Activities in Zion
(REVELATION, CHAPTER 14)
JEHOVAH'S organization appears in his Word under the symbol and name of "Zion". In the Scriptures "mountain" is a symbol of God's government or kingdom. The highest part of a mountain is properly called a hill. The highest part of the kingdom is the governor or king. Jehovah says: "Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion." (Ps. 2:6) "His foundation is in the holy mountains." (Ps. 87:1) When David was made king Mount Zion was made the seat of government of Israel. There David built a house of "cedar wood", symbolic of everlasting existence of God's kingdom. That was Jehovah's typical government. The reader is here requested to study Revelation the fourteenth chapter, which is now considered.
In the vision John beheld a beautiful mountain. (Vs. 1) It must have been a white mountain, and glorious; because white is symbolic of purity, and the Lord is glorious. It was Mount Zion, which is symbolic of God's pure and holy organization and of the kingdom born out of that organization, the Governor of which is pure, holy and undefiled. He is Christ the beloved One of God. The fact that John saw Mount Zion is proof that the kingdom was born before the servant class, whom John represents, saw and appreciated it. The proof appearing in the preceding chapters shows that the kingdom was born in 1914; but the fact thereof was not understood by the servant
class until some years afterward. The Lord, therefore, was at his temple, and Zion built up, before his faithful people on earth understood it.
Jehovah loves Zion and the entrance thereunto. (Ps. 78: 68; 87: 2) Zion is the dwelling place of God, and therefore Zion is pure and holy. (Ps. 9:11; 132:13) Out of Zion God shines, because Zion honors the Lord and magnifies his name. (Ps. 50: 2; 135: 21) The day comes, and is not far distant, when Mount Zion will be the peace and joy of all that live forever on the earth. — Ps. 48: 2.
John saw a Lamb that stood on Mount Zion. The transfiguration scene "in the holy mount" seems to refer to the same thing. (2 Pet. 1:17, 18) This is "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world". (John 1:29) His blood shed at Calvary is for sin atonement, and now he comes in his glory, clothed with all power and authority, to clean up and remove the sin-stain from the world. In the book of Revelation Jesus is called the "Lamb" twenty-eight times, which is more times than of any other name it gives to him. God must have a reason for emphasizing that title. It is derived from the word arnion, which more literally means "dear lamb" or "lamb-ling". The evident purpose is to remind all creation that God is the great Shepherd and that Jesus is the dearest One of God's great flock. Jesus said: "Jehovah is my Shepherd." (Ps. 23:1) (See also Genesis 22:8.) The one standing on Mount Zion, therefore, is definitely identified as Christ Jesus, the glorious King.
Jesus took his position on Mount Zion in 1914; and the vision suggests that, standing there, Jesus now 'sees of the travail of his soul', spoken of by the
prophet, in fulfilment, and is filled with satisfaction and joy because the time has come to vindicate his Father's name. (Isa. 53:11, 12; Jer. 11:19, 20; Ps. 110: 2-6) A lamb of the flock was slain and its blood was used as the basis for the law covenant made in Egypt and confirmed at Sinai. The blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God slain on earth, is the basic sacrifice for the new covenant, which is made on earth and ratified at Mount Zion. Jesus Christ is the Mediator of that covenant. (Heb. 12: 24) He is the greatest as well as the most loved of all God's creation: "And thou, O tower of the flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion; the kingdom shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem." — Mic. 4: 8.
His kingdom was born or began in 1914, before the travail of Zion. "Before she travailed, she brought forth; before her pain came, she was delivered of a man child." "Unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder." This is true because he is God's dear Lamb and anointed King now upon his throne. (Isa. 66:7; 9:6, 7) The law, or rule of action that shall govern the new heavens and new earth, shall go forth from Mount Zion. (Isa. 2:3) In Zion, God's organization, the dear Lamb of God is laid as the chief corner Stone and sanctuary for the children or members of Zion, which is the church, and is also laid as a stumbling Stone for his enemies. — 1 Pet. 2:6-8; Isa. 28:16; 8:14.
After coming to his temple it was time to tell "the Lamb's wife", who is also a child of Zion, that she might rejoice. 'Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; and shout for joy; for behold, thy King cometh unto thee. ... He shall speak peace to the nations; and his
dominion shall be throughout all the earth.' (Zech. 9:9, 10) The church is the "daughter of Zion". It is Zion (God's organization) that gives birth to her children who constitute members of God's kingdom. The travail came upon Zion in 1917 and 1918: "For as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children." — Isa. 66:8.
Zion having now been built up, and her children brought forth, John, representing God's people on earth, the servant class, is given a vision of what has taken place. Therefore it is added: "And with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads." (Vs. 1) This picture could not be fulfilled until the faithful who slept in death had been resurrected out of death and judgment had begun at the house of God and the approved ones, constituting the remnant, were brought into the temple and illuminated by the lightnings of Jehovah. Being brought forth as God's children and acknowledged by him they would have his name in their foreheads. They would have an intelligent appreciation of the fact that they were God's children, and are easily identified as children of God.
This could not have come to pass prior to 1918, and it was more completely fulfilled at or after 1922. It was then true that "the outcasts of Israel" were gathered unto God, "to the place of the name of the Lord of hosts," to Zion (into God's organization), and the fact was revealed unto them. (Ps. 147: 2, 12; 50:5; Isa. 18:7) The John or servant class, now in the temple, can begin to see and appreciate the beautiful tableau, the first part of which appears to be Christ the glorious King and his body members in God's organization. Those who are the children of
Zion begin and continue to sing Jehovah's praises and rejoice: "And the Lord shall reign over them in mount Zion from henceforth, even for ever." — Mic. 4:7, 13.
The number that stood with the Lamb on Mount Zion is the same as those who were 'sealed of the twelve tribes of spiritual Israel'. (Rev. 7:4) God had promised to write upon his faithful ones his name. (See Revelation 3:12.) They are shown in the tableau as having received his name written in their foreheads. These are they who have escaped from the snare of the enemy, as it is written: "But upon mount Zion shall be deliverance [they that escape, margin], and there shall be holiness [it shall be holy, margin]; . . . And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau [Satan's organization]; and the kingdom shall be the Lord's." (Obad. 17-21) Jehovah has now 'received the congregation', the temple class, which is in his favor, and the time of his wrath upon Babylon must now be due. "When I shall receive the congregation, I will judge uprightly. The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved: I bear up the pillars of it." (Ps. 75:2, 3) Upon the foreheads of these faithful ones there is no room for the "name" or "number of the beast". Instead, there appears upon them the name of honor, reverence and praise to Jehovah and to his King. They are wholly devoted to the Lord.
This blessed assembly of God's people would now indicate that "Babylon is fallen", as announced by the angel, in verse eight of this chapter. Gathered unto the Lord, his people are now out of Babylon and it is a time for them to rejoice and sing, and they do. (Ps. 126:1; Isa. 52: 7, 8) It is the time also for God's
wrath to begin against the enemy organization. Therefore it is written: "The Lord hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the Lord our God. . . . For his device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the Lord, the vengeance of his temple. And I will render unto Babylon, and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea, all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight, saith the Lord. As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth." (Jer. 51:10, 11, 24, 49) The time has now come to declare "the day of vengeance of our God", and those of the organization of the Lord must declare it. — Isa. 61: 2.
SERVICE
Some who were favored with the knowledge of God's truth and who covenanted to do his will became "weary in well doing" and have concluded that all they need to do is to manifest outwardly a "sweet character", meet together and have what they call "fellowship", then wait to be taken to heaven. They deceive themselves and are deceived. Jehovah gathers his people into Zion for service. He visited the nations to take out of them a people for his name, and those taken out must be his witnesses to sing forth his praises. (Acts 15:14; 1 Pet. 2:9; Isa. 43:10, 12) Therefore John, representing the servant class, hears "a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps". — Vs. 2.
The American Revised Version renders this, "the voice which I heard was as the voice of harpers." The picture shows that the members of Zion cannot
and do not keep still. They cannot, because "in his temple doth every one speak of his glory". (Ps. 29: 9) Being in the temple, they must sing forth Jehovah's praise. Where there are those who claim to be followers of Christ and who are using the soft pedal concerning Satan's organization, or who insist on keeping still and ignoring the fact that Satan has an organization, such is conclusive proof that they are not of Zion, whatever else might be their position. Let no one who has entered into a covenant with the Lord be deceived into remaining quiet and inactive. This picture and many corroborating texts show that the temple class must be active to the very end.
The sound of these harpers portends a downpour of God's blessings. "When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens, ... he maketh lightnings for rain." (Jer. 10:13, margin) The voice's being "as the voice of a great thunder" thus symbolically says that it is a message of God being proclaimed, which message is a rebuke to those who reproach his name. (Ps. 104: 7; 18: 6, 7, 13) But to those who love God it is a sound of refreshing truth announcing to them that God's kingdom is come, and the time to rejoice and sing. The temple being now open, the time is come for the installation of the sacred singers and harpists who shall engage in singing the praises of Jehovah God. Such service was employed in the typical house of the Lord. "Moreover, David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of He-man, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps . . . for song in the house of the Lord, ... according to the king's order to Asaph." (1 Chron. 25: 1, 3, 6) In the temple service the singers, selected
from the tribe of Levi, were caused to sing and to play upon the harp. (2 Chron. 5:12, 13) Thus God foreshadowed that when he gathered his spiritual Israelites into the temple they should sing forth his praises. The time of joy had arrived and Christ Jesus, the great Judge, said to those whom he approved: "Enter thou into the joy of thy lord." They entered the temple, and their songs and their harps sound with praise to the great Jehovah and his King.
"And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth." (Vs. 3) In the Biblical record the earliest singing is mentioned in Job 38:7. There the Lamb, the beloved One of God, he who bears the title of "The Morning Star", employed song to the praise of Jehovah; and thus is fixed the rule that must govern those of Zion now. The song which John heard sounds new, and therefore would indicate that the servant class would have a change in their witness work from that of Elijah to that foreshadowed by Elisha, the latter being a service attended with no fear but with great joy. It is the love of God that prompts them to service, and the love such as Christ has that constrains them and holds them together; and these fear not the enemy or his organization, but boldly sing forth praises of the great Eternal One. — 1 John 4:17, 18.
The remnant of his people now on earth are enabled by God's grace to see and appreciate the fact that Jehovah's 'elect servant' is Christ Jesus and the faithful members of his body, and that these God has selected and installed as his sweet singers in the tem-
ple to perform other purposes to which he assigns them. To these are committed the interests of the kingdom, and the obligation is laid upon them to make known God's purposes to the rulers and to the peoples of the earth. Since the building up of Zion Jehovah has appeared in his glory, and by his lightnings has revealed himself, his organization, and his purposes, to his people as never before. He has made clear to his people many prophecies that have been fulfilled, and now gives them a gleam of other things that are shortly to be fulfilled. The time has come for them to sing, and they do "sing unto the Lord a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth". — Isa. 42: 9, 10.
The angelic hosts sang to the praise of Jehovah God at the birth of Jesus, whom they announced as the Savior of the world. Now the King in glory stands upon Mount Zion with all power and authority to rule and bless, and all of God's organization join in the new song. The angels in heaven and the remnant on earth sing before the throne the praises of the Most High. The singers have the throne, and not who they are, in mind. The singers are not the important ones: it is the great Jehovah God, and his King, whose praises they sing. In the grand chorus the 144,000 are 'singing before the four beasts'; which means they are singing in the presence and hearing of Jehovah's organization. They are 'made a theater for men and for angels'. Even the "prisoners" are beginning to hear the song. 'Jerusalem, lift up thy gates and sing.' They sing to each other and sing to all who love Jehovah God; they lift up a standard for the people and point them to God's kingdom (Isa. 62: 10-12); they bring good tidings of great joy; they
publish peace and say unto those of Zion, "Thy God reigneth"; they see eye to eye the wonders of God's purposes and together they lift up the voice and sing. (Isa. 52:7-9) All those "elders" who have been raised out of death in the first resurrection likewise hear the song. All who are of the 144,000 must sing now, and they do sing. The singing in the hearing of all of God's organization implies that the remnant on earth must now be singing as their theme God's supremacy in the throne, that his word and his name might be made known and in due time fully vindicated.
"No man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand." This means that no one aside from God's anointed can appreciate and join the invisible members of God's organization in the song of joy. One must appreciate a thing in order to really rejoice therein. Only the Levites were trained and allowed to sing in the temple service. (1 Chron. 6:31, 32; Neh. 12:46, 47) From the Levites the priests were taken, and these are the singers. Not every one who can make a noise would be chosen to sing before the King. Only highly trained voices would be given that privilege. No one could ever learn the song except God's anointed. The Hebrew word rendered "learn" means "accustom self to". And so it is that practice, and much of it, is required; and constancy in the witness work is a thing essential. Only those who do the required practice are pictured in this group of singers. That explains why there is a remnant that really earnestly and faithfully does the work of making the word and name of Jehovah known. And they must learn the text of that song, and the harmony; and this they do by making
use of the "meat in due season", which by the grace of God is provided for the remnant. That "meat in due season" is the illumination and publication of his Word of truth from time to time. That text book of song is "sealed" to the earthly learned, and also sealed to those who now insist on doing "the Elijah work". Those who insist on doing the work that was prepared in the Elijah period of the church, and who are looking forward to the time they will enter into their rest and rulership, are dreamers and prefer to snore rather than to sing with enthusiasm. The faithful are rejoicing, and they pray for success and prosperity as they sing. (Ps. 118: 24, 25) They say:" Give me understanding, that I may learn thy commandments." — Ps. 119:73.
To his children the Lord gives instruction thus: "A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels." (Prov. 1:5) "Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning." (Prov. 9:9) It is therefore the wise that understand and give praise to the Lord God and delight in his service. (Dan. 12:10) "The sweetness of the lips increaseth learning. The heart of the wise teacheth [margin, maketh wise] his mouth, and addeth learning to his lips." (Prov. 16: 21, 23) The wise are they that hear the commandments of the Lord and hasten to obey them. They use their lips in obedience to God's commandments and learn to sing that "new song". The faithful remnant are "redeemed" through the love and by the blood of Christ and are literally separated from the earth and in due time will be taken therefrom to be forever with the Lord.
The faithful remnant class is further identified and described in Revelation 14:4, 5: "These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God." They are not defiled with women. "Women" here referred to must be dissolute women, which symbolically represent Satan and are in his service. The term applies to the religious systems that practice and draw men away from God. But the term "women" means much more than that. It represents the devilish influence, sly, deceitful and seductive, that tries to induce God's begotten ones to violate God's law either positively or negatively. That means to either refuse or neglect to keep and perform God's commandments. Sometimes a legal earthly wife of a consecrated man may cause such defilement, or the husband likewise influence the wife to refrain from serving the Lord: "And another said, I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." — Luke 14: 20.
Also literal mothers, sisters and daughters, and others, are used by the adversary to draw the consecrated away from God's service. "If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple." (Luke 14: 26) One who is in a covenant with the Lord must love Jehovah supremely. That does not mean he is to do injury to any one, but, with him, to please God is that of first importance. The Scriptures explain that this wrongful influence is due to the fact that "he
that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife", and hence manifests less love for the Lord and his kingdom than he does for his wife. Therefore the advice is given: "The time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none." (1 Cor. 7: 29, 33) Earthly relatives often induce one to divide his affections with 'things of this world', which pertains to Satan's organization, by giving less consideration to the service of God and to his kingdom. They argue that one should not make himself foolish and obnoxious to the world, but should show the proper honor to the world and to men and institutions of the world. Thus they are caused to worship or give honor to the Devil's organization and are defiled. The faithful remnant must be absolutely and completely separated from Satan's organization. They stand out boldly as God's witnesses.
Attached to the heathen temples were dissolute women. The unfaithful prophet Balaam suggested to Balak the employment of such immoral women to entice the Israelites and to 'call the people unto the sacrifices of their gods: and the people did eat, and bowed down to their gods'. (Num. 25:1-6) The counsel of Balaam thus caused the children of Israel to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor (a devilish worship with lewd rites). Thus Balaam caused Balak to cast a stumblingstone before the Israelites, to eat the things sacrificed to idols and to commit fornication. Likewise those that compromise with the Devil's organization are an abomination unto God. — Rev. 2:14.
The faithful hundred and forty-four thousand are described as "wise virgins" that are separated and
devoted in singleness of life and purpose unto God. Of them it is written: "That I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." (2 Cor. 11: 2) Their eye is single to one thing; and that is, faithful service unto the Lord. They "follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth" and delight to walk in his footsteps. (1 Pet. 2:21; Rev. 6:2) They "were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb". This was foreshadowed by the "two wave loaves, . . . they are the firstfruits unto the Lord". (Lev. 23:17) Hence Pentecost was called "the feast of harvest, the firstfruits of thy labours". (Ex. 23:16) In A.D. 33 at Pentecost there was a fulfilment of this in miniature. In 1918 this feast of the firstfruits is fulfilled in completion by the resurrection of the faithful ones and by the gathering of the remnant to the Lord to Mount Zion. The 144,000 is a very small number compared with the billions that God saves, and are therefore spoken of as the "firstfruits".
These are without guile (lies) and "are without fault before the throne". (Vs. 5) They "walk in the light", hence they 'enter into the city'. (1 John 1:7; Rev. 22:14; 21:27) They are not false Christs, but true to their anointing. (Matt. 24:24) They do not turn the truth into a lie by worshiping the creature. (Rom. 1:23, 25) They do not honor men; but they worship and serve and obey God, and do not lie when they say that they "know him". (1 John 2:4) They 'add not unto his word [such things as so-called "stone witness in Egypt"], lest they be found liars'. (Prov. 30: 6) The remnant shall not do iniquity nor speak lies. (Zeph. 3:13) "A faithful witness will not lie," and the remnant must continue faithful. — Prov. 14:5; Rev. 12:17.
Jehovah predestinated that those he selects for his service shall be faultless as to their love and devotion to him. (Eph. 1:4) They devote themselves to God and endeavor to carry out his will so "that the ministry be not blamed", and in this condition they shine as "the light of the world". (2 Cor. 6:3; Phil. 2: 15, 16) God keeps them by his power and in due time these are 'presented faultless before the presence of his glory'. — Jude 24.
EVERLASTING GOSPEL
The radio belongs to Jehovah. (Ps. 89:11) He brought it into existence for his purposes, and Satan's agents attempt to monopolize it; but in due time God will manifest his supremacy in this and in all other things. In Revelation 8:13 it is stated that an angel (like an eagle) flies in the midst of heaven. Again John saw in vision this angel and he wrote: "And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people." (Vs. 6) The Lord by his angel invisible to human eyes again acts and directs his people.
It was in 1922 that efforts began to be put forth to build the first radio station to broadcast the truth concerning God's kingdom, and that station began its operations on February 24, 1924, and has continuously broadcast the message of the kingdom since. In April, 1922, a public lecture entitled "Millions Now Living Will Never Die", delivered before a large audience filling the Metropolitan Opera House at Philadelphia, was at the same time broadcast by a radio station of that city. That same year the same lecture
was delivered by a large number of speakers in thirty-three different languages. In the United States there are people of every language, kindred and tongue, and in that country the radio has been used more than in any other place on earth to broadcast the "everlasting gospel" of the kingdom of God. This is further proof that God has not given his message of truth to his people for them to selfishly hold to it, but that they must preach it as his witnesses to the nations of the earth. (Matt. 24:14) Those of Satan's organization must have an opportunity to hear it, whether they heed or not.
The angel of the Lord is heard saying with a loud voice: "Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters." (Vs. 7) The faithful remnant on earth take up this message and herald it. Be it noted that the voice or message does not say, Fear the Devil or his organization, but does say, 'Fear God, and give him glory.' Worship the Creator, and not the creature!
For many centuries the church organizations have exalted men and praised their virtues; and in this they did wrong. Jehovah is supreme, and the truth is his. This fact is now clearly revealed to his people, who must serve and praise Jehovah, and not honor men. 'The hour of God's judgment is come,' because he is in his temple for judgment, and his people will be required to meet the rules he has laid down. The fact of the hour of his judgment was first understood and published by God's people at the Cedar Point convention in 1922. (See Watch Tower, Nov. 1, 1922, p. 334.) This is the same period of time when the
world is seen worshiping Satan and his organization, and the ruling powers compelling such worship. (Rev. 13:14, 15) The faithful remnant refuse to honor and worship any part of Satan's organization, but they are worshiping and telling the people to worship Jehovah God, who made heaven and earth and all that is therein.
BABYLON'S FALL
The time has arrived to announce the fall of Babylon: "And another, a second angel followed, saying, Fallen is Babylon the Great, who has given all the nations to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication." (Vs. 8, Diag.) This does not mean a "second" group; but it means the delivery of the second part of the message due at that time. Here is the first appearance of the word "Babylon" in Revelation. It is the Greek form for considering the Hebrew word Babel. Satan is the husband and head of Babylon. Satan had been cast out of heaven, and therefore the husband of Babylon had fallen to the earth, but was not yet destroyed. The name "Babylon" also properly applies to the organization of Satan called "Christendom", which is the offspring of the wicked "woman".
The ancient city of Babylon fell at the assault of Cyrus, but it was not immediately destroyed. Two hundred years later an attempt was made to rebuild it; but that failed, and then it went into complete ruin. The message in Revelation, "Babylon is fallen," does not mean that such is final, and that literal destruction has come to it, but means that it has reached such a condition that no part of it can ever rise to its former position. (Rev. 18: 21) Satan and the heavenly part of his organization were cast out shortly
following 1914. It was in 1919, the year after the time that judgment began at the temple, that Christendom adopted the devilish offspring, the League of Nations, and named it the "political expression of God's kingdom on earth". Like Uzziah, who was stricken with leprosy, so the offspring of Satan was stricken with the incurable disease. Christendom was there unequivocally cut off. This fact was seen and the declaration made by the Lord's people at Cedar Point on September 8, 1922. The fall had taken place before that announcement, and the Lord through his angel caused the announcement to be made.
The resolutions, designated "Warning" and "Indictment", following thereafter, further emphasized the fact of the fall. From 1914 to 1918 Babylon was trying to destroy God's heritage. (Jer. 50:11) When Babylon rejected Jesus the King, she fell, and God's wrath had come and must be proclaimed. The sacking of typical Babylon did not take place immediately following her capture. This indicates that the same rule applies concerning the fall of mystic Babylon.
Who is Babylon? Not merely a church system, but the great organization ruling the earth. "A land of traffic; ... a city of merchants." (Ezek. 17:4, 12) She is a great power, and not merely a myth, as some would have the people believe. "Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain." (Zech. 4:7) "That great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth." (Rev. 17:18) For this reason all nations are required to drink of her cup.
Babylon is Satan's complete organization, with Satan the husband and head thereof. It includes the invisible as well as the visible part thereof. It is Satan's
heaven and earth. Christ, the great Melchizedek Priest, in 1914 began the assault on the head and against the entire organization of Babylon, and there resulted a great fall, even a lightning fall to the earth; and henceforth Satan and all of his organization are confined in the operation thereof to the earth, and preparations for the great battle of the day of God Almighty proceed. At that battle the complete fall and everlasting destruction of Babylon will result. Her "burning" is yet future. — Rev. 18:18.
Why did Babylon fall? Because with the end of 1914 the period of waiting ended. It was then that the time came when God would no longer permit Satan to rule the world without interference. The Lord then sent forth his great Priest, who threw Satan and his organization out of heaven. Babylon, Satan and his organization, had "made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication". She has never employed mercy, but always uses force and violence, and this particularly against God's holy nation or people; which was exhibited in its most vicious way about 1918.
BABYLON'S WINE CUP
The time of waiting having ended, it was the time to begin the punishment of Babylon, and the first part thereof was casting her out of heaven. Then the record adds concerning her fall: "Because she made all nations drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication," Babylon is fallen. Babylon's wine has been understood to mean errors or false doctrines; but that conclusion is not supported by the Scriptures, and is therefore incorrect. All the nations or peoples of earth worshiped Satan and his "woman" Babylon before the beginning of the first world pow-
er. Babylon started on her work of conquest with the organization of Egypt as the first universal world power, and the Devil religion had been practiced long before that. The Scriptural definition of the symbols here used will aid in understanding this prophecy.
A cup is a container of a drink potion, and the contents of the cup are what is provided by one for another, and symbolize the imposing of one's will upon another. The wine in the cup was a symbol of violence and death. Jesus said: "The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?" (John 18:11) "And he took the cup, . . . saying, . . . This is my blood . . . shed for many for the remission of sins." (Matt. 26:27, 28) The cup which God provided for the wicked means their destruction. "How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? and how oft cometh their destruction upon them? God distributeth sorrows in his anger. His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty." (Job 21:17, 20) "For in the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red; it is full of mixture, and he poureth out of the same: but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them." (Ps. 75: 8) "For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence." "He . . . drinketh damage [violence, margin]." (Prov. 4: 17; 26: 6) These scriptures show what 'the wine cup' means. The "wine" which Satan has provided is a drink of violence and wrath. Babylon is Satan's organization; therefore the wine cup of the wrath of her fornication is the imposing of Babylon's will upon the nations of the earth, and this is done by violence.
Fornication is the act of wrongfully gratifying a passionate desire. From the beginning Satan has had a passionate and inordinate desire to have other creatures worship him instead of Jehovah. This is emphasized in his offer of the kingdoms of the world to Jesus upon the sole condition that Jesus would fall down and worship him. Babylon is Satan's "woman" or organization of which he is the husband. His organization Babylon has a passionate, unrestrained and inordinate desire to control all the peoples of the earth and turn them away from God and have them worship the Devil. That unrestrained and wrongful desire has led to great violence upon the peoples of earth. The 'wine of Babylon's wrath of her fornication' is therefore the cruel, harsh, military oppression and violence administered to the peoples of earth in order to compel them to come under the control and be subject to the rule of Satan and his woman Babylon. All the world powers have been and are a part of Satan's organization, and therefore properly called Babylon, and every one, without an exception, has used great violence toward the people in order to bring them under Satan's rule and control.
In 1914 Satan caused all the nations to suffer from the military, cruel and wicked heel of his organization, and thereby made all the nations drink of the bitter, poisonous potion. The inducing cause was the passionate ambition to have the exclusive worship of the peoples of earth. His wicked organization also caused God's people to drink of that wrath and to suffer. After the war ended, the same passionate, unrestrained and inordinate desire led to the formation of the League of Nations, by which Satan would keep all nations and peoples under his rule and control.
"The wine of the wrath of her fornication" therefore means Babylon's will (which is the will of Satan) imposed upon the peoples of the earth by force and violence; and ambition and covetousness are the inducing cause. By this cruel and wrongful means of gratifying that inordinate and wrongful desire the peoples of earth have been subjected to horror, shame, defeat, and cruelty, and have been forced under the yoke of oppression of Babylon, or the ruling factors of the earth.
Jeremiah prophesied: "Babylon hath been a golden cup in the Lord's hand, that made all the earth drunken ... of her wine; therefore the nations are mad." (Jer. 51:7) How could Babylon be a golden cup in Jehovah's hand if Babylon has always meant Satan's organization? This scripture is true in two separate and distinct ways:
(1) Lucifer was appointed to his position by Jehovah and had an organization which was a part of God's organization. "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of God; . . . Thou art the anointed cherub that covereth; and I have set thee so; thou wast upon the holy mountain of God; thou hast walked up and down in the midst of the stones of fire. Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created, till iniquity was found in thee." (Ezek. 28: 13-15) The fact that he was the anointed covering cherub or deputy of Jehovah God shows that he had others under his direct supervision, which constituted his organization and therefore a part of God's organization.
It was his covetous ambition for worship that induced him to become a traitor to God and to turn his part of the organization into evil paths. (Isa. 14:14;
Jer. 51:13) Having been appointed to his position by Jehovah he was a container or a cup of gold (divine instrument) in the hand (power) of Jehovah. But he rebelled. The prophecy of Jeremiah does not say that Babylon is a cup of violence by the will of Jehovah, but it does say that Babylon "hath been" a cup, that is to say, when Lucifer was in harmony with God he and his organization were a divine instrument, which afterwards turned to wickedness.
(2) Jehovah's covenant people Israel became unfaithful to him and to their covenant. God punished them repeatedly for their wrongdoing, and when they repented he forgave them and took them back to himself. The time came when their wickedness reached its fulness, and then God completely withdrew his favor and turned them over to the Devil and permitted the Devil and his organization to subject that people to the greatest violence. (Ezek. 21: 24-27) The nation of Israel committed fornication with the gods of Satan, and therefore with Satan's organization. Israel had a passionate desire to have an earthly king or visible ruler, like the heathen nations round about. They had a passionate desire to practice the heathen or Devil religion. God had said to them: "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God: lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice: and thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods. Thou shalt make thee no molten gods." — Ex. 34:14-17.
The Israelites did the very thing that God commanded them that they should not do. They went a whoring after other gods. Therefore God permitted Babylon, Satan's organization, to administer to Israel a terrible punishment and to bring that people into subjection to Babylon, where they have been since. "For thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will deliver thee into the hand of them whom thou hatest, into the hand of them from whom thy mind is alienated: and they shall deal with thee hatefully, and shall take away all thy labour, and shall leave thee naked and bare; and the nakedness of thy whoredoms shall be discovered, both thy lewdness and thy whoredoms. I will do these things unto thee, because thou hast gone a whoring after the heathen, and because thou art polluted with their idols. Thou hast walked in the way of thy sister; therefore will I give her cup into thine hand. Thus saith the Lord God, Thou shalt drink of thy sister's cup deep and large: thou shalt be laughed to scorn and had in derision; it containeth much. Thou shalt be filled with drunkenness and sorrow, with the cup of astonishment and desolation, with the cup of thy sister Samaria." — Ezek. 23: 28-33.
Therefore the prophet, speaking for Israel, says: "0 God, thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us, thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to us again. ' Thou hast shewed thy people hard things; thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment." — Ps. 60:1, 3.
Babylon, therefore, was used as an instrument in the hand of the Lord to cause the Israelites to suffer great and severe punishment. Jehovah had punished that people, but they had not profited by that punishment, and then he turned the cup into the hand of
Babylon that thereafter afflicted the Israelites. (Isa. 51:17-23) Babylon, or Satan's organization, has therefore been an instrument in the hands of Jehovah in this way also.
Babylon has made all the nations of the earth drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication. All these nations have come under the cruel rule of Satan and have suffered much violence. Devil-worship, and not the union of church and state, is spiritual fornication. It is a wicked rule of violence, induced by a passionate and unsatisfied desire, that is fornication. All the rulers of the earth, particularly of "Christendom", so called, are spiritual fornicators. These rulers have preferred to worship and honor the Devil rather than worship and honor Jehovah God. This passionate desire for Devil-worship and power has led the rulers to make the common peoples of earth drink of their oppression and military violence. The combine of Big Business, big politicians and clergy, led by their inordinate and passionate desire to rule the world in utter disregard of God's Word, has caused the people great oppression and suffering.
When God presented his beloved Son, who is the antitypical Cyrus, as King, these rulers of Babylon (in 1914-1918) rejected him and gave their allegiance and worship to Satan's organization. That marks the time of the fall of Babylon, or casting of her out of heaven, and also the release of God's people from Babylon. (Isa. 45:1, 13) Because Babylon has made the nations of earth to drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and so-called "Christendom" has preferred to have it so, God in his due time will compel Babylon to take a dose of her own medicine. All nations will be required to drink thereof,
"and the king of Sheshach [Babylon] shall drink after them." (Jer. 25:26; 51:41; Rev. 18:6; 14:10) But before her final drinking and destruction God will have an announcement made of her fall, and a testimony given concerning his purpose to destroy her finally at Armageddon.
The casting out of Satan and his organization from heaven would seem to be the appropriate time for making an announcement of Babylon's fall as a warning to some and an encouragement to others. The Prophet Isaiah representatively stood for God's people on the earth in the end of this age. The Lord directed Isaiah to "go, set a watchman, let him declare what he seeth". Isaiah placed a watchman in the Watchtower, who reported: "And he cried as a lion [margin]: My lord, I stand continually upon the Watchtower in the daytime, and I am set in my ward whole nights; and, behold, here cometh a chariot of men, with a couple of horsemen [a train of horses in couples, — S. B. Dictionary]. And he answered and said, Babylon is fallen, is fallen; and all the graven images of her gods he hath broken unto the ground." — Isa. 21:6-9.
That prophecy related to Satan and his organization falling to the earth. (Rev. 12: 9) Likewise John the servant class heard the voice of the angel saying: "Babylon is fallen, is fallen." Then God's people are released from Babylon and go up to build up Zion. Christ, the antitypical Cyrus, builds up the temple, the people of God, and lets loose the captives. — Isa. 45:1, 13; Ps. 126:1.
WARNING
Revelation fourteenth chapter, verses nine to twelve, is a special warning from Christ Jesus, the
great High Priest and Judge in the temple. These verses should be carefully studied at this point. The angel is called "the third angel" because manifestly charged with the delivery of the third part of a message due to be proclaimed from the Lord, and his servants on earth are given a part in telling the same. The fall of Babylon, mentioned in the preceding verses, could not mean the final destruction thereof; because verses nine to twelve show that the wicked organization still exists, but that its operation is confined to the earth. This message manifestly is to warn the people against taking sides with Satan's organization since God's kingdom has come. Since the discerning of Satan's organization by the people of the Lord in 1925 they have particularly sounded the warning by radio, by public discourses, and by millions of books put in the hands of the people, and have especially warned the consecrated through the columns of The Watch Tower. The Watch Tower is for all men, but applies with special force to those who have made a covenant to do God's will. The message of warning is, "If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God." (Vss. 9, 10) Emphasis is here placed upon the fact that God's anointed people, in the mouth of which he has put his message of truth, must boldly and fearlessly preach that message of truth and continue so to do until the end regardless of whether the people hear or not. This responsibility cannot be escaped. God will have the message delivered, and his anointed ones who fail or refuse to have part in the proclamation of the message will do so at their peril; and therefore this scripture is es-
pecially a warning to all. The angel of the Lord proclaimed the message "with a loud voice", suggesting that the servant class on earth must make a wide proclamation thereof.
The 'sea beast', the "image of the beast", and 'the two-horned beast' are still in existence and operating at full time and speed in the earth, and millions of the people are being oppressed. If one mentally or actively takes a stand on the side of Satan's organization, represented in the "beast", he thereby shows that he is against Jehovah God. He is not for Christ and God; therefore he is against the Lord and his kingdom. (Matt. 12.-30) Those who in any wise support Satan's organization, actively or passively, are responsible for their course of action and thereby bear his mark either in the forehead or in the hand.
Babylon (Satan and his organization) has compelled the peoples of earth, by a violent rule, to "drink of the wine of the wrath of her fornication", and now those who remain on Satan's side after being warned must, together with all of Babylon, drink of God's wine cup of wrath. This does not mean doctrines; because such have refused and continue to refuse to accept the truth and take their stand on the side of the Lord, but are supporting Satan and his organization. Concerning such, Jehovah says: "I will tread down the people in mine anger, and make them drunk in my fury, and I will bring down their strength to the earth." (Isa. 63:6) This "wine of the wrath of God" is "poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation". This means that his wrath is poured into the container of God and is the potion poured for his enemies, and is not diluted nor
adulterated. It is the wrath of God, and is destructive. — Rev. 11:18.
Those thus compelled to drink of this cup of God's wrath "shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb". (Vs. 10) The word here rendered "torment" is from the Greek basanizo (from basis), and means "to go to the bottom of things as a test". Applied to persons, it would mean a close and searching cross-examination. When one was cross-examined under the law and was obstinate and refused to yield, he was confined in prison; and hence the jailer was designated "basanistes", or the tormentor. "And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors [jailors, Diag.], till he should pay all that was due unto him." (Matt. 18:34) Clearly, therefore, the torment of Revelation 14:10 must include the confinement in death or destruction which is the fate of the wicked.
When dead they could not experience pain; therefore the torment must begin while one is conscious and is undergoing cross-examination before the bar of the great Judge of the temple. Today the kingdom opposers are tormented constantly with the message of God's kingdom. This is proven by the repeated objection to hearing anything about Satan's organization and by opposing the witness concerning God's kingdom. There are those who have been begotten of the holy spirit and enlightened who refuse to say anything about Satan's organization and who oppose those who are diligently giving the witness for God's kingdom. The message of the kingdom, and the service thereof, are a torment to them. If they persist in this opposition, the wrath of God, which is the sec-
ond death, must of necessity be their portion. This torment results from the constant holding of the truth before the rulers of the earth as well as others who oppose, and is done in the presence of Christ and his holy angels, who are witnesses thereto. The faithful remnant are used as witnesses of this torment now in progress. The message of truth annoys the opposers to the kingdom, like the botch or some other loathsome disease. Those who wilfully sin against light and who knowingly treat with contempt the testimony of God's kingdom and his King, and who oppose the same, and give their support and aid to the Devil's organization, Jesus says, "shall go away into everlasting punishment." — Matt. 25:46.
"And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name." (Vs. 11) Smoke is evidence of a burning fire or flame, because there could be no smoke without fire. (Judg. 20: 38-40; Isa, 34:10) The natural tendency of smoke is to disappear. "As the smoke out of the chimney." (Hos. 13:3) "The heavens shall vanish away like smoke." (Isa. 51:6) But the fact that the smoke here mentioned does not vanish away, but continues to rise up forever, shows that the smoke-producing fire and brimstone (symbolic of destruction) are never quenched, and therefore the destruction of the wicked never ends; and hence they shall never be permitted to live any more, but "shall be as though they had not been". This is the fate of the wilfully wicked. — Ezek. 28: 19; Ps. 145: 20; 2 Thess. 1: 9.
Being tormented while alive by the message of God's truth, which they willingly resist and oppose,
and being jailed in death, they are therefore in the pains or torments of death forever. Jesus was in "the pains of death" but could not be held there: "Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it." (Acts 2: 24) Their only consciousness is before going into death, and then they are conscious of the sorrows and pains such as get hold on the victim before he goes into unconsciousness. (Ps. 116: 3) If the fire were not kept burning, the smoke would cease to ascend; because 'Where there is no wood, there is no fire', hence no smoke. (Prov. 26:20) Therefore the continuous smoke arising symbolically says: 'This fire of destruction shall never cease, for the wicked shall remain destroyed forever.' The scripture does not say that the conscious suffering continues forever, but does say that "smoke of their torment", which is an evidence of their destruction, never ceases. "For their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched." (Isa. 66:24; 30: 33) The smoke could not represent "the memory" of them, as has been suggested, because "the memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot", and disappear. (Prov. 10:7) While there is consciousness, there is no rest day or night while the Lord's witnesses expose them by telling God's truth. Jehovah therefore 'vexes them in his sore displeasure'. (Ps. 2:5) 'There is no peace for the wicked.' (Isa. 57: 20, 21; 48: 22) Therefore the evidence shows that their torment and confinement in jail or death is forever.
"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." (Vs. 12) This shows a test of God's people, and the test is now on. Who is on the Lord's side?
and who will worship the enemy organization and receive his name and mark? This shows that judgment begins at the house of God. (1 Pet. 4:17) In Revelation 13: 8, 10, it is recorded that those "whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb" fail in the test. "Here" is the time of the crisis, because it is the day of judgment and the time that the saints 'must have boldness for the Lord' in declaring his message of truth. — 1 John 4:17, 18.
These faithful ones refuse to worship or have anything in common with Satan's organization. They keep the commandments of- God by refusing to have any other god besides Jehovah, and refuse to bow down to any graven image. They worship and serve Jehovah. (Ex. 20:3-5; Deut. 6:5) They also keep God's commandments by joyfully being his witnesses. (Isa. 43:10, 12) At this crisis there will be and now are those who say, 'Lord, Lord, have we not done wonderful things in thy name?' But they refuse to do Jehovah's will as expressed. The Lord declares they are workers of lawlessness and are not recognized by him. (Matt. 7:21-23) It is those who are faithful, who maintain their integrity and manifest complete fidelity and devotion to God, that shall live and be forever with the Lord. (Hab. 2:4; Heb. 10:38, A.R.V., margin) In this crisis the ones faithful unto death receive the reward. — Rev. 2:10.
THE BLESSED
From the time of the crisis or judgment that begins when the Lord comes to his temple those are "blessed" who remain firm, true, steadfast, and wholly devoted to God. Hence the voice from heaven:
"And I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them." (Vs. 13) There are seven "beatitudes" in the book of Revelation and they appear, to wit, in this verse and at Revelation 1:3; 16:15; 19:9; 20:6; and 22:7, 14. The "dead" here mentioned are not those who are unconscious, but those who are wholly devoted to God and who are therefore "dead with Christ" and 'whose lives are hid by Jehovah with Christ'. (Col. 2:20; 3:3; 1 Thess. 4:16) These at the moment of actual death are raised again to life. The spirit of Jehovah emphasizes the blessedness of those continuing faithful, with the word "Yea". 'They rest from their labors.' This does not mean inactivity; but it means a cessation from toil, and their trouble ends. — Luke 5:5; 12: 27; Matt. 26:10.
They are not idle now, but earnestly engaged in the Father's business. "Their works do follow with them" (Roth.) into the kingdom. They are "changed" instantly, "in the twinkling of an eye." Having remained faithful unto the Lord and his works unto the end, they enter into glory and continue their work to his praise forever. This work is not "character development", and this "character development" is not taken into heaven; but it is "works", which means faithful service to the Lord. (Jas. 2: 20) This is an encouragement to those who continue faithful in doing the work that God has given them to do at this time.
THE HARVEST
From about 1875 until the coming of the Lord to God's temple was a period of time in which Christ
the Messenger was preparing the way before Jehovah for the building up of Zion. Then he, the great Judge, came suddenly or straightway to his temple for judgment. (Mal. 3:1-3) John, representing the servant class, then adds: "And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle." (Vs. 14) The white cloud denotes the presence of the Lord Jesus in righteousness and glory. (Matt. 25:31) It marks his coming for judgment and for the building up of Zion by bringing into God's organization the faithful sleeping saints and the remnant of faithful ones on earth; also the time of gathering together the faithful of God, as foretold by the prophet. — Ps. 50: 5.
The crown of David's Successor whose right it is to rule was 'overturned' until Christ was placed upon his throne, in 1914. That is the time "he went forth conquering, and to conquer" (Rev. 6:2), the same being the time that God placed him upon his throne. (Ps. 2:6) Concerning this time it was written: "The king shall joy in thy strength, 0 Jehovah. [A.R.V.] Thou settest a crown of pure gold on his head." (Ps. 21:1, 3) Then it was that he began his kingly activities, the first work of which was to oust Satan and his organization, and then proceeded to the building up of Zion. The typical king of Israel was installed at grain harvest season, or in the spring of the year: "Now therefore behold the king whom ye have chosen, and whom ye have desired! and, behold, the Lord hath set a king over you. Is it not wheat harvest to day? I will call unto the Lord, and he shall send thunder and rain; that ye may perceive and see that your wickedness is great, which ye have done in the sight of
the Lord, in asking you a king." — 1 Sam. 12:13, 17.
Since the typical king was installed in the harvest time, it was appropriate that the great King of earth should be inaugurated at the harvest season. The symbolic vision shows Christ taking his power in 1914 with a crown upon his head and "in his hand a sharp sickle". Since judgment began three and a half years later, which means, of course, the examination began there, it follows that the harvest work would begin at that time, to wit, 1918. (Matt. 13: 30) He comes with a "sharp sickle" ready for action to cut away those not approved and to gather the approved ones into Zion. In God's typical arrangement, immediately after the Passover the sickle was put into the grain (both barley and wheat), which work culminated in the feast of Pentecost, forty-nine days thereafter. "Seven weeks [forty-nine days] shalt thou number unto thee: begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn. And thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the Lord thy God. . . . And thou shalt rejoice before the Lord thy God." — Deut. 16:9-11.
Pentecost marked the time of the pouring out of the holy spirit. (Joel 2: 28-30; Acts 2:16-18) The building up of Zion and the wholesale anointing are the chief points here to be considered. This picture, therefore, seems to say that the gathering of the faithful ones into Zion began in 1918, when the Lord came to his temple, and that the anointing followed thereafter. That marks the time for the beginning of rejoicing: "This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." — Ps. 118: 24.
This conclusion is supported by verses fifteen and sixteen: "And another angel came out of the temple,
crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe." This indicates that the command to reap was not given until after the Lord had come to his sanctuary and cleansed it. The faithful remnant brought into the temple shall prepare now to "go", as commanded, and deliver the testimony in connection with the reaping. (Isa. 6:9-12) This shows the Lord at his temple, and his holy angels, the deputies, accompanying him to serve under him. The angel comes out from the temple and announces the fact that the time has come to reap. The fact that the angel addresses Christ the King does not indicate that it is a command given by the angel to his superior, but rather as a herald to the King, employed and directed to proclaim that the time has arrived for the reaping.
The servant class, represented by John, heard this voice for the first time in The Watch Tower, in the articles entitled "Blessed Are the Fearless", pointing out the distinction between the Elijah and the Elisha work of the church. The message was not from the Tower, but from the Lord, given through his constituted organization. This message from the Lord was a sharp, cutting one, and served to divide those of the consecrated. The servant class took up the message which the angel of the Lord had announced and placed the matter clearly before one another. The real work and the final results were left to the Lord. Those who had been faithful in the Elijah work were doubtless anointed then, and these went forth to do the work foreshadowed by Elisha. The message proclaimed by them was used to warn others to gather themselves to the Lord, and these were gathered and
afterwards anointed when the spirit of the Lord was poured out on all regardless of whether they were male or female, and as the prophet had foretold. (Acts 2:16-18) The greater part of the reaping was done after 1919, when the call went forth to reap. Not every one of the consecrated saw the distinction between the Elijah and the Elisha work; hence many did not respond and were not taken into Zion. (Isa. 18:5) In the reaping or gathering the sleeping saints are first brought forth: 'He calleth to the heavens above, and unto the earth, that he may judge his people. Gather unto me my men of lovingkindness, who have solemnized my covenant over sacrifice.' — Ps. 50:4, 5, Roth.
The angels of the Lord do the reaping. (Matt. 13: 39-41) The faithful of earth do the witness work, gathering themselves unto the Lord, and arc gathered by the Lord into Zion. The faithful ones of earth carry the spiritual provender to others, that they too may know the way to go. — Matt. 24: 46.
The record is: "The harvest of the earth is ripe." The field embraces all "the earth". (Matt. 13:33) When this gathering began, the time of joy began. "O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people." (Hos. 6:11) "They joy before thee according to the joy in harvest." (Isa. 9:3) 'He shall doubtless come again with, rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves.' (Ps. 126:6) The harvest now ripe "is dry" (Diag.), and the "latter rain" which ripens the harvest has now fallen and the time has come to reap. "Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the Lord your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former
rain, and the latter rain in the first month." (Joel 2:23) This reaping represents also the taking of God's anointed ones into "the secret place of the Most High", the place of safety; and abiding there, the enemy cannot do them injury, because they are Jehovah's sons and under the shadow of his protection.
VINE OF THE EARTH
"And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle." (Vs. 17) The angel here mentioned as having the sharp sickle, or vintage knife, is God's instrument with which he destroys Satan's organization. Hence it is Christ. The angel is his messenger who makes announcement of the purpose of the Lord to destroy the enemy organization.
Satan, by and through his organization, has brought forth to the people that which is claimed to be life-sustaining for mankind, but which in fact has brought suffering and death upon the human race. Such provision made by Satan and his organization is the 'cluster of the vine of the earth'. The angel announces, in substance, that the time has come when God will destroy this 'cluster of the vine of the earth' and will then give to the people the fruit of the kingdom of Christ, which is life-sustaining to mankind.
Jehovah's Executive Officer is in his temple for judgment, and his angels there for service. Therefore it is written: "Behold, the Lord cometh out of his place to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity." (Isa. 26:21) "Let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple. For, behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread [as a crusher of grapes]
upon the high places of the earth." (Mic. 1: 2, 3) The only part that the remnant has to do with this work is the proclamation of the message of God's vengeance and, thus doing, thereby invite the gathering of Satan's organization against them to battle. — Zech. 14:2.
Then John adds: "And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe." (Vs. 18) Doubtless the angel of the Lord here mentioned is assigned to the authority or duty to direct the fiery message of God's vengeance that his anointed ones on earth are to deliver in the earth. Serving at the altar, giving attention to the fire, symbolically represents the faithful witnesses on the earth standing beside the altar, in this, that 'they present themselves a living sacrifice for service, holy and acceptable unto God', and they render this "reasonable service". (Rom. 12:1) The angel of the Lord is charged with directing that service. Whether those on earth know how it is done or not is not material. Every part of God's organization must have something to do.
The faithful witnesses having to do with the fiery message are entirely separate from Satan's organization; hence they are innocent. In the language of the psalmist they say: "I will wash mine hands in innocency: so will I compass thine altar, 0 Lord." (Ps. 26:6) These pray that the Lord will send out his light and truth (not man's light and truth) that they may be led thereby, and then they will be doing proper service at the altar, and doing it in joy. "0 send
out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, 0 God, my God." — Ps. 43: 3, 4.
"And of the angels he saith, Who maketh his angels spirits, and his ministers a flame of fire. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation?" (Heb. 1: 7,14) The angel the Lord assigned to this work has authority over fire, meaning the message of destruction, and the remnant are directed by this invisible deputy in the course of their work. The words of God's vengeance are like fire: "Is not my word like as a fire? saith the Lord." — Jer. 23: 29.
The angel having authority over fire cries out with a loud voice (command) to the angel having the vintage knife, or sharp pruning hook, and directs him to cut off the cluster of the grapes that encumber the earth. This is not a command to the Lord, of course, but is an announcement made in harmony with God's will. It is also in the nature of a prayer that is in the heart of every one of God's organization, all of whom long for the time when God will wholly destroy the enemy and vindicate his name; "Oh that thou wouldest rend the heavens, that thou wouldest come down, that the mountains might flow down at thy presence." (Isa. 64:1) "Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God." (Ps. 68:1, 2) "0 my God, make them like a wheel; as the stubble before the wind. As the fire burneth a wood, and as the flame setteth the
mountains on fire, . . . that men may know that thou, whose name alone is JEHOVAH, art the Most High over all the earth." — Ps. 83:13-18.
Since God's anointed witnesses on the earth have discerned that Satan's organization is made up of the commercial, political, and religious combine that acts as Satan's visible representative, and that 'horns', maltreats and oppresses the people, they pray that this wicked combination might be destroyed and the people released that they might praise and serve Jehovah God. Because Satan's organization and those under his control oppose the message of truth, the angel of the Lord cries aloud for the remnant servant class to be more earnest and zealous in giving the witness of what is impending and about to come to pass. The command is: 'Thrust in the sharp sickle and cut away the cluster of the vine of the earth.' This is the vine that has grown up out of Satan's visible organization: "Yet I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed; how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto me?" (Jer. 2: 21) "For their vine is of the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of gall, their clusters are bitter: their wine is the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps. To me belongeth vengeance, and recompence; their foot shall slide in due time: for the day of their calamity is at hand, and the things that shall come upon them make haste." — Deut. 32:32, 33, 35.
As the ripe grape is full of 'blood', so the iniquity of the wicked organization of Satan has come to the full and there is a full crop. (Gen. 49:11; Deut. 32:14) "Put ye in the sickle; for the vintage is ripe: come, tread ye; for the winepress is full, the vats
overflow; for their wickedness is great." — Joel 3:13, A.R.V., margin.
Action begins: "And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God." (Vs. 19) The angel here who does the work is the great executive officer of Jehovah, Christ Jesus, in command, and who goes forth to the destruction of the wicked organization. (Ps. 110:4, 6) Concerning this great Executive Officer the prophet records: "Wherefore art thou red in thine apparel, and thy garments like him that treadeth in the winefat? I have trodden the winepress alone; and of the people there was none with me; for I will tread them in mine anger, and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment. For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come." — Isa. 63:2-4.
The vision now discloses Christ the great executive officer of Jehovah casting the vintage of the earth into the great wine-press of the wrath of God: "And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God." (Vs. 19) This is proof that Satan's organization is a great and mighty one, because it requires so great a wine-press. Some who have consecrated themselves unto the Lord ignore this and many other scriptures, and say that Satan has no organization and that we should say nothing about the world. In this they deceive themselves. The "winepress" is Jehovah's militant organization under the leadership of Christ Jesus. Gideon was a type of Christ; and when he slew the princes of
the Midianites that slaying was likened unto vintage, and foreshadowed the slaying of the visible representatives of Satan. — Judg. 7: 25; 8:1-3.
MIGHTY WARRIOR
Christ Jesus, the beloved of God, stands upon Mount Zion as harmless as a lamb to all those who work righteousness; but he is a great and terrible and destructive Warrior against God's enemies. He is the Head and Chief of the "winepress", which is used as a symbol to show that which destroys Satan's wicked organization in the earth. "And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs." (Vs. 20) The treading down is shown as "without the city", which means outside of the holy city, which is God's organization. 'For outside are dogs, sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, idolaters and liars.' (Rev. 22:15) God's city or kingdom class is no part of that company. The children of God are commanded to keep away from such. (1 Cor. 5:11-13) The 'treading down outside the city' therefore shows the complete crushing of everything that is opposed to God's organization.
Some professed consecrated persons, deceived by Satan, deceive themselves also by their own selfish desires and say: 'The time of trouble is past; Satan has no organization; the saints should develop a sweet character and calmly wait to be taken to heaven; and we will do nothing and will wait until our change comes.' The fourteenth chapter of Revelation and many supporting scriptures prove beyond all doubt
that the worst time of trouble that will ever have been is just ahead.
It has been said that the 'treading' is a mental process; but this also is incorrect. The treading of the vintage of the earth by the "winepress" will witness the most terrible slaughter that will ever have occurred in the earth. For more than a decade God has caused his truth to be told to the rulers and to the people, and has furnished an abundance of corroborative facts and circumstances showing that' the kingdom is at hand. Instead of giving heed to the truth, the ruling factors of earth have completely ignored the evidence and deny God's Word, and go on in their boasting, and exalt themselves and their own power and worship Satan, the false god, and his organization.
Jehovah has sent his witnesses to give testimony to the rulers, that "Christendom" may have no excuse. God does nothing in secret or in a corner. When this witness work is done, then Christ Jesus will lead on in this indescribable slaughter such as never before was known and never again will be known. (Matt. 24:14, 21, 22) There will be so many corpses from one end of the earth to the other that there will be none who will bury the dead. (Jer. 25:33) The Anglo-American empire has been the place on earth most favored and where there has been published the greatest amount of truth, and yet where is practiced the greatest amount of hypocrisy by the clergy and their allies. It has been the chief place where God's "two witnesses" suffered persecution, and it might be expected that in these countries there will be the greatest trouble and slaughter. Every part of so-called "Christendom" of earth shall feel the sharp-
ness of the vintage knife. "Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The Lord shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth." — Jer. 25:30.
In this day of wickedness, when Satan's ruling factors are administering the affairs of men, righteous judgment is fallen back and 'justice stands afar off, for truth is fallen in the streets [in the way of Satan's organization] and equity cannot enter'. (Isa. 59:14) But when Jehovah by his mighty Officer is treading out the grapes of the terrible, wicked "vine", the treaders will rejoice end be glad because the time has come for truth and righteousness to triumph. The hope of the world lies in the complete destruction of Satan's organization and the establishment of God's kingdom in full sway. Happy is the man now who has part in testifying to the people of the coming day of blessings.
It is Christ and his mighty army of angels that will do the treading, or the squeezing, of the grapes. So enormous will be that battle that the flow of blood is described as reaching "even unto the horse bridles". Since in ancient times horses were used almost exclusively for war purposes, this indicates that the great treading of the wine-press is the "battle of that great day of God Almighty". The fact that the blood reaches to the bridle of the horse does not indicate that the horse would be overcome, but it indicates that the blood will run deep enough for a horse to swim therein. It is a symbolic way of describing the terrible slaughter that shall be wrought. And why
should we not expect the Lord to do so? 'For her [Babylon's] sins have reached unto heaven [heaven high], and God will remember her iniquity.' (Rev. 18: 5) "For her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies." (Jer. 51: 9) It is not surprising that concerning that time Isaiah prophesied: "And the mountains [kingdoms of the earth] shall be melted with their blood." (Isa. 34: 3) "He shall judge among the [nations], he shall fill the places with the dead bodies." (Ps. 110: 6) The extent of the slaughter is indicated by the words, "by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs."
This does not mean so many miles from one place to another. The Sinaitic manuscript reads: "A thousand and two hundred furlongs." The different manuscripts therefore make the measurement uncertain. The fact that the Lord would permit the exact figures to be mixed or uncertain proves that the exactness of the number of furlongs is not the important thing, but that the number is used as a figure of speech or symbol of the greatness of the slaughter. An ordinary wine-press of ancient times was not even one furlong in length. God would have it known that his wine-press is so great and so deep that even horses can swim therein; and that it is required to be so great in order that it may be used to tread out and destroy the wicked organization of Satan. Human feet could not tread the grapes in it; hence 'horses' are employed. When one takes a view of the tremendous organization that Satan has built up it is at once apparent that nothing short of divine power can destroy it. The mere proclamation of the truth for a million years would not accomplish that result. The work of the remnant on earth is not to tread the wine-
press, but to serve notice upon the rulers and the people that God through Christ will do the work.
For centuries Satan and his visible agents have shed the blood of God's saints. They shed the blood of his beloved Son. They have blasphemed and reproached God's holy name and opposed his people on earth. The day of reckoning is at hand and Jehovah will make a complete and short work of it, and when done, his name shall stand vindicated forever!
