His Judgment Made Manifest
(REVELATION, CHAPTERS 15 AND 16)
JEHOVAH keeps his secrets until his due time to reveal them. Then he makes his purposes known. He first makes known his purposes to those who fear to displease him and who therefore love him and serve him faithfully and unselfishly. (Ps. 25:14) Those who seek knowledge and understanding in God's appointed way will find it. Trusting in the shed blood of Jesus Christ as the price of man's redemption, the one who seeks knowledge will make an agreement to do the will of God. That means consecration. The man thus entering into a covenant with God and then doing his best to perform his part of that covenant or agreement will get understanding. When God begets or brings forth one in Christ as his son he gives that one his spirit. To such are the words of the prophet addressed: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." — Prov. 3: 5, 6.
This means to seek to know and to earnestly and honestly try to do the will of God as directed in his Word. Those thus honestly endeavoring so to do have the spirit of God, and by his spirit he reveals to them
his purposes. Jehovah "God is light", and it is the light from him to those that love him that makes known his purposes to them. 'That which makes manifest is light.' If his children walk in the light which God gives them they have partnership with God and with Christ in understanding and doing God's will and in the work he assigns them to do. The greatest favor that man can enjoy is a knowledge of God, and then to walk in the light which God reveals to him. — Eph. 5:13.
Jesus said: "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." (John 9:5) Jesus is the beloved Son of God, has the spirit of Jehovah, and gives forth the light that comes from Jehovah. Furthermore Jesus said: "I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness." (John 12:46) The way for man to get into the light is to be brought into Christ and then follow in the footsteps of Christ. To his disciples he said: "While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light." (John 12:36) When one becomes a child of God he is brought out of darkness of the world into the light and it is his privilege and duty to proceed thereafter in the light. "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." — Eph. 5:8.
To walk in the light, one must reflect the light which he receives from Jehovah by and through Christ Jesus. He reflects this light by his consistent course of action in righteousness and by telling others of God's gracious purposes through Christ for mankind. He therefore must be a witness for Jehovah and tell the people, not of man's greatness and goodness,
but of the greatness and loving-kindness of Jehovah God. Such witnessing to the name and purpose of Jehovah is not to get men into heaven for Jehovah's use, but to let the truth be known that men might learn the way to life everlasting and that God's word and name might be vindicated.
For many centuries Satan has ruled over the nations and peoples, and for this reason they have been in darkness. The due time comes when God reveals to the peoples of earth that he is the only true God and that his purpose is to destroy the wicked rule of Satan and establish righteousness amongst men. Beginning this work he first judges those who have made a covenant with him and then uses the approved ones to make known to others some of his purposes. In his Word it is written: "God shall judge the righteous and the wicked: for there is a time there for every purpose, and for every work. I said in mine heart concerning the estate of the sons of men, that God might manifest them, and that they might see that they themselves are beasts." — Eccl. 3:17, 18.
Even to those who have formed a part of the beastly organization and rule as beasts it shall be made known that Jehovah is the only true God. That due time is at hand. The truth has been told to many and has been placed before them in many ways, and these have not only rejected it, but persecuted those who told it to them. They have deliberately acted against what light the Lord gave them. They have knowingly accepted Satan and his unrighteous organization in preference to God. By the events that have come to pass since 1914 the ruling class of "Christendom", so called, has had an abundance of opportunity to know of God's purpose to establish a righteous government
on earth, but these have deliberately pushed aside the truth and boastingly announced that they will rule the earth to suit themselves. God's due time to act in carrying out his purposes is at hand. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them: for God hath shewed it unto them." — Rom. 1:18, 19.
Jehovah's judgments are his judicial determinations set down in his Word that his children might read and understand them before they fall upon the evildoers. He directs his children to serve notice thereof upon others, that they too may have an opportunity to know. From the beginning God knew what would come to pass, and therefore he caused his judgments to be written; and these judgments are not understandable until his due time, which is now. He declares that he will bind the ruling powers of the wicked world and destroy that wicked organization, and in the execution of 'these judgments written' all his saints shall have a part. (Ps. 149:7-9) The part thereof to be performed by his faithful children now on earth is to tell others of God's purposes and judgment and to be his witnesses to his majesty, power and glory. For this reason he first makes manifest his judgment to those who love and serve him.
Chapters fifteen and sixteen of Revelation have to do with making known the judgments of Jehovah written and entered against Satan's organization. These chapters should now be carefully read and studied. It is the lightnings of Jehovah that now illuminate his temple and those of the temple who tell to others what they see.
John, representing the faithful servant class of the Lord on earth, says: "And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God." (Vs. 1) John had seen two 'great wonders' in heaven (Rev. 12:1, 3), and now he sees the third 'wonder'. That third 'wonder' is described us not only great, but "great and marvellous"; and it is even so to God's remnant who now perceive it. They first saw the birth of the kingdom or nation in God's great organization; they saw Satan cast out of heaven, and began to learn of his mighty organization; and now they see the third great 'wonder', which is that Jehovah God will completely vindicate his word and his name, and that this is of the greatest importance. They also see that the remnant on earth can have the privilege of doing a little towards this great work of vindicating the name of Jehovah God. It is "great and marvellous" in the eyes of the remnant.
The psalmist had written the true sentiments of each one of the remnant, and now his words apply to such: "The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the Lord hath made [for the vindication of his name]; we will rejoice and be glad in it." (Ps. 118: 22-24) The remnant see that a great fight is just ahead and that they may be the singers in the van of that battle, and with eagerness they pray: "God is the Lord, which hath shewed us light; bind the sacrifice with cords [let us tie ourselves tight and completely to God's organization, that we cannot get away], even unto the horns of the altar. Thou art my God,
and I will praise thee; thou art my God, I will exalt thee [I will not exalt men nor give them flattering titles, but will exalt the Lord]. 0 give thanks unto the Lord; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever." — Ps. 118:25-29.
No wonder the remnant shout for joy! And they would march into the cannon's mouth, fearing neither man nor devil, that the witness to the works, the name, the majesty and goodness of the great Jehovah God might be given.
Who put these happy thoughts into the mind of each one of the remnant? Jesus Christ, the great Light-bearer and Head of the temple, and Ruler in Zion. In his temple he is attended by his holy angels or deputies. The great and precious Stone is laid in the temple before the temple class, and upon that Stone (Christ the King) shines the complete light, and that light is passed on or reflected to the members of the body of Christ. (Zech. 3:9) "When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory." — Matt. 25: 31.
The number "seven" is symbolic of completeness, or all, and the "seven" here refers to all the holy angels working under the direction of the great High Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and to whom is assigned the work concerning the manifestation of God's judgment. These judgments have to do with the vindication of Jehovah's name, which has been so long reproached and defamed by the enemy. Doubtless the Lord uses these holy angels to direct the course of his people on earth: what course they shall take and what they shall do. The angels are a part of God's organization, and all are under the direction
of Christ the King, or Judge. The "seven angels" here mentioned 'have the seven last plagues of the wrath of God', meaning that to the deputies of Christ is assigned the duty of transmitting the fiery messages of truth to and for the illumination of the servant class on earth, which messages the latter are proclaiming in the presence and hearing of others. It is God's witnesses that 'smite the earth with the plagues', but these plagues or fiery messages are delivered to the singers from the Lord by the hand of his chosen deputies.
What John saw in vision was the Lord's deputies having in possession the seven fiery judgments of Jehovah which should be delivered to his anointed on earth. The John class, or remnant, did not see or discern the meaning of these plagues until after they had been poured out, and this shows further that the angels mentioned are the deputy officials of the Lord to transmit these fiery plagues or messages to the remnant class. The manner of thus transmitting the messages is not known to man; nor is it necessary to know. It is certain that the Lord is directing his people in their actions, and he has his own good way to do it. The remnant delight to 'follow where the Lamb leads'. The truth is Jehovah's truth, and to Jesus is committed the privilege and obligation of dispensing the same in due season; and he gives his body members on earth, which form a part of the servant class, the privilege of having some part therein. Neither the message nor the form of the message originates with the remnant class.
THE SINGERS
It is well to bear in mind that Jehovah's organization is "great and marvellous" and that the remnant
on earth as yet constitute a very small integral part thereof, and that the Scriptures are written especially for the aid, comfort and benefit of the remnant on earth. There is danger that men of the remnant class will assign to themselves a place of too much importance in the great tableau. The light should cause them to walk humbly before God, and with fear and trembling, and always to remember they are merely instruments in the Lord's hands. The ultimate glorious place in the divine organization for the remnant will depend upon their continued faithfulness to the end. (Rev. 2:10) The place of the remnant now is that of "singers" in the organization.
John then adds: "And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God." (Vs. 2) The great laver before God's throne in the temple, and which is discerned by the remnant, shows that the remnant servant class is in the temple at the time it is discerned. (See comments on Revelation 4:6.) The great laver, or "sea", pictures the Word of God expressing his judgments. 'Thy judgments are great and deep.' (Ps. 36:6) The day of judgment having arrived, God's judgments are as clear as glass to the remnant in the temple. "Mingled with fire" symbolically denotes the fiery indignation of Jehovah God against his adversaries. (Heb. 10:27; 2 Thess. 1:8) The faithful ones whom the Lord had resurrected in 1918 then "had gotten the victory over the beast"; and after 1918 the remnant got "the victory over the beast, and over his image"; hence those that stand by the "sea" picture all the 144,000 composing the elect
servant class. 'The number of the name of the beast' was first understood by the anointed on earth when the explanation was published in the January 1, 1921, Watch Tower; hence the remnant could get the victory over "the number of the beast" thereafter. This picture shows that the remnant in the temple are identified as among the "harpers" of Revelation 14: 2. They are all giving glory to God. "In his temple doth every one speak of his glory." — Ps. 29: 9.
It is the special privilege and duty of the remnant to sing just preceding the execution of the judgment. This God foretold by his typical people's singing as they marched into battle. (2 Chron. 20: 21, 22) "And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints." (Rev. 15:3) The song the remnant now sing is not one of "restitution", but a song denoting that these see the great victory God will get over the enemy.
Moses was a faithful servant in the house of the Lord "for a testimony". (Heb. 3:5) That means that Moses as a servant foreshadowed the great 'elect servant' of Jehovah composed of Christ Jesus and the members of his body. The song of Moses at the Red Sea followed the overthrow of Pharaoh and prophetically spoke of God's judgment upon Satan, and the overthrow of his organization, and the song of praise that follows such victory. By faith the remnant see the victory now, and they sing.
The 'song of the Lamb' denotes the song of praise; because he is the Lamb of the tribe of Judah, and Judah means praise. "I will declare thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the church will I sing
praise unto thee." (Heb. 2:12) Jesus gained a great victory over Satan when he cast him out of heaven, and that victory and the deliverance of the faithful after 1918 is cause for rejoicing and song. (Rev. 12: 10-12) Therefore the singers join in praise to the name of Jehovah for what he has done and for what they see he is going to do, and they sing, "Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways." It is Jehovah, "The King of eternity," that sits upon the throne, and his praises they sing. — Jer. 10:10, margin.
Continuing the song the singers sing: "Who shall not fear thee, 0 Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest." Jehovah is supreme, and there is none like him; and who shall not be made to fear him? (Jer. 10:7) "Make thy name known to thine adversaries, that the nations may tremble at thy presence!" (Isa. 64:2) "At his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation." (Jer. 10:10) 'The Devil also trembles.' (Jas. 2:19) The song warns him that a great fight is just ahead; and he hastens to prepare for it, knowing that his time is short.
This vision discloses that the time has come for God to vindicate his name and to exalt it before all creation. That is the "great and marvellous" thing that God's people now discern. Even though until now Jehovah has not restrained evil, he has no sympathy with it; and his due time has now come to uproot it. He is holy, and all nations must now come to know his righteous judgments and to acknowledge his supremacy. The time has come to make manifest his
judgments, and he makes them known first to his servant class; and his lightnings also disclose the enemy, against whom the judgment shall be executed. As the remnant in the temple look upon "the sea of glass" they behold that God will now shortly use Armageddon to completely vindicate his name; and this calls forth from them the song of praise,
BEGINNING OF FULFILMENT
It was some time after the Lord came to his temple before any of the remnant discerned that fact. Then they learned that there was something for them to do. Speaking for them John says: "And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened." (Vs. 5) The remnant class is still tenting or tabernacling here on earth in the flesh. " The sanctuary of the tent of witness" (Roth.) shows that this class must give testimony that Jehovah is God, and therefore must be his witnesses as he has commanded. (Isa. 43:10-12) This further shows that the temple is not the typical one, but the true temple of God, "not made with hands," and "which the Lord pitched, and not man". (Heb. 8:2; 9:11) Those who are of the temple class see before them an open door of service, that they might go forth and serve as God's witnesses. — 1 Cor. 16: 9; Col. 4:3.
The angels are now seen to begin action: " And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles." (Vs. 6) Clearly these are "the angels of the seven churches", "which stood before God." (Rev. 1:20; 8:2) Those
deputies of the Lord Jesus, the Head of the temple, are the ones to whom was assigned the duty to be performed in connection with the announcement or making manifest of the judgments of Jehovah. Their place or official headquarters is shown to be with Christ Jesus at the temple. Their clothing identifies them as being commissioned to do the smiting work which is right, righteous and pure. Other versions render the text: "Clothed with a [precious] stone, pure, bright." This rendering of the text would denote that these angels were acting on orders from Christ "The Stone" and great Judge and Executive Officer of Jehovah. They are wearing the same kind of girdle as that worn by Jesus (Rev. 1:13), and this identifies them as his officers. They are girded for action and they receive their orders.
"And one of the four living ones gave to the seven angels seven golden bowls full of the wrath of that God who lives for the ages of the ages." (Vs. 7, Diag.) The living creature pictured as giving the golden bowls to the angels is evidently one of God's great organization and the act relates to divine justice, because the containers handed to the angels have to do with the manifestation of Jehovah's judgments. The delivery of the golden bowls shows that it was done after the Lord comes to his temple and that the authority to act proceeds from Jehovah's great Executive Officer. One container or bowl was assigned to each one of the seven angels. These were golden bowls or shallow cups used to pour out something. They contained a substance poured out like wine; and being "full of the wrath of God" indicates that they contained 'the wine of his wrath' in full measure. — Rev. 14:10,
At this point the record discloses that the temple is filled with the glory of God: "And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled." (Vs. 8) The "smoke" denotes Jehovah's glorious presence in Zion which he has now built up. (Ps. 102:16; Isa. 6:4) Smoke originates with fire, and therefore denotes God's glorious presence and his fiery indignation against his enemies: "Because thou hast taken to thee thy great power, and hast reigned. . . . And thy wrath is come." (Rev. 11:17, 18) He will now make known that his power shall be exercised against his foes. The fact that 'no one was able to enter the temple until the plagues were fulfilled' would denote that the work that was marked out to be done must be completed before reporting to headquarters. In substance the picture says: 'The work must be done and those assigned to the work must keep it up until not one vestige of the enemy is left.' That would mean that whatsoever part is assigned to the remnant on earth to do, they too must do it, and not stop until the work is accomplished to the glory of God. (Isa. 6:11, 12) Everything is in readiness now, as disclosed by the vision, for the 'pouring out of the bowls of wrath'.
POURING OUT THE BOWLS
(REVELATION, CHAPTER 16)
John, representing the faithful people of God on earth, 'hears,' that is to say, perceives, the divine word of command to perform a specific work. The fact that God's people on earth do their part of this work and that the purpose thereof is understood by
them is of itself proof that those of the servant class on earth are directed by the Lord through his duly constituted deputies or angels. This should be of great comfort to the people of the Lord, because it is a fulfilment of his promise to guide by his hand or power those that love and serve him: "I will instruct thee, and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye. Be glad in the Lord, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart." (Ps. 32:8, 11) Consideration is here given to chapter sixteen of Revelation, which should be carefully read and studied at this time.
"And I heard a great voice out of the temple, saying to the seven angels, Go ye, and pour out the seven bowls of the wrath of God into the earth." (Vs. 1, R.V.; see also Diag.) The "voice out of the temple" shows that it proceeds from Jesus Christ the "Word of God", the Mouthpiece and the Executor of Jehovah. (Rev. 1:10, 12; 1 Thess. 4:16) He is the great Messenger in whom Jehovah delights and who had now come to the temple, and 'all his holy angels with him', and he sends them forth (describing them collectively under the symbol of "seven"), and directs them to go and attend to the pouring out of the bowls or cups containing the wrath of God against Satan's organization that is on the earth. Satan was then cast out of heaven to the earth, and his organization confined to the earth. The remnant of the servant class is on the earth and is granted some part in this manifestation of God's judgments against Satan's organization.
"And the first went, and poured out his bowl into the earth; and it became a noisome and grievous sore upon the men that had the mark of the beast, and
that worshipped his image." (Vs. 2, R.V.) (There is a close harmony of chapters eight and nine with chapter sixteen of Revelation, as to the sequence of events.) The period of time designated by the prophet as 'twelve hundred and ninety days from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination that maketh desolate set up' had just expired. (Dan. 12:11) It was therefore the time to 'pour out the first bowl'. At that same time the Cedar Point convention was in session, to wit, September, 1922.
The Lord by his angel directed the preparation and adoption there of the "Proclamation", which was the evidence of the first drop of the "wine of the wrath of God" made manifest on the earth. All the work of God's anointed people that followed, and which had this Proclamation as its basis, would represent the bowl poured out by the first angel of the Lord. God's people voluntarily went to war upon the sound of that Proclamation. (Ps. 110:3) Since the comments of Revelation chapters eight and nine are directly connected with this chapter they can here be reread with profit. (See "Resolution" set forth under comments on same.)
The effect of the contents of the first bowl is said to be 'a grievous evil sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image'. (See Diag.) "The earth" symbolically represents the visible part of Satan's organization. It was out of this organization that the 'two horned boast came', and which beast suggested the making of the "image" of the 'beast which had come up out of the sea'. (Rev. 13:11) The people were deceived and caused to make the "image of the beast". The ruling factors of the earth "had the
mark of the beast", and they in particular, and the people in general, were giving honor and worship to the "image". This was especially true with reference to the clergy, who were loud in their praise of the League of Nations, which is the "image".
The word "sore", used in this text, is such as the sores that Lazarus had and that the dogs licked. (Luke 16: 21) It was the same kind of sore that afflicted the Egyptians and that was called "the botch of Egypt", and was incurable. (Ex. 9:9-11; Deut. 28: 27, 35) Hezekiah was smitten with a similar sore for his digression from the Lord's way. (2 Ki. 20:7) It is like the beginning of leprosy such as afflicted Uzziah. (Lev. 13:18-23) It was on "The Day", September 8, 1922, that the declaration was publicly made at the Cedar Point convention aforementioned that 'Christendom is smitten with spiritual leprosy unto death'. (Watch Tower, 1922, p. 335) The sore or plague upon the marked ones became very apparent to the Lord's people from that day forward.
The "Proclamation" was a challenge to those who had set up and espoused, and who supported, and who do support, the Devil's substitute for the kingdom of God. No doubt "Christendom", so called, began to feel very itchy from that time forward, and very uncomfortable at the imputation to them of that loathsome disease. They have the "botch of Egypt", and none of their doctors can cure them. As some evidence of the effect of that Proclamation upon others a worldly newspaper report may here be read with interest:
"With Mustapha Kemal thundering at the gates of Constantinople, demanding the return of the Dardanelles control to Turkey, while the British lion is
rushing her warrior breed to the Golden Horn, with the revolutionary spirit of 'red' Russia threatening to Bolshevikize all Europe, with the American public murmuring fiercely at atrociously high prices of coal and other necessities caused in part by two costly national strikes, it is interesting to note what one of the largest and most active Christian organizations id the world thinks of this crisis in history.
"Upwards of 20,000 ardent churchmen attended the meetings of the International Bible Students Association at Cedar Point, Ohio, during its recent convention. That they are disgusted with the morals and spirit of our world, statesmen and even the ways of the League of Nations is obvious in their unanimous resolution on world affairs. We submit that, regardless of what the individual reader may think of its philosophy, the ensuing resolution deserves incorporation in history as a vivid reflection of what many of our churchmen think of these times. What a documentary study it affords for psychologists — this modern discourse on that eternal duel between God and Satan! How we would like to note the expressions of Lloyd George, Clemenceau, Venizelos, Lenin, Hughes or Root could we but see them reading the resolution."
"And the second poured out his bowl into the sea; and it became blood as of a dead man; and every living soul died, even the things that were in the sea." (Vs. 3, R.V.) The beginning of the 'pouring out of the second bowl' dated from August 25, 1923, when at the Los Angeles convention God's people adopted and sent forth the resolution "A Warning", which is set out with comments on Revelation chapters eight and nine, to which reference is here made.
The pouring out of this bowl was "into the sea" and upon the wicked class that exploit the peoples of the earth. The clergy who had held themselves forth as God's representatives and then deliberately turned against his Word and the great ransom sacrifice and to the Devil religion, and who had induced their allies to do the same thing, are the wicked ones of "the sea" that stir up the filth and mud thereof. " The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest." (Isa. 57: 20, 21) The "sea" bears up and supports these big wicked 'fish', and "it became blood as of a dead man". That means to have no life-giving power. The people began to see what a crowd of hypocrites the clergy and their allies are, and that their teachings have no life-giving power. The clergy had been advocating bloodshed by forcing men into the war, and at the same time persecuting to death many of God's people who were telling the truth. In the very city of Los Angeles a number of God's children were ruthlessly persecuted during the war by the clergy and their allies. Fraud was practiced upon these faithful witnesses by public officials, and this was done at the instance and advice of the clergy; and the result was that innocent men and women were inveigled into the enemy's trap, and upon perjured testimony of unscrupulous men were adjudged guilty by dishonest courts and sent to prison.
These wicked men "in the sea" stirred up the people and incited them to wrongful acts against the Lord's people. In many places mob violence was employed. God calls those things which are not as though they were. (Rom. 4:17) This wicked persecuting "goat" class that had repudiated God's Word and adopted what they called "modernism", and which
is the Devil's religion, and that had wilfully persecuted the humble witnesses of the Lord were from that time forward counted as dead. All possibility of their being of the kingdom was gone, and their destruction in Gehenna marked. (Matt. 10:28; 25: 40-46) Therefore "every soul of life" (R.V.,margin) "in the sea" lost prospect for life. Attention was called to the fact that such would not enter the kingdom, but would die in the battle of the great day of God Almighty. From that time God's servant class continued to put this message in the hands of the people, and thus they had to do with the pouring out of this bowl of wrath.
"And the third poured out his bowl into the rivers and the fountains of the waters; and it became blood." (Vs. 4, R.V.) The beginning of the 'pouring out of the third bowl' dates from July 25, 1924, at the adoption, at a convention of God's people at Columbus, Ohio, of the resolution designated the "Indictment". That furnished the basis for the great world-wide witness that followed, all of which constituted a part of the 'third bowl of the wrath of God' which he through his duly constituted deputies had caused his people on earth to give and proclaim. (See Revelation 8:10 and comments, and copy of Indictment.)
The "rivers" into which this bowl was poured out represent the rivers of civilization, so called, and all the agencies thereof, including "the flood which the dragon cast out of his mouth" in his attempt to swallow up God's people. (Rev. 12:15, 16) These 'water fountains' are effusions, talk, palaver and the schemes of men, sent forth like rivers into and among the peoples of earth by those who claim that they have pow-
er to make the earth a fit place in which to live. They claim that they are going to clean up the earth and robe it in the beauty of the achievements of man so that Christ can come to visit it. They thus further reproach the name of God.
It was in that very year, 1924, that the Bok Peace Plan, for which a large sum of money was paid as a prize, caused so much talk. It was in the same year that the mask was taken off Prohibition and it was exhibited to the people as a scheme of the Devil, which it is. It was in that same year that the message "Civilization Doomed" was announced and widely proclaimed throughout the earth. This was done by radio and by a wide distribution of the printed message.
As to the effect upon these "rivers and fountains of waters", "they became blood," that is to say, as dead rot. Jehovah caused this the same as he had done to the Egyptians: "And had turned their rivers into blood; and their floods, that they could not drink." (Ps. 78:44) It was there and thereafter that the exponents of so-called civilization were exposed as responsible for the unrighteous shedding of the blood of millions of young men during the World War. Therefore the effusion, talk and schemes put forth by Satan's representatives were shown to be unfit for the people to swallow, because corrupted with blood. These representatives of Satan had made civilization, as they called it, run with human blood cruelly shed; therefore they should not be heard to put forth a scheme claiming to be for the benefit of mankind.
The "Indictment" was a statement of God's Word, and from him, and not from man; and it was therefore righteous. Therefore it is written: "And I heard
the angel of the waters saying, Righteous art thou, the One who is, and who was, — the Bountiful One; because thou hast judged these." (Vs. 5, Diag.) This is an assurance to the consecrated people who love and serve God that they are doing right in distributing the "Indictment" amongst the people and telling mankind that civilization is rotten to the core and that it has no power to uplift the nations out of degradation. This scripture is a rebuke to those who claim to serve God and yet oppose any expose of Satan's organization. If God, by and through his angels, approved the judgment, it is his judgment, and who can condemn it? It is right and righteous, and all who have part in its proclamation are doing the will of God; and those who oppose it are doing contrary to his will.
Then verse six announces the reason why God expresses his indignation. The billy goats of the clergy and the principal ones of their flock are the guilty ones: "Because they poured out the blood of saints and of prophets, thou gavest them also blood to drink; they deserve it." (Vs. 6, Diag.) These same representatives of Satan had killed God's "two witnesses", wickedly persecuted and shed the blood of many humble servants of God, and, above all, hypocritically and mockingly took the name of the Lord and pushed his Word to the side and treated it and represented it as unworthy of belief. "He that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword." (Rev. 13:10) Their blood-guilty and loathsome record cannot be hidden. God would expose it and tell them in advance what he will do. Therefore he causes a proclamation of his judgments to be made: "And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and
they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and thy Redeemer, the Mighty One of Jacob." — Isa. 49:26.
God's people on earth as his witnesses must declare these things. It is the day of the vengeance of our God, not man's vengeance, but his commissioned servants must tell others about it. It is the expression of God's indignation advising the world of mankind in advance what are his just judgments. These hypocritical agents of Satan had had pleasure in doing the things which God said they should not do; and therefore, as he says, they deserve what they get. — Rom. 1:32.
Jehovah's altar is not erected for wilful sin and crime committed against the knowledge and light, of the holy spirit. There are no sacrifices for such deliberate sins, 'either in this world or in the world to come,' declares the Lord Jesus. The clergy of Christendom and the principal ones of their flocks are without excuse or justification for their conduct in crime against God and his anointed. The blood of his saints cries out from under the altar against them. (Rev. 6:10) God's altar therefore approves of the deadly punishment administered to and upon the wilfully wicked "goat" class, and all who are in God's sacrificial arrangement or covenant likewise approve. Therefore it is written: "And I heard another out of the altar say, Even so, Lord God Almighty, true and righteous are thy judgments." — Vs. 7.
The John or servant class hear or perceive this by and through the Word of God, which is made known and published to them. (Ps. 19: 9) Therefore those in Christ and who are wholly devoted to God show their
obedience to God in announcing his judgments and in circulating the "Indictment" and other like messages of truth, that others might know of God's expressed purpose.
"And the fourth poured out his bowl on the sun; and to him it was given to burn men with fire." (Vs. 8, Diag.) It was at the Indianapolis convention, August 29, 1925, that God's people began to have something to do with the pouring out of this bowl. The Lord, by his deputies, had directed the preparation and adoption there of the proclamation or resolution designated "Message of Hope". (See Revelation 8:12 and comments, and copy of resolution.)
The sun is the great light that rules the day. The ruling power of the day of "Christendom", so called, is Satan's "sun", that is to say, those big ones called "commercial giants", big politicians called "statesmen", and big hypocritical windjammers called "preachers". These form the great luminaries which exhibit their light and rule the peoples of the earth and claim divine right to do so. The resolution "Message of Hope" held no hope for them, because it exposed their duplicity and darkness and their schemes for further deceiving mankind. To be sure, Jehovah God gave no power to that unrighteous earthly "sun" of theirs; therefore it must proceed from Satan the Devil. Hence it is written: "To him it was given to burn men with fire." As disclosed by that resolution, the sky-riding, ruling factors claim to shine for the good of men, but are really Satan's instruments. That wicked "sun" (ruling crowd) had scorched and burned the peoples of earth with fire of war, and had not made the world safe for democracy or equality-rule of the people as they had promised.
Had the ruling factors, and particularly the clergy, taught and turned the people to the truth of God's Word, as mentioned in the "Message of Hope", they would have done good; but instead, they and their allies or principal ones of their flock had increased the scorching and oppressive power of their "sun" upon the people following the war. They continued such burning and scorching, even as the Lord foretold, to wit: "And men were burned with great heat, and they blasphemed the name of that God who has authority over these plagues; and they reformed not to give him glory." — Vs. 9, Diag.
Since 1925 there has been no abatement of the oppression of the masses of the people, but the 'sun of Satan', or ruling class, has continued to scorch them. The people are in the furnace of affliction and injustice and cruelty, and fire is kindled and administered by that body of rulers of this day of Christendom. It continues to burn, and that "sun" company is burning itself out. The result has been and is that both the "sun" group and many of the people have blasphemed God. The wicked "sun", or ruling class, violently oppose the bowl poured out, or message of truth, and continue to bring reproach upon the name of God and to blaspheme his name by inducing many to believe that their suffering, oppression, crimes and calamities proceed from God and that God is responsible therefor. The people who are ignorant of God's Word still hold on to these wicked rulers and suffer from their affliction and lose what faith they had in God's Word and, following their leaders, charge God with being responsible for their affliction. Modernism and infidelity gained strength thereafter amongst those that rejected the "Message of Hope". They did
not repent and turn to the Lord; nor did they give him glory for the manifestation of his goodness in advising them of his purposes.
"And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain." (Vs. 10) The Revised Version and the Diaglott render this verse with "the throne [instead of 'seat'] of the beast", but it means one and the same thing. "The beast" is Satan's organization on earth manifested particularly in the seventh head thereof, to wit, the seventh world power, which is Great Britain. The fact that the Anglo-American arrangement forms the 'two-horned beast' does not at all militate against the conclusion that Britain is the chief one of the beast mentioned in this tenth verse. The 'two-horned beast' also becomes "the false prophet", as shown in this chapter, and this shows that one part of Satan's organization may occupy more than one place and appear under different symbols. The seventh world power cannot be separated from the 'beast that came up out of the sea', because it is a part of Satan's organization over which Satan is the god.
"The seat [or throne] of the beast" would not necessarily mean or be limited to some particular place on the earth. It would also properly refer to that part of Satan's organization occupying the place of greatest prominence. It would also mean the basis on which the power of the "beast" is founded. The doctrine of the divine right of kings to rule the peoples of earth is therefore clearly involved. The government of Great Britain claims to rule by the grace of God and even inscribes this insignia upon its coins.
A like claim is made by all the ruling monarchs of the world.
Nimrod, the first earthly mouthpiece of the Devil, promulgated the same doctrine so as to give a religious basis to his claim. The ruling factors of "Christendom", so called, take the name of Christ and claim to rule by the grace of God and as his representatives. Such are more reprehensible than the others because they claim specifically to represent the Lord. The clergy form a part of this ruling class and claim the divine right exclusively to teach and interpret the Bible and that they alone may speak with authority concerning the Scriptures. When they reached the point where they repudiated the Bible they expected all the people to fall down and say, Amen. Hence the clergy oppose any one that teaches the truth as set forth in the Bible.
The British Empire is the seventh world power and the chief one responsible for the promotion and formation of the "image of the beast". The Devil gave the "beast", that is to say, his earthly organization, its throne or seat, and it has occupied it from the beginning. (Rev. 13: 2) The place or location of the headquarters of the Devil's organization on earth has changed from time to time as one world power after another succeeded to preeminence over the others. At all times Satan has deceived the people and induced them to believe that the "beast" constitutes the "higher powers" and that such powers are derived from Jehovah. (Rom. 13:1) No empire on earth has ever so completely induced the people to believe this falsehood as the British Empire. Its lords temporal and lords ecclesiastical have walked side by side speaking with one mouth and being directed by Big
Business that holds them together, and all have been acting as the ventriloquist of Satan the Devil. The pouring out of the plague on the "seat of the beast" would therefore be the exposing or showing up that the foundation or claim upon which such world power rests is false.
The great question was and is, Who gives authority to the ruling powers, Jehovah God or the Devil? That was the real issue, and is. That was the issue raised and settled in the minds of God's people and many others by the resolution adopted by the people of God at London, England, May 28, 1926. The Lord by his angel had directed the preparation and bringing forth of this resolution. That marked the beginning of the 'pouring out of the golden bowl by the fifth angel' of the Lord, and God's people on earth there began to have a part in it and continued so to do thereafter. Reference is here made to Revelation 9:1 and the comments thereon, including the resolution adopted at that time. It was called "A Testimony to the Rulers of the World".
The clergy of Christendom had advised the other members of the unholy alliance arid the gullible people that 'the League of Nations is the expression of God's kingdom on earth', and therefore they raised the issue as to who ruled the earth. They falsely claimed that God had formed the League. The resolution adopted at London and the supporting argument thereto proved conclusively from the Scriptures that the Devil is the father of the League of Nations and that therefore the Devil is the ruler of this present evil world. Thus was further proven from the Scriptures that the Devil gave the seat and power to the beast and that Britain, being the leading world pow-
er at that time, and the one that had caused the "image of the beast" to be made, is properly designated as the "beast". Its seat or throne of authority proceeds from the "beast", and the 'pouring out of the bowl', or message of truth exposing the false claims, shows it was poured out upon the "seat of the beast". At London, England, the capital of the British Empire, was an appropriate place for this to be done, and without doubt the Lord directed the beginning of the proclamation of the message from that point.
That testimony had a wide circulation throughout the earth, and from that time forward the 'pouring out of the bowl' continued. The "beast's" kingdom and the "image" were clearly exposed as being the organization of Satan and the kingdom of darkness of this world. (Eph. 6:12) The ruling powers or agencies of the "beast" not only refused to give heed to the message of truth set forth in that resolution, but violently opposed it, and they and the ones who followed the direction of them 'had their understanding darkened' because of their bad condition of heart. (Eph. 4:18) In his goodness Jehovah had brought to the attention of the greatest world power under the sun that that world power is not his, but Satan's, and that the salvation of mankind depends upon fleeing from Satan and turning to the Lord God.
Instead of their profiting by the message of truth God's goodness served only to harden the hearts of the ruling powers. God had said: "Let their table become a snare before them: and that which should have been for their welfare, let it become a trap. Let their eyes be darkened, that they see not; and make their loins continually to shake." (Ps. 69:22, 23)
"They know not, neither will they understand: they walk on in darkness: all the foundations [foundation of the beastly kingdom] of the earth are out of course." (Ps. 82:5) The darkness of the world increases. Therefore it is prophetically written: "Behold, the darkness shall cover the earth [Satan's visible organization], and gross darkness the people [both rulers and subjects]." (Isa. 60:2) God had foretold that this darkness would follow: "Hear ye, and give ear; be not proud: for the Lord hath spoken. Give glory to the Lord your God, before he cause darkness, and before your feet stumble upon the dark mountains, and while ye look for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness." — Jer. 13: 15, 16.
The effect of the message of the fifth angel caused the prominent factors of the beastly organization to gnaw their tongues. They got the tonguing public press to do some of the gnawing. Their gnawing shows that their tongues had much pain. They had many denunciatory words to say against the message and those who had to do with its distribution, at the same time boasting of their own 'divine power and authority'. They tried to ease their vexation and resentment by the use of much talk and high-sounding words; but no relief came. The little company of God's faithful people continued to pour out the message of truth, and it caused the ruling factors, particularly the clergy, so much pain that 'many sought death but could not find it'. (See Revelation 9: 6 and comments.) They made no effort at reformation.
"And blasphemed the God of heaven on account of their pains and their ulcers; and they reformed not from their works." (Vs. 11, Diag.) The clergy in par-
ticular and the principal of their flock, following the 'pouring out of this bowl', continued to deny the charge placed against them, at the same time claiming "Christendom" to be God's kingdom, and thus further blasphemed God's name and brought reproach upon it. The blasphemy and reproach continued against God and his witnesses who delivered the message and who thereby had a part in the pouring out of the plague. The poison in the system of the devilish animal, "the beast," began to ulcerate; and this is symbolized by the "sore" or "ulcer" mentioned in the text. It shows that they were and are filled with the spirit of Satan and his venom and are diseased in the sight of God. Refusing to repent they still hold to the League of Nations as the divine child and not the offspring of Satan, and the British Empire and its associates still claim to rule by divine right. They continue to line up the League of Nations crowd and try to hold them together by peace pacts, naval parleys, and other futile efforts to hoodwink the people and to make them believe that they are able to really reform the world. Hardened of heart by the goodness of God, like Pharaoh, they refuse to give way to that which is right. The issue is decided against them, but they go on in their crooked ways. The Lord continues to make manifest his judgments against Satan's organization.
"And the sixth poured out his bowl on the great river, the Euphrates; and its water was dried up, so that the way of those kings who are from the sun-rising might be prepared." (Vs. 12, Diag.) In this connection the reader is directed to consider Revelation 9:13, 14, and the comments thereon, together with the resolution set forth at that point.
It was on July 24, 1927, at Toronto, that God's anointed people began to have some part in the 'bowl of God's wrath' poured out by the sixth angel of the Lord. At that time the Lord through his angel had directed the preparation and promulgation of a message of truth from his Word. A resolution was adopted, directed "To the Peoples of Christendom". That resolution, with the accompanying argument, was proclaimed by word of mouth to a multitude in one place and to a far greater multitude by radio. Then followed the wide distribution of millions of copies amongst the peoples of earth; and 'the bowl of wrath of God' has continued to be poured out, thus making manifest his judgments.
That message of "Freedom for the People" was a blow to Satan's organization called "Babylon", because it affected her commerce, such as chain stores, light and power plant combinations, and other gigantic corporations organized and carried on for the purpose of exploiting the people, and to which the clergy and the politicians lend their aid and support. It was also a blow directly against the hypocritical clergy and the conscienceless politicians, who deceive the people and misrepresent God. It was at the same time the proclamation or the message concerning the loosening of the "prisoners", which Babylon had long held in confinement. (See Revelation 9:13, 14.) "Poured . . . upon the great river Euphrates" symbolizes that it was poured out upon the peoples that support and bear up the iniquitous satanic organization, which the peoples have been compelled to do without their consent because they have been blind to the truth concerning it. The effect was to dry up the waters or turn them away, and hence was a plague,
particularly to those who to their own advantage have used the people and exploited them. At the same time it was a warning to the people in general to avoid and forsake the devilish organization, or Babylon, because God is making known his judgments against her. "Thus saith the Lord, . . . that saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers." (Isa. 44: 24, 27) The drying up was so that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.
"KINGS OF THE EAST"
Medo-Persia and Elam were east of Babylon. (Isa. 21:2, 9) Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian, who overthrew Babylon, foreshadowed Christ and his saints. (Dan. 5:28; Isa. 44:28) In the foregoing twelfth verse the words concerning the kings of the east are rendered by other translators in this manner: "Those kings who are from the sun-rising" (Diag.); "from the rising of the sun." (Roth.) Jesus and his risen glorified body-members, together with his faithful remnant on the earth in line for the kingdom, are thus symbolized, and such are the "army of the horsemen". (Rev. 9:16) They come from the rising of the sun, or direction of the east. Then "shall the Sun of righteousness arise". (Mal. 4:2) Jesus Christ, the great and mighty angel, is shown as coming from the east, or the direction of the rising sun. (Rev. 7:2) Jehovah has spoken his decree or judgment and will bring it to pass, and he brings his mighty Executive Officer as "a ravenous bird from the east" to execute his judgment, that is to say, from the east of Babylon. "Calling a ravenous bird from the east, the man that executeth my counsel from a far country: yea, I have spoken it, I will also bring it to pass; I have pur-
posed it, I will also do it." (Isa. 46:11) The mighty King comes from Jehovah (on the side of the north) and from the rising of the sun, the east, and executes God's orders: "Who hath raised up one from the cast, whom he calleth in righteousness to his foot? he giveth nations before him, and maketh him rule over kings; he giveth them as the dust to his sword, as the driven stubble to his bow. I have raised up one from the north, and he is come; from the rising of the sun one that calleth upon my name: and he shall come upon rulers as upon mortar, and as the potter treadeth clay." (Isa. 41:2, 25, R.V.) Since the vision is "that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared", it would indicate that this is the 'day of preparation' for the great battle of Armageddon. — See Nahum 2: 3.
The evident purpose of the Lord, by the pouring out of this bowl, is to turn "the waters" away from Satan's organization by serving notice upon the people of God's impending judgments. "The way of the kings" could not mean a way to cross the river. Looking at the conditions as they naturally exist, if the purpose should be to cross the river, then men could march up to the headwaters of the Euphrates and ford it, as Abraham did when he started to Canaan. 'The preparing of the way' must therefore mean turning the waters away or drying them up preparatory for the attack upon Babylon. The rulers in Babylon must be exposed to the people and set forth in their true light, and this, in effect, would be turning them away, and is symbolized by turning away the waters. The resolution adopted and sent forth from Toronto, together with the accompanying literature, Freedom for the People, and which was widely
distributed throughout the earth, prepared the way for the later coming of colporteurs and class workers of the kingly company in their work to further advise the people of God concerning the execution of God's impending judgment. The Lord did not need the peoples (pictured by the great river Euphrates) to be all or partially turned away from Babylon before he would be able to invade and overthrow Babylon. The people, however, needed to have some information concerning God's purpose to overthrow Babylon, in order to give them an opportunity to flee therefrom. Therefore the pouring out of the bowl by the sixth angel, and message of truth that followed, must have been intended, and was and is, for the benefit of the people. Turning the people away from Babylon, and particularly informing the "prisoner" class, would enable them to see the great advantage of fleeing from Babylon and coming to God; therefore God has commanded his people on the earth to prepare the way for the people by lifting up his standard and pointing them toward the kingdom. To his anointed ones he says: "Go through, go through the gates; prepare ye the way of the people; cast up, cast up the highway; gather out the stones; lift up a standard for the people." — Isa. 62:10.
This must mean that before Jehovah God sends Christ Jesus forth to execute his judgment in the complete destruction of Satan's organization at Armageddon the people must be told the truth and there must be pointed out to them the Lord's way, that is to say, the way of the kingdom, and therefore the only way of escape. It means a world-wide witness work advertising the King and his kingdom from the rising of the sun, which is to bless all the people who
turn to God. Such is for the benefit of the people, rather than for the benefit of the kings. The 'preparing the way of the kings of the east', therefore, is preparing or opening a way to get to the people for their good. The Lord could easily crush Babylon without any of this preliminary work; but such is not his way. He will give them notice, and at the Name time furnish his anointed people an opportunity to give that notice or witness and thereby prove their faithfulness and devotion to him under stress. What a tremendous and irretrievable mistake some of the consecrated have made and are making by failing or refusing to have any part in the great witness work now in progress on the earth! To have a part in singing forth the praises of Jehovah by now telling the people that he is God, and what are his purposes, and doing so with joy, is proof that those so doing are of the 'kingly class coming from the east'. Blessed arc all such who thus continue until the consummation of the work.
ENEMY'S CAMP
God's favored children now on earth were pictured by John. They are not kept in ignorance of what is going on in Satan's camp, lest he should get the advantage of them: "Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices." (2 Cor. 2:11) Jehovah loves his children and he shows them the enemy, that they may be safeguarded from his subtle attacks. When one sees a snake in his way he avoids it or tries to kill it. In the vision which God gave to his beloved Son to show to his servant class on earth he shows them the enemy and his activities, that the faithful may avoid the enemy's thrust and fight against it. Satan is invisible to hu-
man eyes; but God gives his children spiritual discernment, that they may see the enemy and his machinations. The flashes of light from Jehovah disclose to his people the enemy's position. God gave John a vision of the enemy's organization, and this for the benefit of his people now on earth; and therefore it is written: "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon, and out of the mouth of the beast, and out of the mouth of the false prophet." — Rev. 16:13.
These are not of the "seven spirits" of Jehovah's organization (Rev. 1:4), because these are unclean. They are such as Jesus cast out. (Matt. 12:43-45) They are the spirits that vex and make sick. They are 'the spirit of this world', and are "seducing spirits". (1 Cor. 2:12; 1 Tim. 4:1) They have the appearance of the frog, which is an ugly animal. Frogs are mentioned in the Bible in connection with the plagues of Egypt, and nowhere else aside from Revelation. (Ex. 8:1-14) Their being associated with Egypt shows that they have to do with Satan's organization, because Egypt was a part of Satan's visible organization. The Hebrew word used to translate "frog" means "marsh leaper". From Satan's organization came these "marsh leapers", says the Revelation vision; and this shows what is in the heart of Satan's organization, "for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." (Matt. 12: 34) It is out of the 'dragon, beast and false prophet' that these unclean spirits come. What, then, is meant by dragon, beast and false prophet? and what does each one represent in sending forth something from the mouth?
"Dragon" means either a land or a sea monster or both. (Ex. 7:9; Ps. 91:13; Isa. 27:1) "Dragon" is
one of the names applied to Satan the Devil, and means devourer. The dragon frightens its victim by making a great and terrifying noise. (Mic. 1:8) The symbol of the frog coming out of the mouth of the dragon, therefore, denotes much noise made by the Devil himself and through his instruments. Here are some of the things the Dragon says: "The great dragon that lieth in the midst of his rivers [peoples], which hath said, My river is mine own, and I have made it for myself." (Ezek. 29:3) Satan boastingly claims everything on the earth for himself, and is therefore against God. "Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon [Satan, the head of his organization] hath devoured me, ... he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates; he hath cast me out." (Jer. 51: 34) "The king [of Babylon, meaning the Devil] spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom, by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?" (Dan. 4:30) The same Dragon, shortly after the birth of the man child, or God's kingdom, cast a great flood out of his mouth against God's organization. (See Revelation 12:15,16, and comments thereon.) All the evidence shows that the Dragon, or Devil, is boastful, arrogant, against God and against his organization and all the members thereof. He is the very fountain-head of boasting and lies.
"The beast" is the organization of Satan as seen upon the earth. "The beast" received its authority from Satan: 'And there was given to him [the beast] a mouth speaking great and blasphemous things against God and against his organization.' (Rev. 13: 5, 6; Dan. 7:7, 8, 20) Out of the mouth of "the
beast" comes an unclean spirit like a "marsh leaper" or "frog", and is boastful, and is against God and against the people of Jehovah. "The beast" is the instrument that executes the will of its father the Devil on earth. The "beast" is anti-God and anti-Christ and anti-kingdom, and boasts of owning and controlling the earth. In effect it says: 'Man for the earth, and the earth for man, and we own it.' It includes all the ruling factors of the earth, acting together as Satan's instrument.
"The false prophet" mentioned does most of the talking for the Devil's organization. It must be a part of Satan's organization, because it works in conjunction with Satan, doing as the Dragon does. In another part of the prophecy there is disclosed a 'two-horned beast'. (Rev. 13:11) But from that point forward it does not again appear in the record under that name. It is quite certain that it does appear in the role of a political prognosticator or prophet; and being the Devil's prophet, it is an unclean, therefore a false prophet. "The false prophet," therefore, is the Anglo-American Empire. That the 'two-horned beast' and the "false prophet" are identical, the proof that follows clearly establishes.
In Revelation 13:11-14 the record is that the two-horned beast "spake as a dragon", that is to say, had the mouth of the Dragon or Devil organization and was and is the mouthpiece thereof; that the two-horned beast 'doeth great wonders in the sight of men and deceiveth them by means of miracles or signs'. The 'two-horned beast' and "false prophet" is the proponent of the "image of the beast", the League of Nations. In Revelation 19:20, 'The beast [which came up out of the sea] was taken, together
with the false prophet that wrought miracles [signs] by which men were deceived who had the mark of the beast.' The "false prophet" is a part of the "beast" because it is a part of Satan's visible organization and is the chief spokesman of the "beast", and hence the mouthpiece, and mouths great swelling words and puts forth boasting claims; and is therefore a false prophet. This complex beast-and-false-prophet exhibits "two horns like a lamb", claiming always to be on the defensive, and always employs the Devil's tactics. While it employs religion and uses religion as a cloak, it is in fact a political prophet. Its statesmen claim to be, and doubtless are, the most astute diplomats on earth.
The British-American 'two-horned animal' boasts that the sun never sets on its domains, that it controls the sea and the land, that it is the savior of the world and that all the world must look to it in order to live in peace and prosperity. Thus, like a frog, it makes much noise and out of its mouth comes that which indicates the heart condition. There could be much evidence here set forth proving that it is a great political prognosticator and boaster, but a small amount will suffice to direct the reader's attention to other things corroborating what is here said.
For instance, a banquet was held in New York city in October, 1929, at which speeches were delivered by the premier of the British Empire in the presence of America's chief advocates for the League of Nations and in the presence of the Council of Foreign Affairs in the great metropolis. That speech was broadcast, and prophesied that the two nations, Britain and America, could and would bring peace and prosperity to the world. Out of the mouth of the chief repre-
sentative of the two nations comes the statement that 'war between these two nations is an unthinkable thing'. Again this mouthpiece for the League of Nations speaks great boasting words. This is a quotation from the speech by the premier of the British Empire, speaking of Britain and America: "Our two flags, wherever the work of God is to be done in this world, will be flying together in the doing of that work. We shall pledge, not to each other, as it used to be, but to causes, standing side by side, straining our ears to listen to the divine call, ambitious of nothing, competitive in nothing except which is to be the first of us to obey and to carry it to a successful issue." Those words are high-sounding and boastful, and yet are calculated to deceive everyone except those who have the spirit of the Lord and are in his organization doing valiant service. Those words cause others to say: 'Who is like the beast and like the mouthpiece of these two great nations that speak for the governments of the earth?'
It may well be admitted that the speaker who used those words was sincere, but we know that his words are not true. They are bombastic and sound like an exceedingly great bullfrog. God is not now using and will not at any time or place use the high officials of Great Britain and America to do his work; and particularly now, since Jehovah's King is on his throne and his judgments against Satan's beastly organization are pronounced. Men cannot adopt the Devil's schemes, as these nations have, and at the same time represent Jehovah God and do his work. Men cannot eat at the table of the Devil and at the same time represent Jehovah and do his work. (1 Cor. 10:21) These two nations acting jointly take the lead of all
the nations of the earth to evolve and bring forth plausible schemes and with pleasing and deceptive speech make the people believe that their schemes are just and right.
They have been thus prophesying particularly since 1918, and everyone knows that their prophecies to date have not come to pass; and that alone is strong evidence that they are false prophets. The fact that they represent the Devil's organization and prophesy is proof that they do not represent Jehovah; and that is another evidence that they are false prophets. The fact that their speech and course of action tend to turn men away from Jehovah God and his kingdom is another proof that they are false prophets. It is therefore seen that they fail to meet a single one of the requirements to prove that they are true prophets. — Deut. 18:21, 22.
This beastly false prophet is opposed to the great Prophet of whom Moses was a type. Christ, the great antitype of Moses, is now present challenging the antitypical Pharaoh Satan and all of Satan's agencies, all of which are anti-Christ and anti-God. A great crisis was reached in Israel's experiences and God sent his prophets Jeremiah and Ezekiel to warn that people of his impending judgments. At the same lime there came false prophets denying the prediction made by Jehovah's true prophets, and without authority assumed to pronounce God's blessing on man-made arrangements and to forecast good to the people through these arrangements. Concerning these latter, God caused it to be written that they were liars and false prophets: "From the least of them even unto the greatest of them every one is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even unto the priest every
one dealeth falsely. They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace: when there is no peace." (Jer. 6:13, 14) "Then said I, Ah, Lord God! behold, the prophets say unto them, Ye shall not see the sword, neither shall ye have famine; but I will give you assured peace in this place. Then the Lord said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name; I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus saith the Lord concerning the prophets that prophesy in my name, and I sent them not, yet they say, Sword and famine shall not be in this land; By sword and famine shall those prophets be consumed." — Jer. 14:13-15.
The British Empire even claims to have succeeded to all the rights of the ten lost tribes of Israel and therefore to constitute God's chosen people. Many have been deceived by this false claim. The statesmen or diplomats of the two nations Britain and the United States have since 1919 held before the peoples of earth many false hopes based upon their prediction concerning peace and prosperity that they claim shall shortly be brought to the peoples of the earth. The clergy element of these two nations deny the Word of God and set up their own standard, and in this the politicians and commercial powers join them. Just at this time, when God's servant class, the "kings of the east", are marching against antitypical Babylon and proclaiming the judgments of Jehovah against that wicked organization, it is to be expected that the "false prophet" would be busily engaged in telling the people to give no heed to these warnings but to
listen to the "false prophet". The false-prophet Anglo-American Empire admonishes the people to remain quiet and stedfast, always promising that these governments will bring mankind out of danger and make the earth a fit place in which to reside. They prophesy peace, when there is no peace. God says of them that 'they are false prophets, following their own selfish desires, and prophesy that which is false'. — Ezek. 13: 3, 4, 16.
During the World War some of the leading preachers of Great Britain issued a manifesto pointing out that the events that had come to pass in connection with the World War were proof that God's kingdom under Christ was at hand. Under pressure these men later became silent, and the big preachers, supported by the diplomats and Big Business, came forth speaking through the public press and from their pulpits denying the Bible, denying the fall and redemption of man, and the necessity for setting up a kingdom or that there would be a kingdom of God. In such unholy and wicked course the American clergy and their allies, Big Business and politicians, have joined. They all oppose the truth concerning God's kingdom. Suppose they had given heed to the Word of God and to the extraneous evidence which he brought to their attention concerning the end of Satan's world and the beginning of God's kingdom, what might have been the result? The Lord through his prophet answers: "But if they had stood in my counsel, and had caused my people to hear my words, then they should have turned them from their evil way, and from the evil of their doings." — Jer. 23:22.
At the moment these comments are being written there is in session at London a disarmament confer-
ence with the diplomatic representatives of Britain and America taking the lead and promising to bring forth that which will bring lasting peace to the world. At the same time the Elisha work of the church, foreshadowed by the Prophet Elisha, is in full swing and the remnant of the servant class is telling the people concerning God's impending judgments upon the organization of the nations of this world, which is Satan's organization. The "false prophet" is bellowing forth his unclean and unwholesome message just at the time when the Lord foretold he would do so.
No one can attempt to gainsay the fact that the diplomatic representatives of Britain-America are at this time constantly prophesying concerning what shall be done for peace and prosperity and the welfare of mankind by them as leading nations. Furthermore, no one will attempt to disprove the facts that both nations are against the truth and the faithful witnesses of the Lord concerning his kingdom of righteousness. Being the political leaders of the world, and being against God's kingdom, is proof conclusive that these two nations together constitute the "false prophet" mentioned in Revelation.
"For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, which go forth unto the kings of the earth and of the whole world, to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty." (Vs. 14) As God's faithful witnesses on earth proclaim his Word concerning his judgments, Satan's instrument, the "false prophet" in particular, proclaims the doctrine of demons. The two nations making up the "false prophet" have long claimed to be Christian; but, having forsaken the Word of God and his kingdom, they
have become out-and-out hypocrites and speak the doctrine of devils. "Now the spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron." — 1 Tim. 4:1, 2.
The 'two-horned beast' and "false prophet" work great miracles or signs, such as peace pacts for the prevention of war, naval disarmaments, and like schemes, which they claim will make the earth a desirable place to live. These unclean things that come out of the mouth of the Dragon, beast and false prophet go forth to the rulers of the earth, that is to say, Satan's visible organization, and, by many promises of success, "gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty". These are assembling the people against Jehovah God and his people. God's faithful witnesses are now diligently preaching the truth of and concerning the kingdom of God, but the rulers of the world do not give any heed thereto. (Matt. 24:14) They go on in their selfish way, saying: 'Who is like unto us? who is able to make war with us? We own the earth; ours for the earth and the earth for us.' (Rev. 13: 4) This they do because they are under the influence of Satan and his demons.
This is not the first time the demons have misled rulers. It was a "lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets" that caused Ahab to join Jehoshaphat in his war against the Syrians. That lying spirit prophesied success for Ahab but Ahab went to defeat and to his death. (1 Ki. 22: 22-37) So shall it be in these latter days. — Jer. 23:15, 16.
The gathering of the kings of the earth is against Christ and his organization. It is the Lord's great
army against which Satan is assembling his forces. (Joel 2:2-11) It is the will of Jehovah that these wicked forces shall have their desire fulfilled and be assembled for the fight. Therefore saith Jehovah: "Proclaim ye this among the Gentiles; Prepare war, wake up the mighty men, let all the men of war draw near; let them come up: beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong. Assemble yourselves, and come, all ye [nations], and gather yourselves together round about: thither cause thy mighty ones to come down, 0 Lord. Let the [nations] be wakened, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat [the valley in which Jehovah overthrew Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir, typical of Satan's organization, and foreshadowing how he will now execute his judgment against Satan's organization]: for there will I sit to judge all the [nations] round about. Put ye in the sickle; for the harvest is ripe: come, get you down; for the press is full, the [vats] overflow; for their wickedness is great. Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision." — Joel 3:9-14.
That will truly be a "great day" for God Almighty, because it will be the day in which Jehovah God will get the great victory to his own glory. The opening of the battle will come as a thief in the night, and the end thereof shall be the complete destruction of the enemy.
Jehovah God, by and through his beloved Son, now speaks a word of special warning and encouragement to his people. They are approaching that great and terrible battle and it behooves every one of the anointed to be on guard and to move always in obedience to
God's commandments. Therefore saith the Lord: "Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame." — Vs. 15.
Gideon came upon the Midianites as a thief in the night, that is to say, quietly and unobserved. (Judg. 7:19) Christ Jesus is fulfilling this picture as he gathers his army against Satan's forces and marches to the attack. So it is written concerning the Lord's army that they shall carefully scrutinize the organization of the enemy and his bulwarks, and shall enter his prison house and windows like a thief. "They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief." (Joel 2:9) "As a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth." (Luke 21:35) The high-sounding words of "the false prophet" concerning peace and safety are lulling the nations to sleep and are preparing "Christendom" in particular for sudden destruction. "For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape." — 1 Thess. 5: 2, 3.
To those in the covenant with God he says: "Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments. " Manifestly this is after the Lord comes to his temple and after "the garments of salvation" are provided for those who are brought into Zion. Bach one must watch himself and also for his brethren and the kingdom interests. The watching is against Satan's organization that no compromise with it shall
be made, by which one's garments would become defiled. (Rev. 3:4) God's people must now be on the alert and stand wholly and entirely separate from every vestige of Satan's organization. The servant class must be blind to everything except God's kingdom interests. (Isa. 42:19, 20) The Lord's anointed are his watchmen and must let nothing cause them to deviate one jot or tittle from the faithful service of Jehovah: "So thou, 0 son of man, I have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me." "Watchman, what of the night? The watchman said, The morning cometh, and also the night: if ye will inquire, inquire ye: return, come." — Isa. 21:11, 12.
God's people cannot now keep silent, but must testify concerning Jehovah. They are set as his watchmen and they must watch and proclaim his message in obedience to his commandments. They must testify boldly concerning his judgments, and they must not quit until the work is done: "I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the Lord, keep not silence." (Isa. 62: 6) Such witness to the truth must be given with boldness and without fear, and being so given, will be evidence of perfect love toward God. — 1 John 4:17, 18.
The "lukewarm" are now without raiment and do not appreciate the fact that they are "naked". (Rev. 3:18) They have not watched and have not been obedient. They are warned by the Lord to 'buy white raiment' and clothe themselves by arousing themselves and hurrying on into the joyful service of the Lord, otherwise they will surely be cut off from God's
organization. Those who do not watch continuously will be deceived by the platitudes of Satan's prophets, captured and stripped naked, and caused to walk in the procession of Satan, and the enemy will "see his shame". There will be many in the company that will thus be put to shame due to lack of true love for the Lord God. (1 Cor. 13:5) Samson was brought into the temple of the Philistines to make sport for that people. Likely he was stripped naked on the occasion, to make him more ridiculous before the Philistines' eyes. (Judg. 16: 25) Those now who fail to watch and keep their garments will likewise be exposed. This admonition of the Lord is manifestly for the purpose of warning the anointed to be watchful and faithful unto the very end. This is especially important at this time, when the opposing armies are gathering for the great and final conflict.
"And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." (Vs. 16) Both the English Revised Version and the American Revised Version, as well as the Sinaitic manuscript, say, "And they gathered them together." Manifestly it is the froglike "spirits of devils [or demons] working miracles" that do the gathering. Particularly by the mouth of the "false prophet" is this being done. This mouth is crying out: ' Come, let us associate ourselves together in a league; let us make peace pacts; let us join in world courts; let us have naval disarmament agreements; let us by our covenants associate ourselves together and robe the earth in glory and beauty and make it a fit place for Christ to come.'
It is the rulers of the earth taking counsel together against the Lord and against his anointed. (Ps. 2:2) The gathering is unto "a place called in the Hebrew
tongue Armageddon [Har-Magedon, R.V.]". Battles are usually called by the name of the location where they are fought. If that rule applies here, then it is to be called 'the battle of Armageddon'. The divine record does not say that the place of the battle is Palestine, and the extraneous facts show that it could not be confined to the land of Palestine. Armageddon means "hill [that is, the highest part of the mountain] of Megiddo", and therefore the name must be symbolic. The Old Testament mentions "the valley of Megiddo", and also the city by that name, but does not mention a mountain thus named. The word "Megiddo" means "rendezvous or assembly of troops". The prefix ar or har is generally understood to mean "mountain or hill"; hence the word Armageddon would mean "the mount [or hill] of the gathering of the troops". The fact that it is Satan and his unclean instruments that are doing the gathering of all the kings of the earth unto Armageddon clearly implies that the troops are Jehovah's troops and that they are now already gathered into the mountain or hill. In the vision John saw Christ and the 144,000 assembled on Mount Zion. (Rev. 14:1) These are troops of the Lord. (Mic. 5:1) Armageddon therefore symbolically represents God's mountain, that is to say, Mount Zion, his organization which he has built up and at which he appears; therefore Satan is directing all of his forces against God's organization. It is against the Lord's troops that Satan makes war; therefore saith the Lord, "Now gather thyself in troops, 0 daughter of troops; he hath laid siege against us." — Mic. 5:1. (See Watch Tower, 1928, p. 376.)
The development taking place, and here recorded, follows the pouring out of the sixth bowl or plague
and shows "the beast", with the 'two-horned beast' in the lead and acting as mouthpiece, moving into action for the final fight. Both armies are moving. " The kings of the east" are moving against Babylon, and the kings of the whole world are moving against God's organization. It is a thrilling spectacle to those who have the vision. Jehovah's earthly troops are in a place of safety, because they are "in the secret place of the Most High"; and if they abide there and continue to sing forth his praises they are safe. (Ps. 91: 1-3) All the nations shall be gathered against God's holy people to battle. (Zech. 14:2) Hence the battle is fought at the symbolic place called "Armageddon", because it is the place of the assembly of God's troops; and it is therefore properly called 'the battle of Armageddon'. It being fought in that "day of the Lord", and victory to the Lord being certain, it is called in the Scriptures "the battle of that great day of God Almighty". With the two opposing armies taking their respective positions for final action the vision stops, apparently to show that the seventh plague must be poured out completely before the battle is fought to a finish.
SEVENTH PLAGUE
"And the seventh poured out his bowl on the air; and there came forth a loud voice from the temple of heaven, from the throne, saying, It is done." (Vs. 17, Diag.) The time had come for a declaration against Satan and for Jehovah, that the people might have an opportunity of learning of God's written judgments against Satan's organization and a chance to flee from that wicked organization. The Lord by his angel caused the preparation and proclamation of the
message, and gives his people on earth a small part therein. The earthly stage was set for the people of God to have a part in this work. The greatest network of radio stations ever on earth up to that time was provided and in which one hundred and seven radio stations were tied together and simultaneously broadcast the message, and showing some part that God's people had to do with the 'pouring out of this bowl'.
It was at Detroit, Sunday morning, August 5, 1928, before a visible audience of many thousands and an invisible audience of far greater size that the "Declaration against Satan and for Jehovah" was brought forth and adopted, and which marked the beginning of the 'pouring out of the seventh bowl' so far as God's people on earth are related thereto. It was then and there declared that Jehovah God is the "King of eternity" and that Christ is earth's rightful King and has taken his power and reigns; that Satan the god of this evil world is responsible for the war and other crimes and sufferings of the people and that his organization must fall and will fall at the great battle of Armageddon. The "Resolution" will be found at the comments on Revelation 11:15, to which reference is here made. The "Resolution" and the supporting argument there made had a wide distribution in many languages throughout the earth.
It is written that Satan is "the prince of the power of the air". (Eph. 2:2) It was God's due time that that old Serpent himself should have a direct thrust and that the people be advised of God's purpose to execute his judgment against that old enemy. The nations of the earth, being the supporters of Satan, must drink of the cup of God's wrath, and then "the king of Sheshach shall drink after them", (Jer.
25:26) Satan's atmosphere had already been darkened by the message of the fifth trumpet, which sounded "A Testimony to the Rulers of the World", and now the "Declaration" must be made directly against Satan himself. It was the Lord's doing, and not man's. It was the manifestation of Jehovah's judgment. The pouring out of the contents of the seventh bowl, which began at Detroit on that occasion, continues, and must continue until the great battle is fought; hence the continuous testimony against Satan and his organization must be given, and the constant singing forth of the praises of Jehovah's name. Therefore God's watchmen cannot keep silence from henceforth. Thus the seventh bowl or plague was poured out on Satan's atmosphere, because directed particularly against Satan and his organization.
The divine record is: "There came a great voice out of the temple of God [Sinaitic manuscript], from the throne." This is the voice of Jehovah's judgment against Satan and his organization. "Hear, all ye people; hearken, 0 earth, and all that therein is: and let the Lord God be witness against you, the Lord from his holy temple." (Mic. 1:2) Since that time much of Jehovah's recorded prophetic utterances ho has made understandable to his people. This is further proof that the truth is Jehovah's, and not man's, and that God will make it plain in his own good time and good way, and that to him is all praise and glory. This voice out of heaven said, "It is done." Others render the text in this manner: "Accomplished!" (Roth.) "All is over." (Moff.) Probably the meaning is: The issue is now finally joined and must be determined at Armageddon. It has come to pass that God's
purposes against Satan and his organization are made manifest. The outpouring of the plagues was now an accomplished fact. The prophecy of the seventh plague was now fulfilled as to the pouring out begun. Now the two seeds are clearly made manifest and the enmity between the two plainly declared. (Gen. 3:15) March on now to the fight and let the war cry of God's witnesses be: "The sword of Jehovah and of his Anointed."
The effect of that which followed the pouring out of the seventh bowl is to be found in verse eighteen. "And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." (Vs. 18, Diag.) In Revelation 11:19 and also in this text, according to the Diaglott, the word "lightnings" comes first. It was at that same Detroit convention, and shortly preceding the 'Declaration against Satan', that "God's Lightnings" was the subject matter of consideration before the convention, and there God's organization, as pictured by the Prophet Ezekiel, and God's great army, as it appeared to Joel in vision, were for the first time plainly understood. (See Watch Tower, 1928, p. 259) The "voices" proclaimed that 'Jehovah has become King and that all the kingdoms of the earth must now come under the rulership of his beloved Son, who is earth's rightful Governor', The Society that is privileged to publish the messages of the Lord from that time forward has carried on a great campaign with the books entitled The People's Friend, Government, Life, and Prophecy, all of which contained the message or voice of the Lord 'thundering' against Satan's organization; and to this time there
is a constant bombardment kept up by radio, and many people hear. — Ps. 29: 3, 8.
There followed a great earthquake, which means a great commotion or shaking. The Hebrew equivalent for the Greek word rendered "earthquake" is rendered "commotion" (Jer. 10:22), "rushing" (Jer. 47:3; Ezek. 3:13), "rattling" (Nah. 3:2), "shaking" (Job 41:29), "confused noise" (Isa. 9:5), "make afraid" (Job 39:20), and "shake" (Hag. 2:7). All of these words fitly apply to what followed shortly thereafter. Within less than one month following the "Declaration" at Detroit the Paris Peace Pact was signed by nine nations, and that of itself indicated a shaking and trembling amongst the ruling factors who saw the necessity for something's being done. (Luke 21:26) Political elections in England followed, showing a great unsettled condition in that empire. Satan's organization continued rushing about and in great commotion, and in a desperate attempt to patch up the shaking and rattling conditions of the old world. Even the pope has made peace with the arrogant dictator of the land of Rome. All the nations are quaking in their boots, being made afraid of what they see coming on the earth. The political "false prophet" takes the lead in exhibiting fear, and speaks long and loud, seemingly to keep up courage, like a fearful man walking through a graveyard at night.
Fear is exhibited that the religious element of Russia will break away from the other part of the Devil's organization, and therefore the "false prophet" has much to say about religion in Russia. The general wind-up of the world affairs appears to be rapidly approaching and there now exists an unparalleled con-
dition of disturbance in Satan's organization, and it becomes more apparent that the "false prophet" is prophesying lies.
The Congress of the United States talks much about relieving the distressed condition of the people, and the high financiers tremble in fear, not knowing what to do to stabilize the organization that threatens a complete collapse. Thus the "earthquake" or shaking is following the pouring out of the seventh bowl, as prophesied.
Those who claim to be in covenant relationship with God have also come in for their shaking at the same time. God's lightnings have revealed his truth and purposes more clearly than at any time heretofore. The illumination of "the higher powers" (Rom. 13), the pyramid of Gizeh (Isa. 19:19), the book of Job, and Daniel's prophecies (Dan. 12), and the illumination of other prophecies, have caused much commotion and shaking, and many are those who are shaken out. (Heb. 12:22-27) Also the faithful have been shaken and stirred to greater activity than ever before because they see that the time is short and the opportunity for work to the Lord's name and glory is great. They are thrilled with enthusiastic joy. The field organization has taken on a better form and all the Lord's workers are going about the work in a more systematic manner. The armies are marching on to Armageddon, and the excitement increases. Hear God's army singing!
"And the great city became three parts, and the cities of the nations fell down; and Babylon the great was remembered before God, to have given her the cup of the wine of the indignation of his wrath." (Vs. 19, Diag.) The great city Babylon is Satan's or-
ganization. The Lord, by his 'measuring line', has disclosed to his people the three parts of Satan's organization, typically represented by Egypt, Assyria and Babylon. God has recently given his people a clearer understanding of many of the prophecies, and, true to his promise, now shows them things before they come to pass and which are about to come to pass. "Behold, the former things are come to pass, and new things do I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them." (Isa. 42: 9) They see that eventually Satan's organization will be divided against itself and shall fall even as Moab, Ammon and Mount Seir were divided and fell. (2 Chron. 20:1-28) The Lord has disclosed the three portions of Satan's organization and given a vision of his own army to the "kings of the east" that they might assault and expose not merely the ecclesiastical division of the enemy's organization, but also the commercial and political part thereof. When before Belshazzar Daniel said: "Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and Persians," Daniel pictured God's faithful people. (Dan. 5:28) Likewise they see that Satan's organization is about to be divided and given to the "kings of the east".
Today God's message of truth, in the hands of his anointed people and being delivered by them, proclaims that the Devil's organization (typified by Babylon) and all her subsidiary organizations called "cities", must fall before God's anointed King. Supporting and forming a part of Satan's organization are guilds, leagues, clubs, lodges, churches, and many other like organizations, all of which must go down. All these things are unclean; and therefore God's faithful remnant refuses to touch any part of "the
unclean thing", because God has commanded thus. (2 Cor. 6:17) The Lord's faithful witnesses continue to assault all parts of Satan's organization with God's message of written judgments. All nations must now come to drink of the cup of God's fiery indignation, and none shall escape. — Jer. 25: 20-35.
Babylon's record both ancient and modern is now called up before the Lord, or 'has come up in remembrance before him', and is fully set forth and must be published for the information of the people. God will now make manifest his judgments, first to his own people, and then to all the peoples that will hear. God has caused his sacred record to be kept throughout all these centuries. Every effort on the part of Satan to destroy the Bible has signally failed. The Bible, because shrouded in mystery, has not been understandable until God's due time. That due time has now come and, to those who have a desire to know, God will make it plain before he completely destroys the enemy organization. Who then will take his stand against Babylon and expose her? Who then will dare say that Babylon shall not be exposed? Who can raise any reasonable objection to God's people seeking an insight into all of Babylon's or Satan's organization and to their making these things known to the order-loving peoples of earth. All who oppose the proclamation of the message against Satan's organization at this time align themselves on the side of the enemy. The line is clearly drawn. Jehovah has called these things to remembrance for his purposes, and one of his purposes is that his judgments must be made known to the people and that his anointed ones must be his witnesses and thus make them known. Therefore let every man and woman who loves truth and
righteousness take his stand on the side of Jehovah and call the attention of the people to the great iniquity of Satan's organization, that those who desire so to do may have some measure of escape therefrom. Satan's organization has for centuries reproached the name of Jehovah and brought shame, humiliation and suffering upon God's people, and now he will have it known that that wicked organization shall receive what it deserves. — See Revelation 14:10 and comments.
"And every island fled away, and the mountains were not found." (Vs. 20) Jehovah has recovered his remnant people from the islands. (Isa. 11:11) Those spirit-begotten ones that make up the "great multitude" are now the "islands". These have heretofore expected deliverance by Egypt (worldly organizations, their churches in particular), but now they cannot flee to them for help. (Isa. 20:6) They must now wait for the Word of the Lord, for God's law through his servant. (Isa. 42:4; 51:5; 60:9) Hitherto these island-dwellers have dwelt carelessly, supposing themselves to be safe, and now God will send a fire on them in the trouble of Gog and Magog. (Ezek. 39: 6) These must now pass through "great tribulation", and therefore they flee. (Rev. 7:14; Isa. 59:18) They must take their flight now, "in the winter" time [the disagreeable, stormy season] and "on the sabbath day [when no fires might be made to warm the cold, and no burdens might be carried, as provided by the law of the Jews]". (Matt. 24:20; Mark 13:18) As Samson pulled down the pillars of the house on his head, even so when the "great multitude" see that they have no hope in Babylon or to flee therefrom, they will pull down the house of Babylon upon their
heads. Then they will know that Jehovah is King, and will receive comfort from him. All "mountains" (symbolic of kingdoms), except Mount Zion (which is God's kingdom), shall vanish, and not be found. (Isa. 54:10) But before the fall of these mountains or kingdoms the remnant will have 'threshed the mountains' to the full extent of their ability, even as they are now doing the work. (Isa. 41:15) "And saviours shall come up on mount Zion to judge the mount of Esau [which is Satan's organization]," and the latter must fall. (Obad. 21) They are 'melted with blood'. (Isa. 34:3) Jehovah removes them forever. — Ps. 46:2, 3.
"And there fell upon men a great hail out of heaven, every stone about the weight of a talent: and men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail; for the plague thereof was exceeding great." (Vs. 21) This is not literal hail, but cold, hard and destructive truths which fall from Jehovah's heaven and which he has 'reserved for this time of trouble, against the day of battle and war'. (Job 38:22, 23) This hailstorm, which is a plague to the ungodly, the "great multitude" must somewhat feel the effects of, because they have been negligent of their privileges. (Hag. 2:17) The weight of the hail, said to be "as talents" (Roth.), doubtless refers to the kingdom interests which are committed to the faithful servant class, and which must be used to the Lord's glory. These are the ones that hurl the hail, and this they can do only by faithfully keeping the commandments of the Lord and giving the testimony of Jesus Christ. Therefore the remnant must be his witnesses and publish God's truth. There must be a widespread witness to the truth amongst the nations to make known God's
purposes, particularly with reference to the prophecies which smite Satan's organization; and while doing this work the remnant will be the objects of persecution and much opposition. The opponents will blaspheme God's name because that hailstorm of truth "shall sweep away the refuge of lies" that have long blinded the people. — Isa. 28:17.
Blessed and glorious is the part that the remnant is now privileged to perform because of being permitted to be on Jehovah's side and to make known his judgments that have been written and to know that they are marching forward to complete victory and to the everlasting vindication of Jehovah's name!
