Pagină:Organization-part-I-1938.djvu/13: Diferență între versiuni

JUNE 1, 1988 to ‘‘Christendom’’, must now be told the truth of and concerning Satan’s organization, and particularly that ‘‘Christendom”’ is a part of that wicked organi- zation. The faithful remnant must bear this testimony to the name of Jehovah God and inform the ‘‘pris- oners’’ concerning Jehovah and his great organiza- tion, and that it will destroy Satan’s organization. This very work the remnant has been doing for the past few years, and is now doing, and must continue to do until the witnessing to the truth is completed and ‘‘Christendom’’ falls. The ‘‘prisoners’’ must and will have an opportunity to know that the chief doc- trine taught by the Bible is that of God’s kingdom, because that kingdom will vindicate the name of Jehovah. Jehovah gives expression to his righteous indigna- tion against the enemy only after due notice is given of his purpose so to do. Long before the great deluge swept away ‘‘the world that then was’’, God sent Noah to serve notice upon the rulers and upon the people of the impending disaster. Before he brought the great calamity upon Egypt he sent Moses and Aaron to give notice thereof. Before Jerusalem fell, the Most High sent his duly commissioned prophets to give notice of his purpose to express his righteous indignation against those who had violated their cove- nant with him. These things Jehovah did for his name’s sake, that the people might know that Jeho- vah is the true and almighty God. All that he then did, on the occasions just mentioned, foreshadowed what shall come upon ‘‘Christendom’’, that is to say, upon all the nations that claim to be the people of God, and the followers of Christ, and the practicers of the ‘‘Christian religion’’, It should therefore be expected that Jehovah would cause notice to be duly served upon the rulers and the supporters of ‘‘Chris- tendom’’, and that this notice would be served after the coming of Christ to the temple of God. Concerning the great day of God Almighty, when his righteous indignation shall be expressed, Jesus said to his followers: ‘‘And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with sur- feiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.”’ (Luke 21: 34) These words serve a twofold purpose: (1) as a warn- ing to all those-who are in the covenant for the king- dom to be always on the alert to obey the command- ments of Jehovah; and (2) as conclusive proof that the great day of God Almighty shall witness the ex- pression of his indignation upon ‘‘Christendom’’ and which will completely destroy ‘‘Christendom’’ and all parts of Satan’s organization. This scripture is notice to the followers of Christ of that coming day of righteous indignation of Jehovah, and lays upon such the obligation of serving notice upon the world. While it is true that the great day of God Al- mighty comes upon many who have not gained a knowledge, that lack of information will be no fault She WAT CH TOWER. 173 of Jehovah God. When Jesus appeared at the temple of Jehovah he announced: ‘‘The Lord is in his holy temple; Iet all the earth keep silence before him.’’ (Hab. 2:20) This proves that the people must be told that the day of judgment is at hand, and that all must be given an opportunity to hear what the Word of God has to say concerning the day of the great battle of God Almighty. All who have agreed to do his will are told to search the Scriptures, wherein the expression of his will is found, and to study that they may have the approval of God. (2 Tim. 2:15) The followers of Christ are commanded thus to do, not for their own personal gain, but that they might be witnesses to others. These witnesses must inform others concerning the will of God and serve notice upon them that Jehovah is the only God. (Isa. 43:9-12) Con- cerning the end of the world, the setting up of the kingdom, and Jehovah’s battle at Armageddon, the commandment is given that the faithful covenant peo- ple of God must bear testimony thereof to the people. It is plainly stated that the purpose is not to convert the world, but to give notice to the nations. (Matt. 24:14) The giving of this notice or testimony must continue ‘‘until the cities [every part of Satan’s organization] be wasted without inhabitant’’. (Isa. 6:11) Nor is there any doubt about who shall de- liver this testimony, or serve this notice, in the name of the Lord Jchovah. It is his ‘‘remnant’’ people who are faithful and true to their covenant and therefore called ‘‘the faithful and true witness’’, and who prove by their obedience to his commandments that they are his. These are the ones that give the witness Rev. 12: 17. Jehovah sent his prophet Ezekiel to Israel to serve notiee upon that people of his purpose to destroy their city. Likewise God sends his witnesses forth today to serve notice upon ‘‘Christendom”’ of his purpose to destroy that wicked organization that his name may be known in all the earth. Ezekiel served notice both by word of mouth and by his action. Likewise God’s witnesses serve notice by their words and their course of action. The words of the speaker often fall upon deaf ears, while his actions speak with greater force and effect. ‘‘The word of the Lord also eame unto me, saying, Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have ears to hear, and hear not; for they are a rebellious house.’’ (Ezek. 12:1,2) Ezekiel dwelt among a re- bellious people. They might have heard, but they did not; and this foreshadows that God’s faithful wit- nesses on earth dwell among a rebellious people to whom the message has been spoken, and the clergy and the principal of their flock have not heard and heeded. In 1914 and thereabout God’s faithful people in the land of ‘‘Christendom’’ had spoken many words of the truth, but the same had little or no effect upon

• • Christendom’’,