¹² Later, when Charles T. Russell and his associates began to work zealously to restore Bible truths, it was as if “sinews and flesh” came on the bones. Zion’s Watch Tower and other publications helped honesthearted ones to discover spiritual truths, which moved them to join themselves to God’s anointed servants. In the early 1900’s, God’s anointed people were further energized by such tools as the “Photo-Drama of Creation” and the book The Finished Mystery. Shortly thereafter, God’s time came to make his people “stand on their feet.” (Ezek. 37:10) When and how did that occur? Events that took place in ancient Babylon help us to answer that question.

“They Began to Live and to Stand on Their Feet”

13. (a) Beginning in 537 B.C.E., how did the words found at Ezekiel 37:10, 14 see fulfillment? (b) What scriptures indicate that some members of the ten-tribe kingdom returned to Israel?

¹³ Beginning in 537 B.C.E., the Jews in Babylon saw the fulfillment of the vision. How? Jehovah brought them to life and made them “stand on their feet” by delivering them from captivity and letting them return to Israel. A group of 42,360 Israelites and some 7,000 non-Israelites left Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple and to settle on the soil of Israel. (Ezra 1:1-4; 2:64, 65; Ezek. 37:14) Then, some 70 years later, about 1,750 exiles joined Ezra when he returned to Jerusalem. (Ezra 8:1-20) So, in total, over 44,000 Jews returned​—indeed, a “large army.” (Ezek. 37:10) In addition, God’s Word indicates that members of the ten-tribe kingdom, whose forefathers had been deported by the Assyrians during the eighth century B.C.E., also returned to Israel to assist in rebuilding the temple.​—1 Chron. 9:3; Ezra 6:17; Jer. 33:7; Ezek. 36:10.

14. (a) How do the words at Ezekiel 37:24 help us to determine the time of the prophecy’s principal fulfillment? (b) What took place in 1919? (See also the box “‘Dry Bones’ and ‘Two Witnesses’​—How Do They Relate?”)

¹⁴ How did this part of Ezekiel’s prophecy see a larger fulfillment? As Jehovah revealed to Ezekiel in a related prophecy, the principal fulfillment of this restoration prophecy would occur some time after the Greater David, Jesus Christ, began to rule as King.b (Ezek. 37:24) And indeed, in 1919, Jehovah put his spirit in his people. As a result, they came “to life” and were released from their captivity to Babylon the Great. (Isa. 66:8) After that, Jehovah allowed them to settle on their “land,” that is, in the spiritual paradise. How, though, have Jehovah’s modern-day people become a “large army”?

15, 16. (a) How have Jehovah’s modern-day people become a “large army”? (b) How does this prophecy of Ezekiel help us to cope with trialsome circumstances in life? (See the box “Help to Get Back on Our Feet.”)

¹⁵ Not long after Christ appointed the faithful slave in 1919, God’s servants began to experience what Zechariah, a prophet serving among the returned exiles, had foretold when he said: “Many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek Jehovah.” The prophet depicted those seekers of Jehovah as “ten men out of all the languages of the nations.” The men would take firm hold of “a Jew,” spiritual Israel, while saying: “We want to go with you, for we have heard that God is with you people.”​—Zech. 8:20-23.

¹⁶ Today, those of spiritual Israel (the anointed remnant) and, by extension, the “ten men” (the other sheep) together do indeed form “an extremely large army,” numbering into the millions. (Ezek. 37:10) As soldiers of Christ in this ever-growing army, we closely follow our King, Jesus, onward to the blessings that lie ahead of us.​—Ps. 37:29; Ezek. 37:24; Phil. 2:25; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.

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  “They began to live and to stand on their feet”

  After Jehovah’s people “came to life” in 1919, they intensified their preaching work

¹² Later, when Charles T. Russell and his associates began to work zealously to restore Bible truths, it was as if “sinews and flesh” came on the bones. Zion’s Watch Tower and other publications helped honesthearted ones to discover spiritual truths, which moved them to join themselves to God’s anointed servants. In the early 1900’s, God’s anointed people were further energized by such tools as the “Photo-Drama of Creation” and the book The Finished Mystery. Shortly thereafter, God’s time came to make his people “stand on their feet.” (Ezek. 37:10) When and how did that occur? Events that took place in ancient Babylon help us to answer that question.

“They Began to Live and to Stand on Their Feet”

13. (a) Beginning in 537 B.C.E., how did the words found at Ezekiel 37:10, 14 see fulfillment? (b) What scriptures indicate that some members of the ten-tribe kingdom returned to Israel?

¹³ Beginning in 537 B.C.E., the Jews in Babylon saw the fulfillment of the vision. How? Jehovah brought them to life and made them “stand on their feet” by delivering them from captivity and letting them return to Israel. A group of 42,360 Israelites and some 7,000 non-Israelites left Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem and its temple and to settle on the soil of Israel. (Ezra 1:1-4; 2:64, 65; Ezek. 37:14) Then, some 70 years later, about 1,750 exiles joined Ezra when he returned to Jerusalem. (Ezra 8:1-20) So, in total, over 44,000 Jews returned​—indeed, a “large army.” (Ezek. 37:10) In addition, God’s Word indicates that members of the ten-tribe kingdom, whose forefathers had been deported by the Assyrians during the eighth century B.C.E., also returned to Israel to assist in rebuilding the temple.​—1 Chron. 9:3; Ezra 6:17; Jer. 33:7; Ezek. 36:10.

14. (a) How do the words at Ezekiel 37:24 help us to determine the time of the prophecy’s principal fulfillment? (b) What took place in 1919? (See also the box “‘Dry Bones’ and ‘Two Witnesses’​—How Do They Relate?”)

¹⁴ How did this part of Ezekiel’s prophecy see a larger fulfillment? As Jehovah revealed to Ezekiel in a related prophecy, the principal fulfillment of this restoration prophecy would occur some time after the Greater David, Jesus Christ, began to rule as King.b (Ezek. 37:24) And indeed, in 1919, Jehovah put his spirit in his people. As a result, they came “to life” and were released from their captivity to Babylon the Great. (Isa. 66:8) After that, Jehovah allowed them to settle on their “land,” that is, in the spiritual paradise. How, though, have Jehovah’s modern-day people become a “large army”?

15, 16. (a) How have Jehovah’s modern-day people become a “large army”? (b) How does this prophecy of Ezekiel help us to cope with trialsome circumstances in life? (See the box “Help to Get Back on Our Feet.”)

¹⁵ Not long after Christ appointed the faithful slave in 1919, God’s servants began to experience what Zechariah, a prophet serving among the returned exiles, had foretold when he said: “Many peoples and mighty nations will come to seek Jehovah.” The prophet depicted those seekers of Jehovah as “ten men out of all the languages of the nations.” The men would take firm hold of “a Jew,” spiritual Israel, while saying: “We want to go with you, for we have heard that God is with you people.”​—Zech. 8:20-23.

¹⁶ Today, those of spiritual Israel (the anointed remnant) and, by extension, the “ten men” (the other sheep) together do indeed form “an extremely large army,” numbering into the millions. (Ezek. 37:10) As soldiers of Christ in this ever-growing army, we closely follow our King, Jesus, onward to the blessings that lie ahead of us.​—Ps. 37:29; Ezek. 37:24; Phil. 2:25; 1 Thess. 4:16, 17.