the peoples of earth can come only by and through Jehovah's kingdom under Christ, which has now begun; that the Lord’s next great act is the destruction of Satan’s organization and the establishment of righteousness in the earth, and that under the kingdom the people of good will that survive Armageddon shall carry out the divine mandate to “fill the earth” with a righteous race.

ITS MISSION

THIS journal is published for the purpose of enabling the people to know Jehovah God and his purposes as expressed in the Bible. It publishes Bible instruction specifically designed to aid Jehovah's witnesses and all people of good will. It arranges systematic Bible study for its readers and the Society supplies other literature to aid in such studies. It publishes suitable material for radio broadcasting and for other means of public instruction in the Scriptures.

It adheres strictly to the Bible as authority for its utterances. It is entirely free and separate from all religion, parties, sects or other worldly organizations. It is wholly and without reservation for the kingdom of Jehovah God under Christ his beloved King. It is not dogmatic, but invites careful and critical examination of its contents in the light of the Scriptures. It does not indulge in controversy, and Its columns are not open to personalities.

Yearly Subscription Price

United States, 31.00; Canada and Miscellaneous Fobeign, $1 50; Great Britain, Australasia, and South Africa, 6s. American remittances should be made by Postal or Express Money Order or by Bank Draft Canadian, British, South African and Australasian remittances should be made direct to the respective branch offices. Remittances from countries other than those mentioned may be made to the Brooklyn office, but by International Postal Money Order only.

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Please address the Society in every case.

(Translations of this journal appear in several languages.)

All sincere students of the Bible who by reason of Infirmity, poverty or adversity are unable to pay the subscription price may have The Watchtower free upon written application to the publishers, made once each year, stating the reason for so requesting it. we are glad to thus aid the needy, but the written application once each year is required by the postal regulations.

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“THE SIGN” TESTIMONY PERIOD

This Testimony Period, covering the month of April, will be world-wide, and brings to a climax the three-month campaign with The Watchtower. Those looking for the early appearance of “the sign” for Armageddon to begin will not slack the hand in this final month of the campaign, but rather intensify their efforts, and unquestionably more Theocratic publishers will enter the field. Never have such had a finer offer to make to humankind in danger of Armageddon, to wit, a year’s subscription for The Watchtower, together with the book Religion and the two new booklets Theocracy and God and the State, all on a contribution of $1.00. Begin planning and preparing now for your part in this special Testimony Period. Write us if you need references to the local company organized for this service. Your report of work at the close of this Period will be appreciated.

“THEOCRACY”

This new booklet by Judge Rutherford, in 64 pages, offers the clearest and best description yet of the world’s leading issue today, “The Theocracy.” The visible operations of its representatives on earth are plainly set forth, together with the vicious opposition which they are encountering world-wide. A specially fine cover dignifies Theocracy, picturing m full-color illustration the judgment of the nations and the dividing of the people on this supreme issue and their ultimate destiny. Get your copy now, on a contribution of 5c, and study it preparatory to its general distribution shortly as elsewhere announced.

MEMORIAL

The Scripturally assigned date for the memorial celebration to both Jehovah’s name and the sacrifice of His provided Lamb, Christ Jesus, is Friday, April 11,1941, after six p.m. Each Christian company should therefore assemble after six p.m. of April 11, and the anointed ones celebrate the Memorial, and their companions, the Jonadabs, be present as observers. If there is no competent person present to deliver a brief discourse just before the partaking of the emblems, the short article “Memorial” as published in the Watchtower issue of March 15, 1939, should be read instead. Since the breaking of the bread and the drinking of the wine both picture the death of Jesus, it follows that both emblems should be served together at partaking, and not separately. The emblems should be unleavened bread and real red wine, to follow the example of Jesus and his apostles, who used real red wme in (Continued on page 95)

ANNOUNCING JEHOVAH’S KINGDOM

Vol. LXII                                    March 15, 1941                                         No. 6

VICTORY SONG

PART 2

"The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne."—Ps. 132:11.

JEHOVAH’S Word makes it impossible for the faithful servant to doubt the establishment and complete domination of The Theocracy. Not only has Jehovah given his unchangeable Word, but he has confirmed his Word by his oath that he will build up his capital organization Zion with his beloved One, Christ Jesus, as the Head thereof, upon the throne of the organization, and that his good and righteous government shall rule the world in righteousness and that rule shall never end. David, whose name means “Beloved”, and who stood as the representative of Christ Jesus, had uttered a prayer unto Jehovah, and the words of the psalmist in the text first above cited is the response of Jehovah to that prayer; which words he binds with his oath, thus making doubly sure that he will bring forth his government, The Theocracy, to complete victory and glory, the vindication of his holy name. Over a period of centuries men who have pledged themselves to serve Jehovah God have divided themselves into two classes: some have departed from that covenant, while others have been faithful. The failure of some men, in turning away from their covenant, has in no wise altered Jehovah’s announced purpose. Having purposed it, he will do it. There cannot be the slightest doubt about the result in the mind of one who loves Jehovah, and for the comfort and assurance of His faithful servants the Lord Jehovah supports his word by his unbreakable oath. The apostle sums up the matter in these words, at Hebrews 6:17,18, which reads: ‘"Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.”

² From Abel to the last of the holy prophets of God there were faithful men on the earth who not only believed in The Theocracy but staked their all on it and gladly suffered martyrdom rather than to yield to the adverse influence or power of the enemy, and thus they maintained their integrity toward Jehovah. Within that period of time, however, many persons who once declared themselves to be believers on and servants of Jehovah lost faith, fell away, and became unfaithful to their agreement. The entire nation of Israel solemnly agreed to be faithful to Jehovah God, and yet that nation fell away, and the result is the loss of the benefit of The Theocracy, which can never be regained. In modern times nations of the earth have claimed to be “Christian” and claimed to have faith in the kingdom of God, and have publicly uttered prayers that it might come and God’s will be done on earth as in heaven, and yet all these nations have forgotten God, and today there is not one nation on earth of the organized governments that advocates or even believes in The Theocracy. On the contrary, The Theocracy is opposed by every nation, and those who are witnesses to the name of Jehovah and Christ Jesus are hated in all the nations, and this hatred, as Jesus declared, is because of their faithfulness to The Theocracy.—Matt. 24:9; John 15:19-21.

⁸ The promise and oath of Jehovah was to his beloved One, and that was not an unconditional promise so far as the creatures are concerned. Jehovah further added these words: “If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.” (Ps. 132:12) The condition is that the children of the beloved One, Christ Jesus, whom the Lord Jehovah gave to him, must “keep my covenant and my testimony”; and, so doing, such faithful ones shall be with Christ Jesus, the beloved One, in the Kingdom. Every one that has faithfully kept his covenant and testimony with Jehovah has suffered violence and persecution at the hands of the enemies of The Theocracy. Thus opportunity has been offered to each and every one that made the covenant to prove his integrity under adverse conditions and to thus prove Satan’s challenge to Almighty God a malicious lie.

• ⁴ Why have so many creatures failed? There has been one chief besetting sin that has caused such failure, and that besetting sin is demonism, otherwise called “religion”. It was that close-girdling sin, religion, concerning which the apostle wrote to those who had made a covenant to be faithful servants and witnesses of Jehovah, and of which the inspired witness said: Det us lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily besets us, and let us run with patience the race set before us; looking unto Jesus [the beloved One, to whom Jehovah gave the oathbound promise], the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy set before him [the joy of being the King and vindicator of Jehovah’s name] endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.’—Heb. 12:1, 2.

• ⁵ God’s people living on the earth today have all the wealth of Jehovah’s revealed Word and the record of faithful men who have gone before and who proved their integrity toward God, together now with an abundance of physical facts which have come to pass in fulfillment of God’s prophecies, to uphold and strengthen them and to fully fortify them against all opposition and violence heaped upon them by the enemies of The Theocracy. Amidst the strife and turmoil now upon the world, and with the demons exercising over men indescribable influence and power, Jehovah continues to reveal to his faithful servants the meaning of his prophecies written long ago, and which discloses that in the centuries past he had such faithful servants of today in mind and made these prophetic pictures for their benefit, comfort and hope. The “remnant”, and those “other sheep” of the Lord who are companions of the spiritual class, should now be strong of faith and very courageous and should continuously proclaim the name and the praise of Jehovah and his King and never permit anything to turn them aside from that complete devotion to The Theocracy. The “great multitude”, as well as the “remnant”, must be faithful in keeping covenant with God and must prove their integrity to the Most High and to his King. The same degree of faith is required of all who receive the approval of the Almighty and his King. The Victory Song has begun in the fulfillment of prophecy, and that song must continue to swell with increasing volume and until all who survive Armageddon shall know that The Theocracy is now exercising its authority and power and that everlasting peace and blessings have come to stay forever. The Victory Song, sung by Barak and Deborah, pictured the things that are now being fulfilled in the earth with those who are fully devoted to God and his King.

• Barak, who pictured Christ Jesus, and Deborah, who pictured the organization of Jehovah, with Christ Jesus as the appointed and anointed Head, performed their respective parts in the prophetic drama and together raised the typical song of victory. This they did at God’s appointed time, and the fulfillment thereof is now in progress. Note then what brought about the terrible and deplorable conditions in Israel and why Barak and Deborah were used by Jehovah to make the prophetic picture and to sing the prophetic Victory Song: “They chose new gods; then was war in the gates; was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?”— Judg. 5:8.

’ Prior to the arising of Deborah, the Israelites, as a nation, were pursuing the course of idolatry. That people had fallen under the influence of demons and the nation had chosen to serve the demon mighty ones and thus to practice religion, which is demonism. The fact that Barak pictured Christ Jesus at the temple and that Deborah pictured the capital organization of Jehovah shows that the prophetic picture began to have its fulfillment with the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple for judgment, and is conclusive proof that at that time religion would be still clinging to God’s covenant people on earth and that they that would prove faithful must be cleansed of religion or idolatrous practices. As there were a few of the Israelites amongst those of the nation who were faithful and true to their covenant with Almighty God, even so it is to be expected that there would be a few faithful amongst the spiritual Israelites, or those who had made a covenant at the time of the beginning of the temple judgment by Christ Jesus. It follows also that there would be an unfaithful class made manifest at that judgment.

⁸ Note here the facts which did become so very manifest at the time of the beginning of the temple judgment with the appearing of Christ Jesus in 1918. Up to that time the people of God were indulging in many religious practices of which the following were some, to wit: Idolizing individuals, and “character development”, and exalting “character development” by men as a means by which entrance into the Kingdom could be had; the exaltation of individual men by setting some of them in a prominent place or upon a pedestal, figuratively speaking, and giving to them unusual honor and praise; the existence of man-made vows and ‘daily morning resolves’, and the performance of such ceremonies in the homes and at public assemblies; the fixing and forecasting of dates, attempting to tell what God would perform in the future ; consulting a pile of stone, the pyramid of Gizeh, for the fixing of dates; standing in awe of political rulers of the state as being the “higher powers” to which every Christian soul should be subject, and thus making of them gods or mighty ones; the practice of designating a fixed number of pages in certain books to be read daily, and the wearing of pins or other marks of identification attempting to indicate that such by outward show were followers of Christ Jesus; long faces, long and solemn prayers in affected tones of voice; similarly a like outward appearance for the purpose of impressing upon observers the importance of the one thus performing. These are some of the things that represented the spots on the garments or identification of those who had entered into a covenant to obey Almighty God.

• ⁸ What is here said is not for ridicule of the consecrated of the “Elijah period” of the church, but to show how Jehovah foreknew and foretold the influence of religion and how it would affect those who consecrated themselves to do his will and who then followed the traditions of men. Also the prophecy foretells the necessity of cleansing the faithful ones that they might be used as servants of the Lord to offer to him an “offering in righteousness”. This and other prophetic pictures disclose to the people of God now what a subtle and devouring enemy religion is and the great havoc religion has wrought amongst men. Another strong and corroborative picture of the same thing is that recorded in the prophecy of Zechariah 3:1-3. As there described, “Joshua the high priest” pictured Christ Jesus, the great High Priest, while “Joshua”, alone, pictured those who had made a covenant to do the will of God, whom Christ Jesus the great Judge gathered together unto himself at the temple for judgment. Prior to the beginning of the temple judgment Christ Jesus, “the Messenger of the covenant,” hence “the angel of Jehovah”, did a great work of preparing the way before Jehovah, as stated by the prophecy. (Mal. 3:1) Then straightway that great Messenger came to the temple and there began the judgment of the covenant people of Jehovah God. Satan was there to look after his religionists, whom he had subtly entrapped by means of deceit and the practice of formalism and other religious ceremonies. The prophet of Jehovah describes the scene in these words: “And he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him.”—Zech. 3:1.

• ¹⁰ The faithful ones standing there with the Lord are described as ‘brands plucked from the fire’. (Zech. 3:2) What fire? The destructive fire of demonism or religion. Some of those who had covenanted to do God’s will had withstood that destructive influence and power even though they were mixed up with and identified as religionists. Their “garments” are symbols of identification, and the soils on their garments pictured the religion or demon influence. “Joshua,” thus distinguished from “Joshua the high priest”, pictured the prospective members of the Kingdom. Concerning those to be judged at the temple, the Lord’s Word describes them, to wit: “Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the angel.”—Zech. 3: 3.

• ¹¹ Even those who had been faithful to their covenant to the best of their knowledge were still subject to certain influences and practices to which they held and in which they indulged. The judgment at the temple begins and the great Judge, Christ Jesus, readily discerns the real heart condition and the degree of faithfulness of each one there, because he judges not by outward appearance nor by reason of the soft words and sanctimonious looks, but his judgment is based upon the heart or motive of each individual who has entered into a covenant with Jehovah God. The Lord Jesus judges according to Jehovah’s rule, because the Father has committed all judgment to him and he knows the secret “thoughts and intents of the heart”.-Heb. 4:12,13; 1 Sam. 16 :7.

• ¹² At the temple judgment the rejected ones were unwilling to divest themselves of their religious garments and they continued to wear their filthy garments of religion, but the faithful and approved ones were anxious to do the will of God and to follow the great Judge, Christ Jesus, whithersoever he would lead. Concerning those whom the great Judge found to be faithful servants, he speaks to them by and through his faithful angels standing by in these words, to wit: “And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments [religion-demon influence] from him [the faithful, approved class].” The great Judge said: “Behold, I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee, and I will clothe thee with change of raiment.” “And I said, Let them set a fair mitre upon his head. So they set a fair mitre upon his head, and clothed him with garments. And the angel of the Lord stood by.”—Zech. 3:4, 5.

• ¹³ That was an unconditional approval, and taking them into the Kingdom; but these from that time forward were required to walk in the way of the Lord and to shun religion, that is, other gods; and concerning this it is written: “And the angel of the Lord protested unto Joshua, saying, Thus saith the Lord of hosts, If thou wilt walk in my ways, and if thou wilt keep my charge, then thou shalt also judge my house, and shalt also keep my courts; and I will give thee places to walk among these that stand by.” —Zech. 3: 6,7.

“ Henceforth everyone who receives the final approval of the Lord, and who receives an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our God, must shun religion and must be a true and faithful witness to the name of Jehovah God and his Theocratic Government.

• ¹⁵ When the Israelites “chose new gods”, that is, when they became idolatrous, “then was war in the gates.” Thus was foretold what should come to pass

at the time of the temple judgment. In the fulfillment of that part of the prophetic drama, which took place at the beginning of the temple judgment, the disapproved ones, that is, those who were not pure of heart but who held to religion, took their stand over with the other religionists, and all of whom become open opponents of the faithful servants of Almighty God. The facts exactly corroborate this, as it is well known that in 1918, at the beginning of the temple judgment, there was no peace amongst those who claimed to be in covenant with God, that is, between the faithful and the unfaithful. The religionists of the various denominations, together with the disapproved ones at the temple judgment, began a warfare and carried on a warfare against the faithful servants of Jehovah up to the point of cruel persecution and imprisonment and did all within their power to hinder the witnesses in their bearing testimony to the name of Jehovah God and to his King. From 1918 onward there was no unity of action amongst those who professed to be on the Lord’s side at the beginning of the temple judgment, because the religionists continued their warfare against the approved ones; and these religionists the Lord designates as the “evil servant”. The “evil servant” class have ever since been open opponents of the “faithful servant” class, who put forth their best endeavors to advertise The Theocracy.—Matt. 24: 45-51.

• ¹⁶ Concerning the Israelites the words of the prophetic song are: “Was there a shield or spear seen among forty thousand in Israel?” It is estimated that there were four million Israelites in the land at that time, and, that being true, there would have been less than one hundred shields and spears in the hands of the Israelites. At any rate, there must have been a very small amount of war equipment at hand. That condition was due to the fact that the Devil-worshipers, or religionists, the Philistines, had almost completely disarmed the Israelites, and this the Philistines did that they might feel safe in their position. Likewise the church denominations prior to 1918, and up to that time, endeavored to overreach all of the consecrated and induce them to surrender their devotion to the Lord’s kingdom and to join with the church denominations in their religious practices, even saying to those who insisted on remaining faithful: “If you will come along with us, there will be no persecution of you by the warmongers.” Later the Philistines repeated their disarmament program against the Israelites when they regained control over Israel just before Jonathan and David arose in Israel. The record of that disarmament set forth in the Scriptures reads: “Now there was no smith found throughout all the land of Israel; (for the Philistines said, Lest the Hebrews make them swords or spears;) but all the Israelites went down to the Philistines, to sharpen every man his share, and his coulter, and his axe, and his mattock. Yet they had a file for the mattocks, and for the coulters, and for the forks, and for the axes, and to sharpen the goads. So it came to pass, in the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people that were with Saul and Jonathan; but with Saul, and with Jonathan his son, was there found.” (1 Sam. 13:19-22) The Lord provided the equipment for his faithful people in times past, and the Lord has provided equipment for warfare by his faithful people ever since.

• ¹⁷ King Jabin and his forces must have thought it very strange that Barak and his little army of ten thousand would arise against the mighty organization of Jabin; and when Barak led his little army of ten thousand unto Mount Tabor and prepared to fight against King Jabin and his Captain Sisera, whose army was equipped with nine hundred chariots of iron and other strong equipment, it would still appear to be a very strange action on the part of Barak. The Israelites being almost without arms, it was necessary at that time for Jehovah to perform a “strange act” in using his mighty power to destroy the enemy and to deliver his covenant people, who had remained faithful to him in Israel and had stood out against other gods or religionists.

• ¹⁸ Likewise in the latter part of the “Elijah period” the covenant people of God had so conformed themselves to religion or religious practices, which the enemy had brought forward, that they were almost without any equipment to stand against the assaults of the enemy. God’s covenant people were then looked upon as just another religious sect that held peculiar ideas. They were recognized as only a part of other religions. They looked upon the political governors as the “higher powers” and were otherwise conforming to religious practices; and yet amongst them there were some who insisted on obeying God rather than men. Then shortly after the beginning of the temple judgment Christ Jesus as the great Executive Officer of Jehovah brought his faithful approved ones into the temple, equipped them for warfare, not with carnal weapons, but with an understanding and appreciation of God’s Word, and sent them forth to engage in Jehovah’s “strange work”, that is to say, in the work of boldly declaring the name of the great Theocrat and his government. He armed them in the holy cause of righteousness and afforded the ability to stand against the machinations of religious influence. This “strange work” amidst organized and fully equipped opponents must continue and shall continue until Jehovah God, by Christ Jesus, begins to carry to complete success his “strange act” and to use his equipment to completely annihilate the enemy.

• ¹⁸ The faithful Israelites, under the command of Barak and Deborah, went forth with joy to their task, trusting wholly in Jehovah God and that his power would be exercised in their behalf. Even so the “strange work” of Almighty God has continued to progress under the command of Christ Jesus and his organization, including the faithful servants of Jehovah now on earth, and these have, with much and increasing joy, engaged in that “strange work”. It has seemed strange to the enemy, because the faithful ones have denounced religion as God’s enemy and continued to do so. The faithful have increased in their zeal and devotion, and it has been a time of joyful song in which they have sung and continue to sing the praises of Almighty God; and today that song of joy and victory is ever increasing in volume because the faithful servants of the Most High know that soon Jehovah shall vindicate his name and that he will bring about their complete deliverance. “My heart is toward the governors [the lawgivers {Young}] of Israel, that offered themselves willingly among the people. Bless ye the Lord.”—Judg. 5: 9.

• ²⁰ Both Barak and Deborah sung of their heart devotion to Jehovah’s righteous cause, thus picturing the heart devotion of Christ Jesus and those of his organization singing the praises of The Theocracy. It is that warm appreciation and genuine love of Christ and the capital organization under him that causes them to express their burning zeal and heart devotion to The Theocracy, and a heart that ‘esteems them [their fellow laborers in the vineyard of the Lord] very highly in love for their work’s sake’.— 1 Thess. 5:13.

• ²¹ “Governors,” or “lawgivers”, of Jehovah’s organization are those who announce or proclaim the law and statutes of Jehovah. In the fulfillment of that part of the prophecy those in the organization of the Lord upon whom rests the obligation to outline the work that is being done and who stir up action to accomplish that work which Jehovah has commanded to be done are prefigured by the word “lawgivers”. It must be true beyond all doubt that such are guided and directed by the Lord and that they carry on the work assigned without, knowing at the time that it is in fulfillment of a certain prophecy. The Lord causes his faithful servants to do his will and then afterwards reveals to them how every man has had to do with the fulfillment of his prophetic utterance. The song of victory here under consideration was not understood as being a prophecy of victory until very recently, yet, back in 1919, those who were devoted to Jehovah went forward in the work assigned, doing with their might what their hands found to do, and it now appears to have been done according to and under the command and direction of the Lord. In 1919 certain imprisoned servants of Jehovah were released and immediately they began to outline and draw up a program of activity in the service, and this must have been according to the Word and will of the Almighty God.

• ²² This Jehovah had foretold through his prophet, to wit: “I will appoint the oversight of thee to Prosperity, and the setting of thy tasks to Righteousness.” (Isa. 60:17, Rotherham} Sincere, heart devotion or love for Jehovah and his King was the moving cause for his servants to engage immediately in activity in the service work of proclaiming The Theocratic Government.

• ²³ Acceptable service must be a willing service; therefore says the Victory Song prophecy: “My heart is toward the governors . .. that offered themselves willingly among the people.” Such is the proper and therefore exemplary course to be taken by the faithful. In line with this the apostle instructed Timothy, and hence all servants of the organization whom Timothy pictured, in these words: “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.” (1 Tim. 4:12) The faithful ones must be “doers of the word, and not hearers only”.—Jas. 1: 22.

• ²⁴ The Israelites who followed the lead of Barak against their oppressors, the Canaanites, must have been men of faith and courage to volunteer to go to war against the far superior force which was well armed and equipped for war. It took faith to believe that God would fight their battles for them and give the Israelites the victory over their enemies. Likewise following the World War, when the call came through Christ Jesus, the Greater Barak, who is the Head of the organization pictured by Deborah, to go into action, those who willingly offered themselves and voluntarily entered the service did so because of their faith and love for God and Christ. They were courageous because they recognized that they were backed up by the Almighty God, who had exercised his power in their behalf. Those charged with the responsibility of the oversight and directing of the work must promptly take the lead in the active program and with zeal carry forward the work against the entrenched and well-equipped enemy. The faithful servants of God have gone forward and have not been dismayed or discouraged by reason of the equipment of the enemy and their activities. The faithful servants of God trust him and go forward in the strength of the Lord and in the power of his might. Their weapons are not guns and swords and tanks and airplanes, but their weapons consist of “the sword of the spirit”, the message of Almighty God and his King, which they deliver in the name of Jehovah, and which is “mighty ... to the pulling down of strong holds” of the enemy. (Eph. 6:17;

2 Cor. 10: 4) The faithful believe and appreciate the promise that Jehovah has given to them, to wit: “No weapon that is formed 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 the Lord; and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord.”—Isa. 54:17.

• ²⁵ And what is the continued attitude of all such faithful servants of The Theocracy? The answer follows in these words: “Bless ye the Lord” is their song of joy. To bless the Lord Jehovah means to praise him and serve him with joy. Those who have the interests of The Theocracy at heart do bless or praise Jehovah for providing them with the opportunity to serve him and to prove their integrity toward him and for stirring up their zeal and courage to vigorously attack demonism. All of Jehovah’s witnesses do bless or praise Jehovah for providing his faithful, fearless and progressive Society organization on earth, by and through which the Lord carries forward his witness work to the honor of Jehovah’s name. They cannot keep back the song of joy.

• ²⁶ “Speak [Meditate {marginal reading)], ye that ride on white asses, ye that sit in judgment, and walk by the way.” (Judg. 5:10) This prophetic admonition was appropriate when uttered and has been appropriate at all times since. The word of God should never be passed over lightly, but should be soberly considered. Here is an admonition forcibly addressed to all who have made a covenant with the Lord, and particularly those who are not performing their duties and privileges. The Scriptures and the physical facts which apply thereto should always be considered together. One in a covenant with Jehovah should face the facts and take them to heart as to their significance and then after calm meditation act properly, seeking the wisdom that comes from above. God put in the mouth of his servant Asaph the sweet singer the appropriate words: “I will remember the works of the Lord; surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. Thy way, 0 God, is in the sanctuary; who is so great a God as our God? Thou art the God that doest wonders; thou hast declared thy strength among the people.”—Ps. 77:11-14.

• ²⁷ Manifestly the admonition to meditate was primarily addressed to those who had not willingly offered themselves as did the governors or leaders in Israel. On the contrary, the ones primarily addressed were those who in their hearts had said: “Let others do the hard work, and we will take it easy.” Such are the ones whom the prophetic song describes as “ye that ride on white asses”; that is to say, the elite classes who think more of themselves than they do of their brethren, such as lords and ladies, who, because of their position amongst others, think themselves to take it easy and pursue a soft way. The song further says: “Ye that sit in judgment”; {Rotherham) “ye that sit on carpets”; {Young) 'who wear long robes’; that is to say, those who sit in style and would not think of soiling their fine garments by squatting on the ground and talking the Kingdom message to others who might hear. Now applying the prophecy to the present day of fulfillment: The admonition is addressed to those who profess to be in a covenant with God to do his will but who insist that it is their privilege to take it easy and let someone else do the witness work in the field. These excuse themselves, and they do not ordinarily tramp from door to door to publish the Kingdom message. They are too delicate and refined to set foot on the ground. Moses gave a description of such in these words: “The tender and delicate woman among you, which would not adventure to set the sole of her foot upon the ground for delicateness and tenderness, her eye shall be evil toward the husband of her bosom, and toward her son, and toward her daughter.”—Deut. 28: 56.

• ²⁸ Such have not the zeal for the Kingdom that is pleasing to Jehovah. Such look upon those who have less of the material wealth of this earth and no luxuries as the ones who should bear the hard part of the field work. The faithful, zealous ones are willing to sit anywhere and on anything, even on boards or on wheel chairs or on slabs of stone or on prison benches in the cells while delivering the message of The Theocracy. The ones who are specifically admonished in this prophecy to meditate are inclined to “sit in judgment” on those who do not have the outward appearance of being so much favored as themselves. The willing ones who form the ten thousand volunteers who followed Barak and who trod the rocky and roadless slope of Mount Tabor gladly took things as they were, having in mind but one thing, and that to do the will of Almighty God and to follow their leader who pictured Christ Jesus. Others of Israel’s many thousands took the easy way, to “walk upon the road” {Roth.), and thus stayed out of the rugged mountain. The prophecy here pictures some today who have made a covenant to do God’s will and who then seek the way of least resistance and least opposition and who desire the way of ease; and they are in contrast with those covenant people of God who joyfully bear the brunt of the hardships. The one class desires the easy way, and they have much reason to meditate upon their present-day opportunities and responsibilities and to deny themselves ease and personal comfort when such is necessary to engage in the service of The Theocracy. They should be willing to follow the lead of the Greater Barak and his ten thousand willing fighters who in this day of the fulfillment of the prophecy desire to bear witness to the name of Jehovah God under any and all circumstances. What the Lord requires of those who receive his approval is the zeal peculiar to the Lord’s house and the zeal that consumes them in his service, which the Lord Jesus has always had. (Ps. 69: 9) The Lord requires unstinted devotion to The Theocracy. The faithful ones are such, who have entered into the joy of the Lord and have a keen appreciation of having a part in the vindication of Jehovah’s name. Mark the fact that the prophecy began to have its fulfillment with the temple judgment by Christ Jesus, and the physical facts disclose that from that time onward there have been those who profess to love God but do little or nothing in the service, while there are those who profess to love God and do prove their love by willingly serving under all conditions and circumstances. This latter class sing the victory song by faith now with ever-increasing joy. This should cause the others to meditate and to get busy.

• ²⁹ “They that are delivered from the noise of archers in the places of drawing water, there shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord, even the righteous acts toward the inhabitants of his villages in Israel: then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates.” (Judg. 5:11) The King James or Authorized Version of this text interpolates the first four words, namely, “They that are delivered.” The text literally reads: “From the voice of those dividing between the water channels.” Apparently the meaning thereof is, those who divide the spoils of the enemy. This part of the prophetic song appears to mean that those who go out to battle against the enemies of God’s covenant people are the ones who should receive the abundant blessings of the Lord and who therefore refresh themselves at the watering places. As the prophecy says: “There shall they rehearse the righteous acts of the Lord.” Such faithful and zealous ones are in a position to appreciate the manifold blessings of the Lord and to tell about them. They do tell of the Lord’s work of vindicating his name against all unrighteousness. They are privileged to tell others how religion has misrepresented Jehovah and brought great reproach upon his name. They have many thrilling and blessed experiences in going about among the people and telling them of the righteousness of Jehovah and the blessings that The Theocratic Government will bring. Those who seek the easy way and who avoid the more rugged field service, which brings upon them some hardships, have nothing to tell or relate about the Lord’s “strange work” and his “strange act”. They can only relate about their own self-righteousness and “character development”. They do not have the joy of the Lord and do not refresh themselves by his Word, pictured by the watering places. Those who willingly and joyfully participate in the Lord’s “strange work”, bearing the reproaches that fall upon them for his name’s sake, do serve and do refresh themselves greatly from the waters of revealed truths that come from Jehovah’s wells of salvation. Thus it is that the prophet of Jehovah God described them: “Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation.”—Isa. 12: 3.

• ³⁰ They bear the brunt of the battle, the abuse and ill-treatment of the enemy, but that only increases their zeal, because to them such is evidence that they are servants of Jehovah according to his will. Therefore they lift up their voice with joyful sound, relating many thrilling experiences that are theirs while in the field service, some of which experiences are from time to time published in The Watchtower.

• ³¹ According to Rotherham that part of verse eleven reads: “The righteous acts of his rule over Israel.” As related in the prophecy, Jehovah did perform his righteous acts in behalf of Barak and Deborah, whom the Lord commissioned and sent forth to the service and who took the lead in Israel against the enemy. Now in the fulfillment of the prophecy Jehovah performed his righteous acts in behalf of his “woman”, that is, his organization, pictured by Deborah and under Christ Jesus, the Head thereof, the Greater Barak. Jehovah’s faithful witnesses now by the grace of God examine the prophecy and the physical facts, which the Lord has brought to pass in fulfillment thereof, and they learn that now the great prophecy is in course of fulfillment; and that gives them joy. When these precious truths are made known to the faithful witnesses of Jehovah they joyfully carry the message abroad and tell it to all who have the hearing ear. Such faithful, zealous field workers, as servants of the great Theocracy, are strengthened by Jehovah and they put forth greater efforts in his service. Each trying experience aids the faithful to meet other difficult tasks, which likewise brings them increasing joy.

• ³² “Then shall the people of the Lord go down to the gates.” (Vs. 11) Barak led the ten thousand, who were in Mount Tabor with him, and at the appointed moment they marched right down in the valley of the river of Kishon to the gates of Sisera’s headquarters, to the gates of Harosheth of the Gentiles, and there pressed the battle against the enemy. Says the prophecy concerning this: “But Barak pursued after the chariots, and after the host, unto Harosheth of the Gentiles; and all the host of Sisera fell upon the edge of the sword; and there was not a man left.” (Judg. 4:16) Thus the prophecy clearly foretells that in Jehovah’s due time the Greater Barak and his faithful followers shall put the enemy to complete rout. Then, as stated in the prophecy, Barak pushed on to the royal city of King Jabin and there pressed the battle to the gates of Hazor: “And the hand of the children of Israel prospered, and prevailed against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they had destroyed Jabin king of Canaan” (Judg. 4:24), and made a complete cleanup of the enemy’s stronghold.

• ⁸³ Shall Jehovah’s witnesses today tremble with fear because of the enemy? Certainly not; because as the servants of the Most High they are backed up by his everlasting and irresistible power. The faithful under Christ Jesus, the Greater Barak, are not now on the defensive, but on the offensive against demon influence and the power manifested particularly in religion. These faithful ones zealously obey the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ, their Leader and Head, and they press the battle right to the gates of the entrenched organizations that are against The Theocracy. This is the day of the Lord Jehovah, the almighty Lord of hosts, and concerning this time it is written: “In that day shall the Lord of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue [remnant] of his people, and for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.”—Isa. 28: 5, 6.

• ⁸⁴ The faithful followers of Christ Jesus know beyond all possibility of doubt that Christ Jesus, the Vindicator of Jehovah’s name, shall gain the victory and that they who remain faithful and true to their Leader to the end shall share with him in that victory.

• ⁸⁵ The combined and official enemy, led by Satan and his chief officer Gog, know that the great climax is at hand, even though millions of hangers-on do not realize that fact. It is certain that the Devil knows that his time is short (Rev. 12:12), and, knowing this, he musters all his forces in his efforts to destroy those who support The Theocracy. In most of the countries of the earth what appears to be a successful movement to suppress the Kingdom message has been accomplished. Such, however, instead of causing dismay among the faithful people, only adds strength to their faith and zeal, because they know the day of Jehovah’s victory through Christ, and the deliverance of his faithful servants, is at hand. The faithful have no doubt as to the result. They are fully determined to maintain their integrity toward Jehovah, and they trust him to provide all needed strength.

• ⁸⁶ Jehovah’s promises never fail! With him failure is impossible! His promise to the antitypical David, his Beloved One, Christ Jesus, is that he shall rule The Theocratic Government. Jehovah has sworn it: “He will not turn from it. Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon [my] throne.” Jehovah gave to Jesus twelve apostles. One of them proved unfaithful, and was destroyed. The eleven proved faithful, suffered great persecution, maintained their integrity, and are now for ever with the Lord Jesus Christ. When he was with them Jesus gave them the assurance that they would sit with him in his kingdom; and now their resurrection has taken place. (John 17: 6; Luke 22: 28-30; 1 Thess. 4:13-18) Jehovah has given unto Christ Jesus a sufficient number of others to make up the other 144,000 members of “his body”, and the obligation and requirements placed upon these are that they must keep their covenant and remain faithful: “If thy children will keep my covenant, and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.”—Ps. 132:12.

” Deborah and Barak pictured Zion and the Head thereof, concerning which Jehovah said: “For the Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest forever; here will I dwell; for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provision ; I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will also clothe her priests with salvation; and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.”—Ps. 132:13-16.

• ⁸⁸ By faith the victory song, prophetically sung by Deborah and Barak, is now in course of fulfillment and is being sung. Jehovah has placed his beloved One on the throne, and the faithful are gathered to him. For the anointed Jehovah has provided a lamp which marks out clearly the pathway which his faithful servants now follow. These are not in darkness, because they are “children of the light”, and they are marching triumphantly on by faith, singing the victory song. For their further comfort Jehovah says to them: “There will I make the horn of David [power of Christ Jesus the Beloved] to bud; I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed. His enemies will I clothe with shame; but upon himself shall his crown flourish.”—Ps. 132:17,18.

” The enemies are now on the run, and soon their complete destruction will be accomplished. The faithful remnant, together with their companions, the “other sheep”, are singing the praises of Jehovah and of Christ Jesus, and all together sing: “Salvation to our God . . . and unto the Lamb.” (Rev. 7: 9-12) None of the faithful will now slack the hand, but will continue to proclaim the truth of Jehovah and his King, regardless of what the enemy may say or do. In his day Paul could say, and now all of the faithful together say: “Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice.”—Phil. 4:4.

(To be continued)

•’’/''"'CHRISTENDOM” has hardened her heart against t the Greater Moses, who is the great Prophet

Christ Jesus. Therefore the early destruction of “Christendom” is as certain as the death of Egypt’s firstborn and the destruction of her king’s chariots and hosts in the depths of the Red sea.

Jehovah’s primary purpose in sending Moses to Egypt was to place before the Egyptian ruling class and before the people the proof that He is the Supreme One. His primary purpose in sending Jesus, the Greater Moses, to earth at both his first and his second coming is to place before creation the proof that Jehovah is the Almighty, and that there is none besides him. This he does for his own name’s sake, that all may know that life and attending blessings come from God, and from Him only. This conclusion is proved by his words to Moses, to wit: “The Egyptians shall know that I am Jehovah.” (See Exodus 7:5, Am. Rev. Ver.) Moses was Jehovah’s instrument in Egypt to place the evidence before the people. Jesus Christ is His instrument by which Jehovah places the evidence before all the world.

Since the divine purpose is to bring knowledge home to creatures with a view to the vindication of his holy name, Jehovah did this in Egypt in olden time by ten plagues. The modern-day plagues which are in fulfillment of those ten typical plagues consist of some definitely provided means of bringing before the peoples of the world the knowledge that Jehovah is God, that his Theocratic Government is here, and that his time is at hand when the oppressive power must get out and the people of good-will be delivered, and hence Satan must let them go or must suffer complete destruction. All this Jehovah does for his own name’s sake. Hence what came to pass three thousand years ago in Egypt was and is a memorial to Jehovah’s name. What is now done in the earth by Christ Jesus and his faithful remnant of footstep followers is a memorial to the name of Jehovah God. The plagues upon Egypt culminated in the slaying of Egypt’s firstborn, whereas the firstborn of Jehovah’s covenant people in Egypt were passed over due to the slaying of the passover lamb, which foreshadowed the death of the great Lamb of God, Christ Jesus. Since his death nineteen hundred years ago his faithful followers do, by yearly celebrating the Memorial feast, thereby show forth the death of our Lord, who is the Vindicator of Jehovah’s name.

The ten plagues upon Egypt were immediately followed by the destruction of Pharaoh’s army, which foreshadows that immediately following the present-day fulfillment of the antitypical plagues there must come the destruction of Satan’s organization at Armageddon. The third plague upon Egypt was one of lice. “And the Lord said unto Moses, Say unto Aaron [thy brother], Stretch out thy rod, and smite the dust of the land, that it may become lice throughout all the land of Egypt. And they did so; for Aaron stretched out his hand with his rod, and smote the dust of the earth, and it became lice in man and in beast; all the dust of the land became lice throughout all the land of Egypt.” (Ex. 8:16,17) Lice are associated with filth and are found on creatures of unclean habits. The root of the Hebrew word translated 'Tice” means “to nip”. Hence the lice were nippers which would greatly annoy and plague the Egyptians or anyone else whom they might bite. It was the order to Moses to direct Aaron to stretch out his rod and smite the dust of the land, thereby showing that it is divine power and authority conferred upon Christ and which power and authority are by him put upon the remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses on earth to cause the coming of these antitypical nippers upon the world, which forms Satan’s organization, including “Christendom”. The lice symbolically stand for or represent that which results from the message of truth delivered by Jehovah’s witnesses and which greatly annoys, plagues and nips or bites the unclean organization of Satan, and particularly the official members thereof.

The visible part of Satan’s organization, particularly that section called “Christendom”, is an unclean and abominable thing and a good habitation for lice. It hypocritically claims to be on the side of the Lord, whereas it is a part of Satan’s wicked organization. In the days of Christ’s apostles Herod Agrippa the First, who was Rome’s representative in Palestine, killed the apostle James and imprisoned Peter and thereafter posed as the representative of God, but was in fact the instrument of Satan. It is said that he died of a loathsome or lousy disease. Acts 12: 21-23 records: “And upon a set day, Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them. And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man. And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms [lice], and gave up the ghost.”

Aaron used the rod of Moses to smite the “dust of the earth”. That dust was symbolic of the earthly, human, visible part of Satan’s organization, and particularly “Christendom”, because that part is hypocritical in the superlative degree. The present-day mouthpiece of the Greater Moses, Christ Jesus, is God’s remnant of anointed witnesses on the earth acting by authority conferred upon them by Jesus Christ, and these bear and give forth his message that smites “Christendom” and declares it to be not of God nor of Christ, but that it is unclean, filthy, and abominable in the sight of God and is exceedingly lousy with Satan’s agents who are nippers of the flesh and suckers of the lifeblood of the people. These lice bring upon the people great suffering, sorrow and death. The message of truth thus delivered by Jehovah’s witnesses to the visible organization of Satan declaring that organization to be lousy greatly offends the respectability of “Christendom” and plagues and annoys that organization. Thus Jehovah’s witnesses are used by him to bring a plague upon Satan’s organization by exposing the duplicity and hypocrisy of the chief visible operators therein.

It was in 1921 that The Watchtower, by the Lord’s grace, began to call attention to the fact that Satan has an organization and that its visible earthly part is made up of commercial, political and religious elements which exercise a beastly rule over the people, and is exceedingly filthy. From that time forward Jehovah’s witnesses have been continuously and consistently heralding this message before the people and exposing the hypocritical duplicity and lousy state of “Christendom” in particular and Satan’s organization in general. By completely separating themselves from "Christendom” and refusing to have any part or anything in common therewith, or to touch the unclean, lousy, crawling thing, the faithful remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses add force to this plaguing message.

The lice plague came upon the ancient Israelites as well as upon the Egyptians; which means that in order for a professed Christian to be pleasing and acceptable to the Lord such must be separate from the world and be clean. Hence God’s sanctuary or temple class must be cleansed, which includes the removing from the Christian congregations such parasites as the self-seeking “elective elders”, and this must take place before God’s visible organization is entirely clean. (See Daniel 8:13,14.) As commanded at Isaiah 52:11: “Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels [the truths] of the Lord.” Also 2 Corinthians 6:17,18: “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.” The wide proclamation of the divinely provided message throughout “Christendom” has been to that devilish organization like nipping lice, greatly plaguing and annoying particularly the religious clergy and the principal ones of their flocks, including, of course, the commercial and political chief men.

Pharaoh’s magicians, including Jannes and Jambres, the class opposing Jehovah God, were unable to produce lice when commanded to do so and had to admit to their chief, Pharaoh, concerning the lice plague, “This is the finger of God.” (2 Tim. 3:8; Ex. 8:19) The modern opposers of Jehovah see themselves as unclean and that those devoted to him are clean and nothing can be found against them except their devotion to Jehovah. Jehovah declares that the unclean organization of Satan shall die like a louse. At Isaiah 51:6 it is written: “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath; for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die like a louse [Hebrew] : but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.” (Marginal reading) The plague is still upon Satan’s organization, and he and his agents continue to harden their hearts as did Pharaoh and his officials of old.—Ex. 8:19.

It is noteworthy that, beginning with the fourth plague, the Israelites were spared and that the seven last plagues of the ten were only upon the Egyptians. This would indicate a complete separation of Jehovah’s faithful remnant today from the world. The fourth plague was that of a great swarm of flies, or, as the Bible marginal reading says, “a mixture of noisome beasts,” that came upon the Egyptians. (Ex. 8:21) In order that God’s chosen people at that time might be assured that Jehovah was with them, and that his enemies might know that Jehovah is God and favors those who love and serve him, Jehovah said by Moses to Pharaoh: “And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord [Jehovah] in the midst of the earth. And I will put a division between my people and thy people; to morrow shall this sign be.” (Ex. 8: 22,23) Moses then served upon Pharaoh this fourth notice of warning demanding that Pharaoh release God’s chosen people and permit them to go and worship Him “And the Lord did so: and there came a grievous swarm of flies into the house of Pharaoh, and into his servants’ houses, and into all the land of Egypt; the land was corrupted by reason of the swarm of flies.” (Ex. 8-24) “He sent divers sorts of flies among them, which devoured them.” —Pss. 78:45; 105: 31.

Just what composed the flies that came upon the Egyptians is not certain; in the expression “swarm of flies" the word “flies” appearing in the quotation above from the Authorized Version Bible is an added word. The word “swarm”, however, is in the Hebrew text and is from the root word meaning “to intermingle; to traffic with; to give security as a kind of exchange”. The expression well applies to swarms of flies which mix with one another in great numbers, especially in the East and the Near East, and are a great pest to the people. Ecclesiastes 10:1 says that ‘dead flies [(Hebrew) zebub] cause the ointment to send forth a vile odor⁵. The word zebub is derived from the Hebrew root meaning “to flit”. Hence the name “Baalzebub”, according to the Hebrew, means “lord of the flitting one; that is, the side-stepper; the great transgressor”, which is Satan himself. This term would also apply to all who willingly act according to Satan’s will. The whole world, or modern-day Egypt, lies under Satan the wicked one. (1 John 5-19, Emphatic Diaglott) The world has been terribly pestered by these “flies”, that is to say, Satan and his numerous invisible and visible agents, especially since Satan has been ousted from heaven and down to the earth.—Rev. 12 • 12

After A.D. 1918 Christ Jesus, at the temple, has gathered unto himself the faithful remnant on earth and has anointed them as Jehovah’s witnesses and sent them forth with his message of truth to be given as a testimony. Tins message has been and is a great pest to Satan’s organization on earth. Such message has declared and continues to declare, particularly to “Christendom”, the truth of and concerning what constitutes “the higher powers” according to Romans 13:1. Prior thereto the people, including the followers of Christ, understood and believed that the "higher powers” mentioned in the Scriptures are made up of the visible rulers of this world. The Lord has enlightened his covenant people, and by his grace they now see clearly and declare to the world that “the higher powers” means Jehovah and Christ Jesus and that the world is serving the Devil, and that the big business, political and religious elements, jointly, rule and demand obedience from the people, yet are not of the “higher powers” but are in fact the agents of Satan and the opposers of Jehovah God His witnesses further declare that Jehovah is in no wise responsible for the woes that have come upon the peoples of earth in these last days, but that Satan and his agents are the ones that have brought these woes and troubles upon the people, and that all mankind holding on to Satan’s organization are afflicted by the bites, corruption, annoyance and all the schemes and blood-sucking doctrines of the wicked rulers of this world, including Satan himself. Jehovah’s witnesses now declare these truths, and this message exposing Satan and his organization galls and bites and plagues the chief rulers and their allies and supporters.

Jehovah’s faithful remnant serve the true “higher powers”, God and Christ Jesus, and refuse to obey any part of Satan’s organization.

In obedience to God’s commandments Jehovah’s witnesses go about the country preaching the gospel of the Kingdom, which message bites the religionists and plagues them like numerous flies. The rulers in “Christendom” claim to be representatives of God, and if they were honest they would welcome Jehovah’s witnesses; but, instead, they sidestep the questions that are presented to them by the Lord’s witnesses and declare Jehovah’s witnesses to be peddlers and hawkers and not preachers of the gospel. The rulers of this wicked world claim that they have no objection to anyone if he worships God according to their ideas, but they denounce Jehovah’s witnesses and evade the real issue by declaring them to be engaged in a commercial enterprise instead of preaching the gospel. The truth plagues them so thoroughly that they must make some apparent plausible objection thereto.

The flies so greatly annoyed the Egyptians that “Pharaoh called for Moses and for Aaron, and said, Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land”. (Ex. 8:25) Otherwise stated, Pharaoh was willing that the Israelites might do some worshiping, but they must do it according to the Egyptians’ ideas and in the presence of the Egyptians. Now the antitypical Egyptians, the representatives of Satan on earth, say to Jehovah’s witnesses, in substance, ‘We have no objection to your worshiping your God, but do it in the church buildings (“our land”), as others do, and refrain from interfering with our commercial business or annoying our people by going from house to house.’ Moses told Pharaoh that for Israelites to sacrifice before the Egyptians would be an abomination to God. Likewise Jehovah’s remnant today reply to the modern Egyptians: ‘We must obey God, and not man; we will follow His commandments and obey the higher powers.’ In the issues of June, 1929, The, Watchtower set forth for the first time the truth of and concerning the “higher powers”, and then the flies began to bite Satan’s crowd because the truth exposed that wicked organization.

As Jehovah separated the land of Goshen, where the Israelites dwelt, from the Egyptians, so God cleanses his people and separates them from Satan’s organization, showing them the truth as to who constitute the higher powers. To Pharaoh Jehovah declared: “And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth.” (Ex. 8:22) When that plague came upon the Egyptians there were no swarms of flies on the Israelites, God’s people. Even so now Jehovah cleanses his own people, whom he uses as his witnesses, and there are no flies on them. They are in the world, but not of it. They continue to declare the message of truth, and, as Pharaoh and his house hardened their hearts, even so now those of “Christendom” continue to harden their hearts and more testimony is required.

Pharaoh continued his obstinacy and hypocrisy, and Moses warned him that the hand of Jehovah would be upon all of his cattle in Egypt: “Behold, the hand of the Lord is upon thy cattle which is in the field, upon the horses, upon the asses, upon the camels, upon the oxen, and upon the sheep: there shall be a very grievous murrain.” (Ex. 9:3) The Lord specifically declared that this plague should not affect the Israelites, and then God appointed a set time for the coming of this plague upon Egypt, saying, “To morrow the Lord shall do this thing in the land.” “And the Lord did that thing on the morrow, and all the cattle of Egypt died; but of the cattle of the children of Israel died not one. And Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not one of the cattle of the Israelites dead. And the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go ” (Ex. 9:4-7) Before any of the plagues began to come upon the Egyptians Moses declared before Pharaoh that Jehovah would fall upon the Israelites with pestilence if they failed to sacrifice unto the Lord. (Ex. 5:3) Because of the faithfulness of Moses and Aaron in giving the testimony God spared the Israelites from the pestilence. ‘Obedience is better than sacrifice.’ The Lord spared the Israelites from these pestilences that now were coming upon the Egyptians.

The plague of grievous murrain was upon all the beasts of the Egyptians. The beasts of burden of the Egyptians, to wit, horses, asses, camels, oxen and that sort, represented the live wealth of the Egyptians in carrying on its commerce and war, and all such livestock and equipment were used by the Egyptians in exercising their selfish purpose and opposition against Jehovah’s kingdom. The plague of “murrain” or pestilence on the beasts of Egypt was a further notice and warning to the Egyptians and foreshadowed a message of truth to be declared by the power and authority of Jehovah God by and through the Greater Moses, Christ Jesus, and in this the Lord’s faithful remnant on earth are used. This message is to the effect that this world’s ‘beasts of burden’, including all military and economic organizations, human inventions, and all kinds of national recovery schemes, and such things as the pope’s “holy year” of 1933, are all fraudulent and are not from Jehovah God, and arc not due to the fact that Christ Jesus has ‘prepared the way before Jehovah’ (Mal. 3:1); but that all such things are of the Devil and will completely fail to bring relief to the people, and that all must die. This message Jehovah’s witnesses began to declare emphatically after the coming of the Lord to the temple in 1918 to begin judgment, and it is set forth in Book Two of Vindication, page 165 and forward. The Word of God declares that a great plague shall come upon Satan’s organization, and that all his instruments, represented by his cattle and livestock, shall die. This message of truth that their beasts of burden, their implements and other means of carrying on their commercial and fraudulent schemes must perish, is a great plague to “Christendom” and greatly annoys Satan and his visible organization.

The Lord’s Word then declares that ‘not one of the cattle of the Israelites died’; which foreshadowed that the means of activity, or the “beasts of burden”, employed by Jehovah’s faithful remnant of witnesses and their companions are wholly devoted to the Lord, and, being thus devoted to the Lord, He, of course, protects them. They separate themselves from the world and from its sacrifice unto the demons, of whom Satan is “the prince of demons”. (See Exodus 10:26; also Zechariah 14: 20, and the book Preparation, page 335.) That message declaring that vengeance shall come upon Satan’s organization because of its opposition to God and his Theocratic Government is now being delivered by Jehovah’s witnesses and continues to plague the enemy organization.

The “botch of Egypt” was the sixth plague. The furnaces, limekilns and brickkilns of Egypt constituted a part of its economic or commercial industry, and hence pictured the things that now pertain to the commercial industry of the visible part of the world, which is Satan’s organization. (Isa. 33:12) Jehovah then directed Moses and Aaron to take the ashes from the furnaces and for Moses to sprinkle the same before Pharaoh. The record at Exodus 9: 8, 9 is: “And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the heaven in the sight of Pharaoh". And it shall become small dust in all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with blains upon man, and upon beast, throughout all the land of Egypt.” This resulted in the breaking forth of boils with blains, or, according to Rotherham’s rendering of the text, burning sores, breaking out with pustules.’ Such plague came upon man and beast throughout Egypt.

The sixth plague pictured a further message of Christ and his faithful remnant, his representatives on earth, which message is delivered by the power and authority of Jehovah God. The clue to the significance of this plague appears to be given in Revelation 16: 2,11, concerning the vials of God’s wrath, or messages of his judgment, which should be poured out upon “Christendom”, and which are spoken of as “the seven last plagues”. Revelation chapter 16 shows that the plague would affect all those who are members of Satan’s organization on earth as the leaders thereof, as well as those who are supporters of that wicked organization.—For further explanation see Book Two of Light, page 20 and pages following.

Pharaoh concluded that with all his equipment and power to rule he could defy Jehovah and get away with it. Even so Satan and his earthly agents have concluded that they can weld together and unite the nations and the peoples of earth into a confederacy or league and thus defy Jehovah God by setting up their own organization and thus rule and control the world continuously. (Isa. 8: 9-13) But all such schemes of the worldly organization must fail. Before the Devil and all his agents in the world, which constitutes modern-day Egypt, Jehovah causes his faithful remnant of witnesses and their companions to proclaim that the League of Nations, the World Court, the peace pacts, disarmament conferences, the “holy year” schemes, the prosperity schemes, the so-called “New World Order”, and all suchlike schemes, are not of God, but of the Devil, and that the instigators and supporters thereof are unclean and an abomination in the sight of God, just as Uzziah, the king of Jerusalem, was unclean and became leprous for his wrongful acts of presumption before Jehovah. (2 Chron. 26:13-23) The declaration of this message of truth, beginning with the pouring out of the symbolical 'first vial’ described in Revelation 16, continues upon the world, and such declaration of truth throughout the realms of “Christendom” by means of books, magazines, portable phonographs, sound-cars, radio, and word-of-mouth testimony has been and is a great plague to the modern Egyptians. The ancient Egyptians blasphemed God’s name because of the suffering from their pains and sores; and likewise the modern-day class of Egyptians, Satan's earthly agents, do blaspheme and curse Jehovah.

This plague of putrid boils afflicted the magicians as well as the others of Egypt. “And the magicians could not stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boil was upon the magicians, and upon all the Egyptians” (Ex 9:11) Those magicians could not stand before Moses to resist him; likewise the modern magicians, “Jannes and Jambres,” because of their corruption attempt to resist the message of God through Christ, but they cannot successfully do so, and their end is in sight and their fall shall appear before all men who survive. (2 Tim. 3:8) The religious clergy and all others of the “man of sin” class, and all like modern “wonder”-workers, and “holy year” workers of modern Egypt, now itch and scratch and are tormented, and thus mark themselves badly, and they continue to howl and express their agony, opposition to and indignation against the message of truth that is plainly placed before them, and thus they are guilty of the “transgression of desolation” against Jehovah God, as foretold at Daniel 8:13. Jehovah’s witnesses are divinely permitted to proclaim the message of truth which thus plagues the opposers of the Most High. Instead of giving heed thereto, these opposers harden their hearts against the Lord Jehovah God, and further plagues come upon them.

A GOD OF PURPOSE

••TXTTHEN I consider thy heavens, the work of thy \X/ fingers; the moon and the stars, which thou hast ’ ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?” (Psalm 8 3, 4) The speaker, anointed with God’s spirit, revels in the great and marvelous things which by day man can see and which by night magnify themselves before man’s wondering gaze. He beholds the sun, which, in his might and majesty and to the exclusion of all other heavenly bodies, holds the attention of earth’s creation during the hours he shines. The sun is the only one of which man can take notice during the day; but when his glory is sunk in the west, and the curtains of night are drawn about the earth, then the millions of stars stand forth and sing the praise of the Almighty Creator. These, together with the vast, far-distant nebulae and the nearer planets, speak joy to the mind and heart of the one devoted to God.

The clearness of the air in the vicinity of Palestine or in the desert lands enables man to more clearly see at night the unspeakable wonders of God’s visible creation above, and the reverential man involuntarily exclaims: “The heavens declare the glory of God.” These marvelous works of the heavens, says the psalmist, are “the work of Thy fingers”. From the contemplation of such gigantic creation, and the boundless space occupied thereby, and the greatness of the Maker thereof, the psalmist says, by way of contrast: “What is man, that thou art mindful of him ? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?”

Men of good-will are only beginning to appreciate something of the greatness of the eternal God, “whose name alone is Jehovah.” In all good conscience and with reverential devotion the expression was once used, to wit, “the divine plan,” meaning thereby that the Almighty God has a well-defined plan or scheme that he is working out in an orderly way. Now Jehovah’s people see that a “plan” or “scheme” is inconsistent with the Almighty God. A “plan” is a premeditated scheme marked out and to be followed that a desired or intended end might be accomplished. True, man carefully lays his plans and attempts to carry them out. Not so with the Creator. The Almighty Creator only needs to will that a thing shall be done and there is no further controversy and no worry about its accomplishment. When God created the heavens and the earth he did not need to make a plan therefor. When he made the mighty oceans that wash the shores of the land he did not need to first plan that work When he made the sun, the moon, the stars, and the countless glories that appear in the heavens, he did not need to plan that work. His record concerning his creation is that ‘God said, Let it be so; and it came to pass’. (Gen. 1:15) The infinite wisdom of Jehovah God and his unlimited power render wholly unnecessary a “plan” by him. It was his will that the creature man should be made, and the work was done. If we say that God first made a plan for all his works, such an argument would indicate a limitation to his power and wisdom; and therefore we know that such a conclusion is incorrect. There is no limitation to God’s power. His wisdom is perfect.

It has been said concerning perfect man in Eden that God must have made a “plan” in the alternative; that if man remained faithful God would take one course, and if man sinned God would take a different course of action. Such statement is wholly inconsistent as to Almighty God. He is equal to any emergency that arises. He can withhold knowledge from himself if he so desires; and he is equal to any and all conditions that arise. The Scriptures do say: “Known unto God are all his works, from the beginning of the world” (Acts 15:18) But these words do not indicate that Jehovah had or has a “plan”. The Almighty determines to do certain things and his infinite wisdom knows these things and knows when they will begin and when they will end He is wholly and completely self-contained.

The apostle speaks of the purpose or will of God, “according to his good pleasure which he hath purposed m himself.” (Eph. 1:9) “Purpose” means a determination to do a certain thing. When God purposes a thing it is as though such were already done, and it comes to pass m his own good time and good way. He says: “I am God, and there is none like me.” “I have purposed it. I will also do it.” (Isa. 46: 9-11; 55:11) The words “intention” or “plan” admit of a possibility of failure to accomplish what is attempted. “Purpose” means a determination to do it, and with God the purpose is equal to the accomplished fact, because God is almighty. God never fails, and therefore the creature can always have complete and absolute confidence in hirq. There is but one Almighty God, and to him are due all praise and glory. When the creature knows and appreciates that God does not need a “plan”, his appreciation of the Most High is broadened.

God has revealed himself by his name JEHOVAH, which name means his purposes toward his creatures. (See Exodus 3:13-17; 6:1-3.) Teachers of the Bible have had too narrow a view of Jehovah and have pushed his name into a corner; but now it is the Lord’s time to bring forth his name and to make himself known to his witnesses and men of good-will. These see that God does not need a plan which he must follow in order to carry out his purposes, because he is all-powerful and his wisdom knows no bounds To say that Jehovah has a plan to do certain things makes him appear insignificant and like unto creatures that must plan. The more we see of his greatness, the more we see the necessity for his creatures to have a knowledge of him in order that they may live and serve him for ever.

Jehovah is carrying forward his purposes according to his sovereign will, and not according to the ideas of any creature. It is his name that is involved. The controversy is between him and his enemy, Satan. Jehovah is supreme, and this he will prove to all of his intelligent creation He has declared his purpose to be that all shall know that he is the Almighty God, the Most High. (Ezek. 35:15; 38: 23; 39:7) He would let Satan go the full limit and let man have the opportunity to choose good or evil He would also furnish honest and faithful men with evidence of his supreme power, justice, wisdom and love, and prove that in his own due time he would establish a righteous government, destroy evil and workers of iniquity, and magnify his own name that all men of good-will might learn the way of life

(Continued from page 82) symbol of his blood. A report of the celebration should be promptly made to the Society, showing total attendance and number of partakers. In preparation for this 1941 celebration the article “Memorial” suggested above will be studied with profit.

“MODEL STUDY NO. 3”

This new booklet, of 32 pages and bound in a durable cover, brings up to date the series of Model Study booklets, as it presents the study outline covering the latest recorded speeches by Judge Rutherford, to wit, “Religion as a World Remedy,” and “The End”. This booklet is very valuable, even if you do not possess the phonograph recordings of the speeches named, and with it anyone should be able to conduct a model study of the Bible in the home or in public. Order several for use of others whom you hope to have study with you. Model Study No. 3 will be sent you postpaid at a contribution of 5c a copy. Company servants should make up combination orders for all in the company wanting copies.

“GOD AND THE STATE”

A new booklet, by Judge Rutherford! The urgency of the rapidly tightening world situation has hastened the issuance of this timely booklet. Parents, children, and all lovers of righteousness will be grateful for the clearness, completeness and helpfulness of the author’s treatment of the supreme issue today, as presented in its 32 pages. A neat cover design makes it very presentable. Due to the growing need for just such information, a large circulation of this latest booklet is bound to follow Get your copy now, at a contribution of 5c the copy.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

Week of April 20: “Victory Song” (Part 2), TJ 1-18 inclusive, The Watchtower March 15, 1941

Week of April 27: “Victory Song” (Part 2), 19-39 inclusive, The Watchtower March 15, 1941.

ON THE FRONT LINE OF A MAJOR WAR (LONDON)

“The declaration of war itself occurred at 11 a.m. on a Sunday morning when almost all of Jehovah’s witnesses were in the field. In London the first air-raid warning was sounded within ten minutes of the declaration of war and struck abject fear to the hearts of millions. Years of propaganda had their effect and the rash came out immediately. Loyal Theocratic publishers rose to the occasion and proclaimed the Kingdom message. One publisher placed 24 Safety booklets in ten minutes; the book Salvation had a very timely distribution. As the various Defense of the Realm regulations came into force conditions became increasingly difficult, but at no time have the authorities interfered with the door-to-door work. The difficulties which had to be faced are those all the people have had to meet, air raids, the blackout, transport difficulties, food and petrol rationing and other curtailments. Today, at the end of 1940, with air raids a daily and nightly occurrence, the witness work has become a real strain, but Jehovah’s witnesses are standing up under it magnificently, going boldly forward in the Lord’s strength.

“In parts of the city recently, field drives have been scheduled and when the publishers arrive on the territory they have found the ‘contact point’ no longer existed, having been blown to bits and rows of the houses just shambles. The wholesale evacuation coupled with the constant bombing has caused an eerie condition to exist in numerous central sections of the city. Recently a party of publishers witnessing in the classy residential section of the West End, during two whole hours of door-knocking, found only about a dozen people living in a thick residential area formerly inhabited by the wealthy Bohemian class. In some of the big houses the publishers entered calling, ‘Is there any life around here?’ only to be met by grim specters of desolation, empty shattered dwellings and an occasional cat picking its way over the rubble. Truly the cities are being laid waste! Millions of windows have been blown out by blast and will not be replaced by glass this side of the end of the war. A kind of felting composition is being nailed up with wooden battens, and in thousands of houses absolutely no daylight enters from morning to night. Indeed, ‘gross darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people.’ A blackout literally and figuratively¹ Often when back-calling we find the person has been bombed out and has disappeared. Magazine routes disappear overnight.

“The greatest scarcity is that of time ; the Devil has seen to that. The commonest remark at the doors is, ‘I haven’t got time for anything!’ Their time is occupied with feeding and preparing for their night in the dugout or air-raid shelter where the people put up with the utmost discomfort and with a kind of doggedness which could be found only in Britain. A typical doorstep conversation is often as follows: (Householder) ‘I haven’t time!’ (Publisher) ‘I should like to call back upon you with a phonograph lecture which will gladden your heart and bring you great comfort in these days of peril.’ (Householder) ‘My husband doesn’t get home till 7 o’clock.’ (Publisher) Wery well, I will come around about 8 o’clock.’ (Householder) ‘You can’t do that, because we go down into the shelter at 8 and stop there all night.’ The people alternate between working twelve hours a day, seven days a week, on war work and spending the rest of their lives underground like moles in their own Anderson shelters or in the Tube shelters. It is almost impossible to get back to them for back-calls. Truly, ‘men’s hearts are failing them for fear of things they see coming upon the world!’ The Devil’s master stroke is filling the people’s time so that they have no time to consider calmly the Word of truth. Often air raids take place while Kingdom witnessing is in progress during the daylight, but, except the fighting should be directly overhead, the publishers take no notice whatever, but keep steadily on fulfilling their-divinely given commission. The total blackness of the nights makes back-calling extremely difficult, and, in the case of heavy raids, very dangerous, due to the vast amount of shrapnel falling from the barrage guns. Despite all the difficulties the London Theocratic publishers are determined to carry on to the end, well knowing that Jehovah is with them and that the day of their deliverance is rapidly drawing near.”

AT A COUNTY SEAT IN NEBRASKA

“When this young Jonadab couple moved to town it immediately became known that they were Jehovah’s witnesses, and so it was reported to the county sheriff. He came to see the wife and told her the reports he had gotten and that he told the talebearers that if that was the worst they knew about them they’d have some pretty good citizens in town. He wanted to know more about them and that if we had any meetings in town he wanted to attend. So we made a special trip last week through miles of cow-trails and rough prairies. The wife and the sheriff had arranged that we play ‘Religion as a World Remedy’ in the town hotel, since the lady there was somewhat interested too. Only five or six attended that first meeting, but the sheriff was so thrilled by the message he begged us to stay and put it on again the following night and he’d invite people he wanted to hear it. We accepted, and spent the day witnessing in the town, placing seven books and about one hundred booklets. Some were placed with the aid of the sheriff, who would appear at different places to see the reaction and to do what he could to create interest. The county attorney immediately reported us to the sheriff after we worked the court house ‘Those d---- Jehovah’s witnesses are working in town ’’

Sheriff: ‘Well, what is so wrong about that? Have you read any of their books?’ Attorney: ‘No, and I don’t intend to If those ------, ------ come to my house, I’ll run them

off the place!’ The sheriff came to tell us what had happened and to warn us not to go to that home ; too, that if we wanted to go to the place anyway, he would take us there in his car and that if the attorney did anything to us he, the sheriff, would welcome the chance to lock up the county attorney. We thought best not to antagonize the poor attorney, so did not call. Anyway, we had called on his wife earlier in the day and found her nice. Instead of making the call again, the sheriff took us on a back-call where we found a family getting both The Watchtower and Consolation and much interested. It felt queer to be riding in the sheriff’s car on a back-call instead of going to jail. The lecture that night was attended by fifteen townspeople. The hotel lobby was full and most of them gave good attention. Plans were made to have a Watchtower study at the hotel from now on.”

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