"Then Is Finished The Mystery Of God"

Chapter 19

Death and Resurrection of the "Two Witnesses"

Revelation 11:1-13

SUDDENLY, after the apostle John is told that he must prophesy again with regard to peoples, nations, tongues and kings, a temple appears before him. It is not the temple that was built by King Herod the Great at Jerusalem in Judea; that temple along with the holy city of Jerusalem was destroyed by the Roman armies under General Titus in the year 70 C.E. and had now lain in ruin for twenty-six years. Since the apostle John, in the vision, was near the "opened door in heaven" through which he had been invited to enter, this temple must have been a visionary one. — Revelation 4:1-3; 10:9-11.

This temple could remind John of the visionary temple that the prophet Ezekiel saw in the year 593 B.C.E., or in the fourteenth year after Jerusalem and its temple as built by King Solomon had been destroyed by the Babylonians. (Ezekiel 40:1-5) In Ezekiel's vision a manlike person of coppery appearance took the prophet on a tour of the temple as he explained it, measuring it with a flaxen cord and a six-cubit-long measuring reed. But in John's vision he himself was given a rodlike reed and was told to measure the visionary temple:

"And a reed like a rod was given me as he said: 'Get up and measure the temple sanctuary of God and the altar and those worshiping in it. But as for the courtyard that is outside the temple sanctuary,

cast it clear out and do not measure it, because it has been given to the nations, and they will trample the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. And I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days dressed in sackcloth.' These are symbolized by the two olive trees and the two lampstands and are standing before the Lord of the earth." — Revelation 11:1-4.

The temple sanctuary or naós (Greek) occupied only part of the temple area; and as for "those worshiping in it," these would be the 144,000 spiritual Israelites. (Revelation 7:1-8) As is suggested by the measuring operations described in Zechariah's prophecy (2:1-4), the measuring of the spiritual temple would be for finding out how many it would hold. Also, how many would minister at the golden incense altar by offering acceptable prayer to God through his mediator Jesus Christ? Even before the end of the Gentile Times in early fall of 1914 C.E., the anointed remnant as pictured by the apostle John had measured the final membership of the spiritual temple class and had found it Scripturally to be 144,000. — Revelation 14:1-3; 1 Peter 2:5, 9; Ephesians 2:20-22; see Zion's Watch Tower as of November 1880, under "Gathering to Christ," paragraph 12.

However, why was the "courtyard that is outside the temple sanctuary" cast clear out and left unmeasured? This was because the courtyard was "given" to the Gentile nations, who were to trample the "holy city" underfoot for forty-two months. The courtyard therefore pictures those spiritual Israelites who were then yet on earth. They were in line for membership in the heavenly spiritual temple but had not yet measured up in a final, decisive way to all the requirements for membership in that temple. That was the state of the anointed remnant yet on earth at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E. They had not yet finally conquered this world so as to be worthy

of the promise made in Revelation 3:12: "I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will by no means go out from it any more." Therefore, for a disciplinary test, this symbolic "courtyard" was cast clear out and left for the Gentile nations to profane along with trampling the holy city underfoot for forty-two months. When did it occur?

"FOR FORTY-TWO MONTHS"

History establishes that this occurred during World War I of 1914-1918 C.E. Forty-two months would not include the whole length of that first world war. According to the thirty-day length of a prophetic month, forty-two months would, at twelve months to a year, equal three and one-half years, or one thousand two hundred and sixty (30 x 42) days. This calculation would correspond with another way of measuring the same time period as given in Daniel 7:25. There it is said that the holy ones of the Most High God were to be given into the hand of the worldly political elements "for a time, and times and half a time." That means three and one-half times, each "time" being equivalent to a solar year of 365¼ days.

Being a Jew by birth, the apostle John would calculate the time according to the Jewish lunar calendar system. Since the Gentile Times began about the middle of the seventh Jewish lunar month (Tishri), they began about Tishri 15 (October 4/5) in the year 1914. Tishri 15 was also the date for the starting of the Jewish Feast of the Booths (Tabernacles, or Ingathering). For most of the years, from the start of the Feast of the Booths on Tishri 15 to the following Passover on Nisan 14 (after sundown) this time would be six lunar months, whereas only seven times out of every nineteen years an intercalary month known as VeAdar (or Second Adar) would be in-

serted in order to adjust the Jewish lunar calendar to the Gentile solar calendar.* But from Passover of one year to the Passover of the next year, the time would be one full lunar year (sometimes including thirteen lunar months because of the inserting of the intercalary month or VeAdar or Second Adar).

Accordingly, from the starting day of the Feast of the Booths in 1914 (the end of the Gentile Times) to the Passover of the year 1915 was six lunar months. From the Passover of the year 1915 to the Passover of the year 1918 was three years, there being only one intercalary month (VeAdar; Second Adar) duly inserted in 1916. The time being thus measured, from the starting day of the Feast of the Booths in 1914 (end of the Gentile Times) to the Passover of 1918 was three and a half years. Biblically speaking, this was three and a half "times," or "forty-two months," or, "a thousand two hundred and sixty days." This

time period, by beginning on Tishri 15, or on October 4/5, of 1914, ended on Nisan 14, or March 26/27, of 1918.*

In violation of the ending of the Gentile Times around October 4/5, 1914, the Gentile nations were fighting for world domination in World War I. At that time the kingdom of Jesus Christ, "the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah," was born in the heavens and enthroned at God's right hand. Then the newly crowned Messiah Jesus rode forth to conquer his earthly enemies, the Gentile nations, who had trampled on his Kingdom rights that King David's family had exercised in the land of Judah until ancient Babylon caused its desolation in 607 B.C.E. This was accomplished by about the middle of the lunar month Tishri (the seventh Jewish month), and then it was that the "seven times" of the "appointed times of the [Gentile] nations" began. — Luke 21:24; Daniel 4:16, 23, 25; Revelation 6:1, 2; Psalm 110:1-6.

As those Gentile Times began around the fifteenth day of the Jews' seventh lunar month (Tishri) in 607 B.C.E., their end would be around the middle of that same month (Tishri 15) or on October 4/5 in 1914 C.E.† Three and a half years from then according to the Jewish calendar would be around Passover time of the year 1918, or at sunset of March 27, 1918, the end of Passover day.

During World War I of 1914-1918 the anointed remnant were trying to care for the interests of the Messianic kingdom that had anciently been associated with earthly Jerusalem. Hence they represented and were ambassadors on earth of that "holy city." In fulfillment of Revelation 11:2, they had to be trampled by the Gentile nations "for forty-two months," or three and a half years or "times." They were

indeed trampled upon during the above-mentioned period in 1914-1918, the first world war being seized upon by the Gentile nations to do this trampling. But what was to happen to the anointed remnant after the forty-two months ended?

"MY TWO WITNESSES"

Today those remaining of this anointed remnant are known world wide as Jehovah's witnesses. They were also his witnesses back there in 1918. They are the ones designated in Revelation 11:3 as "my two witnesses." Till early in that year, in Canada up till February 12, 1918, and in America up till March 14, 1918, the anointed remnant were publishing and circulating that commentary on the entire book of Revelation, The Finished Mystery, besides Bibles and six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures that discussed the entire Bible, So what is said in Revelation, chapter eleven, about "my two witnesses" should well apply to this anointed remnant; and facts show that it does. Revelation 11:3 quotes God as saying: "I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy a thousand two hundred and sixty days dressed in sackcloth."

This has been explained to designate the period from the first half of November of 1914 down till May 7, 1918. This explanation has been given because the 1,260 days were understood to refer to a period of self-centered, personal mourning on the part of the anointed remnant, sackcloth being a symbol of mourning during a black period. Revelation 6:12, for instance, uses the expression "black as sackcloth of hair."* However, the being dressed in sackcloth may not refer to private, personal mourning because of disappointment of one's hopes and aspirations. Rather, it may refer to the nature of the prophecy that "my two witnesses" prophesy. They are gloomy prophets, prophets with a gloomy message

for others, and not concerned about their own personal affairs. We recall that the prophet Isaiah was commanded by Jehovah God to walk about absolutely naked and barefoot for three years, why? "As a sign and a portent against Egypt and against Ethiopia," as a portent that soon the world power of Assyria would lead away captives and exiles from Egypt and Ethiopia "naked and barefoot." — Isaiah 20:1-6.

Likewise, for the "two witnesses" to prophesy in sackcloth for a thousand two hundred and sixty days might well signify that during this period of time they proclaimed a gloomy, mournful message for the nations. Certainly when, after October 4/5, 1914, the anointed remnant proclaimed world wide that the Gentile Times had ended and that the nations were approaching their destruction at the battle of Armageddon, it was a darksome, mournful message for the Gentile nations, inside and outside of Christendom. So whereas the Gentile nations were trampling upon them as prospective heirs of the Kingdom in the heavenly Jerusalem "for forty-two months," the anointed remnant were at the same time (or, for the one thousand two hundred and sixty days) tormenting them. How? By declaring the doom of those Gentile nations in the "war of the great day of God the Almighty." God caused these witnesses to prophesy, for He gave them the message from his written Word and from the fulfillment of its prophecies. — Revelation 16:14-16; see The Watch Tower as of November 1, 1914, and its leading article entitled "Making Ready for the Reign of Righteousness." Also articles in subsequent issues of The Watch Tower through March 15, 1918.

The unnamed "my two witnesses" are given some identification by God's words: "These are symbolized by the two olive trees and the two lampstands and are standing before the Lord of the earth." (Revelation 11:4) These descriptive words are a direct reference to the prophecy of Zechariah 4:1-14, where

Governor Zerubbabel of Judah and the high priest Joshua are symbolized by "two olive trees" that furnish oil for the lampstand. Governor Zerubbabel and High Priest Joshua were of the remnant that returned from Babylonian exile in 537 B.C.E., and they supervised the rebuilding of Jerusalem and of its temple and the restoration of Jehovah's worship there. (Zechariah 3:1-10) Hence, in being like the "two lampstands" that burned olive oil, the anointed remnant that prophesied in sackcloth for 1,260 days were yet to do a reconstructive work, a restoration of Jehovah's worship in the earth, a letting of the light of God's Bible truth shine forth in all the earth.

The anointed remnant, "my two witnesses," are like other Bible prophets, namely, Elijah of the tenth century B.C.E. and Moses of the sixteenth century B.C.E. This becomes evident when the enemies try to harm them during the 1,260 days during which they are prophesying "dressed in sackcloth." God says: "And if anyone wants to harm them, fire issues forth from their mouths and devours their enemies; and if anyone should want to harm them, in this manner he must be killed. These have the authority to shut up heaven that no rain should fall during the days of their prophesying, and they have authority over the waters to turn them into blood and to strike the earth with every sort of plague as often as they wish." — Revelation 11:5, 6.

When unfaithful Baal-worshiping King Ahaziah of Israel sent bands of troops out to arrest the prophet Elijah and to bring him back because of his threatening prophecy, Elijah called down fire from heaven upon two bands of such troops. As it were, fire came out of Elijah's mouth. (2 Kings 1:1-12) During World War I of 1914-1918 the religious leaders of Christendom were fomenting great persecution upon the International Bible Students Association, to stop their public activities. But the courageous anointed remnant breathed out fiery destruction against them by publishing and circulating the exposure of the false

doctrines and unchristian practices of the apostate Christians, for example, the book The Finished Mystery in July of 1917, followed shortly by issue No. 99 of Bible Students Monthly containing the feature article "The Fall of Babylon." After the American government banned The Finished Mystery the anointed remnant brought out a new large two-page tract headed Kingdom News and issued and circulated three successive issues of this with its fiery messages. All such Bible messages fairly consumed the enemies, religious and political. — Jeremiah 5:14.

According to the word of Elijah a devastating drought befell the kingdom of Israel. For three and a half years there was neither rain nor dew, and famine raged. (1 Kings 17:1 to 18:45; Luke 4:25, 26; James 5:17, 18) Like Elijah, God's "two witnesses," the anointed remnant, had the "authority to shut up heaven that no rain should fall during the days of their prophesying" (during the "thousand two hundred and sixty days" or three and a half years). An example of how the anointed remnant did this is set out in the issue of October 15, 1914, of The Watch Tower, pages 307, 308, paragraphs 7, 8, which we here quote:

PRAYING FOR PEACE IN EUROPE: Our Honorable President [Woodrow Wilson] with praiseworthy intent requested all Christian people to make October 4 a day of prayer for peace in Europe. However, we cannot concur with our Worthy President in this matter. Much as we appreciate peace — and we have all our life labored to be a peacemaker — we cannot pray the Almighty to change His plans to conform to those of our Honored President.

For twenty-five hundred years God, through the Bible Prophets, has been telling His people about this great war and concerning the more terrible Armageddon which will follow it; and can we expect Him to reverse the program at our behest?

The prayers of these millions praying for the prosperity of the Germans and the extermination of the Allies, and the prayers of other millions for the success of the Allies and the annihilation of the Germans, and the prayers of the Pope and of our President and other good people that this awful war shall promptly cease will all

go unanswered, if we read our Bible aright. The war will proceed and will eventuate in no glorious victory for any nation, but in the horrible mutilation and impoverishment of all. Next will follow the awful Armageddon of Anarchy.

The anointed remnant could not Scripturally pray for Jehovah God to open the windows of heaven and rain down blessings upon the war-mad world and spare them from suffering the "beginning of pangs of distress" that his Son Jesus Christ had foretold in Matthew 24:7, 8 and Revelation 6:3-8. Thus, in effect, the anointed remnant took courage to "shut up heaven that no rain should fall." No wonder that, to the nations, they looked like prophets "dressed in sackcloth."

Six centuries before Elijah, the prophet Moses was used by Jehovah God to strike oppressive Egypt with ten plagues in order to force Pharaoh to let the Israelites go free. The first plague with which Moses struck Egypt was the turning of all its waters into blood, so that the fishes died and the Egyptians could not drink water from the regular sources of it. (Exodus 7:14-25) As shed blood is a symbol of death, the anointed remnant, when prophesying in sackcloth, showed from the Scriptures that the waters of which Christendom had been drinking in the form of religious teachings and philosophies were really death-dealing, like blood, and therefore not to be drunk by true Christians. (Genesis 9:4; Acts 15:20, 29) The anointed remnant struck other spiritual blows against the doctrines, practices and organization of Christendom just as the remnant saw it appropriate to deal to that apostate religious system. All such proving that Christendom is unchristian, pagan, tormented Christendom very much and also the politicians and militarists who were friends, members and supporters of her.

KILLING AND REVIVING

The political system of this world, being a good friend of the religious leaders of Christendom, felt

that it could endure such activities of God's "two witnesses," the anointed remnant, no longer. By God's permission, even as foretold by God's Word, it took action against them. Revelation 11:7-10 foretold it, saying:

"And when they have finished their witnessing, the wild beast that ascends out of the abyss will make war with them and conquer them and kill them. And their corpses will be on the broad way of the great city which is in a spiritual sense called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also impaled. And those of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their corpses for three and a half days, and they do not let their corpses be laid in a tomb. And those dwelling on the earth rejoice over them and enjoy themselves, and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those dwelling on the earth."

As calculated in paragraph 1, page 262, the 1,260 days that these "two prophets" prophesied "dressed in sackcloth" ended on March 26/27, 1918. The symbolic "wild beast" did not ascend out of the abyss first after that date. This "wild beast" is the same one described in Revelation 13:1, 2 as ascending out of the abyss of the sea. Its ascent really took place in the century following the great flood of Noah's day and it became the Devil's worldwide system of politics. This beastly political system, which had ascended out of the symbolic abyss away back there, took action against God's "two witnesses" after March 26/27, 1918.

How did it make war against them, conquer them and at last kill them? It took advantage of martial law and other emergency measures during World War I. On Friday, April 6, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson, who had requested nationwide prayers for peace on October 4, 1914, declared war on Germany and thus America got into the first world war. Three months later, in July of 1917, the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society published the 608-page book The

Finished Mystery, which specially tormented the clergy of Christendom. Just prior to this, on June 15, 1917, America enacted its military conscription and espionage laws, these being patterned after like laws of the then existing British Empire. So now the means were at hand for the religious clergy to use in inducing the symbolic "wild beast" to war on God's "two witnesses."

Already on February 12, 1918, the Canadian Secretary of State had banned The Finished Mystery and the series of tracts entitled "Bible Students Monthly," number 99 of which had featured "The Fall of Babylon." Following suit, on March 14, 1918, the United States Department of Justice at Washington, D.C., termed the distribution of The Finished Mystery to be a violation of the Espionage Act. Promptly the Watch Tower issue of March 15, 1918, announced the preparation and shipping of a new series of large-size two-page tracts entitled "Kingdom News," which would set forth the reason for the suppression of The Finished Mystery and the responsibility of the religious clergy in connection therewith. The third and last issue of Kingdom News appeared in May of 1918.

On Tuesday, March 26, 1918, the International Bible Students celebrated the annual Memorial of Christ's death world wide, at the end of the foretold "thousand two hundred and sixty days." (Revelation 11: 3) The Watch Tower issue of April 15, 1918, advised the Bible students to "colporteur" for the six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures, especially volume four entitled "The Battle of Armageddon" and to pursue the Pastoral Work in private homes.

In addition to action taken by the symbolic "wild beast" against God's "two witnesses" throughout the war-torn world, the political "wild beast" bared its teeth and claws against the headquarters of the witness work, in Brooklyn, New York. On May 7, 1918, it brought about the arrest of the president and the secretary-treasurer of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract

Society and of the two coauthors of The Finished Mystery, a fourth member of the editorial staff of the Watch Tower magazine, and three other members of the Society's office staff at Brooklyn headquarters. Then followed the disrupting of the connections between the Brooklyn headquarters and its branches and agencies throughout the earth. Thursday night, June 20, 1918, after a fifteen-day trial, the jury rendered its verdict of "Guilty!" and about 1:30 o'clock on Friday afternoon, June 21, the Federal judge handed down the sentence against these representative men of God's "two witnesses" class. Twenty years' imprisonment on each of four counts was dealt to seven of these accused ones, all twenty-year terms to run concurrently, and for the eighth accused the judge decided on ten years of imprisonment.

On America's Independence Day, July 4, 1918, these eight sentenced Christian witnesses of the Most High God were started on their railroad trip to the United States Federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. The political "wild beast" had relentlessly carried on its war upon God's "two witnesses" class and apparently had conquered. This culmination of its warfare was, figuratively speaking, a deathblow; it killed God's "two witnesses," the anointed remnant, as far as their tormenting prophesying "in sackcloth" was concerned. What a relief this was to their enemies, religious, political, judicial and military! All the evidence available at the time is to the effect that, despite World War I troubles, they 'rejoiced' over the killing of God's "two witnesses" and enjoyed themselves in that connection. They were disposed to "send gifts" to one another by congratulating one another for what part they had played in gaining this victory over religious tormentors, just as Revelation 11:10 had foretold.

Those of the various peoples, tribes, languages and nations belonging to Christendom tried to bring as much reproach and shame as possible upon these "two witnesses" of God. They wanted the popular repu-

tation of the witnesses to stink. Revelation 11:9 says that they "will look at their corpses for three and a half days, and they do not let their corpses be laid in a tomb." In the Middle Eastern countries, where the apostle John worked, it was the custom to bury the corpse on the very day of the person's death. So the letting of corpses lie around publicly exposed for three and a half days in a warm climate would result in their beginning to rot and become a stench. (Compare John 11:39.) It also exposed them to being devoured by scavenger dogs or carrion birds. It heaped indignity upon the dead. The not laying of the two corpses "in a tomb" meant that the gloating onlookers did not consider God's "two witnesses" as deserving of a resurrection from the dead. Christendom did not want them ever to be revived!

IN THE SPIRITUALLY CALLED SODOM AND EGYPT

Where was it that the corpses were let lying exposed, unburied? Revelation 11:8 says that "their corpses will be on the broad way of the great city which is in a spiritual sense called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also impaled." What was or is the name of "the great city"? It was not Sodom, nor was it Egypt, but in God's written Word it is "in a spiritual sense called Sodom and Egypt." However, there is another feature that marks "the great city"; it is the place "where their Lord was also impaled." The quoted subordinate clause modifies, not Egypt, but "the great city." The "Lord" of the two dead witnesses who was "also impaled" was the Lord Jesus Christ, and he was impaled in 33 C.E., not in Egypt, but at unfaithful Jerusalem. (Luke 13:33, 34) In Isaiah 1:8-10 Zion or Jerusalem is prophetically spoken to as a Sodom. In Ezekiel 16:46, 55, 56 Sodom is spoken of as being the younger "sister" of Jerusalem and as being less culpable than Jerusalem.

Because of its religious oppression and enslavement of Jehovah's own people, unfaithful Jerusalem could "in a spiritual sense" be called Egypt. Just as the

first Passover lamb was slain down in Egypt in the prophet Moses' day, so Jesus Christ, as the antitypical Passover Lamb, was killed at unfaithful Jerusalem.  — John 1:29, 36; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:19.

However, unfaithful Jerusalem as the spiritual Sodom and Egypt was not existing in the time of the Revelation to John (in 96 C.E.), and God's "two witnesses" could not have been killed by the symbolic "wild beast" at ancient unfaithful Jerusalem. It had already been destroyed in the year 70 C.E. and had not yet been rebuilt by the pagan Romans. The Jewish Christians had got out of Jerusalem and out of all Judea considerably before 70 C.E. The modern city of Jerusalem was in the hands of the Moslem Turks until the British army captured it in December of 1917; and there were no members of the anointed remnant there during all of World War I. Hence the expression "the great city" must mean the antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem, namely, Christendom. Certainly "in a spiritual sense" she can be called "Sodom and Egypt," and it was primarily in the midst of her that God's "two witnesses" were 'killed' in 1918 C.E. Just as "their Lord," Jesus Christ, was killed on a stake at unfaithful Jerusalem in 33 C.E., so his followers, God's "two witnesses," the anointed remnant, were 'killed' in Christendom.

ARISING FROM THE DEAD

Of course, the anointed remnant who were then known as International Bible Students were not literally 'killed' by what took place in 1918 C.E. because of the war waged upon them by the symbolic "wild beast," although some numbers may have been actually killed during the persecution that raged. Because of wartime conditions in militarily divided Christendom, including submarine warfare, the international organization of the anointed remnant was quite broken up. Because of the pressure that was unjustly applied by the persecutors, the offices of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society began to be

transferred, on August 26, 1918, from Brooklyn, New York, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, not to be moved back to Brooklyn until September of 1919, but the magazine The Watch Tower continued to be published semimonthly without an issue being missed.

Despite the government ban on The Finished Mystery that had been imposed just two weeks before, the anointed remnant met on March 26, 1918, and celebrated the annual Memorial of Christ's death. War conditions prevented a world report thereon. Yet at the next such celebration, April 13, 1919, a partial report for the Americas (plus 4 places in Great Britain and 1 in France) showed that 17,961 had partaken of the emblematic bread and wine. To the end of World War I on November 11, 1918, there were fifteen traveling speakers, "pilgrims," that visited and addressed the congregations and the public throughout the United States. There were 225 full-time book distributors, "colporteurs," placing in the homes of the people the six volumes of Studies in the Scriptures. In a summary of the work for that critical year of 1918, The Watch Tower as of December 15, 1918, page 372, reported (from its then Pittsburgh address):

. . . For several reasons it is not possible to report accurately on some things; . . . the number of STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES sold include only those sold by Colporteurs, and not those sent out to classes and individuals by our Shipping Department. It is also impossible even to approximate the amount of volunteer work done [with the tracts]. On the other hand, the friends seem to have appreciated the convention privileges to a wonderful degree. Over forty conventions of a general character have been held during the year, besides probably as many more of a local character. Glowing reports have been received from all these conventions. . . . every month in the year has its conventions. Several large conventions are announced for the near future.

At the Milwaukee, Wisconsin, convention from August 30 to September 2, 1918, about 850 attended, and there on the last day ("Kingdom Day") the Federal officers interrupted the 3 p.m. Bible talk by "pilgrim" J. A. Bohnet, barred the doors and then required all

young men to show their draft registration cards. After that rude interruption the Bible talk was resumed by the speaker. Concerning that convention the Watch Tower issue of October 15, 1918, page 319, said: "To realize that we are three and a half years into the great time of trouble and then to note the smiling faces of all present was a most wonderful evidence of our precious Master's promise: 'Lo, I am with you alway'; and again, the assurance: 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee.'"

In view of the foregoing facts concerning the year 1918 C.E., how could it be said that God's "two witnesses," "these two prophets," the anointed remnant, were 'killed' and their dead bodies were lying unburied in the broad way of antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem, Christendom? Well, note that Revelation 11: 7 says that, "when they have finished their witnessing," the symbolic "wild beast" would war upon them to the death. This indicates that it was their "witnessing" or prophesying work that was killed. This was the special "witnessing" that had been done during the "thousand two hundred and sixty days" with the special literature that was then used. For instance, a supplement was inserted in all copies mailed out of The Watch Tower, dated September 1, 1918, reading as follows:

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO ALL WATCH TOWER SUBSCRIBERS AND BIBLE STUDENTS

Along with the foregoing, since being unjustly sentenced in court on June 21, 1918, the leading mem-

bers of the governing body of the anointed remnant all around the earth were lying in prison as if they were criminal felons, much to the discredit of the "witnessing" work of God's anointed remnant who were heirs of the heavenly kingdom with Christ. The vicious action of the symbolic "wild beast" left no room for surprise that all the anointed remnant throughout the earth suffered great persecution, this badly crippling their public activities as witnesses of the Most High God, Jehovah. They were "objects of hatred by all the nations on account of my name."  — Matthew 24:9.

Making a brief reference to the situation during World War I, the article "For the Elect's Sake" in the Watch Tower issue of May 1, 1925, said on page 135, paragraph 67:

It is a well-known fact that during the World War the opportunity for proclaiming the message of the kingdom was restrained and limited up to the Spring of 1919. In the warring nations many of the brethren were forced into the army. Circulation of the truth literature was prohibited; and many brethren in different countries were imprisoned. Persecution began especially in 1917; and in the Spring of 1918 officers of the SOCIETY were imprisoned, Bethel dismantled, the Tabernacle sold, and the headquarters removed to small quarters in Pittsburgh. For some time thereafter little or no witnessing was done. The conditions were such at that time that had the World War progressed and not come to an end there would have been no more public witnesses of any consequence given on earth. . . .

Contrary to the expectation of the International Bible Students Association, the 'battle of Armageddon' did not immediately follow World War I. On November 11, 1918, an armistice was signed between the warring nations, and yet the anointed remnant had not been taken to heaven but had been left on the earth, and in disgrace, like the corpses of the "two witnesses" lying unburied on the broad way of "the great city," Christendom. But not for long. What was foretold in Revelation 11:11-13 was due to take place at God's due time, as we read:

"And after the three and a half days spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet, and great fear fell upon those beholding them. And they heard a loud voice out of heaven say to them: 'Come on up here.' And they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them. And in that hour a great earthquake occurred, and a tenth of the city fell; and seven thousand persons were killed by the earthquake, and the rest became frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven."

Three and a half was the number of the years that the "two witnesses" had prophesied "dressed in sackcloth." But we are not to understand the "three and a half days" of their lying dead in the city's broad way to mean three and a half years, each day to be symbolic of a year, as in Ezekiel 4:6. The "three and a half days" specified in Revelation 11:9-11 stand for only a short period of time of public-witnessing inactivity on the part of the anointed remnant and of malicious gloating on the part of their enemies. Those "three and a half days" ended in March of 1919. A petition was being circulated for signers in behalf of the release of the eight representative men of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society. Before the petition was completed by those of the anointed remnant in the United States, the eight Federal prisoners were admitted to bail, on March 21, 1919.

Four days later the eight prisoners were released from the Federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia, and taken on the train to New York city. The next day, March 26, 1919, the Federal Court in Brooklyn, New York, let them go free on bail. Then, indeed, "spirit of life from God" entered into the symbolic corpses of the "two witnesses," and they became alive to the "witnessing" activity that now lay ahead of them. They no longer stayed lying inactive in the broad way of Christendom, but "they stood upon their feet," ready again for God's public service with all the means that he would supply for this. The language

here used with regard to them corresponds with the phraseology used in Ezekiel's vision of the valley of dry bones of Israel that were reunited, clothed upon with flesh and made to live again. — Ezekiel 37:5, 10.

They were further strengthened in standing on their feet when, on May 15, 1919, the conviction of the eight ex-prisoners from Atlanta penitentiary was reversed by the majority decision in the United States Circuit Court of Appeals for the New York District. (On May 5, 1920, despite strenuous efforts of the enemies to have the case retried, the Federal District Court dismissed the case, thereby completely exonerating these eight representatives of the Watch Tower Society.) When the anointed remnant thus got back on their feet again, fully alive, "great fear fell upon those beholding them." — Revelation 11:11.

How, though, did the anointed remnant hear a "loud voice out of heaven say to them: 'Come on up here' "? This was especially by means of the first general convention of the International Bible Students Association held at Cedar Point, Ohio, September 1-8, 1919. Here on September 5 the Watch Tower Society's president, now released from prison, spoke on the subject "Announcing the Kingdom," based on Revelation 15:2 and Isaiah 52:7. After this the publication of a new magazine subsidiary to The Watch Tower was announced, namely, The Golden Age. The first issue was to appear on October 1, 1919, and a great campaign for securing subscriptions for the magazine from the general public was to be carried on. This information was received with tremendous enthusiasm by the thousands of conventioners. As an encouragement to the anointed remnant throughout the earth to reanimate, revitalize the organization for this new Kingdom work, the Watch Tower issue of September 15, 1919, under the caption "Announcing the Kingdom," page 281, said, in part:

. . . We believe the new magazine, THE GOLDEN AGE, is the very thing that the people will desire, and let us pray that if it be the Lord's will he will favor it with

his great blessing. Every reader of THE WATCH TOWER has wanted to pass on the message of glad tidings. Now will you avail yourself of this opportunity?

HOW TO PROCEED

The organization that handled the Seventh Volume work proved a wonderful success. Seven thousand of the friends were engaged in that special work. We are asking the classes everywhere to revive that organization and put it in proper form.... In the present work we desire that every one of the consecrated who has a great love and burning zeal for the Lord and his cause shall participate.

The Lord Jehovah God did favor the new magazine with his great blessing, and today that magazine, now known as Awake! has a semimonthly printing of 5,650,000 copies in 26 languages, whereas The Watchtower has a semimonthly printing of 5,800,000 copies in 72 languages.

In September of 1919, before The Golden Age began to circulate, the headquarters of the Watch Tower Society were moved back to their original location in Brooklyn, New York. This Society established its own printing factory in Brooklyn and itself began printing the magazine The Watch Tower with the issue of February 1, 1920. At the same factory The Golden Age began to be printed with the issue of April 14, 1920, No. 15. Soon afterward The Watch Tower in its issue of June 1, 1920, began advertising again The Finished Mystery, and on June 21 a great campaign was begun of placing the magazine edition of this book by calling on the public from house to house. Next, the leading article entitled "Gospel of the Kingdom" in the Watch Tower issue of July 1, 1920, explained that the Kingdom work foretold in Matthew 24:14 had special application to us since 1914, in which year the Messianic kingdom of God had been established.

ASCENT TO HEAVEN

The faithful ones of the anointed remnant livelily responded to the call and the opportunities for the

service of God's kingdom that was established in the heavens at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914. Figuratively, according to Revelation 11:12, "they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies beheld them." From a deathlike condition to the active service of the heavenly Kingdom was indeed an ascent for the anointed "two witnesses" class, and it was attended with spiritual glory as symbolized by "the cloud." This ascent was attended with such publicity and impressiveness that "their enemies," particularly those in Christendom, could not do otherwise than behold them. Sackcloth upon these "two witnesses" was offset by glory in this exalted spiritual state of serving as ambassadors of the reigning heavenly kingdom of God by Christ. Their vicious enemy, the symbolic "wild beast" out of the abyss, could no more "kill" them as the "two witnesses" class. To this very date the worldwide political system of Satan the Devil has been unable to do this. The "witnesses" have "spirit of life from God," and they are determined to keep alive spiritually.

At this critical time a great upheaval took place in Christendom, especially over the issue of God's established Messianic kingdom and the man-made substitute, the League of Nations. The churches of Christendom decided in favor of the political League of Nations, the Federal Council of Churches of Christ in America even hailing this organization for world peace and security as "the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth."* What was the effect of this symbolic earthquake in Christendom? Revelation 11:13 answers: "And in that hour a great earthquake occurred, and a tenth of the city fell; and seven thousand persons [Greek, names] were killed by the earthquake, and the rest became frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven."

The "city" that is the victim of the earthquake

is, of course, antitypical unfaithful Jerusalem, modern Christendom. Not all of this symbolic city fell in ruin; only a symbolic "tenth" of it. The structure of Christendom has continued till today, but did it suffer any loss from the earthquake at the beginning of the postwar period back in 1919? What it did lose to itself was called "a tenth." This reminds us that, when the prophet Isaiah was told about the destruction coming upon Jerusalem and its Kingdom of Judah, "there will still be in it a tenth, and it must again become . . . like a massive tree in which, when there is a cutting down of them, there is a stump; a holy seed will be the stump of it." (Isaiah 6:13) This stump or "holy seed" proved to be the faithful remnant that survived the exile in Babylon and returned home to rebuild the holy temple at Jerusalem. In 1919 neither the war-surviving members of the anointed remnant nor those who came out of Christendom to become a part of the anointed remnant joined Christendom in supporting the League of Nations, as against God's kingdom. Thus Christendom lost this symbolic "tenth" part.

When the prophet Elijah fled from the face of the threatening queen Jezebel of Israel into the mountainous region of Horeb, Jehovah God told Elijah:

"I have let seven thousand remain in Israel, all the knees that have not bent down to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him." (1 Kings 19:1-18) The apostle Paul applied this to the remnant of Israel that did not stick to Jerusalem in rejecting Jesus Christ as Jehovah's Messiah but forsook her, leaving her to the consequences of her antichristian course. (Romans 11:1-5) Similarly, in the symbolic "earthquake" over God's Messianic kingdom in 1919 there was a remnant faithful to God's kingdom by Christ, a symbolic "seven thousand persons [names]," that died to Christendom. They ceased to exist to her. No longer could she retain their "names" on her church registries. They were no longer alive and active in her.

In what way, then, was it that "the rest became frightened and gave glory to the God of heaven"? Well, do frightened people give sincere "glory to the God of heaven" for an earthquake that causes a "tenth" of their city to fall and the loss of "seven thousand" lives? Did "the rest" of Christendom repent over what they had done against the "two witnesses" class, the "two prophets," and join them after they were revived from the death state?

History down to this date denies that such a thing has taken place. Rather, "the rest" of Christendom got frightened at what had happened to the "tenth" part and the "seven thousand persons" and did not want that to happen to them. So, in their fright, "the rest" held onto their own religious sects in Christendom and "gave glory to the God of heaven" according to their own sectarian religious ways. They never turned to supporting the Messianic kingdom of God that had been established in the heavens. They turned to the League of Nations. When, after World War II, this was replaced by the United Nations, they adopted this. But as for God's revived "two witnesses," these continued to proclaim God's Messianic kingdom as mankind's only hope for lasting peace and security.