CHAPTER I
INSPECTION
JEHOVAH is now preparing those who love him for the most stupendous event in the history of man. For more than six thousand years conditions have appeared to be entirely adverse to those who have tried to do right. Now there is revealed to those who have taken their stand on Jehovah's side the great truth that there is rapidly approaching a time of unprecedented prosperity and blessings for the human race. Those who are diligent to grasp the truths that are placed before them are lifted far above the present sad conditions of this world and see the incontrovertible proof that the time of deliverance is at hand.
In all the ages past a subtle foe has beset men, heaped upon them injustice and oppression, led them into pitfalls, filled their days with perplexity and distress, and in the end brought them in sorrow to the grave. That same enemy, Satan, has employed every conceivable means to defame the name of the great Creator Jehovah and to turn man away from Him. That enemy long ago formed an organization made up of false and fraudulent religion, planted superstitious fear in the heart of man, and has drawn
multitudes into his religious net. He has created a great commercial system and used it to rob the people of the fruits of their honest toil, and to corrupt the political element that ostensibly rules, and has used this political element to compel the people to remain in subjection. The climax of this wicked organization has been reached in the seventh world power, which is otherwise designated as "Christendom", and which world power has fraudulently and falsely assumed the name of The Christ of God and has brought upon Jehovah's holy name the greatest amount of ignominy and shame. The end of such defamation and wickedness must come and now it rejoices the hearts of honest men to see that the climax is at hand when there will be a complete change for the good.
Jehovah declares his purpose to vindicate his holy name at Armageddon; hence it is designated in his Word "the battle of that great day of God Almighty". The organization of Jehovah, symbolized by Mount Zion, is the place of the assembly of his troops; hence that place is called "Armageddon". It is there that he will "go forth and fight" for his own. (Zech. 14:3) The militant host of Jehovah will be led by Christ Jesus, who is now King of kings exercising his royal authority. (Rev. 17:14; 19:11-14) To be sure, Jehovah does not need to prepare himself for the great battle, but it is necessary to prepare some parts of his organization and to send them forth to make known that he is God, and that his purpose is to destroy the
enemy that has defamed his name and brought suffering and death upon his creatures. The administration of the affairs of the world must pass completely from the control of Satan and into the hand of Christ Jesus, who is earth's rightful ruler. For centuries Satan has been "the prince of this world", and now he refuses to abdicate; hence his power and organization are to be completely destroyed. Jehovah is long-suffering and forbearing. (Ex. 34:6) He has given the enemy every opportunity to make good his challenge and boast to turn all mankind against God. But the time must come for Jehovah to act, and when his wrath is expressed it will be so emphatic that all will know that he is the Almighty God. Before executing his judgment against the enemy fair warning and complete notice is given, and such is a part of his preparation.
In the centuries of long ago Jehovah, by his holy spirit, moved honest men to write down that which he purposed to bring to pass in future days, and now the prophecies then written are being fulfilled. Among those honest and God-fearing men who wrote prophecy was Zechariah, the grandson of Iddo the prophet. It was about the year 520 B.C. when Zechariah was given his first vision by Jehovah and when he began to write prophecy. More than 2,400 years thereafter that prophetic vision began to have fulfilment. At that time the World War, which began in 1914, had come to a conclusion, and the ruling powers of the world were bring-
ing forth various schemes of reconstruction. The rulers of "Christendom" had received the evidence that Satan's world had come to an end and that the time was at hand for the beginning of the kingdom of God under Christ Jesus. Instead of heeding this evidence the seventh world power set up a substitute for God's kingdom, which is an abomination and detestable in Jehovah's eyes.
Zechariah's vision came to him from the Lord and in the nighttime. In vision he beheld a company of men riding on horseback. The leader of that company rode a red horse, and those who followed after him rode red, bay and white horses. That was a heavenly vision foreshadowing things to come to pass in future days upon the earth. That company of heavenly cavalry halted their horses upon the side of the Mount of Olives, in the shadow of a grove of myrtle trees. From this vantage point the chief horseman made a careful survey of the city of Jerusalem, while the other horsemen of his company rode up and down in the land gathering information and returned and reported that information to their chief. The information gained by his own inspection, and that reported to him by his aides, filled the chief with righteous indignation. In the vision Jerusalem appeared to be trodden down, and there was utter indifference on the part of the Jews to put it in proper shape. The chief horseman immediately began to prepare his forces for a great war,
which foreshadows the greatest war that is ever to come to the nations of the earth.
A period of years passes while the chief horseman continues the work of preparation, and in that time only a small number of men on earth give any heed to what is being done. The preparatory work is not done in silence, but openly and aboveboard, the chief even serving notice upon his adversary and calling upon him to prepare for the great battle, and then he tells the enemy exactly what will be the result of that fight. In vision the prophet sees both Jehovah's and the enemy's mighty armies drawn up in battle array and marks the people taking their position in the respective militant forces. The crucial hour arrives, and the two mighty armies are hurled against each other, resulting in a complete victory for the leader who stood in the shade of the myrtle trees on his red war mount.
The vision first discloses the chief and his assistants making an inspection of Jerusalem. That city symbolically stood for God's covenant people in the present-day "Christendom", which particularly means the Anglo-American empire system, and which people are in an implied covenant to do God's will. The inspection also includes all who have made a covenant to do the will of God; and that which follows involves all classes of people in the world.
The facts now fully known disclose that the work of preparation, in fulfilment of the prophetic vision, began in 1918 and has progressed
over the period of fifteen years, and now the hour draws near for the terrible clash of the armed forces. Zechariah the prophet foreshadowed a small company of persons who are wholly devoted to God and who are now on the earth, and to which company of faithful ones Jehovah God has given an understanding of the prophetic vision. At the same time Jehovah has laid upon this company of witnesses taken out for his name the obligation and great privilege of informing other persons on earth as to the vision and its meaning. These are commanded to serve notice upon the rulers of the world to inform them of what is about to come to pass in fulfilment of the prophetic vision, and also to give information to all persons of good will that they may find a way of escape in that time of great slaughter that is shortly to take place.
The entire prophecy of Zechariah, which is here considered and which is now being unfolded, thrills the heart of everyone who has an honest desire to see a righteous government established in the earth. While this prophecy and its fulfilment involve all creatures now on the earth who are in an implied or direct covenant with Jehovah God, only a small number will understand it and appreciate it. The clergy of "Christendom" and the principal ones of their flocks, the opposers of the proclamation of the message of God's vengeance and of his kingdom, and the "evil servant" class, the "man of sin", "the son of perdition" (2 Thess. 2:3), not only will fail to understand the prophecy and its in-
terpretation but will treat it with contempt and ridicule. On the other side, those who are wholly devoted to Jehovah, and who are therefore his chosen witnesses; and those who are of good will and who go to make up the Jonadab class (2 Ki. 10:15-23); and later the "great multitude" (Rev, 7:9-14), will see and greatly appreciate the prophecy and its meaning.
It was in A.D. 1914 that the Prince of Peace stood up and cast Satan out of heaven. (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 12:1-9) It was in 1918 that this mighty Prince came to the temple of Jehovah for judgment, and from that time dates the preparation. "He that dasheth in pieces is come up before thy face." (Nah. 2:1) That prophetic statement means that the mighty Field Marshal of Jehovah is now present and preparing for the great battle. To his anointed remnant on earth Jehovah now says: "Keep [securely] the fortress, watch the way, make thy loins strong, . . . For Jehovah restoreth the excellency of Jacob [his anointed; meaning his faithful remnant on the earth]." (Nah. 2:1,2, A.R.V.) God's people have been brought into unity, and now they "offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness", and that continually; and thus these are prepared to perform their part. The fact that Jehovah foretold by his prophet concerning the coming of the battle of Armageddon and that he would prepare for it is proof that the battle will be fought; and the further fact that he has now opened these prophecies to the understanding of his anointed is evidence that the
time of the battle is near; hence the prophecy is of profound interest to the anointed.
Concerning his militant organization and its preparation "in that day" Jehovah's prophet says: "The shield of his mighty men is made red, the valiant men are in scarlet; the chariots flash with steel in the day of his preparation, and the cypress spears are brandished." (Nah. 2:3, A.R.V.) God's organization is fired with zeal for the vindication of his great name, and hence that organization flashes as fiery steel. Furthermore, Jehovah says: "I have commanded my consecrated ones, yea, I have called my mighty men for mine anger, even my proudly exulting ones." (Isa. 13: 3, A.R.V.) Then Jehovah addresses the enemy and tells him to prepare and warns him of what will be the result. "Draw thee water for the siege; strengthen thy fortresses; go into the clay, and tread the mortar ; make strong the brickkiln. There shall the fire devour thee; the sword shall cut thee off; it shall devour thee like the canker-worm: make thyself many as the canker-worm; make thyself many as the locust. Thou hast multiplied thy merchants above the stars of heaven: the canker-worm ravageth, and fleeth away. Thy princes are as the locusts, and thy marshals as the swarms of grasshoppers, which encamp in the hedges in the cold day, but when the sun ariseth. they flee away, and their place is not known, where they are." — Nah. 3:14-17, A.R.V.
The Lord further gives assurance that this battle will be the final end. "What do ye devise
against Jehovah? he will make a full end; affliction shall not rise up the second time." — Nah. 1:9, American Revised Version.
The enemy knows that his time is short, and hence he prepares with haste for battle. (Rev. 12:12) Continuing his policy of fraud and deceit, diplomacy, boasting and flattery, Satan pulls his commercial, political, military forces and strong-arm squad together, and then by the mouth of his sanctimonious clergymen tells the people that this unholy alliance is the means for the salvation of the world. Satan uses the various elements of his wicked organization to draw the people of all nations, and particularly those of "Christendom", away from God and into his own wicked camp. The Anglo-American empire system, which chiefly is "Christendom", Satan makes his chief spokesman on earth, and therefore in the Scriptures this system is called the "false prophet"; and by this beastly organization Satan speaks to and deceives the people. "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. 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. And he gathered them together into a place called in the Hebrew tongue Armageddon." — Rev. 16:13,14, 16; see Light, Book Two, page 42.
Thus Satan prepares for the great battle, and at the same time he takes a careful inventory of the faithful followers of Christ Jesus. Against these he forms a conspiracy the purpose of which is to cut off these faithful witnesses of God and to destroy them. (Ps. 2:3,4; 83:2-5) That conspiracy is formed, and the overt acts are committed against God's anointed within the realms of "Christendom", and this is further proof that "Christendom" is Satan's instrument. His reason for attempting the destruction of these faithful ones of God is that they might not maintain their integrity toward God, and might thereby fail to be made part of His holy nation; and because these are the ones whom Jehovah uses to give notice to the world of his purpose to destroy the enemy organization. Jehovah causes his prophet to speak concerning his witnesses in these words: "Proclaim ye this among the nations; prepare war; stir up the mighty men; let all the men of war draw near, let them come up. Let the nations bestir themselves, and come up to the valley of Jehoshaphat; for there will I sit to judge all the nations round about." — Joel 3:9, l2. A.R.V.
THE TEMPLE
(ZECHARIAH, CHAPTER 1)
The temple or sanctuary of God must be set up and cleansed before the complete vindication of Jehovah's name, and such work is a part of the preparation for the battle of the great day of God Almighty. For some tune prior to the
opening of the temple for judgment Christ Jesus was giving attention to the consecrated ones on the earth to prepare the way before Jehovah and to bring these consecrated ones to the time and place of judgment; and concerning that period of time Jehovah says: "And he shall prepare the way before me." (Mal. 3:1) That work being completed, then Christ Jesus suddenly or straightway comes to the temple: "He shall come, saith the Lord of hosts." From that time forward to the time of the battle of Armageddon is designated in the Scriptures "the day of his preparation".
The Scriptures show that these two periods are separate and distinct in this, to wit, the time of 'preparing the way before Jehovah' ends with the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple; whereas "the day of his preparation" begins at the time of the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple. The consecrated must be brought before the Lord for examination, and must be tried and judged, and the approved ones are brought into the temple and anointed. This is part of the work of "the day of his preparation". This work was foreshadowed by the rebuilding of the typical temple at Jerusalem. The prophetic book of Zechariah deals with this preparatory work, the battle of the great day of God Almighty, and the conditions that will exist at the conclusion of that battle. All of this was written aforetime for the purpose of giving strength to the faithful remnant of God's anointed people now on the earth. Jehovah has furnished cumulative
evidence upon this point and it behooves us to give careful consideration to all of such evidence. This publication is issued for that very reason.
When the term "Lord of hosts" or "Jehovah of hosts" appears in a Scriptural text it relates particularly to Jehovah as the Commander of his military force which he uses to express his wrath against the enemy. Note that the words of the prophet concerning the coming of Christ Jesus are: "Behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts." (Mal. 3:1, A.R.V.) Concerning the rebuilding of the temple as prophesied by Zechariah the command is: "THUS SAITH JEHOVAH OF HOSTS: RETURN UNTO MB, SAITH JEHOVAH OP HOSTS, AND I WILL RETURN UNTO YOU, SAITH JEHOVAH OF HOSTS." (Zech. 1:3, A.R.V.) The great God of battle is preparing for the final war, and those in his organization eagerly seek for information concerning the same.
Cyrus, the king of Persia, under the direction of Jehovah issued a decree for the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem. A remnant of Jews returned from captivity and began the work of rebuilding, and then because of opposition these Jews for sixteen years did no work whatsoever in connection with the rebuilding of the temple. In the meantime Cyrus was succeeded by Darius, the Persian. It was in the second year of the reign of Darius that God sent his two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, to stir up the Jews and put them to work on the temple. Zechariah began to prophesy two months later than Haggai,
or, to wit, in the eighth month in the second year of the reign of Darius. (1:1) (See Vindication, Book Three, page 109.) Zechariah was a son of Berechiah, who was the son of Iddo the prophet. Therefore Zechariah was the grandson of the prophet. The scripture also shows that Zechariah was a priest. (Neh. 12:14,12-16) The name Zechariah means "whom Jehovah remembers", and Zechariah foreshadowed God's servant class on the earth at the end of the world and whom God remembers and makes living stones in his temple, which temple is his building for the vindication of his great name. The name Berechiah means "whom Jehovah hath blessed". Sometimes Zechariah was called the son of Id-do, because he was in fact a son of the second generation. (Ezra 5:1) "Iddo" means "timely; one born on a feast day; loving; opportune". We know that Jehovah does everything at the opportune time.
Jehovah was displeased with the service of these Israelites, and therefore he caused Zechariah to prophesy and say: "RETURN UNTO MB, SAITH JEHOVAH OF HOSTS. ... BE YE NOT AS YOUR FATHERS." (1:2-5, A.R.V.) Their fathers had permitted the temple, which had been built by Solomon, to be cluttered up with trash and defiled by idol worship, and now the returned captives from Babylon were showing the same disregard for God's interests by permitting the building of the temple at Jerusalem to stop and lie in waste. (Hag. 1:4) The words of the prophet Zechariah serve as a warning to all who
are begotten of the spirit and who become negligent of the duties and obligations laid upon them by the Lord. (1:6) Isaiah prophesied of a similar displeasure on the part of Jehovah with his consecrated people on the earth. (Isa. 6:1-9; 12:1) This is one of the reasons why the Lord Jehovah sent his message to cleanse his people, that is, to refine and cleanse the temple class; and this work would necessarily mean the cleaning out and putting on the side all the stubborn and rebellious ones. All must know that Jehovah is God and that his name shall be vindicated ; and this work must begin at the house of God. (Mal. 3:1-3; Ezek. 20:1,37,38; 33:33) Such preparatory and cleansing work must be done before the final battle; hence it is a part of the work of the 'day of preparation'.
A VISION
On the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month, which corresponds to our modern month of February, the prophet Zechariah had a vision. It was about the time for the "latter rain". Three months previous to that time Haggai had been prophesying. After the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month of the same year, it seems, Haggai ceased prophesying, or at least there is no record of his further prophesying; but from that time forward Zechariah exclusively filled the prophetic office concerning the work to be done on the temple.
Concerning the vision the prophet said: "I SAW BY NIGHT, AND BEHOLD A MAN RIDING UPON A
RED HORSE, AND HE STOOD AMONG THE MYRTLE TREES THAT WERE IN THE BOTTOM [of the mountain]; AND BEHIND HIM WERE THERE RED HORSES, SPECKLED, AND WHITE." (1:8) It being in the nighttime, the vision relates to a time when 'there is darkness upon the earth, and gross darkness covers the people'. (Isa. 60:2) The "man riding upon a red horse" was the angel of the Lord which materialized and to whom other angels make report of the result of their investigation. (Zech. 1:11) He was riding on a red horse, which is a symbol of sanguinary warfare. (Isa. 63:2) The 'man on the red horse' manifestly represents Christ Jesus, the Leader and Field Marshal of Jehovah's war organization. — Ps. 45:4.
HE SURVEYS
It is the time of inspection! The man on the red horse "stood", that is, he made his horse come to a standstill, and this corresponds to the period of time of "silence in heaven", it being the time when there was inactivity between the end of the Elijah work (Mal. 4:5,6) and the beginning of the Elisha work of the church. (Rev. 8:1; Light, Book I, page 99) The rider on the red horse "STOOD AMONG THE MYRTLE TREES THAT WERE IN THE BOTTOM". Another translation renders this text "in the shade" or "shady place". (Rotherham, and A.R.V., margin) Evidently the leader stood his horse at a point on the side of the Mount of Olives in the shadow of the trees, and from which point he makes an inspection of the city of Jerusalem, At that
same time there were myrtle trees growing on the side of the Mount of Olives. (Neh. 8:15) It was the appropriate place for the rider to stand his horse, and the fact that mention is made that he stood his horse among the myrtle trees shows that it was at an appropriate time for Jehovah to return to his people, to restore to them his truth, and to gather them unto himself, "Myrtle" means harvest, the time of restitution and joy. (The Watchtower, 1931, page 149; Preservation, page 19) This would fix the time of the fulfilment of the prophecy, to wit, at the time the Lord was gathering his people unto himself preparatory to cleansing them at the temple judgment. — Ps. 50:5; Isa. 41:19; 55:13.
The man on the red horse was inspecting the city of Jerusalem, which represented God's covenant people. The city of Jerusalem must, at the time, have presented a sorry appearance according to the description given of it by the prophet. (Neh. 2:11-15) The inspector general of Jehovah's hosts must have been filled with indignation when he surveyed the desolation of Jerusalem. Likewise when Christ Jesus came in 1918 to inspect the professed people of God and set up the temple, he would look with indignation upon the desolation of the earthly part of God's organization, the covenant people of the Most High. The words of Isaiah, at this point, seem quite appropriate and express the indignation of the Lord: "For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my re-
deemed [remnant people] is come." (Isa. 63:4) This locates the time of the beginning of the fulfilment of Zechariah's prophecy.
The inspector general of Jehovah's hosts at the same time made an inspection of Satan's earthly organization: "He stood, and measured the earth." What he then saw would further increase his indignation and in due time would increase his zeal to act in the destruction of the wicked world. "He beheld, and drove asunder the nations." (Hab. 3:6) It is the day of Jehovah's preparation. (Nah. 2:3) Standing behind the man on the red horse were other riders on "BED HORSES, SPECKLED [margin, BAY; Leeser, PALE], AND WHITE [horses]". This shows that the inspector general was accompanied by his army officers in the army of Jehovah, and these make inspection and render their report to their chief. (1:11) The conclusion is irresistible that these horsemen accompanying the Lord Jesus represented his holy angels that accompanied him at the time of judgment. (Matt. 25:31) "Behold, the mountain was full of horses . . . of fire." (2 Ki. 6:17) These represent the war organization of Jehovah. "And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean." — Rev. 19:14.
Zechariah inquired of the Lord the meaning of these men on horses, and the angel talking with him explained it to him: "THEN SAID I, 0 MY LORD, WHAT ARE THESE? AND THE ANGEL THAT TALKED WITH ME SAID UNTO ME, I WILL SHEW THEE
WHAT THESE BE." (1:9) This question is propounded for the benefit of those faithful ones of the remnant now on earth, and the angel of the Lord brings to them the needed information in answer to their questions. (Rev. 1:1) This is proof that the interpretation of prophecy does not proceed from man, but that the Lord Jesus, the chief one in Jehovah's organization, sends the necessary information to his people by and through his holy angels. "AND THE MAN THAT STOOD AMONG THE MYRTLE TREES ANSWERED AND SAID, THESE ARE THEY WHOM THE LORD HATH SENT TO WALK TO AND FRO THROUGH THE EARTH." (1:10) In the vision these represent Jehovah's host that he uses to express his wrath against the enemy. (Rev. 14:20) With this host Jehovah's witnesses on earth are duly associated.
Satan and his wicked agents stalk through the earth to spy out and to maliciously act against God's faithful people, and these horsemen in Zechariah's vision act as observers of what concerns Jehovah's organization and to carry out his purposes. The Lord now has his face or attention turned to consideration of things on the earth, and he inspects both the enemy organization and the organization of Jehovah. The eyes of the Lord are observing everything on the earth. (Zech. 4:10; Rev. 5: 6) The horsemen were as the eyes of the Lord. — Num. 10:31.
The under-inspectors report to their chief: "AND THEY ANSWERED THE ANGEL OF THE LORD THAT STOOD AMONG THE MYRTLE TREES, AND SAID,
WE HAVE WALKED TO AND FRO THROUGH THE EARTH, AND, BEHOLD, ALL THE EARTH SITTETH STILL, AND IS AT REST." (1:11) The substance of their report is that they have found the entire organization of Satan self-centered, in a state of self-complacency and giving no regard or concern to the kingdom of God under Christ. This report must have been made following the end of the World War and when Satan's agencies were seeking means and remedies to bring peace on the war-torn earth. They gave no heed to God's kingdom, but so far as it is concerned they sat still and rested and relied upon the League of Nations, the World Court, peace treaties, and like things, to keep Satan's organization in possession of the world. Of course, they gave no assistance to God's people to proclaim the truth, but treated them with contempt. Such describes the attitude of the various parts of Satan's organization on earth from 1918 to 1922. But God's remnant got on their feet and began to work.
At the conclusion of the report by these under-inspectors, "THEN THE ANGEL OF THE LORD ANSWERED AND SAID, 0 LORD OF HOSTS, HOW LONG WILT THOU NOT HAVE MERCY ON JERUSALEM AND ON THE CITIES OF JUDAH, AGAINST WHICH THOU HAST HAD INDIGNATION THESE THREESCORE AND TEN YEARS?" (1:12) This corresponds to the condition amongst God's people from 1918 to 1922, probably before the general convention of the latter year at Cedar Point, Ohio. It was when the Lord's covenant people saw that Christ the
great Inspector General had come to the temple that they cried out: "Save now, I beseech thee, O Lord: O Lord, I beseech thee, send now prosperity." (Ps. 118:25) It was in 1922 that God's covenant people became aware of their own negligence in connection with the building of the antitypical temple. It was then that the Lord spoke words of comfort to them and they rejoiced, seeing that Jehovah's anger had turned away from them. (Isa. 12:1-4; 61:1-3) "AND THE LORD ANSWERED THE ANGEL THAT TALKED WITH ME WITH GOOD WORDS, AND COMFORTABLE WORDS." — 1:13.
Zechariah, having received the good and comfortable words from the Lord, was commanded to make a proclamation: "So THE ANGEL THAT COMMUNED WITH ME SAID UNTO ME, CRY THOU, SAYING, THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, I AM JEALOUS FOR JERUSALEM AND FOR ZlON WITH A GREAT JEALOUSY." (1:14) This proclamation or message must be both of God's vengeance against the enemy and of comfort to his own people. Jehovah had put his name on his consecrated people who represented his true interest and whom he would give a part in the work of vindicating his name. Hence he manifests his jealousy (his zeal) by returning unto Zion his great favor. (Zech. 8:1-3; Ps. 102:16) For that very reason Jehovah provided for the release and delivery of his people from bondage in the year 1919. During the World War Satan's agencies, particularly the Anglo-American empire system, had ill-treated God's faithful people much to the
displeasure of Jehovah; hence he caused his prophet to say: "AND I AM VERY SORE DISPLEASED WITH THE HEATHEN THAT ARE AT EASE [CARELESS (PROUD, margin), Roth.] ; FOR I WAS BUT A LITTLE DISPLEASED, AND THEY HELPED FORWARD THE AFFLICTION," (1:15) It was "Christendom", this Anglo-American empire system, that not only became indifferent to God's kingdom and rested in ease in their own strength to lift up the nations, but helped forward the affliction of God's people in particular. The Lord also says, "I WAS BUT A LITTLE DISPLEASED [with his own people]," and for this reason he permitted them to be taken into custody by the enemy. (Jer. 12: 7) Instead of "Christendom's" exercising mercy towards those who preached the gospel of God's kingdom (at that time this very preaching was with fear and trembling), "Christendom" took delight in punishing Jehovah's covenant people and helped forward their affliction. Since then the same agents of Satan continue to make war against God's anointed. The prophecy of Ezekiel describes the malice of "Christendom" against God's remnant people. — See Ezekiel 25; Vindication, Book Two, page 9.
In making preparation for the punishment of the enemy organization Jehovah sends his "Messenger of the covenant", Christ Jesus, to gather together his people, build up the temple class, and make them fit for participating in his work. "THEREFORE THUS SAITH THE LORD, I AM RETURNED TO JERUSALEM WITH MERCIES ; MY HOUSE SHALL BE BUILT 1N IT, SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, AND A LINE
SHALL BE STRETCHED FORTH UPON JERUSALEM." (1:16) Seeing this, Jehovah's remnant should be very zealous and not slack their hands in the work because of opposition put forth by the enemy. The Lord declares that his temple shall be built up, and it is built up, "even in troublous times." (Dan. 9:25) 'The line stretched forth upon Jerusalem' is to measure the progressive work which Jehovah has done in the building up of his organization on earth since 1922. He expresses his purpose to comfort and strengthen his people. "CRY YET, SAYING, THUS SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS, MY CITIES THROUGH PROSPERITY SHALL YET BE SPREAD ABROAD [MY CITIES (SHALL) OVERFLOW WITH BLESSING, Roth.]; AND THE LORD SHALL YET COMFORT ZION, AND SHALL YET CHOOSE JERUSALEM." — 1:17.
Jehovah has prospered his organization by committing to the remnant the testimony of Jesus Christ, the kingdom interests on earth, and the duty of carrying on the Elisha work, and by pouring out his spirit upon them, and bringing them into his organization, and permitting them to drink the fruit of the vine new with the Lord Jesus Christ in his organization. "For the Lord shall comfort Zion: he will comfort all her waste places, and he will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody." (Isa. 51:3) When Zion is builded up those therein must give praise to Jehovah. "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to
favour her, yea, the set time, is come. When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory. To declare the name of the Lord in Zion, and his praise in Jerusalem," (Ps, 102:13, 16, 21) Jehovah has vindicated his Word toward his people by putting his message of truth into their mouths and sending them forth to deliver his testimony. — Isa. 51:16.
Having consoled his own people of Zion, Jehovah now tells her of the enemies that will come against her. "THEN LIFTED I UP MINE EYES, AND SAW, AND, BEHOLD, FOUR HORNS." (1:18) Horns symbolize means of pushing or inflicting punishment upon another. (Ezek. 34: 21; Deut. 33:17) Up to the time of the prophecy of Zechariah four devilish world powers had existed and inflicted punishment upon men who served Jehovah God. The prophecy here means that four more world powers, to wit, Greece, Rome, the Anglo-American empire system, which is "Christendom", and the combination of the League of Nations, which is the eighth world power, would further oppose God's anointed people. (Rev. 17:11) The angel of the Lord tells Zechariah that these horns are the powers that scatter God's people. (1:19) The "four horns" would also fitly represent the complete power of Satan's organization, which does violence to God's people and which reaches its climax of wickedness in the seventh world power.
The Scriptural use of "four" is symbolic of completeness, such as foursquare. "AND THE LORD SHEWED ME FOUR CARPENTERS [CRAFTSMEN,
Roth.; SMITHS, A.R.V.]" (1:20) Generally the word here used for "carpenters" means artificers or ones who do constructive work. The "four" is here used as symbolical of the complete army of the Lord which hammers the horns off the bull heads of Satan's organization, and crushes them. Since the prophet inquires concerning the four constructors or artificers, the angel of the Lord said: "THEN SAID I, WHAT COME THESE TO DO? AND HE SPAKE, SAYING, THESE [horns] ARE THE HORNS WHICH HAVE SCATTERED JUDAH [God's faithful people], so THAT NO MAN DID LIFT UP HIS HEAD [in 1918 and 1919]: BUT THESE [artificers or carpenters or constructors] ARE COME TO FRAY THEM, TO CAST OUT THE HORNS OF THE GENTILES, WHICH LIFTED UP THEIR HORN OVER THE LAND OF JUDAH TO SCATTER IT." (1: 21) These are God's provided means to discomfit the enemy, such as Gideon did in his time. (Judg. 8:12; Isa. 19:16; Ezek. 30: 9) This wicked crowd of Satan rises up to scatter and to destroy those who praise Jehovah God, pictured by Judah, and the Lord God purposes the destruction of these assailants and makes preparation to that end. If Jehovah's witnesses were left without instruction or spiritual food they would be discouraged and cast down, and the enemy would put them to flight. Now Jehovah instructs his faithful people and gives them comfort and encouragement that they may have hope of complete victory through Christ Jesus; and thus he prepares them for their part in the work of vindication.
