Quit having lofty ideas, but be in fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. See, therefore, God’s kindness and severity. Toward those who fell there is severity, but toward you there is God’s kindness, provided you remain in his kindness; otherwise, you also will be lopped off.”—Rom. 11:17-22.

¹⁸ The grafted-in Gentiles were required to maintain faithfulness in order to remain in the symbolic olive tree. Otherwise they would be cut off just as natural Israel had been. That is why the apostle says they have no reason to boast over the natural branches that were cut off. They too could be severed from the trunk. Hence they must always appreciate the undeserved kindness God had shown them.

19, 20. What was the proof that Peter was used by God to unlock Gentile understanding of the divine purposes and open the way for them to become spiritual Israelites?

¹⁹ When Peter used the second of the kingdom keys to open up Gentile understanding to the purposes of God and to the kingdom of heaven class, he was under the direction of God’s spirit. Proof that God was indeed extending his favor to non-Jews through him was seen in the fact that Cornelius and his household were begotten by holy spirit while Peter was preaching to them. Jehovah gave visible evidence that these Gentiles had been adopted by him as spiritual sons. This was a marvelous thing in the eyes of Jewish Christians, for this privilege had been, up until then, exclusively for the Jews. (Acts, chapter 10) Later Peter reminded Jewish Christians that this was of God’s doing:

²⁰ “Now when much disputing had taken place, Peter rose and said to them: ‘Brothers, you well know that from early days God made the choice among you that through my mouth people of the nations should hear the word of the good news and believe; and God, who knows the heart, bore witness by giving them the holy spirit, just as he did to us also. And he made no distinction at all between us and them, but purified their hearts by faith.’”—Acts 15:7-9.

UNITING OF TWO PEOPLES

21, 22. How is the uniting of two peoples shown by the grafting of wild olive branches into the cultivated olive tree, and what does this signify as regards the law covenant?

²¹ The cutting off of natural Israel from the spiritual olive tree proved to be a blessing for the Gentiles. It permitted believing ones among them to become joint heirs with the Seed of Abraham, Christ Jesus. This was a joining together of two peoples that had long been separated by the law covenant as if by a wall. The Law had kept them far apart. This wall of separation was broken down when Christ fulfilled the Law. Through him God abolished it and made the uniting of Jews and Gentiles possible. This is pointed out in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians: “But now in union with Christ Jesus you who were once far off have come to be near by the blood of the Christ. For he is our peace, he who made the two parties one and destroyed the wall in between that fenced them off. By means of his flesh he abolished the hatred, the Law of commandments consisting in decrees, that he might create the two peoples in union with himself into one new man and make peace, and that he might fully reconcile both peoples in one body to God through the torture stake, because he had killed off the hatred by means of himself. And he came and declared the good news of peace to you, the ones far off, and peace to those near, because through him we, both peoples, have the approach to the Father by one spirit.”—Eph. 2:13-18.

²² The grafting in of wild olive branches into the cultivated tree well illustrates this uniting of the two peoples in God’s new nation. The Gentiles would not be considered as aliens or temporary residents without any right to citizenship, as was the case in natural Israel. But in the new nation they would be citizens with the same standing before God as the remnant from natural Israel would have. Paul pointed this out when he said: “Certainly, therefore, you are no longer strangers and temporary residents, but you are fellow citizens of the holy ones and are members of the household of God.”—Eph. 2:19.

23. With what nation does God now deal?

²³ The new nation under a new covenant, with a new priesthood, a new mediator and a new sacrifice, is the nation God deals with. It is the true Israel of God. He has no dealings with any other nation, and that includes fleshly Israel. She had her opportunity to become this nation but rejected it. God has therefore abandoned her nationally. He has cut her off like a dead branch and has grafted in Gentiles to the privileged position she could have had.

24. What forms the heavenly government that God has purposed to rule the earth?

²⁴ The new nation, consisting of a remnant of natural Israel along with faithful Gentiles, forms the heavenly government that will rule this earth. It is the Kingdom for which Christ taught his followers to pray. Its 144,000 members are rewarded with immortal life as spirit creatures and are privileged to rule with the King Christ Jesus as priests and kings. It is written in reference to Christ: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will rule as kings over the earth.”—Rev. 5:9, 10.

25. How was this heavenly government foretold, and what symbolizes it?

²⁵ This is the only government since the fall of the Judean kingdom that God has authorized or empowered. Long before the choosing of its members began with Christ’s ministry, the prophet Daniel foretold that it would destroy all other governments on earth and stand forever. “And in the days of those kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall the sovereignty thereof be left to another people; but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.” (Dan. 2:44, AS) About 200 years before Daniel’s day the prophet Isaiah spoke about it and said it would bring permanent peace. “Of the increase of his government and of peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth even for ever.” (Isa. 9:7, AS) It is a government that will be a real blessing to the human race. The symbolic olive tree represents this theocratic government, along with the One who empowered it and sustains it.

26. How did Christ fulfill his promise to the symbolic branches of the olive tree, and what is the responsibility of the remnant still on earth?

²⁶ It was with regard to the symbolic branches that Christ made the promise to go away and prepare a place for them in the heavens and then return to take them to himself. This was done A.D. 1918, when he came to God’s spiritual temple. Those members of the Kingdom class who were sleeping in death were raised to immortal life in the spirit and joined with Christ. The remainder or remnant of the 144,000 chosen ones still living on earth would receive their change as they died. They would not have to sleep in death, however, but would receive an immediate change. (1 Cor. 15:50-53) In the meantime they would have the responsibility of organizing the earth-wide preaching of the good news of God’s kingdom and overseeing the work of warning earth’s inhabitants of the coming war of Armageddon.

27. (a) Who have been associating with the remnant? (b) How do they bring blessings to themselves?

²⁷ This remnant was formed into a New World society. Multitudes of people have come into this society to associate with them in the undefiled worship of Jehovah God. This is in fulfillment of Zechariah 8:23 (AS): “Thus saith Jehovah of hosts: In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold, out of all the languages of the nations, they shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” The “ten men,” symbolizing all people of good will, associate with the remnant, the living members on earth of spiritual Israel. They show kindness toward these who are Jews inwardly, who have had circumcision of the heart. By showing kindness toward these spiritual brothers of Christ, the multitude from the nations bring blessings upon themselves from the Greater Abraham. Not only do they receive an accurate knowledge of God’s Word and purposes but they receive the promise of eternal life on earth as subjects of Christ and his 144,000 associate kings.

28. How does the number making up spiritual Israel and the great multitude compare, and how is this shown in Revelation?

²⁸ This great multitude of earthly subjects is not limited in number as are the branches of the symbolic olive tree. Because God limited the number of branches to 144,000, the branches that were grafted in were no more than the dead branches that were cut off. But no such limit was placed upon the subjects of this spiritual nation. This is clearly shown in the seventh chapter of Revelation. It first mentions that the 144,000 spiritual Israelites come from the twelve tribes of Israel. This is done to show that as the twelve tribes of natural Israel were children of Abraham, so spiritual Israel would be children or spiritual sons of Jehovah, the Greater Abraham. After speaking about the 144,000 who form the branches of the symbolic olive and who are joined with the olive’s trunk, Christ Jesus, the chapter then speaks about a great multitude from all nations. (Rev. 7:9) These are the ones who are coming into the New World society and are associating with the remnant of spiritual Israel. They are helping the remnant to pass on to others good fruit.

29. Who may receive blessings under the rule of God’s holy nation?

²⁹ All who want, Jews included, may become part of this multitude and receive the blessings in store for it. By exercising faith in Christ, the Seed of Abraham, they bless themselves. Peace and eternal life will be theirs under the just rule of God’s holy nation of spiritual Israel.

To Give a Church Some Life

A church in Manchester, England, needed some life. Disclosing what the pastor did, the Kamloops (British Columbia) Sentinel of September 30, 1957, said: “Feet tapped and members of the congregation rocked Sunday to the hot rhythm of church music set to jazz tempos. ‘The music tonight is a little unusual,’ said Rev. A. Gower-Jones of the Church of England. Beside the choir was a trap drummer, two guitarists, a hot fiddle player and the church’s regular organist, swinging a hymn. ‘It is difficult to change the music in church,’ said the minister, ‘but if the church is to be alive—then changes must be made.’”