3, 4. (a) Why did the Israelite organization continue to be theocratic even after the establishment of an earthly kingdom? (b) How did Samuel testify to the continuance of the theocratic organization?

³ That typical theocracy continued on victoriously in spite of repeated efforts of idolatrous governments round about to destroy it. It continued on even after visible human kings were installed over the nation of Israel in the year 1117 B.C.E. How was that? Because the human king merely acted as the visible representative of the real Ruler, the heavenly Theocrat. He did not relinquish His rightful rulership just because of democratic action on the part of the people. No democratic election was held, but God acted within his right and appointed the visible king over the nation that he had once redeemed as his own inheritance. Testifying to this effect is what Samuel, then the judge in Israel, said:

⁴ “Jehovah will not desert his people for the sake of his great name, because Jehovah has taken it upon himself to make you his people.

1 Sam. 12:22-25.

5, 6. (a) Why are Samuel’s words of great encouragement to true Christians today? (b) What two warning examples in Israel do we have against causing Jehovah to desert his organized people? (c) How did the psalmist express the feelings of the exiled remnant who wanted a theocratic organization to emerge again?

⁵ What an encouraging thought that is for all those whom “Jehovah has taken it upon himself to make his people” in our day! If we continue to serve him in truth with all our heart, he will never desert us. We have a warning example against failing to do this. Where? In the case of ten tribes of Israel under kings of their own choice who flagrantly did bad things. Jehovah did desert them and their visible king. This meant disaster nationally for them. Into exile in the land of the world power of Assyria they were carried off, and never again was their ten-tribe kingdom established. Similar disaster befell the kingdom of the two other tribes of Israel. Its capital was at Jerusalem, where their king of David’s royal family sat on what was called “Jehovah’s throne.” (1 Chron. 29:23) In 607 B.C.E., after Jerusalem was destroyed by the Babylonian World Power, they were deported to Babylonia. For 70 years their God-given homeland, the land of Judah, lay desolate according to the decree of the Great Theocrat, Jehovah. The visible theocratic organization seemed to be out of existence. But there was a faithful remnant that longed for such a theocratic organization to emerge again. The psalmist expressed their feelings:

⁶ “As for you, O Jehovah, to time indefinite you will dwell, and your memorial will be for generation after generation. You yourself will arise, you will have mercy on Zion, for it is the season to be favorable to her, for the appointed time has come. For your servants have found pleasure in her stones, and to her dust they direct their favor. And the nations will fear the name of Jehovah, and all the kings of the earth your glory. For Jehovah will certainly build up Zion; he must appear in his glory. He will certainly turn to the prayer of those stripped of everything, and not despise their prayer.”​—Ps. 102:12-17.

7. (a) How did Jehovah show that he did not despise the feelings of the repentant remnant toward theocratic organization? (b) How did Jehovah’s theocratic organization over the restored remnant express itself despite Gentile domination?

⁷ It certainly denotes appreciation of Jehovah’s organization when a repentant person finds pleasure in its very “stones” and favors its very “dust,” so to speak. Appreciation of that kind on the part of the repentant exiles in Babylon Jehovah did not despise. He rewarded it with liberation at the end of the 70 years of desolation of Zion, Jerusalem. He restored them to their homeland, there once again to practice theocratic worship in its purity. He continued to be their Theocratic King, although having no visible representative of himself at rebuilt Jerusalem. But his chosen anointed priesthood resumed theocratic service at the reconstructed temple of worship. This was so, in spite of the domination of Gentile world powers over them according to Jehovah’s decree. For the time being that arrangement was how Jehovah’s theocratic government over his chosen people expressed itself. He had not deserted them.