this, five world powers had come and gone, the sixth, the Roman empire, then existed, and the seventh, the Anglo-American world power, was yet to come. It is here now, but so is an eighth, the international combine known as the United Nations, which owes its existence to the nations and receives its authority from them. It first existed as the League of Nations, then went into the abyss of inactivity and death, but now has ascended out as the present United Nations. It and all the nations will go into destruction when they war with the Lamb of God, Christ Jesus, at Armageddon. Then Christ’s kingdom will hold undisputed sway over a new earth arrangement.

15. What prophecies were fulfilled concerning Christ’s first presence, relative to both chronology and physical events?

¹⁵ There are many other equally remarkable prophecies that have been fulfilled in vindication of the Bible as Jehovah’s inspired Word. Space limits us to a brief consideration of only a few concerning the first presence of Jesus as Messiah and his second presence as enthroned King. More than five centuries in advance Daniel foretold the exact year of Messiah’s appearance, and when that year came the Jews were expecting some development concerning Messiah. (Dan. 9:24-27; Luke 3:15) Daniel’s prophecy also foretold that Jesus would be put to death three and one-half years later.e Other Hebrew Scripture prophecies predicted that he would be born in Bethlehem, of a virgin, be hated, rejected, betrayed by a follower for thirty pieces of silver, convicted by false witnesses, impaled with sinners, lots being cast for garments, be resurrected, and many other points. (Ps. 16:10; 22:16, 18; 35:11; 41:9; 69:4; Isa. 7:14; 53:3, 8, 12; Mic. 5:2; Zech. 11:12) In fact, one Bible scholar computed that “there are three hundred and thirty-two distinct prophecies in the Old Testament which have been literally fulfilled in Christ”. A mathematician figured out that the chance of one man’s fulfilling all those things was one in eighty-four followed by ninety-seven zeros!f The possibility of its happening is so overwhelmingly remote that we must acknowledge Jehovah as the author of these prophecies.

16. What chronological and physical evidences prove we are now in the time of his second presence?

¹⁶ As for the time of Christ’s second presence, Daniel’s prophecy is again the one that gives the chronology for it. (Dan. 4:16) It was figured out as pointing to A.D. 1914, and The Watchtower called notice to the significance of 1914 in the year 1879. The Christian Greek Scriptures foretell many physical evidences that would be observable at the time of Christ’s second presence, so that persons on earth would know of his presence, Christ himself being a spirit creature and invisible to human eyes. (John 14:19) Predicted were world war, famine, pestilence, earthquakes, sectarian divisions, persecution of his followers, world-wide preaching of the good news of the established Kingdom, widespread delinquency and general breakdown of morals, and many other developments that we have seen since 1914. The generation experiencing the beginning of these things will survive to see their end at Armageddon.g (Matt. 24:1-34; 2 Tim. 3:1-5, 13) Thereafter eternal life in endless blessings will begin for obedient persons in a new world.—2 Pet. 3:13.

17. Why should our reliance on God’s prophecies be stronger now than ever before?

¹⁷ But can we rely upon these predictions concerning Armageddon and the new world of righteousness that will follow? Well, if someone has told you the truth a hundred times, are you suddenly going to doubt him when he tells you something new? If you have never found him a falsifier, if he has been correct a hundred times, will you suddenly doubt his integrity for no cause? How unreasonable and illogical that would be! Jehovah has caused to be recorded many prophecies, and in remarkable ways many of them have been fulfilled, as we have seen in this study. The fulfillments of some of his prophecies are yet future. Can we not confidently rely upon their coming to pass in his due time, in view of the record he has built up, the reputation for truthfulness he has earned despite the opposing views of scientists and atheists and higher critics? They have been wrong so often, but Jehovah never. So when men dispute his Word and judge him false, we know the men are false and God is true: “Let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, even as it is written: ‘That you might be vindicated in your words and might win when you are being judged.’”—Rom. 3:4, NW.

18. What has happened to the worldly assailants of God’s Word?

¹⁸ When the wisdom of this world ranges itself against the Bible it can only meet defeat: “It is written: ‘I will make the wisdom of the wise men perish, and I will shove the intelligence of the intellectual aside.’ Where is the wise man? Where the scribe? Where the debater of this system of things? Did not God make the wisdom of the world foolish?” (1 Cor. 1:19, 20, NW) Scientists have used their knowledge to down the Bible, but their own further findings shatter their theories and they have to concoct more. On the gallows of science that they make to hang the Bible their own theories perish. (Esther 7:10) Atheists and higher critics use their secular history to prove the Bible false, but as more historical facts are dug up their own weapon turns on them and vindicates the Bible. “They set a net to catch my feet, and they were caught in it themselves; they dug a pit in front of me, and they fell into it!” (Ps. 57:6, Mo) Fundamentalists accuse us of denying God by our teachings, and their own teachings are pagan. They try to use the Bible to prove us wrong, and it boomerangs and proves them pagan. “The pagans have sunk in the pit they dug; in the net they set, their feet are snared.”—Ps. 9:15, Mo.

19. How is faith gained? and how can it be now strengthened?

¹⁹ The multitudinous assaults against our faith that come in these modern times may test it, but if it is founded on knowledge and not credulity it will endure. “Consider it all joy, my brothers, when you meet with various trials, knowing as you do that this tested quality of your faith works out endurance.” (Jas. 1:2, 3; 1 Pet. 1:6, 7, NW) To the Hebrews Paul wrote: “Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, . . . without faith it is impossible to win his good pleasure.” (Heb. 11:1, 6, NW) So we must have it, and our expectations concerning it must be held with assurance, confidence, without waverings or doubts. (Jas. 1:6-8) Unshakable faith comes from knowledge. Paul said: “‘Anyone that calls upon the name of Jehovah will be saved’. However, how will they call upon him in whom they have not put faith? How, in turn, will they put faith in him of whom they have not heard? . . . So faith follows the report.” (Rom. 10:13, 14, 17, NW) You have to hear the report of these things from God’s Word before you can build up real faith, a faith that is not credulous or superstitious or dead, a faith that is alive and shows its aliveness by works. (Jas. 2:14-26) That faith is not just blind credulity, but is based upon knowledge is shown by Jesus’ prayer: “I make request, not concerning these only, but also concerning those putting faith in me through their word.” (John 17:20, NW) It is through the words preached that new disciples to come would put faith in Jesus. Fulfilled prophecies now learned about confirm faith and buttress the basis for belief.

20. How can we endure, along with God’s Word?

²⁰ “The word spoken by Jehovah endures forever,” quotes the apostle Peter. (Isa. 40:8; 1 Pet. 1:25, NW) Jehovah God assures us that his Word will be fulfilled, that it will not return unto him void, but will accomplish the purpose for which it is sent out. (Isa. 46:10, 11; 55:11) Yes, God’s Word will endure. But will we endure with it? Will we by our study of it and works in harmony with it make our faith strong enough to endure all trials, to withstand all the assaults that come against it in these last days? We can if we study, for though worldly men like to smear us and say only the ignorant believe the Bible, advancing knowledge is proving the reverse to be true! It is the willfully ignorant that shut their eyes to its vindication by means of scientific findings and archaeological diggings, and above all to its vindication made manifest by the increasing number of fulfilled prophecies illuminating our times. So study God’s Word, act in accord with it, build on rock foundation, and your faith will stand the assaults of men now and the storm of Armageddon later. Thus we can endure along with God’s Word to enjoy life in the foretold new world of righteousness.

The Complete Cycle

● The Christmas tree has now made a complete cycle. Pagans first used it in midwinter celebrations. Those calling themselves “Christians” did not take time to really convert the pagans they absorbed, just gave their corrupting ceremonies a Christian name. The pagans were satisfied, so were the “Christians”, even though the midwinter celebration was at a time of the year when Christ could not have been born. Now the Communists believe, as did early so-called Christians, that there is no need to oppose the people’s customs, right or wrong; so they merely performed another name-change. According to the Romanian News, February 3, 1952, the new name is the “Winter Tree Celebration”, or “the children’s winter vacation”, or the “Winter Festival”. Bucharest had a Christmas tree (we beg your pardon, Winter tree) seventy feet tall, “thousands of lights, ribbons, golden globes and little metal bells.” A “fairy tale city” was set up, with “Father Frost, painted on a huge panel, advancing with gifts”. With the evergreen tree decked with lights and spangles, and “Father Frost” to give the gifts, the Christian name has been removed and a non-Christian celebration is back to its pagan origin.

What partnership do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what fellowship does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols?—2 Cor. 6:14-16, NW.