Chapter 15

Many Nations Go to the City of Divine Favor

1. For the would-be fasters, what was the good news from Jehovah through Zechariah?

HERE IS the good news​—for the would-be fasters of almost twenty-five centuries ago, and for those of today: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth month, and the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month will become for the house of Judah an exultation and a rejoicing and good festal seasons.’”​—Zechariah 8:19.

2. Such a change in attitude called for what other change in the background, as in David’s case according to Psalm 30:1, 11?

² Such a change meant indeed a change in the mental attitude of the members of the restored “house of Judah” away back there in the sixth century B.C.E.​—and of us today! As a background for such a radical change in viewpoint and conduct, there had to be a great change in the set of circumstances that are involved. Also, since it was predicted and thus decreed by their God, there had to be a merciful expression of divine favor toward them. It was just as King David, who captured Mount Zion and Jerusalem, stated matters in his own case: “I shall exalt you, O Jehovah, for you have drawn me up and you have not let my enemies rejoice over me. You have changed my mourning into dancing for me; you have loosened my sackcloth, and you keep me girded with rejoicing.”​—Psalm 30:1, 11.

3. This change in the set of circumstances would come about because of what feeling on Jehovah’s part toward his worshipers and toward their enemies?

³ How this was to come about was told to the prophet Zechariah, just after the question of fasting by the restored Jews had come up. On this we read Jehovah’s first statement of a series in Zechariah’s account: “And the word of Jehovah of armies continued to occur, saying: ‘This is what Jehovah of armies has said, “I will be jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and with great rage I will be jealous for her.”’” (Zechariah 8:1, 2) Jehovah’s feelings in this regard would be like those of a man whose wife had been abused, outraged, by his enemies. Since he had not rejected Mount Zion (or, Jerusalem) in complete abandonment of her, he would be very zealous, earnestly active in recovering her from the disgraced state into which she had been brought before the eyes of the world. He would be very vigilant in safeguarding her interests and demonstrating that she had been reinstated in his favor. Whereas this meant divine favor to her, it meant rage against those who had disgraced her and those who were trying to hinder her complete recovery, especially as a worshiper of Jehovah. His zeal for this would equal in degree his rage upon his enemies.

4. Had Jehovah by that time fully returned to Jerusalem, and when was such a full return possible for Him?

⁴ For seventy years, while the deported Jews were exiles in Babylon, the city of Jerusalem and the land of Judah had lain desolate, without man or domestic animal. In 537 B.C.E. Jehovah of armies proved true to his word and brought back to their homeland the repentant remnant. But in a sense Jehovah had not then fully returned to Mount Zion or Jerusalem. He had brought them back to build a second temple for his worship at Jerusalem. For sixteen years they had permitted the enemies to suppress the building of that holy house of worship, and now, when Jehovah here spoke by his prophet Zechariah, the temple was still not completed or inaugurated into divine service. So, not until that temple had its culminating feature, its headstone, put in place and was inaugurated by his priests, yes, not until then would Jehovah have fully returned to the holy city. First then would he be taking up residence in her by taking up residence in the Most Holy of the finished temple, by His spirit.

5. According to Jehovah’s declaration, what was Jerusalem yet to be called as a city, and also Jehovah’s mountain?

⁵ Hence now comes the second divine promise introduced by the declaration “This is what Jehovah [of armies] has said,” as a formal introduction: “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘I will return to Zion and reside in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will certainly be called the city of trueness, and the mountain of Jehovah of armies, the holy mountain.’”​—Zechariah 8:3.

6. Why was Jerusalem’s mountainous elevation to be called “the holy mountain,” and she herself called “the city of trueness”?

⁶ The completed temple would sanctify the mountainous height of Jerusalem, and this elevation would consequently be called “the holy mountain.” Because Jerusalem as the provincial capital of Judah had thus proved true to her commitment to the worship of Jehovah and had put the interests of his pure worship first and ahead of all else, Jerusalem would be correctly called “the city of trueness.” The true worship would be practiced in her. The truths of the pure and undefiled worship of the true God would be spoken in her. Her mountainous location would be called “the mountain of Jehovah.” How much this promise of God means to us today!

7. According to Jehovah’s third promise, what was to indicate the life expectancy of Jerusalem’s people, and what was to mark her public squares?

⁷ But that was not all, for now comes a third promise of divine favor: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘There will yet sit old men and old women in the public squares of Jerusalem, each one also with his staff in his hand because of the abundance of his days. And the public squares of the city themselves will be filled with boys and girls playing in her public squares.’”​—Zechariah 8:4, 5.

8. That prophetic picture borders on the fulfillment of what prophecy in chapter sixty-five of Isaiah?

⁸ What a delightful picture this is of good physical health and peace and security and of a good population growth, unmarred by the sorrowful early death of infants! It borders on the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy as delivered more than one hundred and twenty-five years before the seventy-year-long desolation of Jerusalem and the land of Judah without man and domestic animal:

“For here I am creating new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart. But exult, you people, and be joyful forever in what I am creating. For here I am creating Jerusalem a cause for joyfulness and her people a cause for exultation. And I will be joyful in Jerusalem and exult in my people; and no more will there be heard in her the sound of weeping or the sound of a plaintive cry.

“No more will there come to be a suckling a few days old from that place, neither an old man that does not fulfill his days; for one will die as a mere boy, although a hundred years of age; and as for the sinner, although a hundred years of age he will have evil called down upon him. And they will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating. For like the days of a tree will the days of my people be; and the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full. They will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance; because they are the offspring made up of the chosen ones of Jehovah, and their descendants with them.”​—Isaiah 65:17-23.

9. How does the spiritual estate on earth of Jehovah’s worshipers compare with the worldly nations as to peace and security today?

⁹ In these days, since the faithful remnant of spiritual Israel was restored to its God-given spiritual estate in the year 1919 C.E., what do we find? The political nations of the earth are putting on a show of trying to maintain world peace and security by means of the United Nations with now a membership of 132 member countries, but there is little security anywhere on earth. Also, the peace of all mankind is constantly under threat of nuclear warfare by the superpowers of the nations, democratic and communistic. However, within the spiritual estate of Jehovah’s worshipers there are to be found blessed peace and security. Even though the spiritual remnant has been joined, particularly since 1935 C.E., by a “great crowd” of dedicated, baptized disciples of Christ from “all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues,” yet there is no international rivalry or tension or conflict among them. Instead, brotherly love, the fruitage of God’s spirit, prevails among them.

10. How can we see a fulfillment of Jehovah’s promise in Zechariah 8:4, 5 in a physical sense and in a spiritual sense?

¹⁰ Since the end of World War I in 1918 till now it has been well over fifty years, and yet a number of the original remnant that survived the afflictions of that trialsome period have lived on, yes, even through World War II. By now they have literally grown old physically, yes, some even using a staff or cane when walking, because of the ‘abundance of their days.’ And many of these have raised up children, rearing them in the worship of the one living and true God. But, when we look for a spiritual fulfillment of this charming prophecy, we can see how the ‘old men and women sitting in the public squares of Jerusalem’ picture the members of the remnant of spiritual Israel who passed through the persecutions and disciplining of the first world war. The “boys and girls playing in her public squares” picture those members of that remnant whom Jehovah of armies added to the spiritual remnant from the postwar year of 1919 and onward. Together both old and young grow spiritually in faith, hope and love while enjoying together the peace and security of their spiritual estate.

11. Back there, what did it require to expect fulfillment of such a prophecy, and so what did Jehovah’s fourth declaration say?

¹¹ At first it took tremendous faith to believe that such things would take place, and accordingly it took faith to hold fast to the newly restored organization of Jehovah’s worshipers. God showed that he realized how his people felt about the matter, when he made his fourth statement of promise, saying to his repatriated remnant: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Although it should seem too difficult in the eyes of the remaining ones of this people in those days, should it seem too difficult also in my eyes?’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies.”​—Zechariah 8:6.

12. How did Jehovah aid the surviving remnant as to organization and discernment of issues, and according to today’s realities was fulfillment of the promise too hard for Jehovah?

¹² At the beginning of the work in 1919 C.E. to restore and to expand the pure and undefiled worship of Jehovah of armies, it was indeed difficult for the restored remnant to discern and appreciate all the marvelous things that Jehovah purposed to accomplish toward them and through them during this “conclusion of the system of things,” this “time of the end.” But patiently, little by little he corrected their understanding of the prophecies and their attitude toward theocratic organization. He directed them and protected them in the Christian work that was to be done in this most momentous time. He helped them to discern the issues that confronted a Christian worshiper of Jehovah amid the international struggle for domination of the world. More than that, he helped them to take the Biblical stand on such issues so as to abide in His favor. A half century ago what we now see accomplished within and by means of His theocratic organization seemed too difficult of realization in the eyes of the small remnant of spiritual Israel. But did it prove to be too difficult for Jehovah of armies? Today’s realities say No!

13. In contrast with loss of membership for Babylon the Great, what did Jehovah say in his fifth promise?

¹³ As we examine the facts of today when the multitudinous religious systems of Babylon the Great are losing members to the attractions of this modern world, we note that God has irresistibly carried out his fifth utterance of promise: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Here I am saving my people from the land of the sunrise and from the land of the setting of the sun. And I shall certainly bring them in, and they must reside in the midst of Jerusalem; and they must become my people, and I myself shall become their God in trueness and in righteousness.’”​—Zechariah 8:7, 8.

14. According to promise, to where has Jehovah gathered those of the spiritual remnant, and into what?

¹⁴ In obedience to the divine commands through Jesus Christ, the restored remnant of spiritual Israelites has proclaimed the good news of God’s Messianic kingdom in all the inhabited earth and for a witness to all the nations. They have endeavored to make disciples of Christ from people of all the nations, baptizing them in water according to Christ’s own example and teaching these disciples what Christ commanded as the one to whom Jehovah God had given all necessary power in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20) From the Far East and from the Far West the final members of the “holy nation” of spiritual Israel have been gathered, under angelic guidance. But not to the earthly Jerusalem that stands as the capital of the Republic of Israel. To where, then? To the God-given spiritual estate of the “Israel of God” on earth, and into a unity of theocratic organization and a unity of activity and of pure worship of Jehovah at His spiritual temple.​—Galatians 6:15, 16.

SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY TO BE NOTICED BY NATIONS

15, 16. (a) In proof that they have become his people and He their God, what does he do? (b) According to Jehovah’s sixth declaration, what had been the economic condition and social state of the restored remnant?

¹⁵ The real God proves just who are his accepted people by the way he favors them in the fulfillment of his prophetic promises. He proves that He, the Bible God, has become their God by showing trueness to his prophecies and to his covenant with them and by doing what is righteous for their sakes. Yes, he counts them as righteous in His sight, forgiving them through the ransom sacrifice of His High Priest, Jesus the Messiah. In harmony with this, He favors his restored remnant with spiritual prosperity to such an extent that peoples of the nations take notice of it and speak of it as a fine example of blessedness. So in God’s sixth statement of promise, he tells of a change of action on his part:

¹⁶ “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Let the hands of you people be strong, you who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, on the day on which the foundation of the house of Jehovah of armies was laid, for the temple to be built. For before those days there were no wages for mankind made to exist; and as for the wages of domestic animals, there was no such thing; and to the one going out and to the one coming in there was no peace because of the adversary, as I kept thrusting all mankind against one another.’

17. What change of conditions would now take place, and therefore how would the nations change their speech about the restored remnant?

¹⁷ “‘And now I shall not be as in the former days to the remaining ones of this people,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies. ‘For there will be the seed of peace; the vine itself will give its fruitage, and the earth itself will give its yield, and the heavens themselves will give their dew; and I shall certainly cause the remaining ones of this people to inherit all these things. And it must occur that just as you became a malediction among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I shall save you, and you must become a blessing. Do not be afraid. May your hands be strong.’”​—Zechariah 8:9-13.

18. Why would it have been inconsistent for Jehovah to bless the restored remnant while they were letting the temple work go unfinished for fear of men?

¹⁸ These divine words remind us that the temple of Jerusalem was not yet finished at Jerusalem. About two years before this, work had been resumed at the foundation of the temple by the remnant from all the tribes of Israel, from the “house of Judah and house of Israel.” Such work had been taken up anew under the stimulation and encouragement of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. (Haggai 2:10-19; Zechariah 1:1-7; Ezra 4:23 to 5:2) Up till that time the temple work had lain dormant for about sixteen years. If Jehovah had blessed them and prospered them materially during all those years of neglect of his temple, it would have appeared that it did not matter with him whether his house of worship was brought to completion and into use or not. He had prophesied that that second temple would be constructed at Jerusalem. He had liberated the remnant of Jewish exiles from Babylon that they might return to their homeland specifically to rebuild His temple. (Isaiah 44:26 to 45:6) How could he bless them when they feared men and ceased from building His house of worship and took up materialism?

19. Why was there no peace from outside nor peace inside, and what did the remnant need to do in behalf of a change?

¹⁹ During those years when the restored exiles were neglecting their commission from God and were not seeking to magnify Jehovah of armies by completing a temple to His name, conditions in Jerusalem and the province of Judah were bad, not only spiritually but also materially, economically. There was unemployment for man and domestic animal. Weather conditions hurt their growing crops and cut down on their harvests. Hostile neighbor nations interfered with their affairs religiously and otherwise. There was no peace among themselves as fellow Israelites because of their pursuing each one his own selfish, materialistic aims. Evidently God’s indignation was against them. In repentance they needed to return to Him that he might return to them with favor.

20. With what command did Jehovah open and close his sixth statement of promise, and why?

²⁰ Mercifully God called their shortcomings to their attention, by his prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Assured that Jehovah of armies was with them although all the Persian Empire might be against them, they took courage and, defiant of all likely human interference, they resumed God’s assigned work at the temple foundation, with a determination to push through to the end of the work. “From this day I shall bestow blessing,” said Jehovah of armies by his prophet Haggai (2:19). That was in the second year of the reign of King Darius I of Persia. Now, when Jehovah made his ten statements of promise through Zechariah, it was the fourth year of King Darius. The divine blessings upon the nation of temple builders had now begun. But there was yet much work to do in order to finish that house of worship despite the displeasure of those who hated Jehovah. The temple builders needed to work on. Appropriately he opened and closed his sixth statement of promise with the command that their working hands be strong. “Do not be afraid,” he said. Fear not men, but God.

21. When the surrounding nations would call down a malediction or a blessing upon others, whom would they use as an illustration, and why?

²¹ At the completing of the temple divine favor and blessing would be upon them to the full. During the many years of their indifference to building the temple, their condition had become so bad as regards peace, security and material well-being that the surrounding nations felt that the land of Judah and its restored exiles were under a curse. And so, when cursing others, those nations would call upon such ones to be cursed with a malediction such as rested upon those Israelites in the land of Judah. But no longer would this be true when Jehovah’s temple was finished. Then the astonished nations would observe that restored Israel had come into a blessed condition under the favor of their God. Accordingly, when calling down blessings upon others, those nations would use the blessedness of Israel as an example.

22. How has it been similar in this twentieth century, and, after five decades of work, how do Jehovah’s witnesses compare with Christendom in a spiritual sense?

²² So, too, in this twentieth century C.E., in this “conclusion of the system of things.” Until the restored remnant of spiritual Israel got down to sincere hard work at restoring and extending, first of all in their own lives, the pure, undefiled worship at Jehovah’s spiritual temple, there were difficulties from without and within. Religious opposers of Christendom cursed them, interfered with them, feverishly tried to stamp them out or suppress their temple work. But after five decades of undeviating attention to the worship of Jehovah and to the interests of his Messianic kingdom, how does the anointed remnant of the Christian witnesses of Jehovah compare with Christendom? Who is it that is prospering in a Christian spiritual sense? Who is it that has the divine blessing because of sticking strictly to the Holy Bible and doing God’s work as set out therein? Even the clergymen of Christendom express the wish that their church members had the zeal, faith, courage and knowledge of the Bible that Jehovah’s Christian witnesses had and prospered religiously as such witnesses did.

GOD’S CHANGE OF MIND TOWARD HIS PEOPLE

23. Because of what change of mind on God’s part did the remnant now not need to be afraid?

²³ Further strengthening encouragement comes to God’s obedient remnant as He makes his seventh statement of promise, saying: “For this is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Just as I had in mind to do what was calamitous to you people because of your forefathers’ making me indignant,’ Jehovah of armies has said, ‘and I felt no regret, so I will again have in mind in these days to deal well with Jerusalem and with the house of Judah. Do not be afraid.’”​—Zechariah 8:14, 15.

24. Why was Jehovah’s having in mind to bring calamity upon their forefathers not a case of ill-temper on His part?

²⁴ Jehovah here admits that he had had in mind to do what was calamitous to the nation of Israel because the forefathers of the faithful remnant had made him indignant. But this did not mean any sort of ill-temper and fuming vexation on His part. The calamity that he had in mind to bring upon the nation or to let come upon the nation was strictly in harmony with the calmly stated set of warnings against the curses that they would suffer for breaking their part of their national covenant with Him. In all fairness he had warned them long previously through the prophet Moses:

“Jehovah will raise up against you a nation far away, from the end of the earth, just as an eagle pounces, a nation whose tongue you will not understand, a nation fierce in countenance, who will not be partial to an old man or show favor to a young man.

“And it must occur that just as Jehovah exulted over you to do you good and to multiply you, so Jehovah will exult over you to destroy you and to annihilate you; and you will simply be torn away from off the soil to which you are going to take possession of it.

“And Jehovah will certainly scatter you among all the peoples from the one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, and there you will have to serve other gods whom you have not known.”​—Deuteronomy 28:49, 50, 63, 64; see also Leviticus 26:27-43.

25. (a) Why was it no injustice when Jehovah let those curses take effect? (b) What divine change of mind was now in effect, and why?

²⁵ It was therefore only a just enforcement of His part of the national covenant with Jehovah, when he let the lawbreaking Israelites be “torn away from off the soil” by the Assyrians and by the Babylonians and then let the land of Judah lie utterly desolate for seventy years. But now, after he had disciplined the nation according to the terms of His covenant with them, he had the opposite things in mind to do to them in mercy. He started by bringing the repentant faithful remnant back to Jerusalem and the land of Judah. Their fear-induced holding back from building the temple could not and did not have His blessing. But now, “in these days,” in the days when they trustfully took up the temple work anew and courageously went ahead with it, Jehovah appreciatively had in mind “to deal well with Jerusalem and with the house of Judah.” So if Jehovah of armies was for them and with them for their wholehearted worship of Him, they should not fear men.

26. In this twentieth century, how has this seventh statement of promise been seen to apply equally as much to the spiritual remnant?

²⁶ In modern times Jehovah has been true to this promise which applies equally as much to the faithful remnant of spiritual Israel. For delinquencies, they were scattered from their God-given spiritual estate during World War I. But today they can look back over the many years since their restoration in 1919 C.E. and can see how marvelously well the God whose name they bear has dealt with them for their work at restoring his pure worship.

27. What did Jehovah now have in mind for the restored remnant to do, and in harmony with what two commandments was this in agreement?

²⁷ However, there are vital things for those who have mercifully been restored to divine favor to do. What Jehovah tells them to do is in agreement with the two greatest commandments of the Law, namely, to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We read: “‘These are the things that you people should do: Speak truthfully with one another. With truth and the judgment of peace do your judging in your gates. And calamity to one another do not you scheme up in your hearts, and do not love any false oath; for these are all things that I have hated,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.”​—Zechariah 8:16, 17.

28. Hence, how were truth and justice to be upheld in their “gates” or law courts, and what was the object of judging with the “judgment of peace”?

²⁸ The things that Jehovah of armies hates the restored remnant must not do, in order to remain in His favor. Justice must be executed in their gates or law courts. There no false oath should be resorted to in order to bring undeserved calamity upon one’s fellowman. One should be honest in what one says to a fellowman or swears to in court, always speaking the truth and not saying one thing with one’s mouth but having another thing in one’s deceptive heart. In settling any matter of dispute in a judicial way, the aim should be to bring about peace among those going to law; and this peace objective can be reached only if truth and justice are upheld in the court. We should love what God loves, not what he hates.

29. How did the apostle Paul show that Zechariah 8:16 applies to the Christian remnant, and how do they thus speak the truth?

²⁹ Does this apply to the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel? Most certainly it does. When writing to the believers in Ephesus, Asia Minor, in behalf of Christian unity, the apostle Paul said: “Speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. Wherefore, now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another.” (Ephesians 4:15, 25) Evidently the apostle was here quoting part of Zechariah 8:16 and was properly applying it to Christians who were the “Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:15, 16) Speaking truthfully or speaking the truth with one another would also mean telling the Bible truths to one another, and not the religious falsehoods of Babylon the Great. In that way we promote pure worship of God at his spiritual temple.

FROM FASTING TO FEASTING

30. According to Jehovah’s eighth statement of promise, the hitherto times of fasting were to become what kind of occasions?

³⁰ Just because seven is a Scriptural number denoting perfection in a spiritual way, God does not stop with the above seventh statement of promise. He carries on to an eighth, just as we now read: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth month, and the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month will become for the house of Judah an exultation and a rejoicing and good festal seasons. So love truth and peace.’”​—Zechariah 8:19.

31. Whose question about fasting did that answer, and why was it now not proper to continue such fasts with mourning?

³¹ Here was a direct and positive answer to Sharezer and Regem-melech, who were sent from the city of Bethel to ask whether they should continue observing an abstinence from food, together with mourning, during the fifth month. (Zechariah 7:1-3) Now that the building of the second temple at Jerusalem was going on to grand completion, it was not the time to bemoan the past destruction of Jerusalem and its temple back there in 607 B.C.E., or more than eighty years ago. It was His will for them to rejoice in his present goodness to them and to exult in the undoing of all the destructive work that the Babylonians had done in Jerusalem and the land of Judah. Away with mournful fasts! Enjoy good festal seasons!

32. How has this divine promise been fulfilled in Christian spiritual Israel, and what one day each year does the remnant observe in obedience to Christ’s command?

³² How grandly this divine promise uttered to ancient Israel has been fulfilled in Christian spiritual Israel! The anointed remnant today do not observe any of the fasts and mournful seasons of ancient Israel. Not even the annual Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh lunar month (Tishri). (Leviticus, chapter 16) They rejoice in the true Atonement Day as carried out by Jehovah’s High Priest, Jesus Christ, by means of his perfect atoning sacrifice, the merit of which Jesus Christ presented to Jehovah in heaven in 33 C.E. in behalf of all mankind. (1 John 1:7 to 2:2) The only day that the remnant of spiritual Israel observe each year is the day of Christ’s sacrificial death on Passover Day, Nisan 14, in obedience to Christ’s own command to his disciples. Thus, when the surviving remnant observed the Lord’s Supper after sundown of April 13, 1919, there were upward of 17,961 that came together world wide to observe his atoning death. But on Friday, April 9, 1971, after sundown, there were 3,453,542 who attended, 10,384 of these partaking of the emblematic unleavened bread and wine.​—Luke 22:7-20.

33. That large attendance at the Lord’s Supper in 1971 world wide is explained by what prophecy in Jehovah’s ninth statement of promise?

³³ From where did all those more than 3,400,000 observers come, in addition to the 10,384 partakers, on this latter observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal? This worldwide phenomenon of the year 1971 is explained by the fulfillment of Jehovah’s ninth statement of promise, as recorded in Zechariah 8:20-22: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘It will yet be that peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will come; and the inhabitants of one city will certainly go to those of another, saying: “Let us earnestly go to soften the face of Jehovah and to seek Jehovah of armies. I myself will go also.” And many peoples and mighty nations will actually come to seek Jehovah of armies in Jerusalem and to soften the face of Jehovah.’”

INTERNATIONAL GATHERING TO GOD’S CITY

34. (a) In what way do “peoples” and “nations” now come to Jehovah’s center of worship? (b) Does this gathering include individuals from “many peoples and mighty nations” and “many cities”?

³⁴ No whole “peoples” and whole “nations” were thus to come to Jehovah’s center of worship and to appease him to gain his favor. Individual persons from those peoples and nations were to do so. World conversion to Judaism was by no means meant here. So, when we examine the 1972 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses we learn that these Christian witnesses of Jehovah are found in 207 lands and islands. The list of these lands and islands includes “many peoples and mighty nations.” And as for the “inhabitants of many cities,” the 1972 Yearbook reveals that, by the time of August 31, 1971, there were 27,154 congregations of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses around the globe. New York city alone had 212 of those congregations in a number of languages. All together, the Bibles and Biblical literature of these Christians who worship Jehovah is printed in 165 languages. They worship Jehovah as Jesus Christ himself did.

35. Why is it that they do not go to the present-day earthly Jerusalem, and so where do they worship Jehovah?

³⁵ No, they do not go to the present-day earthly Jerusalem, where a Mohammedan mosque, the Dome of the Rock, sits on the location where the temple of Jerusalem used to stand. They recognize the existence of what Hebrews 12:22 calls “a Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem.” They exult and rejoice in the fact that at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E., God’s Messianic kingdom was established on that Mount Zion, and there Jesus Christ, “son of David, son of Abraham,” is enthroned. (Matthew 1:1) No longer therefore is the God-given right of the royal family of David to reign in God’s city being trampled upon by the Gentile nations. (Luke 21:20-24) They give their allegiance to this Messianic kingdom, which, shortly now, will destroy all Gentile governments on earth and will reign forever for the vindication of the universal sovereignty of Jehovah of armies. In the earthly courtyards of His spiritual temple they worship Him and enjoy his favor.​—Psalms 84:2, 10; 116:18, 19.

36. According to Jehovah’s culminating statement of promise, how many were to take hold of the skirt of a Jew, and what were they to say to him?

³⁶ Marvelous indeed is the modern-day fulfillment of that ninth statement of promise by the Sovereign Lord God. But there is yet a culminating utterance of promise, a tenth one, to this grand series of divine promises. So in the closing verse (23) of this eighth chapter of Zechariah’s prophecy we read: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘It will be in those days that ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold, yes, they will actually take hold of the skirt of a man who is a Jew, saying: “We will go with you people, for we have heard that God is with you people.”’”​—Zechariah 8:23.

37. To understand who is meant here by the term “Jew,” what guiding rule stated by a natural Jew do we need to consider?

³⁷ In order to understand aright this prophecy about the “skirt of a man who is a Jew,” we have to consider the guiding rule set forth by a man who was “circumcised the eighth day, out of the family stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews; as respects law, a Pharisee”; namely, the apostle Paul, who was aforetime, “as respects zeal, persecuting the congregation.” (Philippians 3:5, 6) When writing the Christian congregation of the first century in Rome, this natural-born Jew or Israelite said: “He is not a Jew who is one on the outside, nor is circumcision that which is on the outside upon the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit, and not by a written code. The praise of that one comes, not from men, but from God.”​—Romans 2:28, 29.

38. (a) So, if racial extraction does not count in this matter, what does, even with natural Jews? (b) Till when was the Christian congregation made up exclusively of natural Jews and proselytes, and then what choice did Cornelius have to make?

³⁸ For this reason the fulfillment of Zechariah 8:23 does not rest upon any racial superiority according to the flesh. The “skirt of a man who is a Jew” is not taken hold of because he is a Jew according to natural birth. One’s fleshly connection does not count at all in this matter. What counts is, Whom does he worship? Or, if he is a professed worshiper of God, Is God really with him? It is true that, during the second half of the seventieth week of years of the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27, namely, from Pentecost of 33 C.E. to the autumn of 36 C.E., the Christian congregation was made up exclusively of natural Jews and circumcised Jewish proselytes. But what distinguished such natural Jews comprising the Christian congregation? During that time there were natural Jews and natural Jews. God was definitely not with both kinds. God was not divided. Hence, at the end of the seventieth week of years in early fall of 36 C.E., with what kind of Jews did the Gentile, the Italian centurion Cornelius, go to join with them in worship? What does Acts 10:1-48 show?

39. With which group of natural Jews did Cornelius decide to go?

³⁹ This Cornelius of Italian language ceased to go along with the worship of the natural Jews and make “many gifts of mercy” to the natural Jews who had Jesus Christ put to a violent death as a blasphemer of God and as a false Christ. Cornelius and his fellow Gentile converts went with only those natural Jews who had become disciples of Jesus Christ and upon whom God poured out his holy spirit through Jesus Christ, thereby manifesting that He (God) was with the Christian congregation. (Acts 2:1-47; 11:1-18) That Christian congregation was made up of spiritual Jews, spiritual Israelites, in the new covenant with God through Christ as mediator. The Italian Cornelius was just as much a spiritual Jew or Israelite as those believing natural Jews. Cornelius saw that the Christian congregation was made up of spiritual Jews and that God was with those people. Hence he decided to go with spiritual Jews.

40. How can we determine whether, especially since Jerusalem’s destruction by the Romans, there is any basis for applying Zechariah 8:23 to non-Christian natural Jews?

⁴⁰ Could the destruction of Jerusalem and its material temple by Roman legions be interpreted as a proof that God was with the Jews caught in that awful calamity, just because they were Jews according to their circumcised flesh? How could any honest reasonable person accept such an interpretation? Today there is no Jewish temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah for any of the Gentiles to go up there and worship with the Jews. Nor are the Jewish religious leaders and political leaders imitating High Priest Joshua and Governor Zerubbabel and rebuilding the temple upon its historical location, even though the Jews took over the old walled city of Jerusalem in the six-day war of 1967. What basis, therefore, is there to apply Zechariah 8:23 to the non-Christian natural, circumcised Jews today or even in the foreseeable future? None whatsoever!

41. Is Zechariah 8:23 being fulfilled upon Christendom today?

⁴¹ Well, then, is the prophecy’s fulfillment being realized in religious Christendom today, which has long held to the idea of world conversion to her multi-sectarian religious organization? Are ten non-Christians of all peoples and nations taking hold of the skirt of a church member of Christendom and saying, “We will go with you people, for we have heard that God is with you people”? And by “God” the prophecy means “Jehovah of armies.” Certainly the pagan world is not being converted to the sects of Christendom at the rate of ten pagans to one church member. Christendom estimates her church membership today as being 924,274,000 and ten times that would mean more than twice the present world population.

42. To determine which ones of all the professed spiritual Jews of today Zechariah 8:23 applies to, on what questions must we get the facts?

⁴² Just as there were natural Jews and natural Jews in the days of Christ’s apostles, so today there are professed spiritual Jews and professed spiritual Jews. Christendom has more than 900 million such professed spiritual Jews who are supposed to be in the new covenant through Christ as mediator. But of all these two kinds of professed spiritual Jews, we ask: Which kind is really worshiping and serving Jehovah of armies at his true spiritual temple? To which kind are the peoples of all nations, big and small, saying that they will go with them because they have heard, not that some nameless “God” is with them, but that Jehovah God is with them? In this case only the facts should be relied upon. Let these speak for themselves.

43. What things today distinguish those spiritual Israelites to whom Zechariah 8:23 applies, and how many of them are there now?

⁴³ According to worldwide evidences, it is the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites whom Jehovah God began to liberate from Babylon the Great, that world empire of false Babylonish religion. These are engaged in spiritual work like that of building the second temple of Jehovah in the days of High Priest Joshua and Governor Zerubbabel. They are wholeheartedly promoting the worship of Jehovah of armies world wide, by persons of all nations, tribes, peoples and languages. Annually they meet on Passover Day to celebrate the sacrificial death of Jehovah’s Son, the Messiah Jesus, and on that occasion they eat the unleavened bread and drink the wine just as Jesus Christ commanded. From this eloquent testimony on their part, they seem to number today only around ten thousand anointed spiritual Israelites. Much less than the remnant in Zechariah’s day.

44. Who is it that join themselves to these true spiritual Israelites, and in what numbers, according to reports?

⁴⁴ Who, though, are joining themselves to these spiritual Jews in worship of the one living and true God at his spiritual temple? Just as was foretold in Revelation 7:9-17, it is a numberless “great crowd” “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.” These also are becoming disciples of Jehovah’s Messiah. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Just in the year 1971 alone there were 149,808 of these baptized as dedicated disciples of Jehovah’s Messiah. During that same year there was an average of 1,510,245 who reported joining together in obeying the Messiah’s command to preach “this good news” of Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom everywhere down to the approaching end of this system of things. (Matthew 24:14) How remarkable already the fulfillment of Zechariah 8:23!

Chapter 16

Presentation of the King Brings Release to Prisoners

1. What kind of application does Zechariah’s prophecy, when speaking of lands and cities in the news today, have now, and what helps us to determine a fulfillment today?

TODAY the countries of Syria and Lebanon and the Gaza Strip figure prominently in the news. Cities that are associated with these lands are named in the ninth chapter of Zechariah’s prophecy. However, what the prophet Zechariah said away back there in the sixth century before our Common Era has no application to these lands today in their relations with the Republic of Israel. Aside from any initial fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy in the first century of our Common Era, and in a literal way, the prophecy has its final fulfillment today, in this twentieth century C.E., in only a spiritual or figurative way. By acquainting ourselves with the first fulfillment nineteen centuries ago, we can discern its spiritual fulfillment today.

2. At a map of what period of time do we look, and are the places mentioned in connection with the “land of Hadrach” Jewish?

² If we turn to our map of the Land of Palestine during the Reign of the Persian Kings, we note Damascus, the capital of Syria, also the city of Hamath about 120 miles (193 kilometers) to the north of Damascus; also the ancient Phoenician (now Lebanese) cities of Tyre and Sidon on the Mediterranean seacoast; also the Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, Ashdod and Gath; also the cities of Jerusalem and Samaria. The “land of Hadrach” does not appear on all maps because its location and precise limits are not exactly known, but the prophecy associates this once mentioned land with Damascus. The Atlas of the Biblical World by Baly and Tushingham (copyrighted 1971), page 199, calls the “land of Hadrach” simply “a region in Syria near Damascus.” The Revised Edition (1956) of The Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible, page 124, speaks of the Land of Hadrach as a “district of Syria north of Hamath,” hence north of Damascus. Whether the expression “the land of Hadrach” is a symbolic one to mean the collective territory in which all the above-mentioned Syrian, Phoenician, Philistine cities are located matters little. They were all non-Israelite, non-Jewish.

3. How do the closing verses of Zechariah, chapter eight, stand in contrast with the opening verses of chapter nine?

³ The closing verses (Zec 8:20-23) of the eighth chapter of Zechariah’s prophecy tell of how people of all the languages of the nations and from many cities will go up to Jerusalem to worship Jehovah, even taking hold of the skirt of a Jew to go along with him to worship his God. What happens to people who do not do so? Very nicely the opening eight verses of the succeeding chapter (nine) informs us of some of the consequences for not doing so. So let us now read that section, Zechariah 9:1-8:

4. According to Zechariah 9:1-8, who is it that takes a hand in the affairs of those mentioned, and in behalf of whom?

⁴ “A pronouncement: ‘The word of Jehovah is against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is where it rests; for Jehovah has an eye on earthling man and on all the tribes of Israel. And Hamath itself will also border upon her; Tyre and Sidon, for she is very wise. And Tyre proceeded to build a rampart for herself, and to pile up silver like dust and gold like the mire of the streets. Look! Jehovah himself will dispossess her, and into the sea he will certainly strike down her military force; and in the fire she herself will be devoured. Ashkelon will see and get afraid; and as for Gaza, she will also feel very severe pains; Ekron also, because her looked-for hope will have to experience shame. And a king will certainly perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon herself will not be inhabited. And an illegitimate son will actually seat himself in Ashdod, and I shall certainly cut off the pride of the Philistine. And I will remove his bloodstained things from his mouth and his disgusting things from between his teeth, and he himself also will certainly be left remaining for our God; and he must become like a sheik in Judah, and Ekron like the Jebusite. And I will encamp as an outpost for my house, so that there will be no one passing through and no one returning; and there will no more pass through them a taskmaster, for now I have seen it with my eyes.’”

5. Why did Jehovah’s disfavor rest upon Damascus, the “land of Hadrach” and Hamath?

⁵ Ancient Syria of the sixth century B.C.E. worshiped false gods and kept up its enmity toward the restored land of Judah. It refused to worship Jehovah at his rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. Good reason there was, then, for Jehovah’s word to be, not favorable, but against the “land of Hadrach” as a part of Syria. His unfavorable word would rest upon the capital of the whole country, namely, Damascus; and as the territory of Hamath bordered upon Damascus, Hamath would also have Jehovah’s unfavorable word pronounced against her. So all of Syria was under divine disfavor.

6. Why was Jehovah’s word against cities of Phoenicia?

⁶ The country of Phoenicia borders on Syria, and it too had turned against the land of Judah in its time of direst distress. Psalm 83:5-8 includes the Phoenician cities of Gebal and Tyre in the international conspiracy against Jehovah’s people, saying: “Against you they proceeded to conclude even a covenant, the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia together with the inhabitants of Tyre. Also, Assyria itself has become joined with them; they have become an arm to the sons of Lot [Moab and Ammon].” Tyre was really a colony of Sidon; and Zechariah 9:2-4 mentions them, saying:

7. With whom does Zechariah 9:2-4 link Tyre, and what is foretold to happen to Tyre?

⁷ “Tyre and Sidon, for she is very wise. And Tyre proceeded to build a rampart for herself, and to pile up silver like dust and gold like the mire of the streets. Look! Jehovah himself will dispossess her, and into the sea he will certainly strike down her military force; and in the fire she herself will be devoured.”

8. Which Tyre was the one mentioned by Zechariah, and why was this so?

⁸ From those words it is certain that the “word of Jehovah” was pronounced also against all of Phoenicia as represented by her world-famous cities of Tyre and Sidon. The city of Tyre here named is the island city, for King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed the mainland city in his Palestinian campaign. (Ezekiel 29:17-20) The Tyrian survivors fled to their offshore island and built up a powerful city thereon. According to Ezekiel 28:1-19, Tyre had devilishly turned traitor toward its former friend, Israel, and Sidon became associated with Tyre in this course. (Ezekiel 28:20-26) Following the restoration of the land of Judah in 537 B.C.E. after seventy years of lying desolate, Tyre and Sidon did not change their heart attitude toward Jerusalem with her second temple. How unwise!

9. How did Tyre enrich and fortify herself, but how did Jehovah’s prophecy concerning her work out?

⁹ Tyre, as well as Sidon, continued to follow the wisdom of this world, increasing her wisdom for the amassing of wealth, piling up gold and silver here on earth where marauders can despoil. The mighty rampart that Tyre built for her protection as a seafaring, commercial power did not withstand the strategy of the Grecian conqueror, Alexander the Great, in 332 B.C.E. Her land-based military forces as well as those aboard her many ships failed her then. Jehovah, by means of his earthly instrument of execution, struck down Tyre’s military force into the sea, where she had established her stronghold. Jehovah dispossessed her by turning over her possessions of tremendous wealth to the conqueror. Her then being devoured in the fire brought about her complete ruin.

10. What interest did people from Tyre and Sidon display in Jesus Christ, and what was reported as established in Tyre?

¹⁰ Years later Tyre was rebuilt, but neither she nor Sidon regained the strong commercial position that she had held before the “word of Jehovah” pronounced against her was fulfilled. In the first century of our Common Era many individuals came from Tyre and Sidon to hear and observe Jesus and get cured by him. (Mark 3:7, 8; Luke 6:17; Matthew 15:21-29) According to Jesus’ own words in Matthew 11:20-22 and Luke 10:13, 14, there should have been many persons in Tyre and Sidon disposed to listen to and act upon the message of God’s kingdom. There was a Christian congregation in Tyre at the time of the third missionary tour of the apostle Paul. (Acts 21:2-7) These Tyrians were not trusting in military forces, nor storing up treasures on earth, but storing them up in heaven.

PRIDE OF THE PAGAN ENEMY CUT OFF

11, 12. (a) What intercity alliance anciently dominated Philistia? (b) Whose pride would Jehovah cut off, and how?

¹¹ What, now, is the “word of Jehovah” as pronounced against Philistia? Anciently, the five-city league of Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath and Gaza dominated the land of Philistia. For some reason Gath fails to be mentioned in Jehovah’s word here against the Philistines. Zechariah 9:5-7 continues the prophecy and says:

¹² “Ashkelon will see and get afraid; and as for Gaza, she will also feel very severe pains; Ekron also, because her looked-for hope will have to experience shame. And a king will certainly perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon herself will not be inhabited. And an illegitimate son will actually seat himself in Ashdod, and I shall certainly cut off the pride of the Philistine. And I will remove his bloodstained things from his mouth and his disgusting things from between his teeth, and he himself also will certainly be left remaining for our God; and he must become like a sheik in Judah, and Ekron like the Jebusite.”

13. (a) How was Tyre’s destruction in 332 B.C.E. to affect Ashkelon, Gaza and Ekron? (b) What change was Ashdod to experience?

¹³ So the city of Ashkelon was to see the destruction of Tyre, and get afraid and then finally become uninhabited. As for Gaza, she felt very severe pains evidently for the same reason; and because of that painful event and its consequences, she experienced a change of rulership and her native king perished from her. The city of Ekron evidently looked to Tyre as her hope for protection and relief against an invading enemy. Hence, when Tyre was reduced to ruins after a seven-month siege by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.E., Ekron also writhed with very severe pains, because her hope had been disappointed, shamed. But what about the fourth city mentioned, Ashdod? Apparently a change of population was to take place in her, for Jehovah said: “an illegitimate son will actually seat himself in Ashdod.” The legitimate native population was not to remain in it. Strangers, foreigners, were to take over the city, not only in the rulership but also in the population.

14. Of what attitude toward Israel had Philistia been guilty, and how would Jehovah cut this off?

¹⁴ Admittedly, then, the “word of Jehovah” was against Philistia. The Philistines had been very proud, arrogant, especially toward Jehovah’s people, even after the restoration of these to their homeland. However, their pride preceded their crash. By doing the above-stated things to the four leading cities of Philistia, Jehovah would “cut off the pride of the Philistine.” No Philistine could boast any longer when comparing himself with Jehovah’s people. Jehovah would also cut off their false religious worship.

15. (a) What will be done with the “bloodstained things” and the “disgusting things” of the Philistines? (b) What course will be taken by a remnant of the Philistines?

¹⁵ In their worship to their false gods, they ate sacrifices that were disgusting to Jehovah and to his people. Also, the animal victims from which they ate in their sacrificial meals were not drained of their blood. A halt was to be called to such loathsome worship of idolatrous gods, for the “word of Jehovah” went on to say: “And I will remove his [the Philistine’s] bloodstained things from his mouth and his disgusting things from between his teeth, and he himself also will certainly be left remaining for our God.” How such bloodstained and disgusting things will be removed from the mouth and teeth of the Philistine is not explained. But from among all those Philistines who will refuse to observe God’s commandment and break off from idolatry with its abominable sacrifices and rites, there will be left a remnant that will do so voluntarily, in obedience. That remnant will be “for our God,” for Jehovah of armies. What a lifesaving transformation this! But Zechariah 9:7 continues on further to say regarding this remnant: “And he must become like a sheik in Judah, and Ekron like the Jebusite.”

16. (a) How would the remnant of the Philistines become “like a sheik in Judah”? (b) Becoming “like the Jebusite” indicated what level of society for those of Ekron?

¹⁶ Of course, the Philistines in being Hamites could not become sheiks in the tribe of Judah, which was Shemite and Hebrew. (Genesis 10:6, 13, 14, 21-25) But the obedient remnant that were proselyted to the worship of “our God,” Jehovah, could become “like a sheik in Judah.” Thus the remnant would have a distinguished position in association with Jehovah’s chosen people and would not be considered as of little or no importance. Like a sheik of a clan, they would be given responsibilities. However, these responsibilities will be subservient to those of the Judeans themselves. This is indicated by the statement that Ekron will become “like the Jebusite.” Like the Philistines, the Jebusites were Hamites, not through Ham’s son Mizraim but through his son Canaan, and so were Canaanites. (Genesis 10:6, 15, 16) The Jebusites were early occupants of Jerusalem, which therefore used to be called Jebus.

17. Why in becoming “like the Jebusite” was a favored position indicated for those of Ekron?

¹⁷ In 1070 B.C.E. King David captured the city from the Jebusites and called it Jerusalem. (Judges 1:21; 2 Samuel 5:4-9) Later the subjugated Jebusites were used as slave labor by David’s son, King Solomon, in various public works of construction, including the magnificent temple at Jerusalem. (1 Kings 9:15-23; 2 Chronicles 8:1-10) What a privilege it was for those Jebusites to have a share in the building of Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem and also building fine facilities for the typical Messianic kingdom of God in ancient Israel! So, in becoming “like the Jebusite,” Ekron and its inhabitants who turned to the worship of “our God,” Jehovah, were brought into a favored position, though subservient.

18. What experience with Christianity did the Philistines have in the first century C.E.?

¹⁸ In the first century of our Common Era the good news of God’s Messianic kingdom was preached to the Philistines. We recall how the evangelizer Philip preached to an Ethiopian eunuch as they were riding in his chariot on the “road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza” in Philistia. After baptizing this Ethiopian convert to Christianity, Philip left him and was found up at Ashdod (Greek, Azotos; modern Isdud), around thirty-four miles north of Gaza. Doubtless many Philistines responded to Philip’s evangelizing. (Acts 8:26-40) After the conversion of the Italian centurion Cornelius in 36 C.E., Philistines could be converted, and then could receive the holy spirit of God through Christ.

19. How is the prophetic picture of ‘an illegitimate son actually seating himself in Ashdod’ fulfilled in the case of modern antitypical Philistines?

¹⁹ In our own modern twentieth century many religionists have been like the ancient Philistines in worshiping false gods and in fighting against Jehovah’s people. As ancient Ashdod, the chief city in the five-city confederation of the Philistines, underwent a change of population as if by illegitimate sons, so these antitypical Philistines of today have undergone a change of personality. By dedicating themselves to God through Jesus Christ and getting baptized in water, they cease to be a part of this Philistine world and become ‘strangers,’ unnatural, to it and out of place. They do not go after selfish commercialism as ancient Tyre did, nor do they depend upon it and hope in it in the way that Ekron looked to Tyre; nor do they trust in a military force, as ancient Syria did. They abstain from the worship and service of the bloodlusting gods of this modern world. They devotedly take their stand for “our God,” Jehovah of armies.

20. These transformed Philistines of today are given what share with the remnant of spiritual Israelites?

²⁰ In consideration of this course, these transformed modern Philistines are given a share with the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites or Jews in promoting the worship of Jehovah at his spiritual temple. Just “like a sheik in Judah,” they are given assignments and responsibilities in connection with that temple activity. The crowd of these dedicated, baptized servants of Jehovah God has already grown “great,” and it is still increasing. This unnumbered “great crowd” who become associated with the spirit-anointed remnant was foretold in Revelation 7:9-17.

21, 22. (a) Of what benefit was it to his people for Jehovah to be an outpost for them, and why would no taskmaster pass through them? (b) How has Jehovah fulfilled this prophecy toward his remnant of spiritual Israel today?

²¹ Ancient Philistia, Phoenicia and Syria were violent enemies of the restored remnant of former Jewish exiles. To mark a contrast between his dealings with those enemies and his dealings with his chosen people, the house of Israel, Jehovah of armies continued on to say: “And I will encamp as an outpost for my house, so that there will be no one passing through and no one returning; and there will no more pass through them a taskmaster, for now I have seen it with my eyes.”​—Zechariah 9:8.

²² Encamping as an outpost, Jehovah of armies could prevent the attacking enemies from getting near His “house” and from invading them and then retiring. As an “outpost” he would prevent a slave-driving “taskmaster” from passing through their midst anymore and enslaving them. Similarly to this, the same Jehovah of armies has protected his “house” of spiritual Israelites in this “time of the end,” when the enemies have massed together as never before in opposition to Jehovah’s worship at his spiritual temple. Strengthened by his mighty spirit, Jehovah’s “house” of spiritual Israel successfully resist all efforts of worldly “taskmasters” to pass through their spiritual estate and become their religious taskmaster. In imitation of Christ’s apostles, they obey God as ruler rather than men.​—Acts 5:29.

23. (a) What does Jehovah’s expression, “Now I have seen it with my eyes,” mean as regards the situation of his people amid all mankind? (b) How is this true today with respect to the spiritual remnant and the “great crowd” of fellow worshipers?

²³ Jehovah of armies is aware of the threats and efforts of the enemies against his worshipers at his temple. As he says, “Now I have seen it with my eyes.” This corresponds with what he said earlier in his “pronouncement,” in these words: “The word of Jehovah is against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is where it rests; for Jehovah has an eye on earthling man and on all the tribes of Israel.” (Zechariah 9:1) He has his observing eye not only on “all the tribes of Israel” but also on earthling man. That is to say, on all humankind aside from his chosen people. That is why he made his pronouncement against the traditional enemies like Syria, Phoenicia and Philistia who had abused the twelve tribes of Israel. This “pronouncement” is prophetic and has its spiritual application today to the enemies of Jehovah’s spiritual Israel and the “great crowd” of fellow worshipers. The difference between how Jehovah of armies treats all these worshipers of His and how he treats the modern-day counterparts of Syria, Phoenicia and Philistia can already be seen. The full difference will be observable during the approaching time of “great tribulation” when he frees his loyal worshipers completely of all their ungodly enemies.​—Matthew 24:21, 22; Revelation 7:14, 15; 19:11-21.

“LOOK! YOUR KING HIMSELF COMES”

24. (a) In view of Gaza’s experience, what questions are asked about the object of her hostility, Jerusalem? (b) Why will Jerusalem’s crying out differ from that of Gaza?

²⁴ A king was to perish from the Philistine city of Gaza, but what was to take place with regard to the object of Philistine hostility, Jerusalem, poetically called Zion? Is she, like Gaza, to “feel very severe pains” because of seeing the overthrow of the stronghold of greedy commercialism and untheocratic military force? Is she to cry out in extreme pain and terrifying fear? Cry out she will, but not in harmony with Gaza! For, after making his pronouncement against Syria, Phoenicia and Philistia, Jehovah proceeds to say: “Be very joyful, O daughter of Zion. Shout in triumph,a O daughter of Jerusalem. Look! Your king himself comes to you. He is righteous, yes, saved; humble, and riding upon an ass, even upon a full-grown animal the son of a she-ass. And I shall certainly cut off the war chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. And the battle bow must be cut off. And he will actually speak peace to the nations; and his rulership will be from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”​—Zechariah 9:9, 10.

25. Why has the “daughter of Jerusalem” every reason to shout in triumph and be very joyful at the approach of the king?

²⁵ At the fulfillment of that glorious promise, why would not Jerusalem have all good reason in the world to be very joyful and to “shout in triumph”? For at the time that this divine promise was given through the prophet Zechariah, Jerusalem was without a king of her own. She merely had a provincial governor whom the emperor of Persia, Darius I, had appointed, namely, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel of the royal family line of David. The kingdom of David had been overturned by the Babylonians about ninety years earlier, in 607 B.C.E., at the total destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of her king Zedekiah to Babylon. Although Jerusalem’s seventy years of lying utterly desolate had now passed, yet the Gentile Times of 2,520 years for the non-Jewish nations to trample upon Jerusalem’s right to a Davidic kingship had to continue on until the year 1914 C.E. So in Zechariah’s day the “daughter of Jerusalem” was longingly looking forward to the coming of the true Messiah King in the line of David, a Messiah prefigured by Governor Zerubbabel.​—Haggai 2:23.

26. Why do we not have to guess uncertainly as to the initial fulfillment of this prophecy of Zechariah?

²⁶ We today, who are interested in the true Messiah, not in a false Christ, do not have to guess uncertainly as to the initial fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. It is recorded and described for us by at least three eyewitnesses thereof, namely, Matthew Levi a tax collector, John Mark an inhabitant of Jerusalem, and John the son of Zebedee, besides a first-century historian who investigated the facts of the case, the physician Luke of Asia Minor. It occurred on Sunday, Nisan 9, 33 C.E. Matthew Levi tells us:

Well, when they got close to Jerusalem and arrived at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent forth two disciples, saying to them: “Be on your way into the village that is within sight of you, and you will at once find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. And if someone says anything to you, you must say, ‘The Lord needs them.’ At that he will immediately send them forth.”

This actually took place that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Look! Your King is coming to you, mild-tempered, and mounted upon an ass, yes, upon a colt, the offspring of a beast of burden.’”

So the disciples got on their way and did just as Jesus ordered them. And they brought the ass and its colt, and they put upon these their outer garments, and he seated himself upon them. Most of the crowd spread their outer garments on the road, while others began cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. As for the crowds, those going ahead of him and those following kept crying out: “Save, we pray, the Son of David! Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name! Save him, we pray, in the heights above!”

Now when he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was set in commotion, saying: “Who is this?” The crowds kept telling: “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee!”

And Jesus entered into the temple and threw out all those selling and buying in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. And he said to them: “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a cave of robbers.” Also, blind and lame persons came up to him in the temple, and he cured them.

When the chief priests and the scribes saw the marvelous things he did and the boys that were crying out in the temple and saying: “Save, we pray, the Son of David!” they became indignant and said to him: “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them: “Yes. Did you never read this, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have furnished praise’?”​—Matthew 21:1-16.

27. If the disciples had not cried out, how would the prophecy have been fulfilled?

²⁷ And the Jewish physician Luke adds this detail:

However, some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him: “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” But in reply he said: “I tell you, If these remained silent, the stones would cry out.”​—Luke 19:39, 40; see also Mark 11:1-18; John 12:12-19.

28. How, on his triumphal ride into Jerusalem, was Jesus peaceful, “humble,” “righteous,” and “saved”?

²⁸ Thus, instead of on a war-horse, Jesus Christ peacefully rode an ass into Jerusalem, unlike Herod the Great, who, after three months of besieging Jerusalem in the year 37 B.C.E., took Jerusalem by storm and dethroned Hasmonaean (Maccabean) king, Antigonus of the tribe of Levi. Jesus was indeed “humble,” as Zechariah 9:9 had foretold. He was no false Christ or false Messiah, but was “righteous,” the Messiah vindicated by his heavenly Father Jehovah. He was in fact “righteous” by being perfect in the flesh, sinless, unblemished, and therefore able to offer himself as a perfect human sacrifice for taking away the sin of the whole unrighteous world of mankind. (Acts 7:52; Hebrews 7:26; 1 John 2:1) He was indeed “saved,” just as his ancient ancestor King David was saved by being given the victory over his enemies. (2 Samuel 22:1-4; 8:6, 14) Not in vain did the great crowd cry out as Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem: “Hosanna to the Son of David,” or, “Save, we pray, the Son of David!” Seven days later Almighty God saved Jesus out of death by resurrecting him to immortal life in heaven.​—Hebrews 5:7-10.

29. (a) As regards his spiritual disciples, how did Jesus Christ “speak peace to the nations”? (b) How does he destroy all war equipment inside and outside of Christendom, and what will be the result of his speaking peace to the “great crowd” of today?

²⁹ He is the one who was to be called “Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, 7) The Jewish disciples of him came from all the tribes of Israel, including Ephraim and Judah, and he united them in peaceful Christian brotherhood; among his disciples he even broke down the enmity between those who were natural circumcised Jews and those who were Gentiles. (Ephesians 2:11-20) In this way he has already spoken “peace to the nations.” But Christendom has refused to listen to his speech and continues warring within herself to this day. In the oncoming “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon, Jehovah God will use his Messianic King to destroy war chariots and bows and all violent war equipment found today inside and outside of Christendom. (Revelation 16:14-16; 19:11-21) He will destroy all promoters of violent warfare among mankind, in all nations. But to the “great crowd” of peace-loving worshipers at Jehovah’s spiritual temple, who have come out of all nations, the victorious King Jesus Christ will speak peace and in peace, and they will be preserved.​—Revelation 7:14.

30. How, after the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E., was Jesus Christ formally presented to antitypical Jerusalem as King, but what question arises as to his reception?

³⁰ When in 1914 C.E. the 2,520 years of the Gentile Times ended for the Gentile nations to trample on Jerusalem’s right to a Messianic kingship in the royal line of David, the Most High God Jehovah installed the Messiah Jesus on the heavenly throne in order to reign and go subduing among his enemies. (Psalm 110:1-6; Acts 2:34-36; Hebrews 10:12, 13) During World War I (1914-1918 C.E.) the dedicated, baptized remnant of spiritual Israelites publicly proclaimed that the Gentile Times had ended and that the Most High God had made his Son Jesus Christ reigning King in the heavens. Thus Jehovah’s Messianic King was being presented especially to Christendom, which was prefigured by Jerusalem of the first century C.E. But did Christendom, who professed to be made up of disciples of Christ, receive him as King, whose “rulership” was to be “from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth”?

31. Down to December of 1918, what proves whether Christendom received Jehovah’s Messiah as her King?

³¹ Not according to what Christendom did to the anointed remnant of his spiritual “brothers,” which was the same as doing it to Jesus the Messiah himself. (Matthew 25:40, 45; Mark 9:37) Three and a half years after the end of the Gentile Times, war-embattled Christendom brought her persecution and suppression of the remnant of Christ’s spiritual brothers to a grand climax, in the spring of 1918 C.E. (Revelation 11:2-10) First after doing that did Christendom bring her first world war to an end, on November 11, 1918. In imitation of Jerusalem of the first century C.E. Christendom refused to receive Jehovah’s Messianic King. In the following month (December, 1918), Christendom went on public record as favoring the proposed League of Nations as being “the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth.”

32. In view of Christendom’s course, were there none to receive Jehovah’s Messianic King, and what would they have to do, according to prophecy?

³² Were there, however, none to receive the Messianic King whom Jehovah of armies presented? Yes, there were! Just as on Sunday, Nisan 9 of 33 C.E. there was a remnant of the Jews, namely, the disciples of Jesus Christ, that hailed him and welcomed him on his kingly ride into Jerusalem, so there was a remnant of spiritual Israelites that did likewise after the close of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E. By the persecution and repressive measures of Gentile governments of Christendom, these were scattered and broken up, just as Jesus’ disciples were after his betrayal and arrest, on the fifth day after his triumphant ride into Jerusalem. But in the first postwar year of 1919 C.E. when they were revived by God’s life-giving spirit and reinstated actively in his service, they rejected the League of Nations, which was adopted and put into effect that year. Instead of accepting such a counterfeit Christ’s kingdom, they caught up the spirit of Zechariah 9:9 and became “very joyful” and began to “shout in triumph,” because their King, the true Messiah-Christ, had come to them.

33. (a) How, since 1919 C.E., have these receivers of the King let their joy be known and their shouting be heard? (b) When and how will the Messiah-Christ cease to ride the peaceful ass and on his ride whereto?

³³ They let their joy be known world wide. They let their shouting be heard world wide. How? By initiating in 1919 C.E. the greatest campaign for proclaiming God’s Messianic kingdom that the world of mankind has ever known. (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 14:6) They have let the proclamation of the good news of God’s Messianic kingdom be heard as far as Messiah’s “rulership” is foretold to extend: “from sea to sea and from the River [Euphrates] to the ends of the earth.” (Zechariah 9:10; Psalm 72:8) Already 207 countries and island groups have heard, and this in 165 languages. In God’s unchangeable due time​—soon now—​all Christendom and all other elements of this worldly system of things must be cleared off all this territory in the fast-nearing “great tribulation” such as the world of mankind has never before known. In Revelation 19:11-21 the Messiah-Christ is pictured, no longer as riding on a peaceful ass, but on a white war-horse, charging into battle to clear off all opposers who have been squatting on his earthly domain since 1914 C.E.

THE TURNING OF PRISONERS TO THE STRONGHOLD

34. (a) Did Jesus the Messiah merely proclaim liberation for the prisoners? (b) Jehovah’s announcement to the “woman” in Zechariah 9:11, 12 raises what questions?

³⁴ Jesus the Messiah, when on earth as a perfect human being, was sent to “proclaim liberty to those taken captive.” (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:16-21) He not only proclaims this, but after his proclamation thereof he bestows it upon the captive ones. Jehovah’s pronouncement through Zechariah foretells this, as it goes on to say: “Also, you, O woman, by the blood of your covenant I will send your prisoners out of the pit in which there is no water. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of the hope.” (Zechariah 9:11, 12) Who is the one here addressed as a woman, who are the “prisoners” and what is the “stronghold”?

35. The “woman” here addressed is in a covenant the blood of which was shed on what occasion?

³⁵ The one addressed as if a woman is the organization that is in a covenant with Jehovah God by the precious blood of life. No, it is not earthly Jerusalem nor the earthly nation of natural circumcised Israel. True, the ancient nation of Israel was in a national covenant with Jehovah through the blood of the animal victims sacrificed by the mediator Moses at Mount Sinai in Arabia. (Exodus, chapter 24) According to that national compact validated with such animal blood, the remnant of Israelites had been released from their prison of exile in Babylon in 537 B.C.E. But what Jehovah was now speaking of through Zechariah was a liberation in the distant future, long after that release from Babylonian exile. It is a freeing from the waterless pit that follows the presentation of Jehovah’s Messianic King. It follows Jesus’ triumphant ride into Jerusalem five days before the Jewish Passover of 33 C.E. On that Passover Day sacrificial blood was shed.

36. Whose blood is here meant, and with whom is the covenant by blood made, and who is the one addressed as “woman” in Zechariah 9:11?

³⁶ Whose blood? Messiah’s blood, whose blood had been typified by the blood of all the Passover lambs sacrificed annually by the Jews since that first Passover down in Egypt in 1513 B.C.E. (1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29, 36; 1 Peter 1:18, 19) By virtue of Messiah’s blood, more precious than that of all the animal victims sacrificed by Israel, a new covenant was put into force. With whom? Not with earthly Jerusalem or with natural Israel, who rejected the Messianic King and brought about his death. But with spiritual Israel, circumcised in heart, Jewish in an inward sense. (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:7 to 9:15) The Mediator of this new covenant between Jehovah and spiritual Israel is the Messiah Jesus. So it is spiritual Israel that is addressed as a woman in a covenant by blood at Zechariah 9:11.

37, 38. (a) Who are the woman’s “prisoners,” and what is the waterless pit in this twentieth century? (b) What larger meaning might be given to the waterless pit, and what covenant does the blood put in force?

³⁷ Where, then, were those “prisoners” of this symbolic woman? Down here in this twentieth century and in this “conclusion of the system of things” these “prisoners” are the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites. The history of this century records that during World War I these did come into the bondage of religious Babylon the Great and her political and military patronizers. In that condition they were as in a “pit in which there is no water.” No spiritual refreshment therein, no hope of their getting out! But by the shed blood of Christ as a ransom sacrifice their sins in this condition were forgiven them and they were restored to Jehovah’s favor and to their rightful spiritual estate on earth, as no longer exiles from Him. But the waterless pit may also picture that larger unfavorable condition of being under the general condemnation of sin and under its penalty of death, as inherited from our sinful first human parents, Adam and Eve. It did really require Christ’s redemptive blood to get those who make up this spiritual remnant out of that condition. His blood was that which was applied to put the new covenant into effect. Jesus said:

³⁸ “This means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28) “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.”​—Luke 22:20; Hebrews 13:20.

39. Only hope from what source could those “prisoners” in the waterless pit entertain, and what call did Jehovah issue to them in 1919 C.E.?

³⁹ Thus by the application of the blood of the new covenant made with spiritual Israel Jehovah of armies sent forth the imprisoned remnant out of the waterless “pit” of the condemnation of sin and death. (Hebrews 12:24) Religious Babylon the Great did not offer these “prisoners” any hope; they could entertain “hope” only as they trusted in the loving promises of Jehovah God and his Messiah. To these in spiritual exile under Babylon the Great, Jehovah of armies issued the call in 1919 C.E.: “Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of the hope.”​—Zechariah 9:12.

40. (a) What did that divine call mean for the “prisoners” to do? (b) What is the “stronghold” to which the prisoners must return?

⁴⁰ That divine call meant for those “prisoners of the hope” to get out of Babylon the Great! (Revelation 18:1-4) The word “stronghold” reminds us of the words of 2 Samuel 5:7-9: “David proceeded to capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. . . . And David took up dwelling in the stronghold, and it came to be called the city of David.” But King David’s capital became enlarged to include more than Mount Zion, and it came to be called Jerusalem. So Jerusalem is the “stronghold,” not so much in itself as a strongly fortified city, but in what it represented. What did it represent? The Messianic kingdom of God, for its human king was anointed with holy oil to be ruler and this anointed ruler sat on “Jehovah’s throne.”​—2 Samuel 5:1-3; 1 Chronicles 29:23.

41. (a) This return of the “prisoners” was typified by what in 537 B.C.E.? (b) Why was it to the kingdom that the “prisoners” were able to return in 1919 C.E.?

⁴¹ In 537 B.C.E. the remnant of exiles in Babylon returned to the land of Judah and rebuilt the city of Jerusalem, thus returning to the earthly stronghold. Their course of action was typical of the course of the modern remnant of spiritual Israel. In obedience to Jehovah’s call, the anointed remnant got out of Babylon the Great in 1919 C.E. and returned to the spiritual “stronghold.” What could be a more impregnable stronghold than the unshakable Messianic kingdom of God? As the earthly stronghold of Jerusalem stood for Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom, likewise the spiritual stronghold pictures what ancient Jerusalem had the divine right to, namely, Jehovah’s kingdom of the true Messiah seated at the right hand of God in heaven. The Gentile Times for the nations to trample on that divine right to Kingdom ended in 1914 C.E., and immediately the Messianic kingdom was born in the heavens. (Revelation 12:1-9) So the anointed remnant, on being released in 1919 C.E., could “return” to that stronghold-like Kingdom, which they had been proclaiming since 1914 C.E. They showed that they did so by renewing their Kingdom preaching as never before.

42. What can the remnant of spiritual Israel say today as to fulfillment of Jehovah’s promise to the “woman”: “Today I am telling you, ‘I shall repay to you, O woman, a double portion’”?

⁴² There was excellent reason for the anointed remnant to “return to the stronghold,” for Jehovah of armies went on to say to spiritual Israel as to a woman: “Also, today I am telling you, ‘I shall repay to you, O woman, a double portion.’” (Zechariah 9:12) And has not Jehovah of armies done so? Yes. As the anointed remnant of liberated spiritual Israelites today look back, they are obliged to admit that what they had to endure during World War I at the hands of Babylon the Great and her world paramours was nothing in comparison with the spiritual blessings that they are enjoying now in their rightful spiritual estate. Especially so since the end of World War II! It has been more than they expected at the hands of their Liberator, Jehovah of armies. It has been like a “double portion.” What blessings they enjoy!

SPIRITUAL WAR AGAINST THE SEVENTH WORLD POWER

43. In Zechariah 9:13-15, how did Jehovah say he would use his people in a spiritual offensive warfare?

⁴³ Jehovah of armies foresaw the future assailants against his people, his worshipers. What action would he take? Both offensive and defensive. As to his offensive action, he said: “‘For I will tread as my bow Judah. The bow I will fill with Ephraim, and I will awaken your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and I will make you [that is to say, Zion] as the sword of a mighty man.’ And over them Jehovah himself will be seen, and his arrow will certainly go forth just like lightning. And on the horn the Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself will blow, and he will certainly go with the windstorms of the south. Jehovah of armies himself will defend them, and they will actually devour and subdue the slingstones. And they will certainly drink​—be boisterous—​as if there were wine; and they will actually become filled like the bowl, like the corners of the altar.”​—Zechariah 9:13-15.

44. The joy of God’s victorious people was to be as joy occasioned by what means, and so what coming world power did they not need to fear?

⁴⁴ In that figurative warfare, Jehovah’s worshipers are to be victorious, for they will be boisterous with joy, just as if their hearts had been made to rejoice with wine. (Psalm 104:15) So, in Zechariah’s day, the restored Israelites had nothing to fear from the ‘sons of Greece,’ when Alexander the Great led these to the position of world domination as the Fifth World Power. Babylon the destroyer of Jerusalem had now fallen as the Third World Power. Medo-Persia was then dominating the earth as the Fourth World Power. And in 332 B.C.E. Greece was to take her place as the Fifth World Power and to govern the land of Judah.

45. (a) With what indirect outgrowth of the Grecian World Power has the anointed remnant had to carry on spiritual warfare, and over what issue? (b) How have the ‘sons of Zion’ prevailed?

⁴⁵ However, according to Daniel 8:8-25, there was to be an outgrowth from the Grecian Empire into the Roman Empire as the Sixth World Power and then on into the symbolic ‘small horn,’ the Anglo-American dual world power as the Seventh World Power. With this reputedly Christian Seventh World Power the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel has had to contend, especially during World Wars I and II. It is a spiritual warfare that they have had to wage in an effort to keep neutral toward the controversies of the worldly political powers and to obey God as ruler rather than nationalistic men. (Acts 5:29-32) The spiritual ‘sons of Zion’ have prevailed by faith in God’s Word and by their faithfulness to Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom. This has not been true of the Zionist Movement of the natural, circumcised Jews up till now.

46. How does Jehovah use his anointed remnant on earth like bow and arrow, how speedily does his arrow go, how does he blow his symbolic “horn,” and what does he use as the “sword of a mighty man”?

⁴⁶ When the Seventh World Power proposed and worked for the League of Nations in 1918-1919 as the “political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth,” Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom as established in the heavens in 1914 C.E. and as pictured by ancient Zion stood in opposition to the man-made counterfeit. Jehovah will use his kingdom as the “sword of a mighty man.” The “sons of the kingdom” (Zion’s spiritual sons) proclaim world wide the Kingdom message, which also is as a spiritual sword. (Matthew 13:38, 43; Ephesians 6:17) Like ancient Judah (the bow) and like Ephraim (the arrow), Jehovah uses the older surviving part of the anointed remnant to propel the newer part like an arrow in declaring the judgment message of the Sovereign Lord God against the enemies of the Messianic kingdom. Jehovah’s symbolic “arrow” speeds “just like lightning” to the Kingdom proclamation, the declaring of the “day of vengeance on the part of our God.” (Isaiah 61:1, 2) Through the present-day explanations of his Holy Word the Bible, Jehovah sounds the spiritual “horn” to call his anointed remnant to the spiritual warfare.

47. (a) Especially since when has Jehovah been seen over his people, and in what respects has he defended them? (b) How have they subdued the figurative “slingstones,” and at what are they filled with joy as with wine?

⁴⁷ He himself is seen over them, for since 1931 C.E. they have specifically been called by his name, Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. Against the enemies of his Messianic kingdom he will go as “with the windstorms of the south,” which are notably violent in the Middle East. But his faithful remnant of spiritual Israelites he will defend, preserving their faith and spirituality and their God-given spiritual estate. The enemies hurl many stunning deterrents against the restored remnant, but such symbolic “slingstones” the remnant show a capacity to receive without being stunned out of action and they really subdue such “slingstones,” nullifying their effect. Just as the temple bowls were filled with the blood of animal victims and splashed against the side of the copper altar of sacrifice, drenching its corners, so Jehovah’s pouring out of the lifeblood of his enemies in destruction will fill the defended remnant with joy, as if the blood of the enemies were wine that was lawful to drink, to make their hearts rejoice.

48. With what kind of tenderness did Jehovah promise to treat his dedicated people, and like what kind of stones have they glittered?

⁴⁸ Instead of being like an assailing warrior against his remnant of spiritual Israelites, Jehovah will be tender toward them like a peaceful shepherd. So he brings his “pronouncement” to a high point, saying: “And Jehovah their God will certainly save them in that day like the flock of his people; for they will be as the stones of a diadem glittering over his soil. For O how great his goodness is, and how great his handsomeness is! Grain is what will make the young men thrive, and new wine the virgins.”​—Zechariah 9:16, 17.

49, 50. (a) Since when did Jehovah honor those honoring his name? (b) How does Jehovah act as a Savior of his flock, and how precious are these to Him?

⁴⁹ In the days of Zechariah, that was a heart-strengthening prophecy. Today, this late in the “time of the end” of the Seventh World Power and all the rest of this militarized system of things, the prophecy has become an experience that now nears a grand climax.

⁵⁰ Since the publication of the leading article, “Who Will Honor Jehovah?” in the January 1, 1926, issue of The Watch Tower, Jehovah has outstandingly been declared world wide to be the God of the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites. Just as He had long ago said by a prophetic “man of God,” “Those honoring me I shall honor,” he did honor that Jehovah-honoring remnant. (1 Samuel 2:30) He saved them through the persecutions and perils of the worst war of all human history, World War II (1939-1945 C.E.), because these honorable spiritual Israelites were dear to him, just as a flock of sheep is to its Middle Eastern shepherd. How precious the stones of a royal diadem are to its wearer, whose appearance is made awesome by their glitter! Just as precious as those glittering stones in a royal headdress are the faithful ones of the spiritual “flock of his people.” He will yet save them from the enemy’s final assault.

51. How has the mental picture of Jehovah become to the remnant, and as with what provisions has he caused them to thrive spiritually?

⁵¹ How great Jehovah’s goodness to them has proved to be! How handsome their mental picture of Him has become to them! As with abundant harvests of grain he has fed them with spiritual food from his revealed Holy Word. As with new wine, their hearts have been gladdened. All this has caused them to thrive spiritually.

[Footnotes]

[Map on page 260]

(For fully formatted text, see publication)

LAND OF PALESTINE

DURING THE REIGN OF THE PERSIAN KINGS

KITTIM (CYPRUS)

Hamath

MEDITERRANEAN SEA

Riblah

LAND OF HADRACH (?)

Lebanon Mtns.

SYRIA

PHOENICIA

Sidon

Tyre

Damascus

BASHAN

Samaria

Jordan River

EPHRAIM

Jerusalem

Ashdod

Ashkelon

Gaza

PHILISTIA

Ekron

JUDAH

Gath

Chapter 17

Unification in Spite of False Predictions

1. Bringing back scattered peoples to their own land to the capacity of its territory suggests what problems in these days of population explosion and impending world famine?

IN THESE days ominous warnings are being sounded of overpopulating the earth​—population explosion!​—and of world famine as early as the year 1975 C.E. It seems strange, therefore, to be speaking predictively of young men and virgin girls thriving on the grain of the field and the luxury wine of the vineyards. Yes, and of bringing in more population to the point of having no more room for more. For the rapidly multiplying populations of some nations it seems that more room has to be found at the expense of territory outside the national borders, taken from neighboring lands. More food has to be grown; more land has to be put to raising crops. Why, then, regather the scattered people of a nation within their national borders, to the utmost capacity of the territory? How can its food problem be solved?

2. In contrast with human governments, for whom is there no food problem, according to Psalm 104:13-16?

² Food problem? For human governments, yes! But for the Planter of mankind’s paradise, No! No such problem exists even today for Him of whom it was written under inspiration more than twenty-three centuries before the present world situation: “He is watering the mountains from his upper chambers. With the fruitage of your works the earth is satisfied. He is making green grass sprout for the beasts, and vegetation for the service of mankind, to cause food to go forth from the earth, and wine that makes the heart of mortal man rejoice, to make the face shine with oil, and bread that sustains the very heart of mortal man. The trees of Jehovah are satisfied, the cedars of Lebanon that he planted.”​—Psalm 104:13-16.

3. In what direction does Zechariah 10:1, 2 turn us to look for relief?

³ Let self-reliant men make what predictions they dare to make about solving the world problem by combined human efforts, there is only the one direction in which to look for relief. In that direction the pronouncement that comes from a source superior to that of man and devils and that is written down in Zechariah 10:1, 2 points all of us, saying: “Make your request of Jehovah for rain in the time of the spring rain, even of Jehovah who is making the storm clouds, and who gives a downpour of rain to them, to each one vegetation in the field. For the teraphim themselves have spoken what is uncanny; and the practicers of divination, for their part, have visioned falsehood, and valueless dreams are what they keep speaking, and in vain they try to comfort. That is why they will certainly depart like a flock; they will become afflicted, because there is no shepherd.”

4. How was the Creator’s ability to give rain at a specified time demonstrated in Noah’s day and in Elijah’s day?

⁴ The ability of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, the Creator, to give rain on a world scale was demonstrated in the year 2370 B.C.E., when, at the close of a week during which Noah and his family were told to get the animal and bird specimens into the mammoth ark (chest), it began to rain earth wide for forty days, this flooding the whole face of the earth for a year. (Genesis, chapters 6-8) Another occasion that he brought rain at a specific time, and this in answer to prayer, was when, at the end of three and a half years of drought over the land of the Ten Tribe Kingdom of Israel, the prophet Elijah prayed. The start of this answer to the prayer of a righteous man was a “small cloud like a man’s palm ascending out of the [Mediterranean] sea,” after which “the heavens themselves darkened up with clouds and wind and a great downpour began to occur.”​—1 Kings 18:43-45; James 5:16-18; Luke 4:25, 26.

5. What experience during the neglect of temple building proved to the restored Jews that “pouring rains of blessing” (Ezekiel 34:26) were not to be taken for granted?

⁵ To the faithful remnant restored to the land of Judah it was promised that Jehovah would give them an excellent ecology or environmental conditions. He said: “I will make them and the surroundings of my hill a blessing, and I will cause the pouring rain to descend in its time. Pouring rains of blessing there will prove to be.” (Ezekiel 34:26) However, the remnant was not to take this for granted. During the years that they neglected the rebuilding of God’s temple at Jerusalem, they experienced scorching heat over the land, and “the heavens kept back their dew, and the earth itself kept back its yield. And I [Jehovah] kept calling for dryness upon the earth, and upon the mountains, and upon the grain, and upon the new wine, and upon the oil, and upon what the ground would bring forth, and upon earthling man, and upon domestic animal, and upon all the toil of the hands.” (Haggai 1:10, 11; 2:16, 17; Zechariah 8:10-12) Then they found it necessary to pray to the One “who is making the storm clouds, and who gives a downpour of rain.”​—Zechariah 10:1.

6. Are the false gods of pagan, superstitious people rainmakers, and what statement about rainmaking will ecologists yet find to be true?

⁶ To the faithful remnant who directed their prayers to Him, along with obedience to his commandments, he gave “to each one vegetation in the field.” Each faithful individual’s plot of ground was blessed with needed vegetation for food. The false gods of pagan, superstitious people are not the ones to whom to look and pray. In an address to the heavenly Rainmaker, the earlier prophet Jeremiah said: “Do there exist among the vain idols of the nations any that can pour down rain, or can even the heavens themselves give copious showers? Are you not the One, O Jehovah our God? And we hope in you, for you yourself have done all these things.” (Jeremiah 14:22) All of today’s ecologists or environmental experts, who do not take Jehovah God into consideration, will yet find the inspired Bible statement about Jehovah’s rainmaking true.

7. Why does the anointed remnant not pray for literal rain to avert world famine, and what do they know to be more important for survival?

⁷ At the present time the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel, who are giving their attention foremost to reestablishing the pure worship of Jehovah at his spiritual temple, are not praying for literal rain upon the earth in the hope of preventing world famine. They remember that Jesus Christ predicted that during this “conclusion of the system of things,” “famines,” “food shortages,” would add to the sufferings of the worldly nations and peoples. (Matthew 24:7, AV; NW) They know that more important for surviving the coming great world “tribulation” and gaining life in God’s new system of things are the spiritual blessings​—an increasing understanding of the Holy Bible and its prophecies, favorable relationship with God, more of his holy spirit or active force, regular meetings with his dedicated people, a share in the preaching of the good news of his Messianic kingdom, divine guidance and protection in all our endeavors to do His will. For a downpour of such blessings the God-fearing remnant have prayed. Hence their spiritual estate has yielded much “vegetation.” It has become a spiritual Paradise.​—2 Corinthians 12:4.

8. To what as gods has Christendom looked for her blessings, but with what foretold result?

⁸ Contrary to her “form of godly devotion,” Christendom looks for her blessings to the false gods of this world, commercialism, militarism, evolutionistic schooling, patriotism, modern science and technology, and the United Nations. Her political leaders even consult astrologers and spirit mediums. What have we noticed to be the results? Exactly what Zechariah 10:2 foretold: “For the teraphim themselves have spoken what is uncanny; and the practicers of divination, for their part, have visioned falsehood, and valueless dreams are what they keep speaking, and in vain they try to comfort. That is why they will certainly depart like a flock; they will become afflicted, because there is no shepherd.”

9. How have the people of Christendom been guilty of using “teraphim” and “divination”?

⁹ In their independence of the Holy Bible, the peoples of Christendom look to their “teraphim,” that is, their household gods, their Pe·naʹtes, as the superstitious ancient Romans did. They trust to their own private opinions, each one having his own brand of personal religion. They look to the predictions of the military, economic and political specialists; also, to the priests and clergymen who pray heaven’s blessing upon such worldly leaders and spokesmen. They rebel against the Word of God that Jehovah’s Christian witnesses have proclaimed to them, and they push ahead presumptuously with their own ideas of how to do things. To them the words of the prophet Samuel apply, when speaking to disobedient King Saul of Israel: “Rebelliousness is the same as the sin of divination, and pushing ahead presumptuously the same as using uncanny power and teraphim.”​—1 Samuel 15:23.

10. Have Christendom’s predictors proved true, has relief come and has the flock been kept together under a shepherd?

¹⁰ From Jehovah’s standpoint, not just the so-called pagan world, but even Christendom is involved with idolatrous teraphim and uncanny power and demonistic divination. The private opinions of men have therefore proved to be in error. The predictions made by public figures regarding an improvement of world conditions by all the man-made means that have been put to use have proved to be merely fond dreams, falsehoods. How has this affected the deceived, misled people? They are certainly departing like a flock of sheep, each one going his own way, like sheep not knowing where to go. They have gone astray and are the prey for the vicious elements of human society. They have consequently come into great affliction, with no remedy available from human sources. No political ruler, no political organization, is able to shepherd them, to protect them and guide them to peaceful pastures or quiet waters.

11, 12. (a) How have the rulers of Christendom not followed the example of King David the psalmist? (b) According to Zechariah 10:3-7, is Jehovah pleased with the political “shepherds” who are guided by the religious clergy?

¹¹ The political rulers, even of professedly Christian Christendom, have refused to follow the example of King David, who shepherded the flock of the nation of Israel in 1077-1037 B.C.E. In Psalm 23:1, 2 the former shepherd-boy David said: “Jehovah is my Shepherd. I shall lack nothing. In grassy pastures he makes me lie down; by well-watered resting-places he conducts me.” Could the Supreme Shepherd Jehovah be pleased with the conduct of the political rulers who as shepherds of their peoples are guided and supported by the religious clergy of Christendom? Not according to Zechariah 10:3-7:

¹² “Against the shepherds my anger has grown hot, and against the goatlike leaders I shall hold an accounting; for Jehovah of armies has turned his attention to his drove, the house of Judah, and has made them like his horse of dignity in the battle. Out of him [Judah] is the keyman, out of him is the supporting ruler, out of him is the battle bow; out of him goes forth every taskmaster, all together. And they must become like mighty men stamping down in the mire of the streets in the battle. And they must get engaged in battle, for Jehovah is with them; and the riders of horses will have to experience shame. And I will make the house of Judah superior, and the house of Joseph I shall save. And I will give them a dwelling, for I will show them mercy; and they must become like those whom I had not cast off; for I am Jehovah their God, and I shall answer them. And those of Ephraim must become just like a mighty man, and their heart must rejoice as though from wine. And their own sons will see and certainly rejoice; their heart will be joyful in Jehovah.”

13. The clergy have left the political “shepherds” and the “goatlike leaders” in ignorance of whose attitude toward them, and how so?

¹³ Even in Christendom the political “shepherds” do not appreciate that Jehovah’s anger has grown hot against them. Do not the religious clergy pray for them and call down heaven’s blessing upon them? Likewise, Christendom’s headstrong “goatlike leaders” do not believe and fear that Jehovah of armies will hold an accounting with them. Do they not go to Christendom’s churches and so will not the priests and preachers act as mediators for them with God and straighten out matters for them with God? So they do not expect to feel the heat of Jehovah’s hot anger in the foretold “war of the great day of God the Almighty.” They show no concern about his holding an accounting with them at Har–Magedon, the battlefield of that “war.” However, although their own religious clergy have left these political “shepherds” and “goatlike leaders” in ignorance and self-complacency, Jehovah of armies certainly has not done so. He has served notice upon them, doing this well in advance and repeatedly. By what means?

14. By means of whom has Jehovah served such notice well in advance, and how has he transformed these from being like sheep into being like a majestic war-horse?

¹⁴ By means of his anointed Christian witnesses, the antitypical “house of Judah.” These have not followed the misleading political “shepherds” and “goatlike leaders” of Christendom. Jehovah is their Shepherd, and since 1919 C.E. He has turned his favorable attention toward them as his “drove” of sheep. During World War I they were indeed like sheep, not taking part in military combat along with Christendom, but were subjected to the beastlike political, military exploiters of mankind who had the approval and backing of the religious clergy. But since that first world conflict the great Heavenly Shepherd has regathered his “drove,” the spiritual “house of Judah.” From being like sheep, He has transformed them to be like “his horse of dignity in the battle.” He has imparted to them by means of his Word and holy spirit a courage like that of a majestic battle horse.​—Zechariah 10:3.

15. Why ought this transformation to be so with the spiritual “house of Judah” since 1914 C.E.?

¹⁵ This ought to be so. For, at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E., Jehovah God enthroned in the heavens the “Lion that is of the tribe of Judah” and commanded him: “Go subduing in the midst of your enemies.” (Revelation 5:5; Genesis 49:9, 10; Psalm 110:1, 2) As is the Leader of the spiritual “house of Judah,” so the other members of the “house” should be. Respecting this “house of Judah” Jehovah goes on to say: “Out of him is the keyman, out of him is the supporting ruler [literally, peg], out of him is the battle bow; out of him goes forth every taskmaster, all together.”​—Zechariah 10:4.

16. (a) Who was the “keyman” in Zechariah’s day, but who is such in our day? (b) How is he the “supporting ruler,” the battle “bow” and the “taskmaster”?

¹⁶ In Zechariah’s day Governor Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel of the tribe of Judah was the “keyman.” In our day, since the birth of Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom in 1914 C.E., the glorified Jesus Christ who descended from David of the house of Judah is the “keyman.” Things are centered in him; responsibilities of royal weight converge upon him. Like a “peg” from which the royal interests hang and draw their support, the Messianic King is the “supporting ruler.” In the almighty hand of his God, Jehovah of armies, he is the “battle bow,” to wound and strike down the enemies from far off. He is the Chief Taskmaster, who assigns the royal tasks to all the members of the “house of Judah,” some of whom he appoints as under-taskmasters, and all of whom must work together with him as their Chief and Leader. With him at their head, all the “house of Judah” has reason to be courageous.

17. Why do the times call for courage on the part of the spiritual “house of Judah,” as in warfare?

¹⁷ The times call for Christlike courage. We dare not let the world situation smite us with a paralysis of fear. We have plainly been forewarned that this would be a time of warfare against the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel, inasmuch as Satan the Devil and his demon angels have been cast out of heaven by the Messianic kingdom, and concerning this dragon-like adversary it stands written for us to read today: “And the dragon grew wrathful at the woman [God’s heavenly organization], and went off to wage war with the remaining ones of her seed, who observe the commandments of God and have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.” (Revelation 12:17) So, with the help of their God, the remnant of the spiritual “house of Judah” have had fulfilled in them the divine promise: “And they must become like mighty men stamping down in the mire of the streets in the battle. And they must get engaged in battle, for Jehovah is with them; and the riders of horses will have to experience shame.”​—Zechariah 10:5.

18. (a) Why did the spiritual “house of Judah” have to get engaged in the battle, and with whom on their side? (b) Because of what have the “riders of horses” had to experience shame?

¹⁸ The picture here is of victorious warriors who have invaded the enemy stronghold, the streets of which run red with the blood of the slain defenders. So the invaders must stamp down in the mire formed from blood mingled with dust. But for the anointed remnant of the spiritual “house of Judah” the warfare today is spiritual, with weapons that are “powerful by God for overturning strongly entrenched things.” (2 Corinthians 10:4; Ephesians 6:14-18) In this “wicked day,” when the dragon Satan the Devil and his demons have been cast down to this earth, the anointed remnant could not escape being involved in battle. They have courageously undertaken it, “for Jehovah is with them.” Their still being engaged in the battle to now near the close of the “time of the end” denotes spiritual triumph for them. But as for those enemies who trust in “horses,” that is, in the world’s way of carrying on a fight against Jehovah’s worshipers, they have indeed experienced shame, disappointment. All the opposition, interference and persecution by these “riders of horses” have failed to stop the remnant of the spiritual “house of Judah.”

A UNIFIED NATION

19. (a) What breakup in the twelve-tribe nation of Israel took place in 997 B.C.E.? (b) How did the survivors of both resulting kingdoms become exiles together in Babylonia?

¹⁹ In the day of the prophet Zechariah during the sixth century before our Common Era, the nation of Israel was unified by the releasing of the faithful remnant from Babylon and the restoring of them to the land of Judah. In the year 997 B.C.E. there had been a breakup of the nation. Ten tribes revolted against the further rulership of the royal family of David; only the tribes of Benjamin and Judah stuck true to David’s royal line. The ten-tribe kingdom of Israel was under the leadership of its most populous tribe, that of Ephraim, the younger son of the patriarch Joseph. The tribe of Manasseh, the firstborn son of Joseph, lined up with its brother tribe of Ephraim. The ten-tribe kingdom of the north lasted only till 740 B.C.E., when its then capital, Samaria, was destroyed by the Assyrians and the survivors were deported to Assyrian territories. But about 632 B.C.E., Babylon overthrew Assyria and absorbed its territories and its Israelite exiles. So when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E. and deported its survivors to Babylonia, all tribes became exiles.

20. (a) Why were the exiles of the ten-tribe kingdom spoken of as the “house of Ephraim” or the “house of Joseph”? (b) How did Jehovah indicate there would be a unification of both houses?

²⁰ Since the tribe of Ephraim, the son of Joseph, dominated the ten-tribe kingdom, its exiles were spoken of as the “house of Ephraim” or “the house of Joseph,” whose chief representative was Ephraim. Indicating that all twelve tribes of Israel would be reunified in the land of Judah by the return there of a faithful remnant of exiles, Jehovah now speaks of both houses and goes on to say: “And I will make the house of Judah superior, and the house of Joseph I shall save. And I will give them a dwelling, for I will show them mercy; and they must become like those whom I had not cast off; for I am Jehovah their God, and I shall answer them. And those of Ephraim must become just like a mighty man, and their heart must rejoice as though from wine. And their own sons will see and certainly rejoice; their heart will be joyful in Jehovah.”​—Zechariah 10:6, 7.

21. (a) Over whom did Jehovah make the “house of Judah” superior, and in what way did He save the “house of Joseph”? (b) How did they become like those whom Jehovah had never cast off?

²¹ The Sovereign Lord God was the One who made the “house of Judah,” that specially represented the Messianic kingdom of David, “superior” to its enemies. Exiles of the “house of Joseph” were also saved, that is to say, given the victory over their enemies. Jehovah of armies gave them a dwelling with their fellow tribesmen in the Persian province of Judah, after he delivered them from the exile into which Assyria had taken them. Like the house of Judah, these also became “just like a mighty man” in Jehovah’s service. Upon them he had mercy even as upon the other exiles, and all the restored exiles together became as a people whom he had never cast off because of their disobedience. This fact was especially plain for all to observe when the repatriated exiles finally completed the building of the second temple at Jerusalem, to worship him unitedly there as the God of the whole nation. He demonstrated that he heard their prayers by answering them.

22. (a) Why is the stimulation to joy on their part stronger than that induced by wine? (b) In what way do their “sons” share in that joy?

²² The stimulation of their heart to rejoice was stronger than that induced by drinking wine. Their stimulation was a spiritual one. Their heart was joyful in their God, Jehovah, because of what he had done for them, because of the mercy that he had displayed to them. Their sons, born to them in their regained homeland, would share in this divine mercy and goodness. They too see it, experience it and would rejoice with their parents because of it.

23. In the final fulfillment, what corresponds with the “house of Judah” and the “house of Joseph” (Ephraim), and where and since when has Jehovah united them?

²³ In the final fulfillment of the prophecy in our twentieth century concerning the “house of Judah” and the “house of Joseph” (Ephraim) there are two parts of the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel to be taken into account. There was the original part that came through the hard experiences of World War I and was restored to divine favor and liberated in 1919 C.E. And there was the newer part that was delivered from Babylon the Great since 1919 C.E. and that was joined to the original anointed remnant. The unification of them all as one “people for special possession” of Jehovah took place in the spiritual estate into which he brought them together from 1919 C.E. onward. Thus they could unitedly work together for the reestablishment and expansion of the worship of the only living and true God at His spiritual temple. By his invincible spirit he caused this “drove” of sheeplike disciples of His Messiah to become like a dignified war-horse not afraid to charge into the battle.

24. How did the united remnant now show courage like that of a horse charging into the battle? That is, in Kingdom proclamation?

²⁴ Thus they became more courageous than ever in the proclamation of the Messianic kingdom of God, the kingdom reigning in the heavens since the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E. Yes, they continued to distribute free Bible tracts, by the hundreds of millions of copies, to the homes of the people. But now they did not leave the brunt of the work to some hundreds of full-time “colporteurs,” for now they all undertook to knock at the doors of the people and interview the householders and place with them Bible study helps in the form of booklets and bound books on a nominal contribution toward the work. They engaged hundreds of radio stations to broadcast the Kingdom message throughout the earth, even organizing some of the largest broadcasting chains on occasions to reach the homes and ears of as many listeners as possible. When the mounting religious, political, judicial opposition made it difficult to carry on the radiocasting of the Kingdom message freely, sound cars topped by loudspeakers were sent out to herald the message afield. Portable phonographs were carried from door to door to play the message recorded on phonograph disks.

25. How was courageous proclamation made of the judgment messages issued during the years 1922-1928?

²⁵ During the seven years, 1922-1928 C.E., a series of seven general or international assemblies were held by the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites. At each of these in succession a fearless judgment message from God’s Holy Bible was declared, also being supported by an appropriate public address direct to visible audiences and to invisible audiences by radio. These judgment message proclamations and their supporting speeches were issued in the form of free tracts for free distribution in many languages, and hundreds of millions of these were placed in the hands of the people in many lands. These annual messages by speech and printed page were like the sounding of a series of seven trumpets to blast Jehovah’s modern-day judgments for all the world to hear. This is how they are pictured in the apocalyptic book of Revelation, chapters eight and nine and eleven.

26. How does the Revelation presentation of the fifth trumpet picture the anointed remnant, after release from Babylon the Great, as being warlike?

²⁶ Regarding the sounding of the fifth such trumpet message under angelic guidance, note how Revelation 9:7-11 pictures the remnant as released from Babylon the Great under the symbol of locusts and describes them: “And the likenesses of the locusts resembled horses prepared for battle; and upon their heads were what seemed to be crowns like gold, and their faces were as men’s faces, but they had hair as women’s hair. And their teeth were as those of lions; and they had breastplates like iron breastplates. And the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running into battle. Also, they have tails and stings like scorpions; and in their tails is their authority to hurt the men five months. They have over them a king, the angel of the abyss. In Hebrew his name is A·badʹdon, but in Greek he has the name A·polʹlyon.” This pictures the remnant as warlike.

27. How is the Revelation presentation of the sixth trumpet in agreement with Zechariah 10:3-7 in showing the remnant to be warlike, as “mighty men”?

²⁷ The apocalyptic picture of the effects of the sounding of the sixth trumpet (beginning in 1927 C.E.) shows the remnant as riding hundreds of millions of publicity vehicles for announcing Jehovah’s judgments. Look at the description: “The number of the armies of cavalry was two myriads of myriads: I [John] heard the number of them. And this is how I saw the horses in the vision, and those seated on them: they had fire-red and hyacinth-blue and sulphur-yellow breastplates; and the heads of the horses were as heads of lions, and out of their mouths fire and smoke and sulphur issued forth. By these three plagues a third of the men were killed, from the fire and the smoke and the sulphur which issued forth from their mouths. For the authority of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with these they do harm.” (Revelation 9:16-19) So these symbolic visions are in harmony with Zechariah 10:3-7 in likening the restored remnant to Jehovah’s “horse of dignity in battle” and to “mighty men.”

MIGHTY OBSTACLES OVERCOME

28. In Zechariah 10:8-12, how did Jehovah speak of his overcoming obstacles when regathering his people as from Egypt and Assyria?

²⁸ As we can clearly see now, nothing has proved to be an insurmountable obstacle to Jehovah of armies in realizing his stated purpose. How he would treat such obstacles he stated in Zechariah 10:8-12, saying: “‘I will whistle for them and collect them together; for I shall certainly redeem them, and they must become many, just like those who have become many. And I shall scatter them like seed among the peoples, and in the distant places they will remember me; and they must revive with their sons and return. And I must bring them back from the land of Egypt; and from Assyria I shall collect them together; and to the land of Gilead and Lebanon I shall bring them, and no room will be found for them. And he must pass through the sea with distress; and in the sea he must strike down the waves, and all the depths of the Nile must dry up. And the pride of Assyria must be brought down, and the very scepter of Egypt will depart. And I will make them superior in Jehovah, and in his name they will walk about,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.”​—Zechariah 10:8-12.

29. (a) When did Jehovah humble the pride of Assyria, as foretold? (b) When did He whistle for his people who were scattered like seed, and what response was there to this?

²⁹ In this divine utterance the term Assyria would take in the territories to which the Assyrians deported the survivors of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel in 740 B.C.E. But the “pride” of Assyria was humbled by Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. In turn, the “pride” of this conqueror and dispossessor of Assyria was brought down by Jehovah’s earthly instrument, Cyrus the Great of Persia, in 539 B.C.E. Thereafter Jehovah could “whistle” to the scattered exiles of his people in the northern lands of the Babylonian Empire. Where he scattered them they multiplied like seed sown. In the lands of their exile, no matter how distant, they would hear his “whistle” and remember him. This would have a reviving effect upon them and upon their sons whom they had brought forth in exile. Alive and responsive to his inviting “whistle,” they would return to their desolated homeland.

30. What obstacles are suggested as to gathering his exiled people from Egypt, and how would Jehovah deal with those obstacles?

³⁰ Many of the exiles had been taken into exile or had fled for refuge into Egypt to the south. (2 Kings 23:31-34; 25:22-26) So Jehovah ‘whistled’ in that direction also. From there he collected members of the remnant to worship him at his temple in Jerusalem. The scepter wielded by the ruler of Egypt could not prevent this. Jehovah’s will was accomplished just as if the Egyptian scepter of authority had departed, did not exist. The “whistle” of the Most High God had more authority than Egypt’s scepter. If the waters of Egypt’s deified Nile River were an obstacle to His people he could treat them as if they had dried up for his people. If the Red Sea hindered, he could pass through that sea with “distress” to its waters. He could strike down its waves, that His returning exiles might pass through to his place of worship at Jerusalem. He could do again what he did before in 1513 B.C.E.

31. (a) How would Jehovah take care of any tendency toward overpopulating the land, and still allow for growth? (b) In what sense would they walk about in His name?

³¹ There was no fear of overpopulating the land. The Owner of all the earth would merely enlarge the borders of the land for his restored exiles. Their borders would take in the “land of Gilead” to the east of the Jordan River. Yes, also the land of Lebanon to the west along the Mediterranean Sea. In this enlarged area of occupancy they must “become many, just like those who have become many.” Their rate of population growth will not be behind that of any other populous land. They will be just as many as ever. The Most High and Almighty God would make them “superior” to all foreign efforts to oppress, suppress and diminish them. In His name, or as a people called by His name, they would walk about. Wherever they walked, they would have His name in mind and seek to honor it, doing nothing to downgrade it.

32. When did Jehovah begin to “whistle” to his exiles, and how?

³² In the year 537 B.C.E. Jehovah began to “whistle” to his exiled people by the decree of liberation issued by Babylon’s conqueror, the Persian Cyrus the Great. (Ezra 1:1 to 3:2) That decree did not apply to Egypt, but later the way was opened for the exiles in Egypt to return to their God-given land.

33. When did Jehovah begin to “whistle” to the exiles of spiritual Israel, and by what means?

³³ Likewise in the year 1919 C.E. Babylon the Great experienced a great fall at the hands of the Greater Cyrus, the triumphant enthroned King Jesus Christ. Did Jehovah then begin to “whistle” to his exiled remnant? Evidently, Yes! How? Notably by means of that semimonthly magazine that today is known world wide as The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom and that bears the front-cover subscription “‘You are my witnesses,’ says Jehovah.” (Isaiah 43:12) It conveyed to the members of the anointed remnant throughout the earth the call to reunite and gather to the support of God’s Messianic kingdom. As a step in that direction, it announced the arrangements for the holding of a general convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A., for September 1-8, 1919, and invited all readers to attend.

34. (a) How many attended that general gathering in 1919 C.E., and what did they learn about enlarging Kingdom preaching? (b) How has that enlarging of Kingdom publicity resulted today?

³⁴ About six thousand found it possible or convenient to share in this significant regathering and spiritual feast. They rejoiced at being restored to their rightful spiritual estate on earth. They learned of the arrangements to enlarge the means of publicizing God’s Messianic kingdom by starting a companion magazine, then called The Golden Age but now Awake! The first issue of this was dated October 1, 1919. It has since served as a powerful vehicle for proclaiming the Messianic kingdom and the age of life, peace, happiness and prosperity that this kingdom will shortly usher in. It was in the year 1940 C.E. that this magazine began to be offered publicly on the streets to the general public. Today more than seven million copies of each semimonthly issue are printed in more than twenty-five languages, and the number of recipients and readers of it goes on increasing.

35. (a) How was Jehovah’s “whistle” sounded out more and more widely, and with what effect? (b) How were obstacles to responding to the “whistle” overcome?

³⁵ From that start in the liberation year of 1919 C.E. the regathering of the remnant went forward. As the faithful surviving remnant courageously took up the Kingdom message with great joy and enthusiasm and spread it farther and farther, the “whistle” of Jehovah sounded out more widely. Many seekers of the true God, both inside and outside of Christendom, heard that “whistle” inviting them to the pure worship of the one living and true God at his spiritual temple. They put forth their best efforts to respond. Were there obstacles in their way, things like the Nile River or the Red Sea or political powers of oppression like Assyria and ancient Egypt? The God whom they sought to worship at the true spiritual temple opened his written Word to them and pointed out to them how to overcome and surmount those imposing obstacles. Obedience to God’s “whistle” must come first!

36. How, in their personal case, must the “pride of Assyria” be brought down, and the “scepter of Egypt” be made to “depart”?

³⁶ Fear they must cast aside. They must heed the call from heaven to come out of Babylon the Great, that world empire of false religion that includes not only Christendom but also pagandom. (Revelation 18:1-4) They must not let the “pride” of militarized, nationalistic governments like that of Assyria swell their heads. They must put Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom ahead of all man-made governments. In their personal case the interests of all high and mighty human rulerships must be brought down low before the interests of Jehovah’s universal sovereignty and its Messianic instrument. The symbolic “scepter of Egypt” as wielded by the political powers of this world should not be considered as supreme in power and authority. They should think on the scepter wielded by God’s Messianic King, to whom Jehovah said, in 1914 C.E.: “The rod of your strength Jehovah will send out of [the heavenly] Zion, saying: ‘Go subduing in the midst of your enemies.’” (Psalm 110:1, 2) The comparing of this Messianic scepter with the “scepter of Egypt” makes this latter human scepter “depart.”

37, 38. (a) Instead of State worship, recognition must be given to Jehovah as being what, and how was help to see this requirement given? (b) What did that book Government say, in part, under “Theocracy” and “Jehovah King”?

³⁷ Instead of their recognizing the political State as supreme and rendering worship to the man-made State, recognition must be given by them to the Sovereign Lord Jehovah as the God Ruler or Theocrat. Help for them to see this requirement was given to the people in the book entitled “Government,” which was released to the public in the year 1928 at the general convention of the International Bible Students Association in Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A., July 30 to August 6, 1928, at which the symbolic seventh trumpet began to be blown. (Revelation 11:15-18) On pages 247-250 this book discussed “Theocracy” and “Jehovah King” and said, in part:

³⁸ “What form of government will then control the peoples of earth? That government will be a pure theocracy. For centuries the whole creation has groaned and suffered in pain, waiting for the manifestation of that government. (Rom. 8:19) Now the time has come for its establishment, and both the rulers and the ruled of the earth should learn the truth and rejoice. . . . A theocracy is a government of which the chief ruler is Jehovah God. He is the Maker and Executor of its laws through his duly constituted agencies. While it is true that supreme power has always resided in Jehovah, with the overthrow of Israel’s last king he permitted man to take his own course and has not interfered until his time has come to set upon his throne him ‘whose right it is.’ He it is whom God has appointed and anointed to rule under and in harmony with Jehovah. . . . The great theocracy, when seen and appreciated by the people, will be the joy of the whole earth.”

39. (a) By what form of government will Paradise be restored to mankind, and what kind of organization has Jehovah established in the spiritual Paradise of his remnant? (b) Those who would join the remnant in their theocratic spiritual estate must cut through what obstacles?

³⁹ It will be through the coming Theocracy that Paradise will be restored to mankind. At present a spiritual Paradise obtains among the restored remnant, among whom the Great Theocrat has established a theocratic organization. This spiritual remnant, thus organized, puts Jehovah God above all human rulers, autocratic or democratic, and says, in the words of Isaiah 33:22: “Jehovah is our Judge, Jehovah is our Statute-giver, Jehovah is our King; he himself will save us.” They take the theocratic position taken by the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ when before the Supreme Court of Jerusalem: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men. . . . And we are witnesses of these matters, and so is the holy spirit, which God has given to those obeying him as ruler.” (Acts 5:29-32) Hence those who would join the anointed remnant in their theocratic spiritual estate must cut across the democratic flow and current of the symbolic Nile River and the changing tides of the symbolic Red Sea of humankind and must submit to Jehovah’s theocratic arrangement. For the willing and obedient ones He can make those water obstacles as not existing.

40. (a) With respect to what has God made the remnant “superior in Jehovah,” and how? (b) How has the prophecy come true, “In his name they will walk about,” and what will they have a part in doing with the Messianic kingdom?

⁴⁰ In regathering and reuniting his anointed remnant of spiritual Israel the Almighty God has indeed ‘made them superior’ to all the obstacles and the adversaries. In their case it has indeed been, “not by a military force, nor by [human] power,” but by his spirit or invisible active force. It is just as He said: “I will make them superior in Jehovah.” Should they not, therefore, honor His sacred name and strive to act in harmony with the prayer that Jesus Christ taught them to pray: “Our Father in the heavens, let your name be sanctified”? They add dignity to his name and they make known that “his name alone is unreachably high.” (Psalm 148:13) Thus in all lands where members of the anointed remnant are found today it is true just as foretold in Zechariah 10:12: “‘In his name they will walk about,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.” Continuing to do this down to the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon, they will have part with the Messianic kingdom in forever vindicating the greatest Name in all the universe.