8. In closing his prophecy regarding his presence, what illustration did Jesus give, and how was the date June 1, 1935, significant as to understanding it?

⁸ According to Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus closed his prophecy on the sign of his presence with an illustration. Commonly styled the parable of the sheep and the goats, it applies now, during the conclusion of this system of things, which began at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914. (Matthew 25:31-46) The date of Saturday, June 1, 1935, was significant as to understanding the identity of the sheep of this parable as being members of the great crowd. On that day, at a convention of Jehovah’s Witnesses in Washington, D.C., 840 individuals were baptized in symbol of their dedication to Jehovah God through Jesus Christ. The majority of these took this action in prompt response to a discourse on Revelation 7:9-17 given by J. F. Rutherford. It was their desire to become part of the great crowd of the Fine Shepherd’s other sheep, having the opportunity of surviving the oncoming great tribulation and of living right through this system’s end and on into the Millennial Reign of the Shepherd-King, Jesus Christ. Ultimately, they attain to everlasting life on a paradise earth.​—Matthew 25:46; Luke 23:43.

9. Why are the sheep invited to inherit “the kingdom prepared for [them],” and how are they in the finest position to do good to the King’s brothers?

⁹ Why are these sheeplike ones invited to “inherit the kingdom prepared for [them] from the founding of the world”? The King tells them that it is because they did good to his “brothers,” and thereby did it to him. By the expression “brothers,” the King means the remnant of his spiritual brothers still on earth in this conclusion of the system of things. Having become one flock with these brothers of the Shepherd-King, Jesus Christ, they would keep in the closest possible association with the remnant of such and would thus be in the finest position to do good to them. Even in material ways, they would help Jesus’ brothers preach the message of the established Kingdom worldwide before the end would come. In this behalf, the sheep would treasure their privilege of keeping organized with the remnant as the one flock of the one Shepherd.

11. How do the sheep show that they stand for the Kingdom, and because of this, what blessing is theirs?

¹¹ In contrast with the symbolic goats, the sheeplike ones unmistakably show that they stand for the Kingdom. How? By deeds, not mere words. Because of the King’s invisibility in the heavens, they cannot do good directly to him in support of his Kingdom. So they do good to his spiritual brothers yet on earth. Although this incurs hatred, opposition, and persecution on the part of the goats, for such doing of good, the sheep are told by the King that they are ‘blessed by his Father.’