CHAPTER VIII
FRIENDS
"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." — Proverbs 18: 24.
JEHOVAH GOD is the Friend of all who love and obey him and who faithfully do that which is right. He called Abraham his friend because Abraham was faithful and obeyed him: "And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness; and he was called the Friend of God." (James 2:23) This makes known God's unchangeable rule, that those who are faithful to God under the test are the friends of God. Who, then, is a friend? The Scriptures answer: "A friend loveth at all times." (Proverbs 17:17) Love is a complete expression of unselfishness; therefore it is written: "God is love." (1 John 4:16) Jehovah God is unselfish and can do nothing that is selfish. Everything he does is prompted by unselfishness. Even the destruction of his enemies is not for his pleasure, because he declares that he takes no pleasure in the death of his enemies. (Ezekiel 18:23,32) He destroys them for the good of those who do right and for the honor of his name, which is righteous and holy.
The Lord Jesus Christ is a Friend of all who love and obey God. He is the anointed King of
Jehovah, who shall rule the world in righteousness, and all his acts are prompted by love. How may a man have the Lord for his Friend? "He that loveth pureness of heart, and hath grace in his lips, the king shall be his friend." (Proverbs 22:11, margin) That means that if a man has a pure or unselfish motive in what he does, and his words toward God and Christ are gracious, that person is one of good will toward God, and the King, Christ Jesus, shall be his Friend. A knowledge of what God and Christ have done for man produces in the man of pure heart a great desire to have God and Christ for friends. Briefly, then, consider some of the scriptures showing the loving-kindness of Jehovah and of the Lord Jesus Christ.
By reason of the fact that Adam chose to disobey God and follow the Devil Adam was justly sentenced to death, and the result to his children was that they were born imperfect. All men, therefore, are conceived in sin and born in iniquity. (Psalm 51:5) "Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." (Romans 5:12) If a man then chooses to support the Devil, he could never have God for his Friend. God was under no obligation to do anything for imperfect man, the sinner. Because God is love, he unselfishly provided the way for imperfect men to be reconciled to him and given an opportunity to obtain life everlasting as a gracious gift; and this provision he made by and through Jesus Christ, thus proving that God and Christ are
the great and everlasting Friends of all who want to do right. Therefore it is written: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:16) "For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord." — Romans 6: 23.
What, then, is required of a man that he may put himself in line to receive the blessings that God has in reservation for the obedient ones? The man must first believe that God exists and that he is the rewarder of them that seek him and serve him unselfishly (Hebrews 11: 6), and he must believe that Jesus Christ is his Redeemer and Savior. If the man chooses to believe God and Christ, and to put himself on the side of God and Christ, instead of remaining on the side of the Devil, that shows his heart is right toward God. That is not requiring very much of
any honest man. All such should want to be on the side of God and Christ. If God would compel men to believe on him and Christ Jesus, that would not leave the matter to the choice of man. But God does not compel man to believe. He brings man face to face with His truth and shows man what provision God has made for him, and thus he affords man the opportunity to exercise freely his choice. If the man chooses to turn aside from God and serve the Devil and the Devil's religious agents, he thereby deprives himself of God's favor. His first step is to seek the Lord and serve him; and if he does not do this he abides under the Devil's rule and the wrath of God. For this reason it is written: "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." — John 3: 36.
How differently religious organizations operate toward man! The Roman Catholic religious system has a long and wicked record of torture inflicted upon men to compel them to believe what that religious system teaches. Falsely that religious system claims to represent God, when in fact it is God's enemy and the representative of the Devil. The man seeking consolation enters the building called the Catholic church "cathedral", and as he enters he is required to go through certain forms and ceremonies and to put his money in the box, and then he listens to some harangue and is told, if he fails to do what the clergy tell him God will punish him; and for fear he obeys what the Catholic system
teaches. Therefore God says of such: "Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men." — Isaiah 29:13.
Are those clergymen who teach the precepts of men your friends, and the friend of God? No, they are not; but, on the contrary, they are enemies of God, as it is written: "Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." (James 4: 4) The evidence heretofore examined shows that the Catholic system is a part of the wicked world and therefore the enemy of God. If you support an organization or crowd that are enemies of God, then you cannot have the Lord God and Christ Jesus for your friends. What, then, must a man do who is in a religious organization? The Scriptures answer: 'Come out of her and be separate from her, lest ye partake of her sins and receive of her plagues,' which shall befall her at Armageddon. — 2 Corinthians 6:16-18; Revelation 18:4.
Christ Jesus is the Friend of everyone who tries to do right. He permitted himself to be put to an ignominious death that he might redeem man from the results of sin and death. Prompted by love Jesus gave his life a ransom price for as many as believe on him and serve him. (Matthew 20:28; John 10:10) A sheep is an obedient animal and is used as a symbol of those who hear the Lord and obey his voice. Therefore said Jesus: "I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of
mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." — John 10:14-16.
Thus for love and in loving obedience to Jehovah Christ Jesus brings those who obey him into God's fold, the place of safety. Those who thus believe on the Lord Jesus Christ he considers friends, and it was for these that he gave his life. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13) A man may have Jesus for his friend on condition of his obedience: "Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." — John 15:14.
A time of great crisis has come, because these are the "last days" and hence the time of God's reckoning with his enemies. God is therefore bringing to the attention of the people the truth as expressly set forth in his Word, the Bible, to the end that all men that are of good will toward God who desire to do right, and who hate wickedness, may have the opportunity of breaking away from Satan's organization and taking their stand on the side of God and Christ. All the Scriptural evidence and the indisputable facts show that the time of the execution of God's vengeance against all wickedness is at hand. Satan the enemy is against all persons who desire to serve God, and hence all who take their stand on the side of the Lord are "not desired" by the Devil and his religious
practitioners on earth. It is against those wicked ones that God is going to express his wrath. Therefore Jehovah says to the people of good will: "Gather yourselves together, yea, gather together, O nation not desired: before the decree bring forth, before the day pass as the chaff, before the fierce anger of the Lord come upon you, before the day of the Lord's anger come upon you." — Zephaniah 2:1,2.
Why gather yourselves together? That you may thus identify yourselves as being on the side of God. Then what must you do? The Lord answers: "Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment [as commanded]; seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." — Zephaniah 2: 3.
How may one "seek righteousness"? By diligently ascertaining what is right; and this one does by searching God's Word and that which the Lord has provided for the understanding of his Word: "The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple: the statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes: the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is thy servant warned: and in keeping of them there is great reward." (Psalm 19:7-11) Man must be guided in the
right way, and the only right guide is God's Word; as it is written: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." — Psalm 119:105.
How may a man "seek meekness"? "Meekness" means being teachable and having a desire and willingness to learn. One must diligently seek to learn what is contained in the Word of God. Shall the man thus seeking meekness be guided by what other men say? No; because all men are imperfect and no man's opinion or teaching nor that taught by organizations is right. Only the Word of God is the true and correct guide. We are not to put our trust in men, but to trust in the Lord; as it is written: "Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help." — Psalm 146:3.
If a man is the friend of God and obeys God, will God guide him in the right way? Yes; and the answer of the Lord makes this sure: "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way." (Psalm 25: 9) If a man desires to be taught and led in the right way and he trusts in the Lord and follows the Lord's instructions, he is certain to receive the blessing of the Lord. If he follows the teachings of some religious organization, all of which teachings are based upon tradition, that man is certain to fall into the ditch. It is a case of the blind leading the blind, and the Devil gets the whole crowd. — Matthew 15:14.
The reason now clearly appears as to why religionists try to keep the people in ignorance
of the Bible and books that explain the Bible, and that reason is, because the Bible condemns all religion and all traditions of men, and the Bible alone makes clear the pathway of righteousness. The Devil and his agents attempt to withhold the Bible from the people, lest the people should learn the truth and then flee from the Devil religious organizations and find refuge in the Lord. Those who love the Lord, and who are now obedient to God and Christ Jesus, are going from place to place carrying to the people books and other publications to aid the people of good will to learn what is God's purpose as expressed in his Word. The Devil and his agents persecute all who thus serve Jehovah as his witnesses, because the Devil is God's enemy, and the Devil and religious systems are enemies of those who love and desire righteousness. Jehovah's witnesses do not carry the truth to the people for their own selfish aggrandizement, but they do so in obedience to God's commandment; and God commands that work to be done because of his unselfishness, to give the people the opportunity to learn the truth and get in line for the blessings he has provided. Thus God is showing that he and Christ Jesus are the everlasting Friends of all who diligently try to do right. Your opportunity is now afforded to choose whom you will serve.
BLESSINGS
The battle of the great day of God Almighty will be so terrible that no human words can adequately describe it. With all the nations
351fighting amongst themselves it would be bad enough; but when the Lord takes part in this conflict and the forces of heaven fight against all unrighteousness, all the nations are certain to fall. By his prophet the Lord says of that time: "Come near, ye nations, to hear; and hearken, ye people; let the earth hear, and all that is therein; the world, and all things that come forth of it. For the indignation of the Lord is upon all nations, and his fury upon all their armies; he hath utterly destroyed them, he hath delivered them to the slaughter. Their slain also shall be cast out, and their stink shall come up out of their carcases, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood. And all the host of heaven shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled together as a scroll: and all their host shall fall down, as the leaf falleth off from the vine, and as a falling fig from the fig tree. For my sword shall be bathed in heaven." — Isaiah 34:1-5.
All the wars combined that have ever afflicted mankind cannot be compared to what Armageddon will bring upon the world in the way of trouble. Concerning that time Jesus says that the tribulation will be such as never before was known. (Matthew 24: 21) No human power can provide any place of safety for man during that time, but God can provide a place of complete security. "Thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety." (Psalm 4:8) It will be a real blessing to have such safety in that terrible ordeal. And who can have the assurance of such security? Jehovah answers that question in these words:
"Seek righteousness, seek meekness; it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the Lord's anger." (Zephaniah 2:3) That is a great blessing for which one should gladly look forward: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it, and is safe." (Proverbs 18:10) "Whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe." — Proverbs 29: 25.
When God took the Israelites into Palestine he caused certain cities to be set aside and provided as a place of safety for those who were in danger of death by reason of having unwittingly committed a great wrong, and those cities were designated "cities of refuge". When a man fled to one of those cities for safety, as long as he remained within the bounds of the city of refuge no one could harm him. (Numbers 35:6-33) The cities of refuge were typical of God's great organization, of which Christ Jesus is made the Head. (1 Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 10:1) At the present time, when one flees from the Devil's organization, where he has unwittingly committed wrong against God and against man, he thus flees by taking his stand firmly on the side of God and Christ Jesus, believing on and trusting in the Lord and serving him; and if he remains true and faithful to God and Christ, he has the promise of the protection which Jehovah God has provided, and there he may be secure from all harm during the battle of the great day of God Almighty, and thus be carried through that great trouble and be in line for the blessings that shall be ministered unto the people by the Lord when that great
and terrible storm is overpast. He must remain faithfully in the Lord's organization, and not depart therefrom; and that means, he must stand firmly and faithfully on the side of God and Christ Jesus, and love, serve and obey God.
Peace is another immediate blessing to those who take their stand wholly on the side of God and Christ and who continue to trust wholly in the Lord and to serve him. Among the precious promises written to those who serve God is this one: "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee; because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the Lord for ever: for in the Lord JEHOVAH is everlasting strength." — Isaiah 26: 3,4.
When the battle of Armageddon is done and all the wicked are destroyed, peace will then abide for ever, because the great "Prince of Peace" will rule and "of his government and peace there shall be no end". (Isaiah 9:7) Those who are then with God's organization and under his righteous government will continue in peace.
Regeneration is one of the great works that will be performed by the Lord Jesus Christ during his thousand-year reign. (Revelation 20:4, 6) That means the uplifting of obedient ones of mankind and the bringing of such up to a state of perfection of body and mind. God created the earth for man, and he created man for the earth. (Isaiah 45:12,18) In order for man to enjoy the blessings of the earth forever he must live forever in health and happiness. Sickness and death are enemies of man. Armageddon will destroy all the visible enemies, and
in the reign of Christ sickness and death will be destroyed; as it is written: "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death." (1 Corinthians 15:25,26) With all enemies out of the way, including death, all fear will be gone and no one will be in dread of any enemy.
Many are the marvelous blessings to flow to those of humankind who love and obey God and his kingdom, and amongst those great blessings, and that which is the chief one to man, is life in happiness. 'Life is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord.' (Romans 6: 23) No one can receive the benefit of a gift, however, unless he accepts the gift on the terms given; and that means that those of mankind who receive the blessings of everlasting life from God through Christ Jesus must be fully obedient to God and Christ. To have life everlasting in health, strength, peace and happiness, and to know God and Christ Jesus and serve them, is the greatest blessing any creature could enjoy. All of those blessings will result to those who know, love and obey God and his King; as Jesus stated: "This is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3) God and Christ Jesus will be the everlasting Friends of obedient men and will minister blessings to such obedient ones without end.
All these blessings come as a gracious gift and are therefore prompted entirely by love. Only the Devil, the great enemy, and his agents,
the religious organizations, could attempt to deprive men of such marvelous blessings or to keep them in ignorance of what God has provided for those who know and serve him. Therefore when all of these enemies are for ever removed, the obedient ones will dwell with the Lord, their great Prince and Helper, and nothing will interfere with their boundless blessings and eternal happiness.
Jehovah God has given his sure and unfailing Word that he will make the earth a glorious place, in which perfect man may dwell for ever: "The glory of Lebanon shall come unto thee, the fir tree, the pine tree, and the box together, to beautify the place of my sanctuary; and I will make the place of my feet [the earth] glorious." — Isaiah 60:13; 66:1.
That means that everything will be removed from the earth that mars its beauty, peace and happiness. It is the enemies of God and righteousness that make the earth now a place of great sorrow. Those who desire to stand by the enemies will go with Satan and all other enemies into everlasting destruction, and those who remain on the Lord's side will be in a clean earth. All the unseen creatures will be clean and holy, and all visible ones will be clean and pure. Strife, hatred, ill will, malice and wrongdoing will be entirely unknown, and all the wicked will be for ever out of the memory of man. (Psalm 109:15) "The name of the wicked shall rot" (Proverbs 10:7); which means that the wicked will not be remembered at all. Concerning the wicked it is also written: "Therefore hast thou visited and
destroyed them, and made all their memory to perish." (Isaiah 26:14) The present-day fame of dictators, great religionists, bishops, cardinals, popes, and all like scornful, haughty and austere men who rule and oppress the people, will have gone from the earth for ever, and the people will never again even think of them. It is an indescribable relief to now know for a certainty that such wicked ones can never again afflict the earth, and to know that the people will then be for ever free. The Lord has given his Word that wickedness shall never arise again. — Nahum 1:9.
Under the peaceful and blessed reign of Christ, the righteous Ruler, the peoples of earth will abide for ever and will be so joyful in the Lord that they will think always of the goodness and loving-kindness of their great Friends, Jehovah God and Christ Jesus: "They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness. The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The Lord is good to all; and his tender mercies are over all his works. All thy works shall praise thee, 0 Lord; and thy saints shall bless thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of thy power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of his kingdom. Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and thy dominion endureth throughout all generations." — Psalm 145:7-13.
Faithful Christians, truly and sincerely following in the footsteps of Christ Jesus, and
who are obedient to the Lord's commandments, and who are therefore showing forth the praises of Jehovah and his King, now enjoy the peace of God which passeth all human understanding. (Philippians 4:7) Other persons look upon them and observe with astonishment the joy and contentment that shines in their countenance, and wonder why such is possible when there is so much sorrow in the earth. The reason is that Jehovah's witnesses know that the day of deliverance is near at hand, because Christ Jesus, the great Deliverer, is here, he for whom true Christians have long looked, hoped and prayed. It is the time of rejoicing for all such. Therefore they lift up their voices with singing and praise to God and Christ. Those faithful ones will have their eternal abiding place with Christ Jesus in his kingdom. (Luke 22: 28-30; Revelation 3: 21) Together with holy angels they will serve and praise the Most High for ever, giving honor to his holy name.
True to his promise, Jehovah God, through Christ Jesus, is now extending 'peace on earth to men of good will' (Luke 2:14); and such persons of good will toward God are fleeing from the enemy organization and hastening to find refuge in the organization of the Lord. Such are the "other sheep", whom the Lord Jesus is now gathering into his fold. They are called "Jonadabs", who have desired to serve God and have found the way. (2 Kings 10:15,16; Jeremiah 35: 6-10,18,19) Those persons of good will are now coming from every land, kindred, people and tongue, and are rapidly forming the
"great multitude" that shall serve Jehovah and receive his blessings. They know who are their friends. For a long while they have cried because of the many abominable things done in the religious organizations in the name of the Lord (Ezekiel 9:4); they have hungered and thirsted for truth and righteousness, and, having come to their Friends, now they shall be fed. "They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb, which is in the midst of the throne, shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes." — Revelation 7:16,17.
Seeing that religion is a fraud and a snare, and that their salvation proceeds from God through Christ Jesus, they take their stand and identify themselves as those who serve God and his kingdom. They are described in these words: "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands: and cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb." — Revelation 7:9,10.
The angels of heaven, and all the faithful who have been resurrected and are now with the Lord, rejoice with the great multitude; as it is written: "And all the angels stood round about the throne, and about the elders and the
four beasts, and fell before the throne on their faces, and worshipped God, saying, Amen: Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might, be unto our God for ever and ever." — Revelation 7:11,12.
It is a time of joy because the Lord, Jesus Christ, is come and now it is clearly made to appear that soon he will for ever vindicate Jehovah's holy name. The faithful witnesses of Jehovah on earth now with ever increasing joy continue to go about proclaiming "this gospel of the kingdom" as commanded. They love to do so, because the Lord has commanded that it shall be done, and they delight to do his will. The great multitude joyfully join in the service and sing the praises of the Most High and, as it is written, "therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them." — Revelation 7:15.
The people now on the earth that are of good will shall know the truth, and the truth shall make them free. (John 8:32) Standing firmly on the side of God and his King, they shall abide in the place of safety under the hand of the great King. Surely every honest person who now hears the truth of and concerning God and his kingdom will hasten to identify himself with those who put their trust wholly in God and in Christ. The remnant are now praising the Lord, and they, together with others of good will, are joyfully saying with the psalmist:
"And the heavens shall praise thy wonders, 0 Lord; thy faithfulness also in the congregation of the saints. For who in the heaven can be compared unto the Lord? who among the sons of the mighty can be likened unto the Lord? God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him. O Lord God of hosts, who is a strong Lord like unto thee? or to thy faithfulness round about thee? Thou rulest the raging of the sea: when the waves thereof arise, thou stillest them. Thou hast broken Rahab in pieces, as one that is slain: thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm. The heavens are thine, the earth also is thine: as for the world, and the fulness thereof, thou hast founded them. The north and the south thou hast created them: Tabor and Hermon shall rejoice in thy name. Thou hast a mighty arm: strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand. Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face. Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound; they shall walk, 0 Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted: for thou art the glory of their strength; and in thy favour our horn shall be exalted. For the LORD is our defence; and the Holy One of Israel is our King."
