gave command that the golden and sivler vessels which his father had stolen from the temple at Jerusalem should be brought out and set before his guests, and out of which they were to drink. The golden vessels here mentioned represented those who are now diligent in putting forth their best endeavors to honor the name of Jehovah. The modern use of "wine" by the antitypical Belshazzar crowd finds its potency in the expression of Satan's will in such things as the League of Nations, the World Court, peace pacts, "holy year" international arms conferences, and like arrangements, employed for self-preservation and prosperity. Gog, Satan's field marshal, puts the evil suggestions into the heads of the leaders of "Christendom", and, of course, all such is inspired by Satan himself, as he is the chief one, sitting in his high and lofty position to direct the movements against Jehovah's anointed ones.
8
The vessels of the temple of Jerusalem were for the sacred use in the service of Jehovah, and not for any selfish pleasure, which later use would bring further reproach upon Jehovah's name. These vessels Belshazzar's father had stolen from the temple and brought to Babylon, and now Belshazzar would desecrate them at his carousal. Belshazzar"s father had been guilty of great effrontery when he robbed the temple of these vessels, and now the use of them by this infidel, drunken crowd would add insult and bring further reproach upon Jehovah's name. At the present time "Christendom's" eleet, which are the visible 'seed of the Serpent, would bring greater reproach upon Jehovah's name by persecuting and humiliating and improperly ill-using God's faithful remnant who bear testimony to his name and his kingdom and which faithful witnesses are declaring the day of God's ,vengance against Satan's organization. Modern Babylon, or "Christendom", would desecrate these chosen vessels of the Lord by using them in a ridiculous manner, and thus in their carousal would make a merry time with them. It is noticeable at this time that the mouthpiece (or publicity agents, to wit, the public press) of "Christendom" takes great delight in ridiculing and holding up to scorn Jehovah's witnesses. 'The king's wives,' mentioned in the account of the feast of Belshazzar, means the clergy, who are married to the state or political power of the earth; and "his concubines" means the modern "Judas" company, or 'sons of perdition', who arc not recognized as wives of the political element but who hire themselves out to the state or political ruling power for their own pleasure, to be used as instruments to bring about humiliating action against Jehovah's witnesses. The "Judas" class, who are also in the conspiracy, now participate in the overt acts against the anointed of the Lord and seek means not only to interrupt the Lord's work but to put Jehovah's servants in embarrassing positions and cause violence to be inflicted upon them.
9
The army of Cyrus, at the time of the feast, was
invading Babylon, and Jehovah had caused his prophet to say concerning this: "He shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward," (Isa. 45: 13) This prophecy, of course, applies to Christ Jesus, whom Cyrus forshadowed, while Belshazzar, who now had possession of the vessels of the temple, foreshadowed the rulers of "Christendom" desiring to restrain Jehovah's witnesses and prevent them from being properly used and to cause them to be used for an improper and unholy purpose. Also, Jehovah's prophet said concerning the Devil, acting by his earthly agents, that he "opened not the house of his prisoners" (lsa. 14: 17), meaning the 'vessels of silver', which representatively stand for the "great multitude", who are now held in the prison house of "Christendom", or modern Babylon. "Christendom" now resists the kingdom of Christ Jesus, the Greater Cyrus and invading King, and also refuses to permit Jehovah's witnesses full freedom in their activities of service, while at the same time Babylon holds the "great multitude" in "the prison house" and restrains and prevents them from going free from "the prison hause". -Isa. 42: 7.
10
All of Satan's organization is against Jehovah's anointed, who are pictured by the "golden vessels" mentioned in the prophecy. The religious leaders, the political bosses, and the commercial giants are the favored ones of "Christendom", while the smaller fry, the strong-arm squad and the hangers-on do the heavy work and apparently the dirtier, contemptible work. "Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God, which was at Jerusalem; and the king and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them." (Dan. 5: 3) It may well be surmised that those that brought out these vessels did not handle them in kind and delicate way. Today it is the strong-arm squad, acting on orders,
that bring forth the "golden vessels" of the Lord, that is to say the faithful remnant who are Jehovah's witnesses; and they do not handle them in any soft and delicate way, but rudely, and speak to them with harsh and angry words. These faithful ones are, by Jehovah's grace, maintaining theirs integrity toward him and have obeyed his commandments to 'buy of him gold tried in the fire'. (Rev. 3: 18) Each on of the faithful remnant is a 'vessel unto honor, sanctified and made meet for the Master's use' and engaged in a good work. (2 Tim. 2: 20, 21) Be it noted in the prophetic account that the "silver vessels" mentioned in the prophecy were not brought out, but only the "golden vessels" were brought out. The "silver vessels", representing the "great multitude", are held in custody in the prison houses as prisoners, and these in due time must take their stand for Jehovah even at the cost of their lives; but that time has now about arrived. (Rev. 7: 9-14) The bringing of them into view and exhibiting them to the drunken revelers. Likewise, antitypically, Jehovah's witnesses
