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JEHOVAH

CHAPTER II

HIS NAME

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JEHOVAH sent Jesus to earth more than 1900 years ago to then do a preparatory work looking to the ultimate vindication of the name of the Most High. Jesus, therefore, came in the name of Jehovah and as his duly accredited representative. Jesus testified: "I am come in my Father's name." (John 5:43) Jesus was sent as a witness and must bear testimony to the truth of and concerning Jehovah's name and purpose. When the man Jesus was thirty years of age Jehovah anointed him to be ruler of the world. When asked by the Roman governor, "Art thou a king?" Jesus replied: "To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth." (John 18: 37) During the three and one-half years in which he bore testimony to the truth before men Jesus emphasized the great truth that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand". In this statement he referred to himself as Jehovah's chosen and anointed one to rule, and which rule, when in full operation, is from heaven, because Christ Jesus, now divine, will ever be invisible to human eyes.

At the conclusion of his earthly ministry Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt of an ass and presented himself as King. The common people hailed him as king, crying out, "Hosanna to the son of David!" (Matt. 21: 1-9) The clergy class and their allies rejected Jesus. Shortly thereafter Jesus directed his disciples to prepare for the celebration of the passover. On the four-

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teenth day of Nisan, as required by the law, Jesus and his disciples celebrated the passover. On that occasion and immediately following the passover Jesus instituted the memorial of his death, which took place on the same day: "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it: for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." — Matt. 26:26-29.

Jesus told his disciples that he must go away, but that he would come again and receive them unto himself. (John 14:1-4) He invited these faithful disciples to share with him in his kingdom. (Luke 22:28-30) Why Jesus kept the passover feast, and why he emphasized the fact of his own death and that of his coming kingdom, could not be clearly understood until the return of the Lord according to the promise made to his disciples. Jesus Christ was crucified on a tree as though he were a sinner; on the third day thereafter Jehovah raised him from the dead.

Why did not Jesus begin his reign 1900 years ago? Why should he come the second time? These questions can now be answered according to the Scriptures and understood by those who devote themselves to Jehovah. The answers thereto may be summed up in a few words, to wit: Jesus is the chosen One to carry out Jehovah's purpose, the chief or primary part thereof being the vindication of Jehovah's name, and the secondary part being the redemption, deliverance and salvation of the human race who will come to know,

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love and serve Jehovah. By his rebellion and wicked challenge Satan had put in issue the supremacy and the name of Jehovah God.

Jehovah's name was exalted by all intelligent creatures prior to the rebellion of Lucifer. All knew and delighted in His illustrious fame and honorable reputation. All knew that Jehovah was and is the source of life and that he is the unselfish Giver of every good and perfect gift. Such was the proper and happy state existing in the universe until lawlessness found a place in the heart of the creature whom Jehovah had made lord over a part of his organization. Coveting that which had not been given to him Lucifer exalted himself, defied the Most High, and received for himself the title of Satan, and God set a time limit for the continuation of Satan, at which time limit the wicked one must end. (Jer. 51:13) For centuries the name of Jehovah has been reproached, dishonored and made infamous by Satan and by his host of wicked angels and wicked men. The crisis has come, and from this time forth and for evermore the name of Jehovah shall be exalted. The wicked shall perish, and all who receive life everlasting must know and obey and honor and joyfully serve him whose name alone is Jehovah. His illustrious fame and honorable reputation must find a place in the mind of every creature that lives. He has taken out from amongst the nations of earth a people for his name, and to them is given the privilege of now proclaiming his great and honorable name.

Centuries ago God began to bring his name before fallen men. He revealed to Moses his name Jehovah; then to Egypt Jehovah 'went to redeem unto himself a people and to make him a name'. (2 Sam. 7: 23) God did not bodily appear in Egypt, but he sent Moses as his servant, and thus Jehovah appeared there in a

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representative capacity. Egypt was a type of the world, and Pharaoh its ruler was a type of Satan, the god of this wicked world. Moses was a type of Christ Jesus, the great Prophet and Servant by whom Jehovah redeems a people for himself and causes the name of the Most High to be put in the right place in the mind of all intelligent creatures.

In his due time Jehovah will cause all of his creatures to know his name and its meaning and to have in memory the time when he first revealed his name to man as Jehovah; and that memorable time dates from the time of his going to Egypt. A memorial marks a day or time certain when some great thing is done and which is to be ever afterwards remembered. Among the great things performed by Jehovah by his servant Moses were these: The revelation of His name, the making of the law covenant, the destruction of Pharaoh's organization, and the deliverance of the Israelites from that oppressive organization. The pivotal point of these great events was the slaying of the passover lamb, because it pointed to the One whom God had ordained should be the vindicator of his great and holy name. All the things performed in Egypt by man as God's representative and servant were incidental to the vindication of Jehovah's name, which is the all-important thing. For this reason Jehovah said to Moses: "This is my name for ever, and this is my memorial unto all generations." (Ex. 3:15, A.R.V.) Because the slaying and eating of the paschal lamb pointed to Jesus, the Vindicator, Jehovah said to Moses: "And this day shall be unto you for a memorial, and ye shall keep it a feast to Jehovah: throughout your generations ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." — Ex. 12:14, A.R.V.

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When the time came for the fulfilment of the type by the death of Jesus Christ he said to his disciples concerning the bread which he broke in their presence and asked them to eat: "This is [represents] my body, which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19) The time must come, as Jesus knew, when his true followers must and would understand that his faithfulness unto death, and his death in the place and stead of the sinner, were not merely to furnish the redemptive price for man, but also to prove his own qualifications to be the vindicator of Jehovah's name. Being thus perfected, Christ Jesus became Jehovah's "high priest for ever", the executioner of Satan and his organization, and the vindicator of Jehovah's name and "the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him". (Heb. 2:14; 5: 6-10) The greatest thing to be kept in memory is the name of Jehovah, and Paul intimated that at the coming of Jesus to the temple this important truth would be clearly understood. (1 Cor. 11: 26)* By partaking of the "Lord's supper" until the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple of Jehovah his faithful disciples have shown forth the Lord's death; but now these faithful ones gathered by the Lord Jesus unto himself are 'drinking the fruit of the vine with him new', and all are rejoicing and praising the name of Jehovah and must do so for ever. "Thy name, 0 Lord, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, 0 Lord, throughout all generations." — Ps. 135:13.

COVENANTS — LAW AND NEW

Jehovah God made the law covenant by Moses as the mediator for Israel while in Egypt and at the time of the slaying of the paschal lamb. The inauguration

*See pages 109-116.
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of the law covenant took place in the season of Pentecost, or about fifty days after the Israelites were brought out of Egypt and had come to Mount Sinai (Mount Horeb). — Ex. 19:1.

The making of the new covenant was marked by the death of Jesus, the antitypical passover lamb, on the fourteenth day of Nisan, A.D. 33. The inauguration of the new covenant is marked by the final outpouring of the holy spirit "upon all flesh". (Joel 2: 28, 29; Acts 2:16-18) The "Lord's supper" as a memorial of his death, instituted in A.D. 33, and for centuries thereafter observed by his faithful followers, calls attention to the making of the new testament or new covenant and keeps the same in memory. "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matt. 26:28) "After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." — 1 Cor. 11: 25.

From and after the year 1919 (A.D.), and particularly from 1922, until Jehovah's witnesses pass from the earth, the "Lord's supper" not only calls attention to the death of Jesus the Redeemer and Vindicator, but also directs attention to the inauguration of the new covenant, which covenant operates to the vindication of Jehovah's name.

CONSPIRACY

Satan and all of his earthly representatives, meaning Pharaoh and his subjects who obeyed him, had formed a conspiracy to destroy the Israelites and to thus prevent them from being a nation. (Ex. 1:15, 16; 2:23, 24) God heard the cries of the Israelites, and the law covenant made by him for Israel was an as-

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surance in type that for Jehovah's name's sake that people would be brought forth and preserved. The Abrahamic covenant was involved, because Jehovah had given his word that he would bring forth a seed; and now Jehovah had respect to his covenant with Abraham. — Ex. 2:24, 25; 6:4, 5.

At the time of the making of the new covenant Satan and his crowd, including his earthly priests and clergymen, conspired to destroy Jesus. (Matt. 21: 38) In carrying out this conspiracy Jesus, the antitypical lamb of God, was slain, but Jehovah preserved the ones with whom his new covenant was made. (John 17:11-15; Phil. 2:9-11) At the inauguration of the new covenant again a conspiracy is formed by Satan and his crowd, including his Roman Catholic hierarchy and other religionists, to kill those who faithfully praise the name of Jehovah and to thereby "cut them off from being a [holy] nation", and overt acts were and are now being committed in furtherance of that wicked conspiracy. (Ps. 83:1-18; 1 Pet. 2: 9,10; Zech. 13: 7-9) Jehovah has preserved his faithful and hidden ones who are in the covenant, because they are under the shadow of his wing and have been selected for his purpose; and, they continuing faithful, he will preserve them for ever. — Pss. 91:1-4; 145: 20; Isa. 54: 17; 42:6,7,

VENGEANCE

Jehovah expressed his vengeance against Satan's organization by slaying the firstborn of Egypt at the time the paschal lamb was killed. At the death of Jesus, the antitypical passover lamb, the firstborn of antitypical Egypt, that is to say, of this world, did not die. The reason therefor now clearly appears and shows that the time is rapidly approaching when the

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firstborn of antitypical Egypt must die. As the blood of the passover lamb sprinkled on the doorposts of the houses in Egypt signified life and preservation to those who remained inside the house and under the protection of that blood-sign, so those trusting in the precious blood of Christ Jesus, and who have been in and who remain in the new covenant, have this added assurance of life and preservation; hence the "Lord's supper" properly celebrated by such for centuries past has 'shown forth the Lord's death till he come' and has been a guarantee of their preservation.

Now, however, the Lord has come, and his shed blood in a marked degree bespeaks that this is the day of Jehovah's vengeance and destruction of Satan's firstborn of this world. It is the day of God's vengeance; hence all who properly celebrate the Lord's supper now must certainly show their consistency by proclaiming the day of the vengeance of our God against the enemy's firstborn who are not under the blood. This must be done in fulfilment of the divinely given commandment: "Proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn." (Isa. 61:2) As Aaron acted as the mouthpiece and proclaimer for Moses (who was a type of Christ Jesus) in proclaiming the vengeance of God against Pharaoh and his organization, even so now those in the covenant with Christ Jesus must likewise proclaim the vengeance of God against Satan's firstborn and all of his organization, because they "have the testimony of Jesus Christ" and keep God's commandment. (Ex. 4:22, 23; Rev. 12:17) Those who would partake of the Memorial supper and then fail or refuse to obey the commandments to be Jehovah's witnesses would thereby partake unworthily: "For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth

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and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." — 1 Cor. 11: 29.

SHEPHERDS

The Egyptians hated shepherds, and for that reason refused to eat with the Hebrews, such being an abomination unto the Egyptians. (Gen. 43: 32; 46: 34) When Jehovah's time came to make a name for himself in Egypt he sent a shepherd down there to deliver his testimony, to lead out the people from Egypt and to act as the law covenant's mediator. Satan and his earthly crowd hate the servants of Jehovah God who bring the divinely provided food to His flock and thus act in the capacity of undershepherds, which hatred is especially made manifest in this present day.

At the time of the making of the new covenant, and also at the time of the inauguration thereof, Jehovah God sends the "good shepherd", the "chief shepherd", Christ Jesus, and both Christ Jesus and those to whom he commits the work of carrying the divinely provided food to the people, who hunger for righteousness, are wickedly hated by Satan and all his earthly priests, clergymen and dupes. (John 10:11; 1 Pet. 5: 2-4) This is further proof that those who are with Christ Jesus at the temple must bear and do bear or carry the fruits of the kingdom, that is to say, the life-giving truths of God's Word, to those in the world who have the hearing ear, and at the same time declare God's vengeance against the enemy and his organization, and that such faithful ones will be and are hated and persecuted by Satan and his servants. The Roman Catholic hierarchy and others of like stripe now manifest their wickedness and hatred against Jehovah's witnesses because these witnesses

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speak that which is to the honor of the name of Jehovah God and the Lord Jesus Christ. — John 15:19-23.

The shepherd Moses was in the mount of Horeb (Sinai) when Jehovah drew him aside by attracting him to the burning bush and there spoke to him and directed Moses to go to Egypt and to deliver the testimony of God to Pharaoh. It was in that mountain at that time that Jehovah referred to the inauguration of the law covenant when he, addressing Moses, said: "Certainly I will be with thee; and this shall be a token unto thee, that I have sent thee: When thou hast brought forth the people out of Egypt, ye shall serve God upon this mountain." (Ex. 3:1-12) Jehovah made the new covenant at the death of Jesus, and now he discloses to his faithful ones at the temple that the new covenant is inaugurated at Mount Zion, where the 144,000 followers of Christ Jesus are gathered by Christ Jesus unto himself. (Rev. 14:1-8) The faithful remnant now celebrate the Lord's supper at Mount Zion, that is, in Jehovah God's organization, rejoicing at the inauguration of the new covenant, and they continue to proclaim the name of Jehovah. — Heb. 12: 22-25.

THE LAND

God's covenant with Abraham is the unconditional promise, and which promise is irrevocable, that Jehovah will carry into operation his purpose to bless all the families of the earth through his seed. (Gen.12:3; 22:18) Satan for a long while has been god or ruler over the earth, but Jehovah's purpose is that Satan's rule now must for ever end, and Jehovah takes over the earth and its fullness for himself and gives all this to his beloved Son. To Abraham Jehovah said: "For all the land which thou seest, to thee will I give

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it, and to thy seed for ever." (Gen. 13:15) In this prophetic statement made to Abraham by Jehovah Abraham represented God, while his seed referred to His Christ. (Gal. 3:16-29) Now he whose right it is to rule has come, and Jehovah God has installed him, Christ Jesus, upon his throne, and he has begun his rule. (Ezek. 21:27; Pss. 2:6; 110:2) Jehovah will now completely and for ever deprive Satan and his crowd of every part of the earth and will completely fulfil his word addressed to his Beloved, the Seed, to wit: "Ask of me, and I shall give thee the [nations] for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel." (Ps. 2:8, 9) Christ Jesus is therefore the rightful possessor of all the earth.

There is no Scriptural reason to conclude that the man Abraham and his descendants will inherit the earth. God's promise to Abraham was fulfilled in miniature and in a typical manner, but the greater fulfilment is to those of Jehovah's organization. The earth is Jehovah's, and the fullness thereof. (Ps. 24:1) The overlordship of the earth now belongs to Christ Jesus, the Seed of Abraham, whose right it is to rule, because Jehovah has given it to him. Christ Jesus is Jehovah's heir of all things, and those of his royal house are joint-heirs with him. (Rom. 8:16,17) When God said to Abraham, 'I will give unto thee and unto thy seed after thee the land,' clearly the meaning thereof is that Abraham in type was given the land and his Seed, the Christ, will possess it for ever.

Of and concerning his faithful and obedient followers Christ Jesus spoke, saying: "Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." (Matt. 5: 5) In 1914 Jehovah gave to Jesus the whole earth and the right

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to rule the same. Later Jesus gathered unto himself the faithful and brought them into the temple, and those of the remnant who continue faithful to the end shall participate in this great and marvelous gift. Christ Jesus is now at the temple in the kingdom with his followers and, to be sure, it is a time of rejoicing, pictured by the 'drinking of the wine new with him in his Father's kingdom'. Jehovah has therefore fulfilled his promise to give all the land to the seed of Abraham, that is, to Christ Jesus; and the "meek" mentioned by the Lord who shall inherit the land, being the teachable and obedient ones, that is to say, the faithful members of his body, these inherit the earth with him for ever.

Nor is there any Scriptural reason to conclude that Abraham and the other faithful men of old shall ever be changed from human to spirit creatures, as was once thought. Their position, as the Scriptures clearly show, will be that of "princes in all the earth", that is to say, the visible governors of earth, the direct representatives of Christ to whom God has given the earth as his inheritance, and as such princes they will rule under Christ and rule in righteousness. (Ps. 2:6-8; Isa. 32:1) The faithful remnant now taught of Jehovah God see that the kingdom is here, that righteousness in the earth must and will shortly be in full control, all of which will constitute a vindication of Jehovah's name, and therefore these faithful ones rejoice and sing the praises of Jehovah and declare his mighty doings amongst the people. The meeting of the faithful remnant with the new princes in the earth will be a joyful one, and they are looking forward to it with joyful anticipation. — Ps. 45:16.

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MOSES

When Moses was a young man he fled from Egypt. Later he became the keeper of the flock of his father-in-law Jethro. While herding the flock at the base of Mount Horeb he saw a miracle performed. A flame of fire enveloped a bush, and yet the bush was not burned. It was then that the Most High revealed his name Jehovah to Moses. There Jehovah began to disclose his purpose to vindicate his holy name. He ordered Moses to return to Egypt, there to serve notice on Pharaoh and then to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and bring them to Mount Horeb to worship Him. The Scriptures do not disclose that the Israelites in Egypt were crying unto Jehovah, but that they were crying against their oppressors and Jehovah heard them. He said to Moses: "Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them. Come now, therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt." — Ex. 3:9, 10.

Moses feared that the people of Israel would not believe that he was sent by Jehovah God: "And Moses answered and said, But, behold, they will not believe me, nor hearken unto my voice: for they will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto thee." (Ex. 4:1) Thereupon Jehovah gave Moses the power to perform three signs or miracles, "that they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee." (Ex. 4:5) The three signs or miracles were these: (1) The turning of Moses' rod into a serpent; (2) the leprous hand; and (3) the turning of water into blood. Each one of these signs carried

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a message or proclamation that was 'a voice, or testimony, from Jehovah' making known his purpose to vindicate his name. Probably Moses did not understand that purpose; but he had great faith and obeyed Jehovah, and by so doing received Jehovah God's approval.

In sending Moses to Egypt and using him in connection with the Israelites Jehovah used certain things and creatures which symbolically represent greater things to come. Moses represented Christ Jesus at times. God caused Moses to write: "The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken." (Deut. 18:15) Confirming this Jesus said: "Moses . . . wrote of me." (John 5:46) Jesus so taught his disciples, and Peter testified accordingly that Moses was a type of Christ Jesus. (Acts 3:22) In some parts of the picture made by Jehovah Moses represented, not Christ Jesus the Head, but the followers of Christ in the covenant with Jehovah, and particularly those on earth at the second coming of Christ.

Pharaoh and his organized world power pictured or represented Satan and his cruel organization. It was in Egypt, the symbol of Satan's world, that the Israelites, God's chosen people, were domiciled, having been sent there by Jehovah that his purpose might be carried out. The Israelites primarily represented Jehovah's chosen people in Christ, and secondly all of those who take their stand on the side of Jehovah God and who maintain their integrity toward him. It has been in these latter days, at the present time, that the Almighty God has revealed his name Jehovah and caused his people to understand the significance thereof. This he has done at the time of sending Christ

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Jesus to his temple to judge and deliver his own people and to judge and destroy Satan's organization. The fulfilment of the prophecy which Jehovah has revealed to his people is good reason for them to expect to find that the three signs performed by Moses have been wrought by Christ Jesus, the Greater-than-Moses, and that the understanding thereof may now by the grace of the Lord be had by the temple class. If so, such is a further proof that Jehovah has sent Christ Jesus to his temple for judgment and that judgment is now in progress.

THE SIGNS

The three signs Moses performed before the Israelites, and in this Aaron was associated with him. Two of those signs were performed before Pharaoh. Jehovah would first supply the evidence and convince the Israelites that he had sent Moses to them, and then he would also give proof to Pharaoh as a warning to him and his organization. Both the Israelites and Pharaoh must know that Jehovah is the Almighty God. Both the people of Jehovah and those of Satan's organization must now be informed that Jehovah is God. The first sign was the rod of Moses which was thrown to the ground and became a serpent. As a herder of sheep Moses carried a shepherd's rod. This was used in connection with the first sign. (Ex. 3:1) "And the Lord said unto him, What is that in thine hand? And he said, A rod. And he said, Cast it on the ground. And he cast it on the ground, and it became a serpent; and Moses fled from before it. And the Lord said unto Moses, Put forth thine hand, and take it by the tail. And he put forth his hand, and caught it, and it became a rod in his hand: That they may believe that the Lord God of their fathers, the God of

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Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared unto thee." — Ex. 4:2-5.

The time had come for Jehovah to send his deliverer to Egypt to make for Himself a name. He had selected Moses for this purpose to deliver his testimony to the Israelites, and Moses had raised the question as to whether or not the Israelites would hear him and believe that the Lord had appeared unto him. The fulfilment of this prophetic picture began in A.D. 1914. The time had then come for Jehovah to send forth his beloved Son, whom Moses pictured, to make for himself, Jehovah, a name. It was then that he placed Christ Jesus his King upon his holy hill in Zion. (Ps. 2: 6) It was then that he sent him forth to rule amongst the enemy. "The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." (Ps. 110:2) That was the appropriate time for Jehovah to propound the question to the Christ: "What is that in thine hand?"

Moses held a shepherd's rod in his hand. The shepherd's rod of Moses could be used as a weapon against beastly and human enemies. It was a rod that could be used as a scepter. (Ezek. 19:14) Concerning his second coming as Judge and King, Christ Jesus said: 'When the Lord shall come in his glory, and all his holy angels with him, then will he sit upon his throne of glory,' and that would be the time that he would as a shepherd divide the sheep from the goats. (Matt. 25: 31-46) He began his reign in 1914, but it was in 1918 when he came to the temple for judgment and for the separation of the "sheep" and "goats". He is sent to shepherd the nations, and his rod appears then to be "a rod of iron". (Ps. 2:9) Concerning the "birth of The Nation", or beginning of the Kingdom, It is written: "And she brought forth a son, a man-

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child, who was about to shepherd all the nations with a sceptre of iron." (Rev. 12:5, Roth.) These scriptures prove that the rod or scepter is a symbol of authority and power which Jehovah has delegated to Christ Jesus and to be used to carry out Jehovah's purpose.

Referring now to the picture: At the command of Jehovah Moses cast his rod on the ground. This could not mean the casting away or letting go of all power and authority by Jehovah or by Christ Jesus that wickedness might run riot. Long before Moses performed this sign Satan, who possessed the power to rule, had rebelled against Jehovah and had challenged Jehovah to put on earth men who would maintain their integrity toward God. The wicked one thereafter continued to operate in heaven as well as on earth. (Job 1:6, 7) Satan in this picture made at Egypt is represented by Pharaoh who was then opposing God's power. Moses represented Christ Jesus; and, at the end of the time of Satan's rule without interference, Christ is sent forth to begin his reign. It would be inconsistent for Christ Jesus then to let go his power and authority to rule and at the same time fulfil Jehovah's commandment, to wit, "Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies." On the contrary, the casting of the rod to the ground or earth by Moses pictured the projecting or extending of the active power of Christ Jesus to things pertaining to the earth. Thus he did when the war in heaven took place and the casting of Satan and his angels down to the earth. (Rev. 12:7-10) Thereby Christ Jesus made all of his enemies his footstool, that is to say, confined them to the earth and its vicinity.

No longer are there any enemies in heaven; and now there is but one center of disturbance, to wit, the

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earth, where Christ Jesus keeps a watchful eye upon the enemy and by his power holds the enemy in restraint until God's due time for the enemy and his organization to be destroyed. Casting the rod to the earth or ground had nothing to do with the permission of evil or wickedness which began long before the picture was made in Egypt. The 'voice of the sign' speaks a message relating to the coming of the Greater-than-Moses to deliver God's creatures, and this is done centuries after wickedness has been in the world.

Immediately after Moses east his rod to the ground "it became a serpent". It was the rod that became the serpent when it reached the ground or earth. The serpent is a symbol of evil, but not always a symbol of wickedness. The power and authority of Jehovah delegated to his beloved Son now takes on the form of evil to the things pertaining to the earth, that is to say, to Satan's organization, which is now confined to the earth. Evil is that which is hurtful and brings distress, adversity, affliction and sorrow upon the one against whom it is used. Jehovah God exercises his power to inflict punishment or to enforce his judgment, and such results in evil or that which hurts the wrongdoer; but that evil is righteously used. Jehovah says: "I form the light [for the righteous], and create darkness [for the wicked, my enemies]; I make peace [Roth.: prosperity] [for the remnant], and create evil [for Satan and his organization]. I the Lord do all these things." (Isa. 45:7; see also Pss. 97:11; 82: 5-7; 107:10; Jude 13; also The Watchtower, 1930, pages 131, 147) All wrongdoing or wickedness results in evil to someone, but not all evil is wrong. When Jesus punishes his enemies, that is evil administered in righteousness. The Scriptures therefore support the conclusion that the casting of the rod to the ground

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and its becoming a serpent foreshadowed the extension of Jesus' power and authority and activities to the earth, which become serpent-like or hurtful to Satan's organization.

This conclusion is fully supported by Revelation 9:11: "And they [the locusts, the remnant, Jehovah's witnesses] had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon [that is, Destroyer], but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon." Christ Jesus is that king, and as such he commands his organization and he inflicts punishment, which is evil, upon Satan's organization. (See Light, Book One, page 145.) Even "the horses" in the army of the Lord inflict evil like serpents, as it is written:" For their power is in their mouth, and in their tails: for their tails were like unto serpents, and had heads, and with them they do hurt." (Rev. 9:19) Concerning those who become the enemies of Jehovah he says: "For, behold, I will send serpents, cockatrices, among you, which will not be charmed, and they shall bite you, saith the Lord." (Jer. 8:17) "And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them." (Amos 9:3) The Scriptural evidence is therefore conclusive that the 'rod cast to the ground, and which became a serpent', pictures power and authority from Jehovah which he had delegated to Christ Jesus and which is being used against the enemies of Jehovah now confined to the earth.

THE HAND

The first and third signs were performed before Pharaoh. The second sign was concerning the hand.

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"And the Lord said furthermore unto him, Put now thine hand into thy bosom. And he put his hand into his bosom; and when he took it out, behold, his hand was leprous as snow." (Ex. 4:6) Manifestly the hand in such an instance was used as a symbol to teach Moses and others of God's chosen people a specific lesson. There seems to be no good reason why the sign of the leprous hand should be performed before Pharaoh, and there is no record that it was performed before him. This seems plainly to teach that the sign pertaining to the hand is one of the means employed by Jehovah to testify to his selected people, and to them alone, and is to inform them, that they may be equipped for his service.

What is the symbolic meaning of the hand of Moses as here used in this picture? It has been said that the hand is a symbol of divine power always, but the Scriptures do not at all times support that conclusion. The Scriptures show that when Jehovah puts his hand upon a creature, such means that Jehovah has selected that creature and clothed him with authority to perform certain duties in the execution of God's purpose. Jehovah has selected Christ Jesus as his special elect servant whom he uses to execute his judgments, and therefore he is symbolically the "hand" of Jehovah. "If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me." (Deut. 32:41) All just powers reside in Jehovah; and the fact that he has committed to his beloved Son all power in heaven and in earth is further proof that Christ Jesus is the elect instrument of Jehovah to execute his purposes and hence symbolically represented by Jehovah's hand laid upon him.

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Ezekiel had a vision concerning which he said: "An hand was sent unto me; and, lo, a roll of a book was therein." (Ezek. 2:9, 10) The roll or book is a symbol of a message or testimony of Jehovah, and its being in a hand symbolically says: 'This testimony is provided by the power or spirit of Jehovah, and this is his means of making it known.' When the time came for Ezekiel the priest to begin his service he says concerning the same: 'And the hand of the Lord was upon me.' (Ezek. 1:3) "And the hand of the Lord was there upon me; and he said unto me, Arise, go forth into the plain, and I will there talk with thee." (Ezek. 3:22) When the time came for Ezekiel to proclaim the prophecy concerning the royal house, it is written, "the hand of the Lord was upon me." (Ezek. 40:1) In these texts "the hand of the Lord" clearly means that Jehovah has bestowed upon his creature divine favor and authority to represent him in bearing his testimony, and this he has done by and through Christ Jesus, who is his chief means of carrying out his purposes, or his "right hand".

When the hand of a creature is employed or used the symbol clearly teaches a different thing. Let it be kept in mind that it was Moses' hand that he put into his bosom and which there became leprous. For two reasons that hand could not represent divine power: (1) because it was the hand of a creature; and (2) because divine power cannot become leprous. Nor could the hand that became leprous represent anything in the heavenly or invisible part of Jehovah's organization, because that part of his organization never becomes sinful or displeasing to Jehovah God. The conclusion, therefore, must be that the hand of Moses represents something pertaining to the fol-

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lowers of Christ Jesus while they are on earth and while in an imperfect condition.

For the foregoing reasons the following definition is given of the symbolic meaning of the hand: The hand of a creature on the earth, which creature is in & covenant with Jehovah, symbolically represents the divinely provided ways and means or equipment of that creature to actively engage in the service of Jehovah. In support of this definition the following is submitted: Moses was being sent to Egypt, not to deliver his own message, but to deliver Jehovah's testimony. Jehovah had provided the ways and means and had equipped Moses to do that service. For Moses to become negligent or slothful in the performance of that service after having undertaken it would have been sin, and sin is symbolized by leprosy. Such negligence or indifference would be illustrated by putting the hand in his bosom, even as Moses did. "A slothful man hideth his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again." (Prov. 19:24) (See also Proverbs 26:15.) He who would thus do would become poor and an unfruitful servant. "He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand, but the hand of the diligent maketh rich." (Prov. 10:4) These scriptures definitely prove that the hand is a symbol of activity and service and that when it becomes inactive disintegration always follows.

This miracle or sign God gave, and it was being performed chiefly for the benefit of God's covenant people on earth at the end of the world, hence intended to teach them a special lesson. (Rom. 15:4) These covenant people, particularly the remnant, God has taken out for his name's sake, and has provided them with the ways and means and equipped them to bear his testimony to the world. To be negligent or

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slothful in the performance of that service would be sinful. Jesus tells of the "wicked and slothful servant" who was disapproved. (Matt. 25:26) Jehovah's witnesses are admonished to be "not slothful in [the King's] business"; but "fervent in spirit; serving the Lord". (Rom. 12:11) "That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises." (Heb. 6:12) "The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labour." (Prov. 21:25) These scriptures show that unfaithfulness and inactivity on the part of the servant result in sin and death, whereas zeal and faithfulness in service bring the promised reward.

The picture made by Moses, however, more particularly concerns those of God's covenant people who will ultimately prove their faithfulness. That does not mean that a time would not come when they would be in an unclean condition. There was a period of slothfulness in the Lord's service on the part of the consecrated and to which the Lord Jesus referred in the parable of the virgins and said: 'When all the virgins slumbered and slept.' (Matt. 25:5) During the World War and for some time thereafter the consecrated were fearful, and there was very little testimony delivered. That slothfulness and negligence or lack of vigorous activity in using divinely provided ways and means to serve Jehovah God brought the consecrated into a leprous or unclean condition. "A leprous man ... is unclean. . . . And the leper in whom the plague is, his clothes shall be rent, and his head bare, and he shall put a covering upon his upper lip, and shall cry, Unclean, unclean." — Lev. 13:44,45.

It was in the year 1922 that the Lord revealed to his covenant people their uncleanness resulting from inactivity in service. A picture thereof was set forth

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in the prophecy of Isaiah wherein that prophet represented God's covenant people, and which prophet represented God's covenant people as saying: "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King: the Lord of hosts." (Isa. 6:5) That uncleanness clearly was due to lack of activity or to slothfulness in the use of the divinely provided ways and means to deliver the testimony of Jehovah, and this is shown by the fact that the prophet was cleansed by fire being put upon his lips: "Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar; and he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips, and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged." — Isa. 6:6, 7.

The hand of Moses in his bosom particularly represented the period of time from 1918 to 1919 inclusive when there was little or nothing done in the way of giving the testimony of Jehovah. God told Moses to take his hand out of his bosom, and when he took it out then he discovered that it was as leprous as snow; and God told him to again put his hand into his bosom. "And he said, Put thine hand into thy bosom again. And he put his hand into his bosom again, and plucked it out of his bosom; and, behold, it was turned again as his other flesh." (Ex. 4:7) The command of Jehovah here given teaches that Jehovah would not completely cast away his people, but that if, when informed of their unclean condition, they then manifested repentance and became zealous for the Lord he would again bring them into his favor. Note that the record is that the first time he "took" his hand out of the bosom, but the second time Moses

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"plucked it out of his bosom", which latter action indicates that he did so quickly and with energy and with a zeal peculiar to the Lord's house. When in 1922 Jehovah's covenant people discovered their uncleanness because of their inactivity in God's service, as was prophesied by Isaiah, they immediately became active and the service work went forward from that time with energy and zeal.

No cure for the disease of leprosy has ever been found by man. The only cure is by the power of Jehovah, and he cures only those who obey him." Christendom," like King Uzziah, was willfully disobedient to Jehovah and will never be cured of the deadly malady symbolized by leprosy. (2 Chron. 26:16-23) The hand of Moses was healed only after full obedience to the commandment of Jehovah. The covenant people of Jehovah can be healed and kept clean only by the willing obedience and unselfish devotion to Jehovah.

The third "sign" performed by Moses was the pouring out of water from the Nile river upon the ground, and its turning to blood. (Ex. 4:8,9) As this was, in effect, the same as the first of the ten plagues upon Egypt, the turning of the water to blood is explained later herein in connection with the ten plagues.*

CONSISTENCY

Returning now to the shed blood which was used to put God's covenant in force toward his people: If the blood of the new covenant has been sprinkled and that covenant has been inaugurated, then it necessarily follows that Jehovah has brought forth and made manifest the ones mentioned as "a people for his name"

*See pages 58-61.
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and that he has given them "a new name" (Acts 15: 14; Isa. 62:2); and upon none other than his covenant servant people does God confer that honor. Such faithful members of the remnant yet on earth now partake of the "Lord's supper" at Mount Zion, drinking the new wine with the Chief One of the royal house, because they have had his invitation and entered into the joy of the Lord. (Matt. 25:21) They must now be consistent and act their part and speak their part as a people for Jehovah's name; otherwise they are not acting in harmony with the drinking of the wine new, the symbol of the blood of the new covenant. They must now therefore preach Jehovah God's name and his kingdom. This is not discretionary, but it is absolutely mandatory.

It would not be permissible to ask for a license or a permit to be issued by worldly institutions to preach the gospel of God's kingdom any more than it would have been proper for Moses and Aaron to ask permission of Pharaoh to worship God. "And afterward Moses and Aaron went in, and told Pharaoh, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Let my people go, that they may hold a feast unto me in the wilderness." (Ex. 5:1) On other occasions Moses and Aaron delivered a like message to Pharaoh. (Ex. 7:16; 8:1; 9:1) Such, however, was not a request that Pharaoh or his officers should issue a permit or license to worship or to serve Jehovah, but the same constituted a demand made by the express commandment of Jehovah that Pharaoh and his officers must quit interfering with the chosen people of God in the exercise of their liberty to freely worship and serve Jehovah. Even so now the people taken out for Jehovah's name, to wit, the remnant, are sent forth by Jehovah and commanded to bear testimony before the rulers, and

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it would be wholly inconsistent for them to ask the rulers if they might preach the gospel, but it is their business to demand that Satan and his representatives cease their interference with Jehovah's witnesses in delivering the gospel of his kingdom.

Pharaoh not only was notified of God's purpose, but was granted full time and opportunity to identify himself as God's enemy by 'putting on the garments' and showing on which side he stood. He was notified and warned of what God would do if he continued to interfere with His people, and notwithstanding this notice and warning he continued to harden his heart: "And the Lord said unto Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, he refuseth to let the people go." (Ex. 7:14) Now the earthly representatives of Satan are given full warning, time and opportunity to put on the garments of identification before Jehovah takes final action against them. The supremacy of Jehovah must be made known to the rulers, and his witnesses must declare God's supremacy and the greatness of his name throughout the earth. (Ex. 9:16, Leeser) It therefore must be displeasing to Jehovah God for anyone to ask permission of the antitypical Pharaoh and his officers that he might go about and preach the gospel. Since God has commanded this notice of warning to be given, Jehovah's servants must obey his commandments.

The rod of Moses became a serpent when cast down before Pharaoh and was a symbolic warning of the woes to come upon Pharaoh and his organization, culminating in the destruction of the firstborn of Egypt and the destruction of Pharaoh's host in the Red sea. In the year 1918 the Lord Jesus came to the temple for judgment, to which high position Jehovah had assigned him. He there appears as Jehovah's special

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representative clothed with all power and authority; hence at that time began the fulfilment of the prophetic utterance: "Jehovah is in his holy temple: let all the earth keep silence before him." (Hab. 2:20, A.R.V.) The rod in the hand of the antitypical Moses is a symbol of the authority and power which Jehovah has fully delegated to Christ Jesus and which he uses to execute Jehovah's purposes. (See The Watchtower, 1933, page 100, and scriptures there cited.) Now the announcement to the rulers of the world that Christ Jesus, the great Judge, has come to the temple for judgment is a warning to all such of the punishment God will inflict upon his enemies culminating in the complete destruction of the world at Armageddon.

The rod of Moses was employed by Moses and Aaron in invoking the ten plagues upon Egypt, including the death of the firstborn. In this connection Moses was a type of Christ Jesus, while Aaron pictured the members of the body of Christ to whom is committed "the testimony of Jesus Christ" and who deliver the testimony. That rod stretched forth symbolically said that this is done by the authority and commandment of Jehovah God. The plagues upon Egypt constituted notice and warning of God's purpose to execute his wrath against all those who oppose him in carrying out his purposes. Nine of those plagues preceded the institution of the passover. The slaying of the paschal lamb and the institution of the first passover was directly interwoven with the tenth plague. It is certain that the Scriptures prove that the expression of God's vengeance against the antitypical Egypt takes place after the coming of the Lord Jesus to the temple for judgment, and it also clearly follows that the ten plagues have an antitypical fulfilment upon the world of Satan following the appearing of the Lord at the

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temple for judgment, and that these plagues have an antitypical fulfilment before the complete expression of God's vengeance against Satan's organization. That conclusion being correct, the memorial of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the antitypical passover lamb, now signifies much more to God's people than they have heretofore seen.

It is certain that we are now in the last days, concerning which the apostle Paul said: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come." (2 Tim. 3:1) This is the time in which the "man of sin", "the son of perdition," is made manifest. The clergy in general, and the Roman Catholic hierarchy in particular, and others that go to make up the "man of sin", are described by the apostle in 2 Timothy 3:2-9. Those persons, while claiming to represent God and his kingdom, are violently opposed to the Kingdom and have persecuted those whom Jehovah has taken out as a people for his name and who are delivering the testimony of Jesus Christ. These opposers of Jehovah have had every opportunity to hear the truth, but they refused to learn and to give heed to the truth; therefore they put on the garments of Baal and plainly identify themselves with God's great enemy, concerning which the apostle prophetically wrote: "Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith. But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was." — 2 Tim. 3:7-9.

It now appears to those devoted to the Lord that the ten plagues upon Egypt were prophetic. If those plagues, or even a part of them, have had an antitypi-

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cal fulfilment, may we not expect the Lord to show to his faithful ones the meaning thereof and also to permit them to see what all those plagues mean? (Isa. 42: 9) A consideration of those ten plagues in Egypt in connection with the memorial of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ now seems to be very appropriate.

THE PLAGUES

Jehovah speaks of the plagues upon Egypt as "wonders" and "signs". (Ex. 3:20; 8:23; 10:1) "And I will harden Pharaoh's heart, and multiply my signs and my wonders in the land of Egypt." (Ex. 7:3) "How he had wrought his signs in Egypt, and his wonders in the field of Zoan." (Ps. 78:43) It does not follow that the antitypical fulfilment of these signs and wonders or plagues would be in the same time order as they occurred in type. They differ in time order from the seven last plagues described in Revelation, chapter sixteen, the one exception appearing to be that of the last plague. Seeing that the Scriptures were written aforetime for the instruction, assurance and comfort of the remnant, it is reasonable to expect that these signs and wonders will be made known to the remnant while on earth.

One of the reasons why Jehovah has permitted Satan to remain and continue his nefarious work in all the centuries past is stated by Him as "that my name may be declared throughout all the earth". (Ex. 9:16, A.R.V.) The declaring of Jehovah's name through the earth takes place at the end of the world, and following the coming of the Lord Jesus to the temple God uses his people taken out for his name in connection therewith, just as he used Moses and Aaron in Egypt: "He sent Moses his servant, and. Aaron whom he had chosen. They shewed his signs

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among them, and wonders in the land of Ham." (Ps. 105:26,27) The antitypical Moses and Aaron constitute Jehovah's servant whom Jehovah has commissioned to bear his message to the world. Christ Jesus is the Head of that servant and was pictured by Moses, whereas Aaron pictured the body members, including the remnant.

Jehovah, applying his words to the "day of the Lord", speaks of his witnesses which are now as 'an altar unto the Lord, and a pillar in the border of Egypt'. Jehovah in this connection also says: "And it shall be for a sign and for a witness unto the Lord of hosts in the land of Egypt." (Isa. 19:19, 20) The time of the fulfilment of this prophecy of Isaiah is in the day when God serves notice first and then expresses his vengeance against Satan's organization. Jehovah has taken out his faithful ones, spiritual Israelites, and has made them his witnesses to declare his name in the earth. Concerning this the prophecy of Jeremiah now applies: "Which hast set signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, even unto this day, and in Israel, and among other men: and hast made thee a name, as at this day; and hast brought forth thy people Israel out of the land of Egypt, with signs, and with wonders, and with a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with great terror." — Jer. 32: 20, 21.

It is written by Jehovah's prophet: "He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them." (Ps. 78:49) This refers typically to the plagues in Egypt, and antitypically "evil angels" here clearly appears to refer to the Lord Jesus Christ and to the faithful remnant on earth as members of his body. This conclusion is in harmony with the

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Scriptures when we remember that the word evil does not necessarily mean wicked, but it does mean that which brings misfortune, woe and punishment upon the wrongdoers. One translator of this text renders it thus: "A mission of messengers of misfortune." (Roth.) Jehovah's witnesses do now proclaim his message of misfortune, woe and punishment against Satan's organization, both visible and invisible. This furnishes the clue to the understanding of the anti-typical fulfilment of the ten plagues upon Egypt and suggests that Jehovah uses his witnesses on the earth in connection therewith.

The plagues from one to nine were pointed declarations and notices of Jehovah's supremacy, and thereby both Jehovah's and Satan's organization are made to appear. The tenth plague brought the release of Jehovah's people from Satan's organization and their deliverance out from Egypt. Such plagues were performed before Pharaoh, and hence constitute notice to him, and the antitypical fulfilment of the plagues must be before Satan and his organization, and which constitute notice and warning to Satan and his organization. We know that Jehovah is not responsible for the economic depression, woes and misfortunes that have come upon the peoples of the world, because it is expressly stated in his Word that Satan has brought these woes; therefore the nine preliminary plagues upon Egypt could not properly apply to such woes. The antitypical fulfilment would not be those woes mentioned in Revelation 12:12. They must have some symbolic significance, such as the seven last plagues of Revelation, sixteenth chapter. Each plague is a specific message of misfortune, and these messages delivered in modern times against Satan's organization irk, disturb, plague and forebode the downfall of Sa-

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tan and his organization. As the plagues upon Egypt constituted notice and warning, antitypically fulfilled such must be notice and warning.

PLAGUE ONE

Jehovah commanded Moses to perform certain signs in Egypt, first before the Israelites and then before Pharaoh, the purpose of which was to supply convincing proof that Jehovah is God, and that Moses was sent to Egypt as God's representative. The third of those signs when performed by Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh constituted the first plague upon Egypt. That sign or wonder was the turning of the water into blood. (Pss. 78:43, 44; 105: 29) Jehovah's commandment to Moses concerning the first plague is recorded at Exodus 7:14-25. Moses there appearing before Pharaoh was a type of Christ Jesus, the Vindicator of Jehovah's name. The rod which Moses lifted up represented the divine authority conferred by Jehovah upon him, and antitypically represents the divine authority conferred by Jehovah upon Jesus, and antitypically represents the authority and power of the Lord Jesus Christ to oust the enemy and deliver His people, which authority has been conferred by Jehovah. Aaron acting with Moses pictured in the anti-typical fulfilment the remnant on earth performing the duties of witnesses to whom is committed the testimony of Jesus Christ, and Aaron using the rod shows that these witnesses are acting under divine command. God had commanded the performance of this sign and wonder before Pharaoh.

"And Moses and Aaron did so, as the Lord commanded; and he lifted up the rod, and smote the waters that were in the river, in the sight of Pharaoh, and in the sight of his servants; and all the waters

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that were in the river were turned to blood." (Ex. 7: 20) The waters of the river Nile pictured the commercial part of Satan's organization. Egypt depended upon the waters of the Nile as a means of carrying on her commerce; hence to the Egyptians those waters were a means of life and livelihood. Turning the waters into blood represented death. Satan claimed that he had made the river Nile for himself; meaning that this was his possession. (Ezek. 29:1-3) The people of the world, and many who have consecrated themselves to the Lord, have been induced heretofore to believe that commerce is vitally and essentially necessary for sustaining the life of mankind. In recent years God's covenant people have come to learn that commerce was organized and has been carried on by Satan as a means of controlling the people and turning them away from Jehovah God. This sign or wonder was performed before the Israelites, and thus showed that God's covenant people must first learn the meaning of commerce and that it is the institution of Satan, and then they must declare the same before the rulers and the people, that commerce constitutes an integral part of Satan's organization which he has employed to deceive and oppress the people and to carry on his bloody and death-dealing work.

The turning of the water into blood pictured or foreshadowed a message of truth being declared or made known in the presence of Satan's visible agents, as well as to the invisible part of his organization. In the type it was a notice and warning to Pharaoh. In the antitype it must be a notice and warning to the antitypical Pharaoh and his organization. Fulfilment of the prophetic picture began at the convention of God's people at Columbus, Ohio, in July 1924, at which time public declaration was made that the commercial

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giants, who are the principal ones of the ecclesiastical systems of this world, and all of which are a part of Satan's organization, constitute the chief rulers or representatives of Satan on earth that rule and dominate and oppress the people. A resolution was there adopted, and afterward widely published, entitled AN INDICTMENT. Its distribution extended throughout "Christendom" in many languages. The declaration was therein made and the notice hence served Upon the rulers and the people that Satan's organization is death-dealing, and that the hope of mankind is in the kingdom of God. That was notice and warning to Satan's organization of God's purpose to fully express his wrath against that wicked organization and that this he would do in due time. — See The Watchtower, 1933, page 121; Light, Book One, page 122.

That notice and warning was given five years before the great economic depression began and which continues until this day. Since then Jehovah's witnesses have continued to call the attention of the rulers and the people to the fact that Satan is the author and creator of commerce, who has exercised beastly rule over the people, and which has served as a great defamation of God's holy name, and that it will be destroyed in vindication of Jehovah's name. This testimony continually given by Jehovah's witnesses, and the Scriptural proof submitted in support thereof, has constituted and continues to constitute a great plague upon the organization of Satan. His visible representatives have no answer to these pointed truths, and hence they are tormented by hearing them.

As the waters of the river were turned into blood, bringing death, so in the past few years the people have been learning that commerce, instead of bringing them life and happiness, is a great system of oppres-

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sion resulting in much suffering and death. As the peoples of Egypt dug about the river to find life-sustaining waters to drink, even so now the rulers and their allies are bringing forth many makeshifts in their desperate attempt to pull the world out of depression and to find that which will sustain their present organization. All these schemes and plans brought forth ignore God, and the visible agents of Satan refuse to give heed to the message of God concerning his kingdom which he is causing to be brought before them.

But the magicians of Egypt cooperated in making hard the heart of Pharaoh. By their enchantments they also turned water into blood. (Ex. 7:22) The modern magicians, to wit, the clergy and religious teachers of Satan's organization, including the "man of sin" class, resist the Lord and his purposes by haranguing their allies and the people and saying that the waters of truth, that is, the testimony delivered by Jehovah's witnesses, are death-dealing; and thus they turn the waters of truth into blood. Instead of receiving the testimony of Jesus Christ as a warning, the clergy and their allies contend that all the trouble, woes and economic depression now upon the world proceed from Jehovah. It is the message of truth that plagues Satan's representatives, and by refusing to give heed thereto they continue to harden their hearts against God. — See The Watchtower, April 15, 1933.

The turning of the waters of the river Nile into blood was one of the ten plagues, and in connection with the first plague it is written: "And seven days were fulfilled, after that the Lord had smitten the river." (Ex. 7: 25) "Seven" is a divine symbolic number of completeness, and as here used it appears to say that the testimony of notice and warning to Satan's organization must continue from that time on-

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ward until Satan's organization yields to the Vindicator and rightful Ruler of the world or else suffers complete destruction. It would therefore follow that when the ten plagues are antitypically fulfilled and performed, then would come the complete overthrow of Satan and his organization.

PLAGUE TWO

Satan is totally depraved, and many of his visible agents give evidence of their total depravity. God continues to give them notice and warning. The second plague of Egypt was that of frogs. "He sent. . . frogs, which destroyed them." (Ps. 78:45) "Their land brought forth frogs in abundance." (Ps. 105: 30) The record of the second plague appears at Exodus 8:1-15. Jehovah commanded Moses, the type of Christ Jesus, to say unto Aaron, the type of the earthly mouthpiece of the Lord Jesus, Jehovah's witnesses, to proceed with the work of carrying out the second plague: "And the Lord spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt. And Aaron stretched out his hand over the waters of Egypt; and the frogs came up, and covered the land of Egypt." — Ex. 8:5, 6.

The hand stretched out holding the rod, which manifestly was Moses' rod, represented and pictured the power and authority of Jehovah God conferred upon Christ, the Greater Moses, and by him upon the earthly members of his organization, the servant class, who bear the message or testimony of Jehovah before the rulers and before the people. (Ezek. 2: 9,10; The Watchtower, 1933, page 115) The rivers and ponds and other waters pictured the peoples of the world,

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particularly of "Christendom". Frogs are "marsh leapers" and inhabit shallow waters or marshes. They give the appearance of great wisdom and importance and make a loud and discordant noise, and these particularly represent the agitators amongst the common people who suggest divers and numerous remedies for the salvation of the world; for example, the socialists, bolsheviks, communists, Christian Scientists, and the various elements of organized religion. Frogs are unclean; and coming out of the waters of Egypt, that is, the world, shows that whatever they represent is from Satan's organization. — See Light, Book Two, page 42.

It was the exercise of divine power and authority that caused the frogs to come up and to be exposed and to harass the people; which, antitypically, is the authoritative exercise by Jehovah's servants, including those on earth, of the power and commission in delivering the message of notice and warning to the enemy organization and which exposes the many so-called "remedies" for the human race. It appears that the second plague antitypically fulfilled had its beginning upon Satan's organization from the year 1927 and onward and corresponds to the sixth trumpet of Revelation (9:13-21). The facts which relate to the antitypical fulfilment of this plague are these:

At Toronto, Ont., before a large visible audience and one by radio, constituting a far greater audience, a message from the Lord's Word in the form of a resolution and supporting argument was adopted and addressed "TO THE PEOPLES OF CHRISTENDOM". The message broadcast on that occasion was afterwards printed and distributed by the millions to the peoples of earth and in many languages. Amongst other things that message said was in substance this: 'The blessings so much desired by the people can never

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come through any unrighteous system of "Christendom" or any organization of so-called "Christianity", because the same forms a part of Satan's organization, and that there is no reason for the people to give support to that hypocritical and oppressive system that blinds them, misleads them, and turns them away from God. Further, that in this hour of perplexity Jehovah God bids the peoples to abandon and for ever forsake "Christendom" and all of her misleading systems and organizations, because all of these are of the Devil's organization.' — See Light, Book One, page 163.

At the time of the delivery of that message commerce was at its zenith in operating fraudulent and oppressive schemes to get rich, and which were oppressive to the people. About the time of the delivery of that message men and women through the public press and by other means began a great croaking noise in the way of palaver and talk and agitation, and wind-puffing, assuming great wisdom and making much noise about the ability of their various systems to bring about the desire of the people, the falsity of which the message aforesaid exposed as being from Satan. Amongst these croakers were included the clergy and their newspapers, as well as the secular press. All of these things were the expression of human or man-made wisdom and all opposed to God's kingdom under Christ.

Included also amongst these croakers is the "man of sin" class (Jannes and Jambres) who join with the public press and the clergy and other agitators to speak against Jehovah's witnesses and against the message of truth delivered by them. Many who thought they were amongst God's people were misled by these croakings and became offended at Jehovah and Christ



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and fell away, joining Satan's organization openly. Some of these offended ones said in substance: "Had the radio speech at Toronto been tempered with moderation the National Broadcasting Company would have permitted the continued use of its facilities to the Society." None of such frog-croaking, of course, came from Jehovah's witnesses, but came from those that opposed the Kingdom; and the fact that Jehovah's witnesses called attention to and exposed these croakings as being from the Devil, and cited the Scriptures in support thereof, and showed that none of such schemes were from God, made the croakers very angry.  — Jer. 23:16-21, 31, 32.

The message above mentioned exposing the frog-croaking was distributed to the official element of Satan's visible organization as well as to the people, and Satan induced his wiseacres to try to offset it by bringing forth some "frogs" of their own. "And the magicians did so with their enchantments, and brought up frogs upon the land of Egypt." (Ex. 8:7) These latter frog-messages did not proceed from the croakers amongst the common people, but, as the Scriptures declare, they "come out of the mouth of the dragon, . . . the beast, and . . . the false prophet", the official element of the Devil and his organization. (Rev. 16:13, 14) This latter scripture gives the clue to the meaning of the "frogs" of the second plague upon Egypt. In this text in The Revelation, and in connection with the Egyptian plagues, are the only places in the Bible where frogs are mentioned, and both show they represent the beastly and fraudulent claims made by Satan and his organization which the Lord by his power and authority has exposed. — See Light, Book Two, pages 42-51.

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The plague of frogs does not in any manner refer to Jehovah's witnesses or the message delivered by them, but that plague does show what resulted by reason of the delivery of the divinely given message, because the message resulted in exposing these various croakings or false claims. The dying of the frogs does not mean that Jehovah's witnesses stopped proclaiming the message of truth, because Jehovah commands them to continue their work; but it does seem to say that the reasonable people begin to see that these croakers have no real means of bringing blessings to the people and they cease giving heed to them. The official part of Satan's organization was greatly disturbed by the croaking noise of these antitypical frogs, and hence, fearing that the same might interfere with their schemes, they, like Pharaoh, lied in order to have themselves released from these frog annoyances.  — Ex. 8: 8.

The frogs of Egypt did not all die, but only those that were on the dry land and in the house of Pharaoh and his official family. All the other frogs remained in the rivers. (Ex. 8:11) The message of God's kingdom published in 1928 specially pointed out that all attempts of government by agitation and agitators, such as hereinbefore described, must fail because only God's kingdom under Christ can bring what is the desire of the people. (See Government, pages 242-247.) That message was put in the hands of practically all the official visible part of Satan's organization in "Christendom". Satan and his official crowd probably have taken some satisfaction in believing that they will not be overthrown by such agitators, but that their own schemes, namely, the false, unclean messages that come from the mouth of the Devil, his beast, and

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his false prophet, bespeak the remedy for the controlling of humankind.

The message contained in the book Government, issued in 1928, further exposes the many false systems and attempts of government and points out that the only possible means for the blessing of the people is through God's kingdom. The message of truth therefore angers Satan's organization, antitypical Egypt, the members of which harden their hearts. Further testimony of notice and warning must continue, which will plague Satan's organization, and which will be to the honor of Jehovah's name.



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