“Let Your Will Come to Pass”

“Let your kingdom come. Let your will come to pass, as in heaven, also upon earth.”—Matt. 6:10.

1. How has it been shown in the case of mighty world powers that nothing can prevent the fulfillment of the prayer, “Let your will come to pass, as in heaven, also upon earth”?

“LET your will come to pass, as in heaven, also upon earth.” Nothing that men or devils may do will keep that prayer, which Jesus Christ taught nineteen centuries ago, from being fulfilled. (Matt. 6:10) The mightiest governmental rulers in human history have all had to bow to the heavenly Father’s will. Mighty world powers, holding empire over large areas of the earth, have one after another bowed to the will of earth’s Creator in a forced confession that he is the strongest power in the universe. He still is, and what he wills is supreme and must come to pass.

2. How had Nebuchadnezzar seemingly showed himself superior to Jehovah, and yet how did Jehovah abase that worshiper of false gods to the ground?

² More than 2,500 years ago Nebuchadnezzar, the king of the Babylonian empire, had to bow before the Creator of heaven and earth and had to admit that the false gods of Babylon were powerless before our Creator. History records that Nebuchadnezzar was the first one permitted to do what no previous pagan ruler had done; he destroyed the holy city of the Jews, Jerusalem, and also their temple, which King Solomon had built to the name of the Most High God, whose name is Jehovah. Yet this God, over whom Nebuchadnezzar had seemingly showed himself superior, abased that proud worldly ruler to the ground and forced him to bow like a brute beast before Jehovah. For seven periods of time, or for seven years, Nebuchadnezzar imagined himself to be a wild beast. He left his throne of world domination to go out into the field, get down on all fours and chew on grass like a mere bull. This crazed condition came upon him, not accidentally, but in fulfillment of a dream from Jehovah twelve months previously, a dream that none of Babylon’s wise men could interpret, but only Jehovah’s prophet Daniel.

3. What statement by the watcher from heaven concerning the Most High required the dream to come true, and what did Nebuchadnezzar’s boasting about Babylon show that he had not heeded?

³ In this troublesome dream Nebuchadnezzar saw that a “watcher who was also a holy one came down from heaven” and gave instructions and then said: “The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men.” (Dan. 4:10, Le; Da 4:17, RS) The dream, therefore, had to come true. The history written down and preserved proves that it did. Mighty as Nebuchadnezzar was permitted to become, yet he could not hold up the carrying out of the divine will. When feeling his greatest, he began to brag about his imperial city and say: “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” This boasting betrayed that he had not showed sense enough to heed the warning of the dream and follow Daniel’s advice: “Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you; break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your tranquillity.”—Dan. 4:27, RS.

4. As a warning to all political rulers, what followed immediately upon Nebuchadnezzar’s boasting?

⁴ Let the political rulers of Great Britain and America and Communist Russia and other powerful nations take note of what befell Nebuchadnezzar, who had destroyed the typical kingdom of Jehovah God over the Jews. Yes, let all of us read the account: “While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field; and you shall be made to eat grass like an ox; and seven times shall pass over you, until you have learned that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.’ Immediately the word was fulfilled upon Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men, and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.”—Dan. 4:28-33, RS.

5. How were Nebuchadnezzar’s first imperial rulership and his return to rulership entirely dependent upon Jehovah God?

⁵ None of the mental health doctors could cure the king of Babylon of this insane lycanthropy. It had to run its course till the time that the Most High God, Jehovah, had set for it, that is, “seven times,” or seven years. Jehovah God had put down this then highest of earth’s rulers, and only Jehovah the Most High could put him back on the throne of Babylon. It was sheer mercy on Jehovah’s part that this position of rulership was preserved for him, just as Daniel had assured him, saying: “Your kingdom shall be sure for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules.” The mightiest and highest king of that ancient day could do nothing except it served within the purpose of the God of heaven, and thus God permitted it. The empire builder who had conquered so many nations and even the kingdom of Judah could not have the throne of the Babylonian world power unless God gave it to him by permitting him to come to the rulership and by giving him back enough soundness of mind to take up his imperial rulership again.

6. To show that he had learned his lesson, what acknowledgment concerning Jehovah’s will and his works and ways did Nebuchadnezzar make?

⁶ Did Nebuchadnezzar learn the lesson that Jehovah had purposed for him to learn and for all of us to observe today? The king of Babylon himself has written his record and it has been preserved for us. It reads: “At the end of the days [the seven ‘times’ or years] I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives for ever; for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing; and he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What doest thou?’ At the same time my reason returned to me; and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven; for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to abase.”—Dan. 4:34-37, RS.

7. What was the only proper way for Nebuchadnezzar to comment on his experience, and what was the only proper mental attitude to take?

⁷ In the light of his dream from Jehovah God and in view of Daniel’s interpretation, the accuracy of which was proved by the later events, there was only this one God-honoring way for Nebuchadnezzar to comment upon his experience. There was only this one proper attitude of mind to take, giving the credit to whom it was due, Jehovah the Most High God, even if that was Daniel’s God.

8. How did Nebuchadnezzar’s experience back there have to do with marking the beginning of the critical period in which the worldly nations now find themselves?

⁸ The big question of importance before us now is, What is the attitude of the rulers today in the Eastern and Western blocs of nations and in the neutral nations? Since the year 1914 and the end of World War I the nations have been living in a critical period. The reason for it has considerable to do with Nebuchadnezzar. How so? Back there, Nebuchadnezzar personally passed through “seven times,” or seven literal years, of insane beastliness. But with him also there began “seven times” of greater magnitude upon the nations of the world from his day until now. Those times were what Jesus Christ called “the appointed times of the nations.” He spoke of those “appointed times” in connection with the destruction of the Jewish capital, Jerusalem. Jesus prophesied: “Jerusalem will be trampled on by the nations, until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled.” (Luke 21:24) Those “seven times” of the nations are many times longer than the “seven times” of the one man, Nebuchadnezzar. According to Jehovah’s timetable, they were 360 times as long as the seven years of Nebuchadnezzar, that is, 2,520 years long. They began in 607 B.C., when Nebuchadnezzar trampled down Jerusalem and Jehovah’s temple, and the land of Judah was desolated. Those “seven times” ended in the early fall of the year 1914 (A.D.), shortly after World War I had begun.

9. What world powers dominated the earth both before and during the “appointed times of the nations”?

⁹ Previous to Nebuchadnezzar two political world powers had had much to do with Jehovah’s people, namely, Egypt the first world power of Bible history and Assyria the second world power. Babylon thus became the third world power. Others have followed. During the “appointed times of the nations” from 607 B.C. until A.D. 1914 the blood-splashed pages of history show that five world powers successively dominated our earth, namely, Babylon, Medo-Persia the fourth world power, Greece the fifth world power, Rome the sixth world power, and the British Empire together with the United States of America the seventh world power.

10, 11. (a) Since the end of the symbolic seven times in 1914, what comparisons is it now the right time for us to look for? (b) On what must all examiners of history agree in a comparison of Nebuchadnezzar and all the worldly nations?

¹⁰ Since seven symbolic times had passed over the nations and world powers by 1914, it became the right time for us to look for comparisons, if any exist. We have heard the expression of Nebuchadnezzar at the end of his “seven times” because of his mental comeback and his return to Babylon’s throne. Well, is there anything like this since 1914? Do the expressions of the rulers of worldly nations, particularly those of Christendom, compare with the expression made by the restored Nebuchadnezzar?

¹¹ On one thing all honest examiners of world history must agree: that during the 2,520 years from Nebuchadnezzar’s destruction of Jerusalem till A.D. 1914 all nations, including Christendom, acted like Nebuchadnezzar did during his “seven times” of insanity, that is, just like brute beasts, without recognizing Jehovah God or considering his will as this is set down in the Holy Scriptures of the Bible. Well, then, had they by the end of their “seven times” of 2,520 years learned something?

12. What shows whether, by the end of the “seven times” in 1914, the nations had, like Nebuchadnezzar, come to sanity toward God?

¹² Did the nations, like Nebuchadnezzar, come to sanity and then acknowledge the truth of Psalm 83:18: “That you, whose name is Jehovah, you alone are the Most High over all the earth”? The events of 1914 answer the question for us. At the end of the “seven times” about October 1, 1914, the nations of Christendom were engaged in the madness and beastliness of World War I.

13. (a) By that time what should the professedly Christian nations have done? (b) What shows whether they should have known by then that God would bring his kingdom to birth in 1914?

¹³ By that time the nations that professed to be Christian should have lived up to their claim. They should have shown themselves better than heathen Nebuchadnezzar and should have made an acknowledgment of Jehovah God as the Sovereign of the universe and the only rightful Ruler of the earth. Ah, but could it be that they did not know that in the fall of 1914 the Gentile times, or the “appointed times of the nations,” had run out? No! Rather, they should have known that at the expiring of those “times” about October 1, 1914, Jehovah would bring to birth his promised kingdom in the heavens by seating his anointed Son, Jesus Christ, on the throne of the Kingdom to rule in the midst of his enemies. They should have known this, not just because the Bible was on hand in millions of copies in many languages and because there were hundreds of thousands of clergymen paid to explain the Bible; but because, since 1877, the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses were proclaiming the coming of those things in 1914.

14. In view of the October 15, 1913, issue of The Watch Tower and the free exhibition of the Photo-Drama of Creation, why should Christendom have known the vital facts?

¹⁴ In its issue of October 15, 1913, The Watch Tower published the leading article entitled “Résumé of the Ending of the Times of the Gentiles.” In paragraph 2 of this it said: “Without dogmatizing, we are looking for certain events: (1) The termination of the Gentile Times—Gentile supremacy in the world—and (2) For the inauguration of Messiah’s Kingdom in the world. The kingdoms of the earth will come to an end, and ‘the God of Heaven will set up a Kingdom.’ (Daniel 2:44) The Scriptures do not say that the trouble will come in an hour, or in one day, or in one year. The intimation is that the catastrophe coming upon our civilization will be a very sudden one.” This was published in English, French, German, Swedish and Danish. Furthermore, the famous eight-hour-long Photo-Drama of Creation, which, by pictures and by sound reproduction, told of the same things, began to be exhibited in Christendom in January of 1914; and by October of 1914 it was being shown free to the public in North America, in Great Britain, in Germany, Switzerland, Finland, Sweden and Denmark, and in Australia and New Zealand. Surely, Christendom should have known!

15. To this very day, forty-four years since 1914, how do the nations show whether they have sanely learned what Nebuchadnezzar learned?

¹⁵ To this very day, forty-four years since the ending of the times of the Gentiles in 1914, the nations and their rulers have not come to Christian sanity to learn what Nebuchadnezzar learned, that “the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will, and sets over it the lowliest of men.” In cruel contrast, they are preparing for an international slaughter with weapons the power of which for killing masses of human creatures at one explosion is ghastly, besides poisoning air, land and water.

16. Why are the worldly rulers without excuse, and why do the nations today have no peace?

¹⁶ By the political rulers and modern scientists human society as a whole, with a civilization developed over many centuries, is put in the greatest peril of all time. The worldly rulers, particularly those of Christendom, are without excuse. They had opportunity to learn from God’s widely published Word, the Bible, and by means of his witnesses on earth what King Nebuchadnezzar decreed “to all peoples, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth,” at the end of his “seven times.” He decreed: “Peace be multiplied to you! It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has wrought toward me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion is from generation to generation.” (Dan. 4:1-3, RS) Ignoring that truth, the nations today have no peace!

17. Upon what recognition does the everlasting survival of this human race depend, and, to show our sanity, what must we find out about kingdom rulership over mankind?

¹⁷ Let the nations go on in their madness. Men who have come to sanity like Nebuchadnezzar’s now have sense enough to see this vital truth: That the everlasting survival of this human race depends, not upon military defense strong enough to check the enemy and to repay him with a retaliation of an equal or a greater amount of destruction. It depends upon our recognizing the everlasting kingdom of the Most High God and the continuance of his dominion from generation to generation. His kingdom and dominion do not confine themselves to just the invisible heavens. They take in also this visible earth with all the outer space around it. All people who want to remain among the living must recognize that the Most High rules also the kingdom of men and that he is higher than the kingdom of men and that he gives this kingdom over mankind to whom he wills as the Most High. To show our sanity, we must also find out precisely to whom the Most High God has willed to give the kingdom over mankind, because it is to be given to the “lowliest of men.” Then whatever the enemy world does or gets ready to do will not amount to anything, for no one on earth can stay the hand of Jehovah God or say to him, in challenge: “What doest thou?”

18. What does a look at history from the Bible standpoint show regarding the giving of the kingship over mankind, and how did Nebuchadnezzar’s own case illustrate that fact?

¹⁸ A look at world history from the Bible standpoint reveals the truthfulness of what was said by the “watcher,” the “holy one,” who came down from heaven, that the Most High God Jehovah gives the kingdom to whom he wills and not to whom the people will or a dictator wills. In the case of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, God used him as His executioner to bring due punishment upon the disloyal nation of ancient Israel. So God rewarded Nebuchadnezzar by letting him become the world ruler to start off the “appointed times of the nations.” The prophet Daniel informed Nebuchadnezzar so when he interpreted the meaning of the golden-headed image that Nebuchadnezzar saw in a dream but forgot on waking up. Daniel said: “You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the sons of men, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the air, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold.”—Dan. 2:36-38, RS.

19. In harmony with that saying, what did Jehovah say by Ezekiel to Zedekiah the king to show that the Most High does the giving of the kingdom over mankind?

¹⁹ In harmony with that saying, Jehovah gave his own typical kingdom in Judah to an overthrow by Nebuchadnezzar. Hence to King Zedekiah, who sat on the typical “throne of Jehovah” in Jerusalem, Jehovah said: “Remove the mitre, and take off the crown: this shall not be always so; exalt him [the non-Jew] that is low, and make him [the Jew] low that is high. Overthrown, overthrown, overthrown will I render it; also this shall not belong to any one, until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him.” (Ezek. 21:31, 32, Le; Eze 21:26, 27, AV) Jehovah God does the giving according to his own will.

CHANGING TIMES AND SEASONS

20. How did Jehovah, just as Daniel said in comment on Nebuchadnezzar’s forgotten dream, change the times and seasons in 607 B.C.?

²⁰ Changes took place exactly as Daniel said after Jehovah God had revealed to him Nebuchadnezzar’s forgotten dream and its meaning. “Daniel said: ‘Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; he reveals deep and mysterious things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him.’” (Dan. 2:20-22, RS) In 607 B.C. he changed the times and seasons. He changed the times from those of the typical kingdom of God on earth to the times of the supremacy of the non-Jewish world powers, “the appointed times of the nations.” He changed the “seasons” or the specified times. In the fall of 607 B.C. he began this change. During the 2,520 years that followed there was no interference with the Gentile world powers by a typical kingdom of David at Jerusalem. There was no successor to King David sitting on the “throne of Jehovah” at Jerusalem to do so.

21. How did Jehovah show ability to make changes in Nebuchadnezzar’s own case and that of his dynasty and in the case of Babylonian world domination?

²¹ As another example of Jehovah’s ability to make changes, he removed Nebuchadnezzar from the throne of Babylon for “seven times,” or seven literal years. Later, at his specified time, he removed from the throne of Babylon the dynasty of Chaldean rulers in the line of Nebuchadnezzar. At that time, in the year 539 B.C., he let the Babylonian Empire be overthrown by the very man whom he had foretold by name more than 185 years beforehand, the Persian King Cyrus the Great. Through the prophet Isaiah he said: “This is what Jehovah has said to his anointed one, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have taken hold of, to subdue before him nations . . . : ‘For the sake of my servant Jacob and of Israel my chosen one, I even proceeded to call you by your name; I proceeded to give you a name of honor, although you did not know me.’” (Isa. 45:1, 4) Thus the times of Babylonian domination changed to those of Persian domination.

22. How did Jehovah make changes right on time concerning the Jewish exiles and Judah’s desolation, and how did Cyrus’ decree show Jehovah’s responsibility in the matter?

²² In order that Cyrus the Great might serve the interests of Daniel’s people and might execute divine vengeance upon Babylon, Jehovah maneuvered him into the position of ruler of the Persian Empire. Exactly in the seventieth year from the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple Jehovah moved Cyrus to issue the decree for the captive Jews to go free from Babylon and return to their homeland and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. The times of Jerusalem’s desolation and of Israel’s captivity to Babylon were thus changed, according to the divine will and at his season or specified time. (Isa. 44:28; 45:13; Jer. 25:12-14; 2 Chron. 36:22, 23) The temple decree revealed Jehovah’s responsibility for this, in that it said: “This is what Cyrus the king of Persia has said, ‘All the kingdoms of the earth Jehovah the God of the heavens has given me and he himself has commissioned me to build him a house in Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Whoever there is among you of all his people, may his God prove to be with him. So let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and rebuild the house of Jehovah the God of Israel—he is The true God.’” (Ezra 1:1-3) Thus Cyrus was rewarded for his service rendered to Jehovah God.

23. The further changes of times and seasons that were due to come were to come according to what, and why so?

²³ However, there were still further changes of times and seasons due, together with removals of kings and settings up of kings. These were due, not according to man’s will, but according to God’s will, for he permitted these changes in human affairs. In fact, he foretold them. Hence his divine foresight had to be proved right.

24. How in Daniel alone did Jehovah foretell the changes of world dominion to the sixth world power, and what notable birth during the sixth world power indicates the change was at Jehovah’s marked time?

²⁴ In at least four prophecies in the book of Daniel alone, Jehovah foretold that the dynasty of the Persian Empire, the fourth world power, would come to an end and that the Macedonian or Grecian Empire would come to power as the fifth world power of history. This was to be in the days of a conspicuous Greek-speaking king, Alexander the Great, who would campaign with speed through the entire domains of the Persian Empire and annex it all. The divided empire that was to follow the death of this Macedonian world ruler was to be swallowed up in the course of time by the Roman Empire, the sixth world power. This too was to be at Jehovah’s marked time for changes, a change of conditions for his own people and a change for world rulers. Thus at the season that the Roman world power would issue a decree that would oblige the mother of Jesus to go to Bethlehem, the birthplace of David, the prophecy concerning the human birth of the Son of God was there to be fulfilled. (Mic. 5:2, AS; Matt. 2:1-6; Luke 2:1-20) All this is marvelous in magnifying the unerring forevision and the unfailing will of Jehovah God.

25. What further mighty change of world domination did Jehovah’s angel foretell to Daniel, and hence what most important decision would the world power have to make?

²⁵ Yet, in a descriptive manner, Jehovah’s angel foretold to Daniel a further mighty change, that from the Roman Empire to the greatest earthly empire of them all, the British Empire together with its close associate the United States of America, these two political powers together forming the seventh world power. This world power, a so-called Christian world power, was to be the one that would be dominating the world in the year 1914. Hence it would have to make a most important decision concerning the kingdom of God that was established in the heavens in that eventful year.

26. What did Jehovah’s forevision foresee for the “time of the end” as to its world developments?

²⁶ God’s forevision peered still farther, right into the “time of the end,” and foresaw the formation of the international peace organization, the League of Nations, its death, yes, also its rebirth in the United Nations. Jehovah’s angel foretold to Daniel even the growth of world communism to such a degree of strength that it would challenge both the mighty seventh world power and the eighth world power, the United Nations of the present time.

27. No matter how great and extensive the changes on the world stage, these all occurred according to what, as Daniel’s comment on Nebuchadnezzar’s dream shows?

²⁷ In truth, all these shiftings of the world scenery through the centuries to its present setting on the world stage of action called for great, extensive changes. But all these were according to the foreknowledge of the Most High God, at his own times and seasons, inasmuch as he foresaw them all. He let nothing occur to block his purpose. Thousands of years ago these things were all dark to the human mind. Even concerning the prophecies that were given to him, with a partial explanation, Daniel said: “I heard, but I did not understand.” (Dan. 12:8, RS) Yet from what Jehovah God revealed to Daniel by the dramatic explanation of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the golden-headed image, Daniel got some penetration into the depth of God’s forevision. So Daniel said: “He knows what is in the darkness, and the light [concerning these things] dwells with him”; “he reveals deep and mysterious things” to his people.

28. In support of Jehovah’s rulership and ability to give rulership, what did Daniel say to foretell the greatest and grandest change on earth?

²⁸ The most tremendous change of all lifts to a grand climax the truth that “the Most High rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will.” Daniel was inspired to foretell Jehovah’s making of the greatest and grandest change on earth in God’s time and at his season by saying: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall never be destroyed, nor shall its sovereignty be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand for ever.”—Dan. 2:44, RS.

29-31. Why could not the “lowliest of men” that is set up over the kingdom of men mean either the Anglo-American world power or world communism?

²⁹ Over 2,500 years ago Daniel foretold this marvelous change. Today we are living in the very midst of it. In our day Jehovah sets up over the kingdom of men one who is called the “lowliest of men.” Who is this “lowliest of men”?

³⁰ In our day democracy and communism are hotly contending with each other. Democracy is of the lowly common people. Yet this “lowliest of men” could never be the mighty champion of democracy, the Anglo-American world power. This seventh world power of history is stricken out as the “lowliest of men” by Jehovah’s prophecy, which said: “He shall speak words against the Most High, and shall wear out the saints of the Most High, and shall think to change the times and the law . . . [This world power] magnified itself, even up to the Prince of the host [of heaven]; and the continual burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown.”—Dan. 7:25; 8:11, RS.

³¹ On the other hand, Russian communism is claimed to be the rule of the proletariat, the unpropertied class. Yet the “lowliest of men” could never be the system of ungodly world communism. Striking out that political movement which persistently aims at world domination, Jehovah God’s angel said: “He shall exalt himself and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak astonishing things against the God of gods. . . . he shall magnify himself above all. He shall honor the god of fortresses instead of these; a god whom his fathers did not know he shall honor with gold and silver, with precious stones and costly gifts. He shall deal with the strongest fortresses by the help of a foreign god; those who acknowledge him he shall magnify with honor.” (Dan. 11:36-39, RS) Those prophetic descriptions foretold no lowliness of spirit in either the Anglo-American world power or in its modern-day challenger, communism.

32, 33. Who truly is this “lowliest of men,” and how was this fact proved?

³² The one who is truly the “lowliest of men” is without compare. He is no degraded man, although he is so lowly. No other creature in heaven or on earth could lower himself so deeply for the glory of God and for the everlasting good of man as this lowly one did. Why not? Because, before he showed how lowly in spirit he is, he was existing in God’s form as a spirit creature in heaven. He was God’s first-born and only-begotten Son, by means of whom all other creatures in heaven and earth were made.

³³ In spite of his being first among all creatures of Jehovah God, he did not meditate on usurping God’s position and pretending to be equal with God. He did not try to magnify himself to the “Prince of the host” of heaven, nor did he “speak astonishing things against the God of gods,” Jehovah. To the contrary, says the sacred Record, “he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men. More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake.” (Phil. 2:5-8) He spoke honestly about himself when he invited the toiling, loaded-down ones to come to him for relief. Far from being overbearing and oppressive, he said: “I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart.” (Matt. 11:28, 29) In lowly submission to the will of his God and heavenly Father he taught his disciples to pray: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified. Let your kingdom come. Let your will come to pass, as in heaven, also upon earth.”—Matt. 6:9, 10.

The Divine Will Done in Heaven and Earth

1. What was it that got Jesus out of his carpenter shop and led him to John the Baptist?

UP TO thirty years of age Jesus was a carpenter in the obscure town of Nazareth in the despised province of Galilee. Rome was then dominating the earth as the sixth world power. What was it that got Jesus out of his carpenter shop and out of his obscurity? It was the announcement by John the Baptist, “The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near.” Jesus later taught his disciples to seek first God’s kingdom. So how could he hold himself down to carpentering when the interests of the kingdom of the heavens, that is, the kingdom of God, were to be served? Jewish people were repenting of their sins and being baptized by John in preparation for that kingdom, to be in subjection to it rather than to the pagan Roman Empire. How, then, could Jesus himself hold back from going to John the Baptist and declaring his stand for the kingdom of the heavens, the kingdom of God? It was no repentance over sins that drove the sinless Son of God to John to be baptized. His solemn determination to do the will of his heavenly Father in behalf of the greatest kingdom in the universe was what led Jesus to John.

2. What did Jesus’ water baptism declare concerning him, and what did Isaiah 53:7-12 show to be Jehovah’s will concerning him?

² Jesus’ baptism in the Jordan by John did not declare Jesus’ need to come into harmony with God’s Ten Commandments and other laws through Moses. It declared Jesus’ entrance into the Kingdom service. He made that the thing for which he lived henceforth. He died to everything behind on earth. His coming fulfilled Psalm 40:7, 8, which prophesied: “Here I have come, in the roll of the book it being written about me. To do your will, O my God, I have delighted.” God’s will for him was expressed in part in Isaiah 53:7-12: “He was being brought just like a sheep to the slaughtering . . . Because of the transgression of my people he had the [death] stroke. And he will make his burial place even with the wicked ones, and with the rich class in his death, despite the fact that he had done no violence and there was no deception in his mouth. But Jehovah himself took delight in crushing him; he made him sick. . . . and he himself carried the very sin of many people, and for the transgressors he proceeded to interpose.”

3. How did Jehovah’s rule of action cause Jesus to prove that he was the “lowliest of men”?

³ Jehovah’s rule of action toward Jesus was, “Before glory there is humility.” (Prov. 18:12) Jesus’ humility was to be proved by perfect obedience to God’s will. So, “although he was a Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered.” It was God’s will, “in bringing many sons to glory, to make the Chief Agent of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” (Heb. 5:8; 2:10) Thus Jesus showed he was the “lowliest of men” in that he “humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake.”

4. What exaltation followed Jesus’ showing himself the most subservient to the will of the heavenly Father?

⁴ Was there anyone in the whole universe more subservient to the will of the heavenly Father? Was there anyone more deserving to whom God could will to give the Kingdom? “For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, and every tongue should openly confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”—Phil. 2:8-11.

5. Why should political rulers, especially “Christian” ones, have no reasons for objecting to Jesus’ becoming king, and yet what shows they pray his prayer hypocritically?

⁵ No human creature, therefore, not even the highest, mightiest potentate, has true ground for objecting to having the one who was the “lowliest of men” in such an incomparable way set up over the kingdom of men. No rulers, especially those who claim to be Christian, have any moral or religious reason for fighting against such a King when taking the rulership over all the earth and its peoples. Yet by their insane, beastlike course of action since 1914 they keep on saying concerning the “lowliest of men,” or God’s own choice: “We do not want this man to become king over us.” (Luke 19:14) They act hypocritically when they go to their church buildings and join in repeating the Lord’s Prayer: “Your kingdom come! Your will be done on earth as well as in heaven!”—Matt. 6:9, 10, AT.

6. How does Nebuchadnezzar’s statement after passing through “seven times” of insanity show it does such rulers no good to object?

⁶ Little good it does them to object and to fight against the “lowliest of men” now in Kingdom power. Remember what Nebuchadnezzar said after passing through his “seven times” of insanity. He blessed the Most High God and said: “All the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing; and he does according to his will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, ‘What doest thou?’” Indeed, what do all the kings and rulers now gathered with their armies to Armageddon amount to? Nothing, in comparison! Even among the “host of heaven” the Most High God, Jehovah, does according to his supreme will.

7. How has Jehovah handled powerful spirit princes, and how was the newborn kingdom enabled to carry out God’s will?

⁷ God’s angel who was sent to Daniel revealed that all seven world powers of human history have each had a spirit demon “prince” in unseen control. Over all seven princes is the “ruler of the demons,” Satan the Devil, “the ruler of this world.” (Matt. 12:24; John 12:31; 14:30) These seven demon “princes” and their satanic ruler are far more powerful than earth’s rulers. Yet God has handled all eight of those spirits in having his will come to pass in heaven. During the career of all seven world powers beginning with ancient Egypt till now, Jehovah has let none of the spirit princes successfully interfere when he changed the times and seasons. In 1914, when the “seven times” appointed for the nations of Satan’s world ran out and it became the divine will for the kingdom of the “lowliest of men” to be set up, Jehovah did according to his will in the host of heaven. The great fiery-colored dragon, Satan the Devil, coiled himself up to spring and swallow up the Kingdom as soon as it should be born. However, he did not get to bury his fangs into the Kingdom. God’s will came to pass, and the Kingdom was put out of reach of the dragon’s jaws and it began carrying out God’s will.

8. After the birth of the kingdom, how did the heavenly Father’s will come to pass among the “host of heaven”?

⁸ God’s will was for war at once in heaven against the dragon and his demon host. These fought against the execution of the divine will. They merely battered themselves against the irresistible. In a prophetic preview of that heavenly war that began in 1914, the apostle John says: “Neither was a place found for them any longer in heaven. So down the great dragon was hurled, the original serpent, the one called Devil and Satan, who is misleading the entire inhabited earth; he was hurled down to the earth, and his angels were hurled down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come to pass the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ.’” (Rev. 12:3-10) Thus the heavenly Father’s will came to pass among the host of heaven.

9, 10. (a) In view of the lack of success of the spirit princes up in heaven, what questions do we ask concerning earthly world powers? (b) How far has Satan finally got with all his opposition to God, and why will God keep on doing his will among men more drastically since 1914?

⁹ Satan the Devil and his world-power princes and his other demon angels could not succeed up in heaven. How, then, can the mighty seventh world power and the terrifying Communist power and all other political powers of men, all of them being lower than the angels, succeed on earth? How can they win out against the divine will that Jehovah’s kingdom by Christ should take over exclusive control and possession of the earth? The Most High God was able to control and regulate superhuman, angelic creatures. He has held onto his position of Most High and Almighty even among legions of enemy angels, the demons. He tolerated Satan the Devil up in heaven for about 5,938 years. With all his diabolical opposition during all that time, where and how high has the Devil got by this year 1959? As high as God’s footstool, the earth, down to which the Devil was violently ousted from heaven since 1914.

¹⁰ Down here, in rage at his humiliation, he eggs on men to a race into outer space to see how high they can get, for selfish advantages, without regard for God’s will. The Devil and his demons are acting behind a screen more impenetrable than the Iron Curtain. They are madly driving all the political rulers and their armies into a state of opposition to Jehovah God for an Armageddon fight, “the war of the great day of God the Almighty.” (Rev. 16:14, 16) But God has long held mighty angels and devils in subjection and in check. Much more easily can he check all human inhabitants on this his footstool. He will keep on doing according to his will among men, more drastically now since His “appointed times of the nations” have expired and since there is no more any divine restraint upon the kingdom of his Christ as regards interfering with the Gentile world powers.

THE LAMB BECOMES A LION

11. (a) What plain Bible truth should the nations of the Eastern, Western and neutral blocs now know? (b) By objecting to the fulfillment of Psalm 2:7-9, what will the nations cause the “lowliest of men” to do?

¹¹ Whether they are of the Eastern bloc or of the Western bloc or of the neutral bloc, let all nations know this plain Bible truth: The Creator and Owner of this earth has not given the earth to communism—and it is useless for the Communist bloc to continue scheming and working for earthwide domination. Nor has the Most High God given this earth to democracy, a government of and by the earth’s inhabitants who are accounted as nothing to Him. Since 1914 he has given this earth to theocracy, to the rule of God by Jesus Christ, not by the priests and clergy of Christendom. In Psalm 2:7-9 God long ago invited his heavenly Son to ask for the entire earth at the end of the “seven times” of world domination by Satan through mighty empires and nations on earth. Let the seventh world power, that is, the Anglo-American combination, let the eighth world power, that is, the United Nations with its eighty-one members Communist, democratic and neutral, let all the nations inside or outside the U.N., object, if they will, to God’s invitation to Christ. Let them fight against Christ’s acceptance of God’s invitation and taking over the earth. If the worldly nations under the demon princes and the chief demon Satan are sparring for a fight in this nuclear, missile, space age, then this time the “lowliest of men,” Jesus Christ, will take on the fight.

12. In contrast with his role on earth nineteen hundred years ago, what fight did Jesus Christ have on his hands in 1914, and how did it turn out?

¹² On earth nineteen centuries ago he was the Lamb of God, harmless and seemingly defenseless and nonbelligerent. No one on earth saw Jesus Christ in a violent fight. During World Wars I and II he was not fighting against men, on either side, regardless of what the religious clergy may have told their respective sides—with no Bible support. In 1914 Jesus Christ had on his hands a bigger fight than one with Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany or with Czar Nicholas II of Russia. In the war that broke out in heaven in 1914 he had on his hands a fight against a monster, the symbolic dragon Satan the Devil, and his demon angels, but he hurled them down to the earth.

13. (a) How about men seeing the “lowliest of men” fight in battle action? (b) How will he prove himself King of kings?

¹³ None of us then living on earth saw that invisible fight. With our eyes we could see only World War I raging on earth. Ah, but at the coming battle of Armageddon all humankind will really see Jesus Christ, the “lowliest of men,” fight, in battle action for Jehovah God. Then the great world powers, the other nations and all the people will know how Jesus Christ can really fight, yes, fight to victory against everything that is out of accord with the divine will. Then he will show himself, not as the slain Lamb, but as the kingly “Lion that is of the tribe of Judah,” the Lion of Jehovah’s praisers. To all mankind he will prove himself King of kings by gaining the victory, and Satan’s entire world will bite the dust at his footstool.—John 1:29, 36; Rev. 5:5, 12; 17:14; 19:11-21.

THE PEOPLE FOR THE DIVINE WILL

14. Why is this a period of greater change than in Noah’s day, and who are the firmly resolved, settled people that Jehovah foresaw for this time?

¹⁴ The occasion is here for the God of heaven to ‘change times and seasons, to remove kings and set up kings.’ (Dan. 2:19-21, RS) It is the time for removing the old world and setting up the new world under the “lowliest of men,” the King of kings. Even in the days of Noah distinguished by the global flood, men did not pass through a period of greater change than that through which this generation is passing. (Matt. 24:37-39) In the midst of all this change and unsettlement the God of heaven foresaw a stable, firmly resolved people who know what they want. That people is all you who have dedicated yourselves to the God of heaven and who want nothing else but that the heavenly Father’s will should come to pass, as in heaven, also upon earth. It is you, who sincerely pray for his kingdom to come in complete fulfillment of his covenant for the Kingdom that he made with Jesus Christ. It is you, who uphold that Kingdom covenant without any compromise with worldly rulers, even the totalitarian, dictatorial, Communist rulers of this world.

15. Pointing to such uncompromising people, what did Jehovah’s angel say to Daniel?

¹⁵ Pointing to you uncompromising people, Jehovah’s angel said to Daniel: “They [the politicians] shall set up the abomination that makes desolate. He [the dictatorial ruling power] shall seduce with flattery those who violate the covenant; but the people who know their God shall stand firm and take action. And those among the people who are wise shall make many understand, though they shall fall by sword and flame, by captivity and plunder, for some days. When they fall, they shall receive a little help. And many shall join themselves to them with flattery; and some of those who are wise shall fall, to refine and to cleanse them and to make them white, until the time of the end, for it is yet for the time appointed.”—Dan. 11:31b-35, RS.

16. How do you uncompromising people intelligently refuse to violate God’s covenant for the kingdom, and how have you settled the issue, The wild peace-beast or the Prince of Peace?

¹⁶ You who know your God refuse to violate his covenant for the Kingdom. You know that the God of heaven has given this kingdom to the “lowliest of men,” Jesus Christ. You are in favor of no one else to be set up over the kingdom of men. You know that God forewarned how men in this period of change would reject God’s kingdom and would decide on something man-made instead of the theocratic kingdom. They would set up the “abomination that makes desolate,” a substitute for the kingdom of God’s will. Today this abominable political idol, which has been set up with the full approval of the religious clergy, is the United Nations; and men idolize it by assigning to it more and more powers as the world’s last hope. They turn their eyes away from God’s kingdom, which is being proclaimed world-wide, and they bow in worship before this political-religious abomination, which God’s Word likens to a scarlet-colored wild beast, an international peace-beast. But as for you, you refuse to join in this international worship and to look to the U.N. for bringing in world peace, as this worship violates God’s covenant with the Prince of Peace for the kingdom. You know that the issue is, The wild peace-beast or the Prince of Peace! You have chosen the Prince of Peace, God’s anointed Son and reigning King.

17. How have you uncompromising people shown that you know your God, and how have you been tested by persecution?

¹⁷ You have taken this uncompromising stand for the Kingdom because you know your God. You know he is not some bodiless cosmic intelligence vaguely called God, without a purpose, without a history and without a name. Your God is a personal God, whose name you know to be Jehovah. You know you are commissioned by him to be his witnesses and to make known his holy name. You are spiritually intelligent and you discern what God’s main work for you is during this short period before the complete end comes upon this world. In agreement with your solemn decision to do God’s will you engage in a Bible educational work to “make many understand” the divine will, that these may do it and be saved into God’s new world of righteousness. For this unwavering course of action you have undergone much persecution. You have been forced to stumble and stagger along because of sword and flame, captivity and plunder, for many days till now, by dictatorial powers. Some of our number have been made to stumble even to a fall into death. This has served as a test of our faith in God and a test of our integrity toward him and of our loyalty to his kingdom, which we are commissioned to preach to all the nations for a final witness before their end comes.

18. In what refinement and cleansing has this persecution resulted?

¹⁸ Because of this persecution that has dealt so cruelly with many of us even to the death of martyrs of faith, we have had our numbers refined. We have been cleansed of all partnership with this world and have been made white in our righteous appearance before God’s eyes. We are determined, however, to endure this persecution and oppression because of our exclusive devotion to Jehovah God until his time comes for the enemy persecutor’s end at Armageddon.

19. In fulfillment of the angel’s prophecy, with what have many persons joined themselves to us, and how does this include spies?

¹⁹ In our Bible-educational work in 175 lands, islands and territories we have reached many millions of people of many kinds. Hundreds of thousands have gained understanding in God’s Word and have responded to the announcement of God’s kingdom and, like Jesus, have dedicated themselves to God for the doing of his will. But it has also been true that “many shall join themselves to them with flattery.” These many have become personally acquainted with the people that know their God. They have a closeup view of the New World society of Jehovah’s witnesses. They have only good words for the cleanness of the organization and for the love its members show for God and his Christ and for one another. They express admiration at our courageous stand for the principles of God’s Word. They associate themselves with us in a study of God’s Word, even in their own homes and in our Kingdom Halls. But how much of all this is little more than flattery? It is sheer flattery if any enemy agents come into our midst to spy upon us and to try to undermine the organization spiritually and to betray us to dictatorial or totalitarian rulers, after their flattery has thrown some of us off guard.

20. It is largely flattery if outspoken admirers do not advance to what point, and so to mere chatterers what do we say?

²⁰ It is largely flattery if the outspoken admirers go no farther than mere words and do not copy God’s dedicated people and do not likewise dedicate themselves and join with us in witnessing to God’s kingdom, although this makes the world their enemy and brings suffering and persecution upon them. In our Bible-education work and witnessing to God’s provision for salvation we are not seeking merely to hear words of flattery. We are seeking the lost sheep of the Great Shepherd Jehovah, in order to bring them to the fold under his Right Shepherd Jesus Christ. Not the winning of words of praise from flatterers, but the gathering of sheeplike people to God’s refuge of salvation is what means that our work has been a success. The joining of sheeplike lovers of God with us in worshiping and serving him while at the same time suffering with us—this is what gives us real help, though this be little in comparison with what God and Christ and the holy angels give us. To mere flatterers we say, Do not flatter creatures, but give true praise to the Creator. Become his dedicated witnesses. This is what saves!

21, 22. (a) What is it that so wonderfully unites us? (b) In harmony with his expressed will, what is our united prayer?

²¹ Amidst the anarchistic conflict of human wills today, we are exclusively for God’s expressed will. This divine will is what unites us so wonderfully in heart, in mind, in words and in action. Our united prayer to God is, Let his kingdom come in its victorious assault upon the Devil’s entire organization at Armageddon. Yes, let his perfect, righteous and holy will come to pass, as in heaven, also upon this earth, his footstool. Let the wicked opposers of his will be swept out of existence. Let the faithful, loving, obedient doers of his will behold his vindicative victory over all his enemies at Armageddon and let them enter into the new world of righteousness, peace, truth and holiness. Let the entire earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Jehovah as the waters cover the sea basins.

²² Let his kingdom bless this earth, that paradise may be restored and beautify his earthly footstool and provide an everlasting happy home for perfect human creatures in his image and likeness. Let his anointed King call out and all those in the memorial tombs hear and come forth in resurrection to the opportunities to be won and enjoyed forever in Paradise by all those who obey his kingdom. Let all the wicked everywhere be annihilated, but let all those loving Jehovah be guarded for life eternal. Let all his works, in all places of his domination, bless Jehovah. Let every breathing thing praise Jehovah, because his will has come to pass.

Divine Will International Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses

GOD’S kingdom rules—throughout the universe! As never before in history it made its presence felt in the earth in the summer of the year 1958, not with any violence, but with a remarkable peaceful demonstration. Never before did it have so many of its ambassadors and envoys assembled together for training and consultation and for a united public testimony and proclamation as then. The world-known Yankee Stadium and the neighboring Polo Grounds, the largest baseball parks in metropolitan New York city, literally overflowed with myriads, yet without disorder of any kind, just as befitted representatives of the great Government of universal order. Daily for eight days in succession more than 145,000 of them came together and deliberated concerning the interests of God’s kingdom; and peace, orderliness