Hidden in the Day of Jehovah’s Anger

“Seek Jehovah, . . . Seek righteousness, seek meekness. Probably you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.”​—Zeph. 2:3.

1. Of what interest today are Zephaniah’s name and prophecy?

‘HIDDEN of Jehovah’​—that is the thought behind the name of God’s prophet Zephaniah, which name means “Jehovah has concealed.” Is it your desire to be hidden of Jehovah? It should be, for the world of today is plunging ever deeper into distress and hopelessness. Not for long will the righteous God, Jehovah, permit such conditions to remain. His day of Armageddon is at hand. All of us should be deeply interested in Zephaniah’s prophecy, for it has much to say about that day of decision. It shows how we may find the place of refuge, so as to be ‘hidden of Jehovah.’

2. Why is the prophecy anything but minor in its impact?

² Zephaniah prophesied during the early part of the reign of King Josiah of Judah, which began in 659 B.C.E., and, hence, about 50 years before Jehovah’s desolating of Judah and Jerusalem. Due to the brevity of his prophecy, Zephaniah is often referred to as one of the “Minor Prophets,” but the impact of his prophecy is anything but minor. It carried, in Zephaniah’s day, a divine message that could not be ignored. Likewise, it looks down to our 20th century with a dynamic warning that must be heeded by all persons who hope to find security during the impending day of the burning anger of Jehovah. It is part of Jehovah’s powerful “prophetic word” that the apostle Peter likens to “a lamp shining in a dark place.”​—2 Pet. 1:19; see also Romans 15:4.

3. (a) How did Zephaniah’s prophesying bring immediate benefit? (b) Why could this not be lasting?

³ Zephaniah, it seems, was the great-great-grandson of faithful King Hezekiah. As a prophet with royal connections, he would have to be courageous indeed to proclaim Jehovah’s burning judgments against the princes of Judah. (Zeph. 1:1, 8) His prophesying apparently had healthful results in the days of youthful King Josiah, who purged the land of false religion and came to be known for “acts of loving-kindness, according to what is written in the law of Jehovah.” (2 Chron. 34:3, 14, 19, 33; 35:26) As a result, there was a temporary stay of Jehovah’s execution of judgment. However, Josiah’s righteous course did not remove the wickedness that had engulfed his people, nor did it atone for the sins of his grandfather Manasseh, who had “filled Jerusalem with innocent blood.” (2 Ki. 24:3, 4) Jehovah’s day of reckoning was at hand!

“THE UTTERANCE OF JEHOVAH”

4. (a) With what decisive utterance does the prophecy begin? (b) What does it identify as the root of Judah’s troubles, and how?

⁴ Through Zephaniah, Jehovah made it plain that he would bring wickedness to a complete end. The prophecy opens with the words:

“‘I shall without fail finish everything off the surface of the ground,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.”

It was to be an extermination, a rooting out of all things detestable in Jehovah’s eyes. This “utterance” went straight to the point in showing what was back of Judah’s troubles​—false religion! For Jehovah went on to say:

“I will stretch out my hand against Judah and against all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and I will cut off from this place the remaining ones of the Baal, the name of the foreign-god priests along with the priests, and those who are bowing down upon the roofs to the army of the heavens, and those who are bowing down, making sworn oaths to Jehovah and making sworn oaths by Malcam; and those who are drawing back from following Jehovah and who have not sought Jehovah and have not inquired of him.”​—Zeph. 1:2-6.

5. (a) Why did Baalism have no rightful place among God’s people? (b) What detestable practices did it include?

⁵ What wickedness! Those Judeans had abandoned the pure worship of Jehovah to follow the Baalism of surrounding nations. Baalism​—with its human sacrifices, its ritual prostitution, its worship of dumb idols and its formalistic prayers for material prosperity—​had no rightful place among Jehovah’s worshipers. (Num. 25:1-5; Jer. 7:30, 31; 11:17; 19:3-5) False religion had led them into all kinds of wrong practices. Judah’s priests had violated the First Commandment by fellowshiping with “foreign-god priests.” (Ex. 20:2, 3) Following the bad example of King Manasseh, they worshiped “the army of the heavens” and looked to spirit mediums for guidance. (2 Chron. 33:1-6) In line with the false premise that ‘there is good in all religion,’ they were equating the idol-god Malcam with Jehovah. Because of drawing away from the living God, they had developed “a wicked heart lacking faith.”​—Heb. 3:12.

6. What striking correspondencies do we find between practices in Judah and in Christendom today?

⁶ Is it any different in Christendom today? The nations of Christendom still carry a tremendous bloodguilt, because of the millions of lives sacrificed on the altar of war during this century. Christendom’s clergy on both sides supported those wars, and their bloodguilt remains. (Compare Jeremiah 2:34, 35.) Just as the Judeans indulged in all manner of sexual immorality, so we find the peoples of Christendom today involved in premarital sex, promiscuity, wife-swapping, divorce, homosexuality and the like, while many of the clergy look the other way or even condone such practices. How contrary to the Bible standard!​—1 Cor. 6:9, 10; Heb. 13:4.

7. (a) Today, what parallels do we find to the spiritism and interfaith practiced by the apostate Judeans? (b) In this regard, what timely counsel is found in God’s Word?

⁷ Astrology, fortune-telling, spiritism​—these also find a place among professed Christians. Under the pretext that ‘all religions lead to the same goal,’ there is wide practice of interfaith in Christendom today. Superstitions of false religion are mixed in with the Bible. Thus, in place of obeying Jesus’ command to observe once each year the Memorial of his death, Christendom highlights Easter, named after the goddess of sensual love, Ashtoreth (Astarte, Greek), incorporating fertility rites and symbols, such as rabbits and Easter eggs. Any who have been involved in such practices would do well to follow the good advice of 1 Samuel 7:3: “If it is with all your heart you are returning to Jehovah, put away the foreign gods from your midst and also the Ashtoreth images, and direct your heart unswervingly to Jehovah and serve him alone, and he will deliver you.” Yes, respect for Jehovah, his Word and his requirements is essential for us if we desire to be among those invited to share in his day of vindication. It is as Zephaniah himself observes:

“Keep silence before the Sovereign Lord Jehovah; for the day of Jehovah is near, for Jehovah has prepared a sacrifice; he has sanctified his invited ones.”​—Zeph. 1:7.

8. Against what dangerous thinking does “the word of Jehovah” warn?

⁸ In Zephaniah’s day, Jehovah’s examination of his professed worshipers was thorough. Thus “the word of Jehovah” goes on to say:

“It must occur at that time that I shall carefully search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will give attention to the men who are congealing upon their dregs and who are saying in their heart, ‘Jehovah will not do good, and he will not do bad.’” (Zeph. 1:1, 12)

Such self-centered ones were content with the status quo. They did not want anyone to stir up the dregs in their wine vats. They were like faithless Christendom today, and also some who have fallen away from worshiping Jehovah, saying, ‘Where is the proof that these really are the “last days”?’ Such thinking proved disastrous in Zephaniah’s day, and it can be even more disastrous in our day, as we face up to the end of the entire world system of things.​—2 Pet. 3:3, 4, 10.

9. As in the days of Judah, why is it so important now to cultivate a spiritual rather than a materialistic outlook?

⁹ Concerning such faithless, materialistic persons, Jehovah goes on to say:

“Their wealth must come to be for pillage and their houses for a desolate waste. And they will build houses, but they will not have occupancy; and they will plant vineyards, but they will not drink the wine of them.” (Zeph. 1:13)

Worldly possessions avail nothing in a day of divine judgment! Rather than seek such material things today, how much more practical it is to cultivate a Scriptural outlook on life, and for young people to equip themselves for full-time service to Jehovah! Happy always are those who choose “treasures in heaven” instead of ‘storing up treasures upon the earth’!​—Matt. 6:19-21; Eccl. 12:1; 1 Tim. 6:6-8.

‘THE GREAT DAY IS NEAR’

10, 11. How, and why, does Jehovah ‘hurry up’ his great day?

¹⁰ Next, the Sovereign Lord himself assures us:

“The great day of Jehovah is near. It is near, and there is a hurrying of it very much.”​—Zeph. 1:7, 14.

¹¹ Let no one think that God’s judging of this wicked world is far away in the future. Today, destruction of all human life on earth is threatening, but that is something that Jehovah will not permit! It is the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, and not politically minded men, who will bring an end to this madness of the nuclear age. He will ‘hurry up’ his day of Armageddon. Any “mighty man” who tries to thwart that execution of judgment is doomed to cry bitterly, for Jehovah himself declares:

“That day is a day of fury, a day of distress and of anguish, a day of storm and of desolation, a day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick gloom, a day of horn and of alarm signal, against the fortified cities and against the high corner towers.”​—Zeph. 1:15, 16.

12. Why can we be happy that there will be a selective destruction on that day?

¹² The fortifications of this militarized world, even if they could defy nuclear missiles, will be useless against the weaponry of Jehovah’s heavenly arsenal. Moreover, it will be a selective destruction, in line with David’s prophetic words: “Jehovah is guarding all those loving him, but all the wicked ones he will annihilate.” (Ps. 145:20) It will be a terrible day of judgment, indeed, for those who have not kept respectful silence before Jehovah. For through Zephaniah he next declares:

“I will cause distress to mankind, and they will certainly walk like blind men; because it is against Jehovah that they have sinned. And their blood will actually be poured out like dust, and their bowels like the dung.”​—Zeph. 1:17.

13. What investments will avail nothing in the day of fury?

¹³ What will a large bank account, even in a “neutral” land, or hoarded gold, or large property investment, or subterranean hideouts avail in that day? Nothing! The Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself makes that clear, saying:

“Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to deliver them in the day of Jehovah’s fury; but by the fire of his zeal the whole earth will be devoured, because he will make an extermination, indeed a terrible one, of all the inhabitants of the earth.” (Zeph. 1:18)

In this final day of decision, ‘all the earth’ is included in God’s final execution of judgment. But there is a way of escape! What is that?

“GATHER YOURSELVES TOGETHER”

14. What is the evidence of failure to heed the appeal of Zephaniah 2:1 (a) by Judah? (b) by Christendom?

¹⁴ As if in final appeal to his own people, God’s prophet himself now urges would-be survivors, saying:

“Gather yourselves together, yes, do the gathering, O nation not paling in shame.” (Zeph. 2:1)

But did Judah as a nation respond favorably to that appeal? Jehovah’s fiery execution of that nation in 607 B.C.E. shows that they did not. They continued in their shameful course. But there were individuals​—Judeans and others, including Jeremiah, Ebed-melech and the house of Jonadab—​who survived because of heeding the word of Jehovah. (Jer. 39:11, 12, 16-18; 35:18, 19) The situation is similar today. Shamelessly, Christendom has opposed the Kingdom message that Jehovah’s Witnesses have preached throughout its realm. It has rejected God’s kingdom by Christ Jesus as the only hope of the nations, substituting therefor a man-made makeshift, known today as the United Nations. Any gathering that Christendom does is only to destruction at Armageddon.​—Ps. 2:2, 3; Rev. 16:13-16.

15. What other gathering has been proceeding in modern times?

¹⁵ However, another gathering has been proceeding in the “final part of the days,” where we now are. First, there has been a gathering, principally out of Christendom, of true anointed Christians. This has been followed by a gathering “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues,” of an innumerable “great crowd,” for survival through the impending tribulation. (Rev. 7:1-4, 9, 14; Isa. 2:2, 3) Who make up this “great crowd”? They are meek individuals who are willing to humble themselves in heeding the counsel of God’s prophet.

16, 17. What countdown is now proceeding, and hence, what call must be answered for survival?

¹⁶ Relentlessly, the countdown to Armageddon is ticking away. Timely, then, is the warning of God’s prophet to these meek individuals:

“Before the statute gives birth to anything, before the day has passed by just like chaff, before there comes upon you people the burning anger of Jehovah, before there comes upon you the day of Jehovah’s anger,”

you must act!​—Zeph. 2:2.

¹⁷ It is the statute and decree of Jehovah that Christendom must perish, just as faithless Jerusalem met up with extermination in 607 B.C.E., and for like reasons. (Ezek. 22:3-5) She is bloodguilty, and her clergy have abandoned the law of Jehovah. Her religion is part of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, concerning which the apostle John wrote: “By your spiritistic practice all the nations were misled. Yes, in her was found the blood of prophets and of holy ones and of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.” It is no wonder that the call has gone out to those desiring to please God: “Get out of her, my people, if you do not want to share with her in her sins, and if you do not want to receive part of her plagues”!​—Rev. 18:4, 23, 24.

‘SEEKING JEHOVAH’

18. What further action must meek ones take?

¹⁸ However, is it sufficient to become separate from the world and its false religion? Zephaniah shows that meek ones must take further, positive action.

19. What is involved in ‘seeking Jehovah’?

¹⁹ First in order, says God’s prophet:

“Seek Jehovah, all you meek ones of the earth, who have practiced His own judicial decision.” (Zeph. 2:3a)

They must seek to know Jehovah, along with his marvelous qualities and purposes, even as his Son, Jesus Christ, has explained him. Their humbly doing this brings great reward, as Jesus himself said: “This means everlasting life, their taking in knowledge of you, the only true God, and of the one whom you sent forth, Jesus Christ.” (John 1:18; 17:3) Their seeking Jehovah will lead to their loving him with their ‘whole heart, soul, mind and strength,’ and to their following Jesus’ example in performing the “sacred service” that Jehovah requires of them.​—Mark 12:29, 30; 1 Pet. 2:21; Matt. 4:17; Rev. 7:15.

20. What kind of righteousness should we seek, and with what confidence?

²⁰ Next, says Zephaniah:

“Seek righteousness.” (Zeph. 2:3b)

No, not Pharisaical self-righteousness! It does no one any good to “have a zeal for God” if this is not in accord with accurate knowledge of his Word. We need to ‘know the righteousness of God in order to subject ourselves to that righteousness.’ We need to conform our lives to God’s standards​—not man’s—​and to put on the Christian personality that is “created according to God’s will in true righteousness and loyalty.” (Rom. 10:2, 3; Eph. 4:22-24) This true righteousness and loyalty require that we do not let the loose thinking or ways of the world seep into our lives. As Jesus advised we need to “keep on, then, seeking first [God’s] kingdom and his righteousness,” confident that, as we serve him, he will provide what is necessary to sustain our lives and protect us through the day of Jehovah’s anger.​—Matt. 6:31-33.

21. (a) How does the prophecy emphasize the quality of meekness? (b) In this regard, what should we watch carefully?

²¹ Thirdly, Jehovah’s prophet says:

“Seek meekness.” (Zeph. 2:3c)

Already Zephaniah has described those who will heed his prophecy as the “meek ones of the earth.” So now he places double emphasis on this quality. How essential it is that we continue to “seek meekness,” as we are surrounded by the proud, demanding, opinionative, “me-first” attitude of the world! There is always the danger that some of this attitude may rub off on us. We need to be on guard, always willing to accept discipline from Jehovah and his organization, and to conform ourselves to his will. We should never think that ours is a case of “once saved, always saved,” for the reward of salvation is for those who ‘continue in the truth.’​—Prov. 22:4; John 8:31, 32; 3 John 3, 4.

22. (a) Why does Zephaniah say “probably”? (b) What will be the final result to those ‘hidden of Jehovah’?

²² To the “meek ones of the earth,” Zephaniah now says:

“Probably you may be concealed in the day of Jehovah’s anger.” (Zeph. 2:3d)

Why “probably”? It is because final salvation depends on the course of the individual, just as Jesus indicated, saying: “He that has endured to the end is the one that will be saved.” Endure, then, all meek ones, in humbly doing God’s will for this day, which includes preaching this good news of God’s established kingdom in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations. (Matt. 24:13, 14) So doing, you may be among those ‘hidden of Jehovah’ in the day of his anger. The psalmist David writes of such ones: “The meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”​—Ps. 37:11.

Serving Jehovah “Shoulder to Shoulder”

“I shall give to peoples the change to a pure language, in order for them all to call upon the name of Jehovah, in order to serve him shoulder to shoulder.”​—Zeph. 3:9.

1. What assurances do we have concerning Jehovah’s word of prophecy?

JEHOVAH’S word of prophecy always comes unerringly to fulfillment. He himself tells us: “So my word that goes forth from my mouth will prove to be. It will not return to me without results, but it will certainly do that in which I have delighted, and it will have certain success in that for which I have sent it.” (Isa. 55:11) It has been just that way with so many of the details of Zephaniah’s great prophecy.

2. (a) What national groups are referred to in Zephaniah 2:4-8? (b) How would a visit to their locations today confirm the accuracy of the prophecy?

² For example, Zephaniah records, in turn, Jehovah’s utterances of doom against the cities of Philistia, the nation of Cherethites, the land of the Philistines, and Moab and Ammon. (Zeph. 2:4-8) All those prophecies had remarkable fulfillment during the years and centuries that followed. Where, today, is the nation of Philistia, with its cities, and where are the dependent Cherethites? They are nonexistent. What of Moab and Ammon? The prophecy says:

“‘As I am alive,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, the God of Israel, ‘Moab herself will become just like Sodom, and the sons of Ammon like Gomorrah, a place possessed by nettles, and a salt pit, and a desolate waste, even to time indefinite.’” (Zeph. 2:9)

If you travel today through the Transjordan territories where the proud nations of Moab and Ammon once flourished, what do you find? Desolation​—even as Jehovah foretold! History shows that Ethiopia also, along with Egypt, suffered at the hands of the Babylonian invaders.​—Zeph. 2:12.

“AN OBJECT OF ASTONISHMENT”

3, 4. (a) What was Jehovah’s utterance concerning Assyria and Nineveh? (b) Why would this seem incredible? (c) What is the evidence as to the striking fulfillment of the prophecy?

³ Most astonishing is the fulfillment of Jehovah’s utterance concerning Assyria and Nineveh. Zephaniah prophesied when Assyria’s proud capital, Nineveh, was in the heyday of its glory, at least 15 years before that nation was toppled from its position as the second world power of Bible history. Whoever could have imagined such a thing? But Jehovah was against that nationalistic “city of bloodshed.” (Nah. 3:1, 5) Through Zephaniah he spoke of settling accounts with her, saying:

“He will stretch out his hand toward the north, and he will destroy Assyria. And he will make Nineveh a desolate waste, a waterless region like the wilderness. . . . This is the exultant city that was sitting in security, that was saying in her heart, ‘I am, and there is nobody else.’ O how she has become an object of astonishment, a place for the wild animals to lie stretched out! Everyone passing along by her will whistle; he will wag his hand.”​—Zeph. 2:13-15.

⁴ ‘Impossible!’ people of that day would have said. Yet that same generation lived to see it! In 632 B.C.E. Nabopolassar of Babylon and Cyaxares the Mede besieged and captured Nineveh. The Babylonian Chronicles tell us: “The great spoil of the city and temple they carried off and [turned] the city into a ruin-mound.” So complete was the devastation of Nineveh that even its location became unknown for centuries. In the 1800’s it was again identified, and the famous library of Ashurbanipal II was unearthed. But to this day the area remains a barren waste where flocks occasionally rest. How accurate the fulfillments of Jehovah’s word of prophecy!

5. What powerful message does this prophecy hold for out day?

⁵ However, most importantly, that prophetic record carries a message for today. It serves as “a warning to us upon whom the ends of the systems of things have arrived.” (1 Cor. 10:11, 12; Rom. 15:4; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17) It encourages us to avoid the pride, the indulgent pleasure-seeking, the materialistic thinking and violent dispositions that brought God’s judgment upon those nations. Also, we should remember that those prophecies are very much alive today, and that their climactic fulfillment hastens on. It is not for a mere historical record that Jehovah, the living God, has preserved them down to this day. Those ancient nations have their modern-day counterpart, particularly in the Assyria-like politico-military powers that boast in their armed might. Jehovah will assuredly take vengeance against all such opposers of his kingdom.​—Nah. 1:2; Zeph. 1:2, 9.

“WOE TO . . . THE OPPRESSIVE CITY!”

6. What question is now asked, and why is it pertinent?

⁶ Modern-day totalitarian, authoritarian governments closely parallel cruel Nineveh of the mighty Assyrian Empire. Yet Jehovah makes it plain that there is a part of the present world system of things that is even more reprehensible in his sight. What is that?

7. (a) What “oppressive city” corresponds to ancient Jerusalem, and in what ways? (b) How has she refused discipline?

⁷ It is that part of the world that claims to be God’s own people, even as Judah and Jerusalem made that claim in Zephaniah’s day. It professes to be “Christian,” and is known generally as “Christendom.” But its clergy have apostatized from the pure teachings of God’s Word, the Bible, and its nations and peoples have fallen from following the fine moral standards set out in that Word. Hence, Zephaniah himself now speaks out against that God-dishonoring “city,” saying:

“Woe to her that is rebelling and polluting herself, the oppressive city! She did not listen to a voice; she did not accept discipline. In Jehovah she did not trust. To her God she did not draw near.”

Jehovah has sent his witnesses throughout Christendom, to its cities and villages, from house to house. “Morning by morning,” they have declared his judgments. “At daylight,” his righteous requirements have been made clear. But Christendom’s leaders and clergy have been “insolent” and have ‘known no shame’ in their opposition to these messengers of the righteous Jehovah and his kingdom.​—Zeph. 3:1-5.

8, 9. (a) What proclamation does Jehovah himself now make? (b) How broad is its application? (c) Why should we be thankful on that account?

⁸ In support of his faithful prophet, the Sovereign Lord Jehovah now takes up the pronouncement of doom, enlarging it to include all the nations, and climaxing it with these words:

“‘Therefore keep yourselves in expectation of me,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘till the day of my rising up to the booty, for my judicial decision is to gather nations, for me to collect together kingdoms, in order to pour out upon them my denunciation, all my burning anger; for by the fire of my zeal all the earth will be devoured.’”​—Zeph. 3:6-8.

⁹ So the execution of Jehovah’s judgment does not stop at the desolating of Christendom, whose religion must perish along with the entire world empire of false religion, described in the Bible as “Babylon the Great.” (Rev. 18:2-4) The day of his “burning anger” and of “the fire of [his] zeal” will remove all wickedness from the earth. (See also Isaiah 34:2-8; Jeremiah 25:32, 33.) How grateful we should be that this greatest tribulation of all time will be the last, according to Jesus’ own testimony at Matthew 24:21! It will have accomplished Jehovah’s purpose in “causing an outright extermination,” like that of ancient Nineveh. “Distress will not rise up a second time.”​—Nah. 1:9; Dan. 12:1; Rev. 19:11-21.

THE WAY OF ESCAPE

10. What ‘impure language’ is now spoken in the world?

¹⁰ Is there a way of survival during this world calamity? Why, yes! In the very next words of the prophecy, Jehovah God himself shows what that way is. He says:

“For then I shall give to peoples the change to a pure language, in order for them all to call upon the name of Jehovah, in order to serve him shoulder to shoulder.” (Zeph. 3:9)

Whichever of the hundreds of national tongues they may use, the worldly nations make propaganda in a “language” that is detestable to Jehovah. Instead of God’s kingdom, they exalt their own nationalistic programs, trying to use a divided U.N. for selfish political ends. They reject Jehovah’s kingdom by Christ Jesus.

11. (a) What “pure language” is heard today? (b) How extensively is this “language” being spoken? (c) How do those speaking it “call upon the name of Jehovah,” and with what result?

¹¹ What, then, is this change to a “pure language”? It is a turning to the message of truth, the refreshing “good news,” the “pattern of healthful words,” that speaks in praise of Jehovah and his righteous purposes by Christ Jesus. (2 Tim. 1:13) This “pure language” unifies them. And it testifies that, in the epoch-marking year 1914, “the kingdom of the world did become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will rule as king forever and ever.” (Rev. 11:15) Taking this message upon their lips, true Christians worldwide “call upon the name of Jehovah” in dedication, harmoniously rendering him “sacred service.” As the only truly united people on earth, they go to the homes of the people, heralding forth the “good news” of Jehovah’s established kingdom. Thus they serve Jehovah “shoulder to shoulder.” (Matt. 24:14; Rom. 12:1) Are you one who has thus separated yourself from the world, to serve God zealously in dedication to Him? It is by thus working along with Jehovah’s organized people that you may “get away safe.”​—Joel 2:32; see also Hosea 14:1, 2; Hebrews 13:15.

12, 13. (a) What problems may be involved in learning this “language”? (b) Why is meekness required in serving “shoulder to shoulder”? (c) How may we cultivate the quality of meekness?

¹² The “change to a pure language” has been hard for some to make. It is not easy to come out of the world, with its easygoing, permissive ways, and to make the sacrifices necessary for ‘calling upon the name of Jehovah.’ It has required our getting rid of wrong thoughts, bad habits and self-seeking, loose ways of life, in order to conform to the clean, worthwhile standards of God’s own people. (Eph. 4:17, 18, 29; 1 Pet. 4:3) It has required our giving proper recognition to the one organization that Jehovah is using in the earth today, and this by our associating with the “faithful and discreet slave.” It has required meekness, in our “carefully examining” God’s Word with the aid of that ‘slave’s’ publications, in order to fortify our faith.​—Matt. 24:45; Acts 17:11.

¹³ In serving Jehovah “shoulder to shoulder,” we need, as Zephaniah so often emphasizes, to cultivate the quality of meekness. When we make mistakes, as all imperfect humans do, let us be ready to acknowledge them, even as the “faithful and discreet slave,” made up of imperfect fleshly men, has had to make corrections. However, let us never be critical of the grand body of truth that Jehovah has built up among his united people over the past 100 years, and which, by correction and adjustment, has come to shine ever more brightly on “the path of the righteous ones.”​—Prov. 4:18.

14. (a) What attitude is the opposite of meekness, and how is it displayed? (b) How do such haughty ones proceed, and what warnings should we heed? (c) Where will we find ‘nothing lacking’?

¹⁴ From time to time, there have arisen from among the ranks of Jehovah’s people those who, like the original Satan, have adopted an independent, faultfinding attitude. They do not want to serve “shoulder to shoulder” with the worldwide brotherhood. (Compare Ephesians 2:19-22.) Rather, they present a “stubborn shoulder” to Jehovah’s words. (Zech. 7:11, 12) Reviling the pattern of the “pure language” that Jehovah has so graciously taught his people over the past century, these haughty ones try to draw the “sheep” away from the one international “flock” that Jesus has gathered in the earth. (John 10:7-10, 16) They try to sow doubts and to separate unsuspecting ones from the bounteous “table” of spiritual food spread at the Kingdom Halls of Jehovah’s Witnesses, where truly there is ‘nothing lacking.’ (Ps. 23:1-6) They say that it is sufficient to read the Bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,’ they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom’s clergy were teaching 100 years ago, and some have even returned to celebrating Christendom’s festivals again, such as the Roman Saturnalia of December 25! Jesus and his apostles warned against such lawless ones.​—Matt. 24:11-13; Acts 20:28-30; 2 Pet. 2:1, 22.

15. (a) How does Jehovah act with regard to “haughty” ones? (b) How are the “people humble and lowly” identified? (c) What assurance does Jehovah give these?

¹⁵ Through his prophet Zephaniah, Jehovah tells His people how He will dispose of those who shamelessly try to sow discord in His earthly organization, saying:

“I shall remove from the midst of you your haughtily exultant ones; and you will never again be haughty in my holy mountain.”

In happy contrast, Jehovah says:

“I shall certainly let remain in the midst of you a people humble and lowly, and they will actually take refuge in the name of Jehovah.” (Zeph. 3:11, 12)

Yes, these are the meek ones, who work “shoulder to shoulder” as they engage in “the holy work of the good news.” (Rom. 15:15, 16) They are not too proud to do the lowly work of calling from house to house after the pattern that Jesus’ disciples learned from the Master. (Matt. 10:5-13; Luke 9:2-6; Acts 5:42) Taking refuge in Jehovah’s name, they proclaim that glorious name and his purpose to vindicate it by the triumphant kingdom of his Christ. (Ezek. 38:23; Dan. 2:44) As Jehovah’s people serve and live according to his righteousness, they are confident that “there will be no one making them tremble.” (Zeph. 3:13) They enjoy true peace of mind!

A TIME FOR JOYFUL ACTIVITY

16. (a) How does Zephaniah express his own gladness? (b) What prophetic call has been answered today, and by whom?

¹⁶ Zephaniah himself is made glad by such assurance from Jehovah, so that he calls on God’s people saying:

“Joyfully cry out, O daughter of Zion! Break out in cheers, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all the heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! Jehovah has removed the judgments upon you. He has turned away your enemy. The king of Israel, Jehovah, is in the midst of you. You will fear calamity no more.” (Zeph. 3:14, 15)

Since 1919, when they were released from spiritual captivity to Babylon the Great, the anointed witnesses of Jehovah have served him “shoulder to shoulder” in giving joyful public testimony. Jehovah has judged and approved these children of the heavenly Jerusalem. (Gal. 4:26; 1 Pet. 4:17) Prisons and slave labor camps have proved powerless to draw them again into spiritual bondage. Their rejoicing is now shared by a “great crowd” of companion Witnesses, identified since 1935 as part of the Lord’s “other sheep.”​—John 10:16; Rev. 7:9, 10.

17. (a) What assurance helps Jehovah’s people to endure in “sacred service”? (b) How is Jehovah “silent,” yet “joyful . . . with happy cries,” and how should we react?

¹⁷ Directly to his anointed ones, representing the heavenly Zion, and through them to their fellow workers of the “great crowd,” Jehovah himself now makes appeal, saying:

“Do not be afraid, O Zion. May your hands not drop down.” (Zeph. 3:16)

As terrible as crime and violence are today, as fearsome as the challenges of the nuclear age may become, as cruel as may be the persecutions yet to come upon Jehovah’s Witnesses, their very intimacy with Jehovah and trust in their God will carry them through. Having put our hands to the plow of “sacred service,” may we never look back at the things behind and cease plowing forward, “shoulder to shoulder”! (Luke 9:62; Rev. 7:15) For now the prophecy gives this further divine assurance:

“Jehovah your God is in the midst of you. As a mighty One, he will save. He will exult over you with rejoicing. He will become silent in his love. He will be joyful over you with happy cries.” (Zeph. 3:17)

Jehovah is “silent” in finding ease and refreshment by expressing love to his recovered, restored people, and great is his joy and exultation over their integrity and zeal in his service. In these “last days” we should feel very close to our living God, Jehovah, as we unitedly apply shoulders to his service.​—2 Tim. 3:1.

18. (a) How have Jehovah’s people been made “a name and a praise” since 1919? (b) How may we serve “shoulder to shoulder” in behalf of thousands more?

¹⁸ Since 1919, it has been a grand day of restoration for all of God’s people. As faithful witnesses they have continued to preach with missionary zeal, so that Jehovah’s organization has expanded to the very ends of the earth. (Rom. 10:10, 18) It has indeed been a time for bringing in God’s people, collecting them together. And for what purpose? Jehovah himself answers:

“I shall make you people to be a name and a praise among all the peoples of the earth.” (Zeph. 3:20)

Happily, the anointed remnant of God’s people have become “a name and a praise” in holding high the precious name of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, and now many of those “peoples of the earth” are working with them, “shoulder to shoulder,” in making known his Kingdom purposes. Our change to speaking the “pure language,” and our continuing to herald forth that “good news of the kingdom,” will yet help thousands more to “call upon the name of Jehovah,” that these, too, may be ‘hidden of Jehovah’ during the day of his anger, and boldly come forth to praise him throughout all eternity.