give yourselves up to rest, for you are the ones whom Jehovah has chosen to stand before him to minister to him and to continue as his ministers.”—2 Chron. 29:10, 11.

24. What open door has been set before the remnant?

²⁴ Even as the doors of Jerusalem’s temple were opened and repaired, so now Christ offered the anointed remnant an open door of service, “which no one can shut.” (Rev. 3:8) Refreshed by Christian assemblies, notably those at Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A., in 1919, and again in 1922, they went forth witnessing boldly in answer to the call: “Advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom.”

25. How has the antitypical house of Jehovah been cleansed, and its utensils restored?

²⁵ However, these praisers of the true God must free themselves completely from pagan doctrine and practice. For example, during the years from 1919 onward, sanctimonious dress, the viewing of the great pyramid of Egypt as “the Bible in Stone,” the observance of pagan feasts such as the so-called “Christmas,” the use of pagan symbols such as the cross, and other religious uncleanness, persisted for a time. Such must be gotten rid of! “Utensils” appropriate to Jehovah’s worship must be brought into service. As God’s will was revealed progressively to them, the anointed remnant were happy to purify their temple worship, so that they could report back to their King in the same way that the priests and Levites reported back to Hezekiah: “We have cleansed the whole house of Jehovah, the altar of burnt offering and all its utensils . . . And all the utensils that King Ahaz removed from employment during his reign in his unfaithfulness we have prepared, and have sanctified them; and there they are before the altar of Jehovah.” (2 Chron. 29:18, 19) The same pattern of true worship that Jesus had established in the first century was restored among true Christians on earth.

26. What is pictured by Hezekiah’s getting up early and gathering the princes to worship?

²⁶ “And Hezekiah the king proceeded to get up early and gather the princes of the city together and go up to the house of Jehovah.” (2 Chron. 29:20) True to type, it was early in the post-World War I era that the King, Jesus Christ, gathered the remaining members on earth of Jehovah’s royal house—those who are to ‘rule as priests and kings with him for the thousand years’ of his Kingdom reign over earth. (Rev. 20:6) Then the priests proceeded to offer sacrifices on behalf of all, “because it was for all Israel that the king said the burnt offering and the sin offering should be.” (2 Chron. 29:24) In the fulfillment, all the remaining ones of the spiritual Judeans—the 144,000—must now be brought forth and sanctified as the true people for Jehovah’s name. This was in fulfillment, too, of another of the psalms: “Gather to me my loyal ones, those concluding my covenant over sacrifice.” (Ps. 50:5) As in Hezekiah’s day, all of these gathered according to Jehovah’s new-covenant arrangement, based on Jesus’ perfect sacrifice, “began to offer praise even with rejoicing.”—2 Chron. 29:30.

27, 28. (a) How was the gathering completed, and at what may God’s people now rejoice? (b) But what question remains to be answered?

²⁷ The gathering was not completed in 1919, or even in 1922. More workers were needed to carry forward effectively the sacrifice of praise to Jehovah. Thus, there has been a noteworthy fulfillment of 2 Chronicles 29:34: “Only the priests themselves happened to be too few . . . So their brothers the Levites helped them out until the work was finished and until the priests could sanctify themselves, for the Levites were more upright of heart for sanctifying themselves than the priests.” As in the pattern, the remaining members of the anointed remnant of Christ’s followers were gathered in, particularly until 1931-1935, and many of these showed themselves even more zealous for Jehovah’s requirements and service than others who had been gathered earlier.

²⁸ In the same way that “Hezekiah and all the people rejoiced” at the “sudden” restoration of true worship in that day, so the anointed remnant under Christ rejoiced that Jehovah has likewise “made preparation” for his people. (2 Chron. 29:36) But how does this help to answer the modern-day threat of nationalism? We shall see.

Up with the True, Down with the False!

“And Hezekiah . . . continued to do what was good and right and faithful before Jehovah his God.”—2 Chron. 31:20.

1. (a) What did the year 1513 B.C.E. mark? (b) Why was it important for Israel to observe the pattern of the Passover?

THE year 1513 B.C.E. had signaled Israel’s deliverance from nationalistic oppression by the first world power, Egypt. It also marked the first Passover. On this occasion the Israelites obeyed implicitly Jehovah’s instructions given through Moses. “They did just so.” The pattern of the Passover became a memorial to be observed in Israel from year to year. “With regard to Jehovah this night is one for observance on the part of all the sons of Israel throughout their generations.” (Ex. 12:50, 42) It was important that they do so, for in this way natural Israel stayed in line to become the “congregation of the firstborn . . . enrolled in the heavens,” who keep God’s great antitypical Passover by exercising faith in “the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world.”—Heb. 12:23; John 1:29.

2. How did Israel show itself unthankful, but what splendid example of true worship was seen from 745 B.C.E.?

² In the course of the centuries, Israel turned to doing bad, and became unthankful to its Deliverer, Jehovah God. Even in Judah and Jerusalem, where Jehovah’s temple beckoned to true worship, the Judeans fell away to paganism. However, when Hezekiah ascended to Jehovah’s throne in Jerusalem, in 745 B.C.E., he shone forth like a bright star in the line of Davidic kings. “And in every work that he started in the service of the house of the true God and in the law and in the commandment to search for his God, it was with all his heart that he acted, and he proved successful.” (2 Chron. 31:21) What a splendid example for all who worship Jehovah today!

3, 4. (a) What was next in line after the reopening of the temple? (b) However, what preliminary work was necessary, both in the type and in the fulfillment?

³ Hezekiah gave due heed to Jehovah’s command through Moses concerning the Passover. Its restoration was planned next in order after the reopening of the temple, and even before the Assyrian made his final, crushing assault on Israel to the north. “And Hezekiah proceeded to send to all Israel and Judah, and even letters he wrote to Ephraim and Manasseh [in Israel], to come to the house of Jehovah in Jerusalem to hold the passover to Jehovah the God of Israel. However, the king and his princes and all the congregation in Jerusalem resolved to hold the passover in the second month; for they had not been able to hold it at that time, because not enough priests, on the one hand, had sanctified themselves and the people, on the other hand, had not gathered themselves to Jerusalem.”—2 Chron. 30:1-3.

⁴ In the fulfillment, also, a preliminary work had to take place. Especially in the spring of 1918 C.E., there came a fiery testing and purging of all of God’s people on earth. The anointed priestly class were cleansed of a fearful heart. Repenting of the measure of compromise they had shown during World War I, they were again gathered to Jehovah’s worship. Now, as expressed in the Watchtower articles entitled “Blessed Are the Fearless,” published in 1919, they were “ready, willing and anxious at all times” to obey fearlessly the directions of their Lord, Jesus Christ. Conditions were right for renewing their sacrifice of praise to Jehovah, on the basis of the sacrifice of “the Lamb of God.”

THE CALL TO ASSEMBLE

5, 6. (a) What kind of couriers did Hezekiah send forth, and with what message? (b) What like pattern have Christian couriers followed today?

⁵ The invitation to share in Jehovah’s worship must be sounded abroad. Did Jehovah startle the earth by a miraculous proclamation through an angel from heaven? No. Jehovah used human couriers. “Accordingly the runners with the letters from the hand of the king and of his princes went throughout all Israel and Judah, even according to the commandment of the king, saying: ‘You sons of Israel, return to Jehovah the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, that he may return to the escaped ones that are left of you out of the palm of the kings of Assyria.’”—2 Chron. 30:6.

⁶ Since the year 1919, couriers from the modern-day Christian congregation have gone forth throughout the realm of Christendom, with a joyous call to assemble to Jehovah’s worship. After the pattern of Jesus and his apostles, who “went journeying from city to city and from village to village, preaching and declaring the good news of the kingdom of God,” and telling things profitable “from house to house,” these have appealed to the consciences of honesthearted persons still captive in Christendom’s religious organizations, that they may “return to Jehovah,” for salvation.—Luke 8:1; Acts 20:20.

7. What invitation has been extended, then and now, and with what response?

⁷ Who will support Jehovah’s true worship? Today, as in Hezekiah’s day, that is the vital question. Let all who truly love righteousness turn from divisive nationalism, and from pagan religion and philosophy. Let them un-stiffen their necks, and honor Jehovah, their Creator. “Now do