Pagină:Obadiah-part-I-1936.djvu/5: Diferență între versiuni

JUNE 15, 1936 aud is fulfilled in the time when God has raised up his servant class and brought them into the temple, which is after he (Jehovah) has returned to Zion and by iris chief officer, Christ Jesus, has built up Zion and ap- peared in his glory, which is from and after the year A.D, 1918. It appcars from the facts and the proph- ecy itself that its fulfillment began after the second outpouring of the holy spirit: ‘‘And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions; and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit.’’—Joel 2; 28, 29.

• Jchovah gave his servant and prophet a vision:

“The vision of Obadiah. ‘Thus saith the Lord God eoncerning Edom, We have heard a rumour from the Lord, and an ambassador is sent amone the heathen, Arise ye, and Jet us rice up against her in battle.’ (Verse 1) The class pietured by Obadiah is doubtless the same as the watehman whom Cod foretold by his prophet Isaiah: ‘“The burden {load, thing lifted up] of Dumah’’ {meaning ‘‘silence’’; as stated by Jere- miah: “The Lord cur God hath put us to silence’’ (Jer. 8:14,15)]. “IIe [the prisoner elass, those un- der restraint} calleth to me out of Seir [that is, mean- ing ‘‘rough’’, like a satyr or goet, the Devil], Watch- man, what of the night? Watehman, what of the night? The watehman said, The morning cometh, and also the night; if ye will inquire, inquire ye; return, come [again}.’’—Isa, 21:11, 12. 30 Mount Seir was the country of the Mdomites, which pictured the political end hypocritical 1cligions leaders who elaim the birthricht to the kingdom but who are in truth and in fact the representatives of the Devil. The watchman mentioned is Jehovah's anointed witnesses, who must be constantly on the watch in he- half of the interests of the kingdom of God under Christ and sce to it that they do not compromise with any part of Satan’s organization. The watchmen or servant class must be blind to everything execpt the kingdom of God and its interests, (Isa. 42:19) That cass must hear the Word of God at his mouth and be diligent to proclaim it in the presenee and hearing of others who have an ear to hear. ‘‘So thou, O son of man, I have set thee a watehman unto the house of Isracl; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me.’’—Ezek, 383: 7. 11The watchman elass is made up of those who are not to hold their peace and say nothing beeause of fear of the enemy or hope for some favor from the cnemy. ‘'T have set watehmen upon thy walls, O Jeru- selem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night; ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not sHenee.’’—Isa. 62: 6, ? Recently when some who had been occupying positions of more than ordinary importance in the Society’s organization and work in the land of Ger- fhe WATCHTOWER. 181 many were put on trial, charged with having attempt- ed tu earry on God’s work contrary to the laws of the German government, there was a complete failure ou the part of those thus charged to observe the above commandment of the Lord. Not only did those men fail to mention the name of Jehovah and of his king- dom and King, Christ Jesus, which they had agreed to serve and to obey, but, on the contrary, they com- promised with the enemy by saying that they had done nothing to further the interests of the kingdom of God contrary to the laws of Germany. A copy of the testi- mony taken before the court that tried these cases at Halle contains the following, and the quotations are taken from that court record, and, without finding it neeessary to mention any names, we call, as that record did, the ones charged by the term ‘‘defendant’’, One of these defendants testified before the court, using these words: ‘‘We did everything in our power to avoid any action against the deeree [of Germany for- bidding the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom] because we belicved, and today still believe, that the goverrment [of Germany] docs not intend to rob the individual Christian of his faith, that religious frce- dom exists, and that thines would develop in such a way that it would be possible for the individual Christian to worship his God. It is my conviction that the only way to obtain results is throngh negotiations with the government, and L have asked the friends not to do anything which would interfere with these nevo- tiations, AH information issued was according to the foregoing.’”’ 3 Clearly the language here quoted is equivalent to saying, We must ask some carthly power as to whether or not we shall worship and serve Almighty God. At that same court trial held at Halle Decem- ber 17, 1935, another one of the Socicty’s representa. tives who was charged with violating the German de- eree testified in his own behalf, and the following is quoted from the official record: “Question by chairman of the court: ‘Did you eon- sider it permissible to further faithfully stand together to carry on a work?’ ‘‘Answer by defendant: ‘I would consider that a violation of the law.’ “*Question by chairman of the court: ‘Was anything said about all remaining true to the faith?’ To which defendant made this answer: ‘This was not spoken of. ... We rather tried to hinder an organized holding together of the friends in the faith. The various offi- cers [of the Society] had no right to organize and encourage such.’

• QOucstion by attorney: ‘At the conferences whieh

took place in Magdeburg between the service directors, was it there said that the various individuals should seek to find a means of existence and at the same time should be illegally active?’ Answer by defendant: ‘No, on the contrary. I sugecsied on one oceasion that