Exalting Jehovah’s Worship Above the Mountains

THERE was a time when Jehovah’s worship centered at Solomon’s temple on Mt. Moriah in Jerusalem. That material temple, with its costly decorations of gold and fine needle work, occupied an exalted position, more than 2,400 feet above the Mediterranean Sea. It was therefore high above the temples of pagan capitals.

Solomon’s temple or house of Jehovah pictured the spiritual temple of Christ’s followers begun at Pentecost. Today this temple is represented by a small number, a mere remnant, of Christian witnesses of Jehovah who are taking the lead in the pure worship of Jehovah. Fulfillment of Bible prophecy shows that Jehovah God and his Messenger of the covenant, Jesus Christ, came to this remnant for judgment in 1918. At that time a cleaning and refining work began, and as a result these have since been worshiping in the apostolic way, as in olden days and ancient years, to the pleasing of Jehovah God.—Mal. 3:1-4.a

The facts also show that since then the prophecy is being fulfilled that “the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it. And many peoples shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of Jehovah from Jerusalem.”—Isa. 2:2, 3, AS.

How has Jehovah’s worship been exalted above the mountains or governments of this old world? First of all, by Jehovah himself putting his name upon his people and sending them forth as his witnesses. And, secondly, by their giving exclusive devotion to Jehovah, by specializing upon his pure worship as being of first importance. Actually, no government has a right to interfere with Jehovah’s pure worship. Still at times they do, and when this is the case the witnesses of Jehovah remain firm and insist on giving back first “God’s things to God.” (Matt. 22:21, NW) They refuse to quit preaching the good news of the Kingdom, neither will they compromise in any way whatever.

Their faithfulness to Jehovah’s worship has exalted it before all nations. While patriotic worldlings resent Jehovah’s servants’ putting his worship above all worldly governments, allegiances and other religions, God’s servants know that they must follow the apostolic example and “obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29, NW) A great crowd of men of good will, seeing this example of pure worship, have come to Jehovah’s mountain or house of worship, they being the “other sheep” mentioned at John 10:16 by Jesus. Both of these classes now put Jehovah’s worship topmost in their lives, letting it dominate even over all the mountainlike systems of Satan’s world. Learning of Jehovah’s ways and paths, they no longer “learn war any more.”—Isa. 2:4, AS.

Exalting Jehovah’s worship above the mountains requires that we diligently study God’s Word, regularly associate with other worshipers of Jehovah, follow Christian principles of conduct and, in spite of all opposition, carry out the Christian commission to preach. Strong faith will make us free from the fear of man and unselfish love will make us zealous for pure worship. There is no greater privilege nor more rewarding service extended to humans today than to share in exalting Jehovah’s worship above the mountainlike governments of this world.

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