²³ “Do not marvel, brothers, that the world hates you. We know we have passed over from death to life, because we love the brothers. He who does not love remains in death. Everyone who hates his brother is a manslayer, and you know that no manslayer has everlasting life remaining in him. By this we have come to know love, because that one surrendered his soul [or, life] for us; and we are under obligation to surrender our souls [or, lives] for our brothers.”—1 John 3:11-16, NW, margin.

24. Instead of breaking hearts and wounding, what must they now do?

²⁴ The spirit of Jehovah God is upon his witnesses for them to “preach good tidings unto the meek” and to “bind up the brokenhearted”, rather than to break hearts by carnal combat. Now when the river of life-saving truth is flowing forth from the throne of God’s established kingdom, his witnesses must be like trees whose leaves are “for the healing of the nations” and “for medicine”, rather than wounding the nations. (Isa. 61:1; Luke 4:18; Rev. 22:2; Ezek. 47:12) This is the “surpassing way” of love, the love of God with all that a person has and the love of one’s neighbor as oneself.—1 Cor. 12:31–13:7, NW.

25. In what respects, then, are Jehovah’s witnesses proved consistent?

²⁵ All the foregoing is only a partial statement of the case of Jehovah’s witnesses, which they have made to boards, officials and courts having the responsibility under the law of the land to determine whether they shall be granted the rights given to conscientious objectors and ministers. But enough has been said to prove to such boards and officials and all others that Jehovah’s witnesses are consistent in their claim. They are not pacifists, but are ministers and conscientious objectors on Scriptural grounds. In taking this stand the boards have been enabled to see that Jehovah’s witnesses stay neutral toward this world and that they remain God’s ministers and ordained preachers of the good news of his kingdom under Christ, with Scriptural and conscientious objection to their participation in worldly war in any form.

John the Baptist, Forerunner of Jesus

THE accurate Foreteller of events, Almighty God, declared over four hundred years before the birth of John the Baptist: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of Jehovah come.” (Mal. 4:5, AS; Luke 1:17) And before that, more than 700 years prior to John’s birth, Jehovah announced that this Elijahlike one would be as “the voice of one that crieth, Prepare ye in the wilderness the way of Jehovah; make level in the desert a highway for our God”. (Isa. 40:3, AS; Matt. 3:3) It was therefore no mere accident, or according to natural processes, that John the Baptist was born some six months prior to Jesus. In fact, John’s birth was as miraculous as that of the promised child Isaac, for both his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were past the normal age of producing children.—Luke 1:18.

Even before his conception John’s commission and work and mode of living were ordained and appointed by the angel Gabriel at God’s command. He was to do great things in Jehovah’s service, he was to attack his work in the spirit and power of Elijah, and he was to turn back disobedient ones from the way of death and prepare them to accept Christ the Messiah. He was to be a Nazarite, wholly devoted to God, and hence was to touch no wine or strong drink. Even his name John, meaning “Jah is gracious”, was chosen by the Lord. (Luke 1:13-17; Num. 6:2, 3) Like Samuel, from his childhood he was consecrated to the glorious service of the Most High God.—1 Sam. 1:11, 24-28.

Because of such divine appointments, when the child was circumcised on the eighth day, his priestly father under inspiration revealed: “As for you, young child, you will be called a prophet of the Most High, for you will pioneer before Jehovah to make his ways ready, to give knowledge of salvation to his people by forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender compassion of our God.” (Luke 1:76-78, NW) This public ministry was to be of great importance; all other things in his life were of little consequence. Hence the Scriptures cover the first thirty years of John’s life in a single verse: “And the young child went on growing and getting strong in spirit, and he continued in the deserts until the day of showing himself openly to Israel.”—Luke 1:80, NW.

“VOICE” IN WILDERNESS BEGINS TO SOUND

In the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar’s reign, when Pontius Pilate was the governor of Judea and Herod Antipas was ruler over the district of Galilee, John the baptizer turned up in the wilderness with a startling message: “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” (Luke 3:1, 2; Mark 1:4; Matt. 3:2, NW) The populace of the whole countryside was awakened and stirred. It was a strange message indeed, but the sincerity, conviction and force with which this preacher John spoke convinced vast multitudes of honest and sincere people that he was a man sent from God, and was moved by God’s holy spirit to sound a warning of utmost importance. As a prophet of the Lord he was easily recognized by his dress and devotion.—Matt. 3:4; Mark 1:6.

The fame of this man spread like a prairie fire, until even the priests and Levites journeyed down from the capital at Jerusalem to find out what it was all about. Repent? Why, and of what? Who was this man? they wanted to know. John explained:

“I am not the Christ.” “And they asked him: ‘What, then? Are you Elijah?’ And he said: ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you The Prophet?’ And he answered: ‘No!’ Therefore they said to him: ‘Who are you? That we may give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?’ He said: ‘I am a voice of a man crying aloud in the wilderness, “Make the way of Jehovah straight,” just as Isaiah the prophet said.’ Now those sent forth were from the Pharisees. So they questioned him and said to him: ‘Why, then, do you baptize if you yourself are not the Christ or Elijah or The Prophet?’”—John 1:20-25, NW.

On this latter matter of repentance and baptism this witness of God in the wilderness said in substance: ‘I baptize repentant sinners with water, but after me someone stronger than I is coming who will baptize them with holy spirit and with fire. Why, I am not even fit to stoop down and untie this greater One’s sandals! And beware! he carries a threshing instrument in his hand and will separate and gather the wheat for his storehouse, but will burn up and destroy the chaff.’—Matt. 3:11, 12; Mark 1:7, 8; Luke 3:15-17; Acts 1:5; 11:16.