CHAPTER IV
RULERS
(EZEKIEL, CHAPTER 19)
JEHOVAH has permitted men to pursue their own way with a free hand. The stronger minds have been leaders in the world, and particularly is this so in Christendom. These have claimed that they would make the world a fit place in which to live, and would establish everlasting peace and prosperity among men; but they have all failed. Their failure has been chiefly due to the fact that they have disregarded the counsel of the Lord and have fallen away to the enemy Satan. Had the rulers in Christendom stood by the counsel of the Lord and faithfully obeyed him, the result would have been different. They have claimed to be the people of God, ruling by divine right. They could not of themselves establish a government of righteousness, to be sure; and had they followed the counsel of the Lord, they would have gotten in line with God's way and been fully submissive to his King at his coming in 1914. They were warned then, and have more specifically been warned since 1922, but they have wholly turned away from the Lord God and his King, who is earth's rightful Ruler.
This was foreshadowed in the experiences of Jerusalem, and particularly by her rulers and principal men. The profane, wicked prince Zedekiah was lifted up within himself and followed his own selfish imaginations, and was destroyed. The rulers in Christendom, and particularly the clergy, have been lifted up
with self, and have continued on in their way of wickedness regardless of all warning, and have refused to hear and to obey God's Word of truth. "They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness; all the foundations of the earth are out of course. But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes." — Ps. 82: 5, 7.
This God caused to be foretold, in the nineteenth chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy: "Moreover, take thou up a lamentation for the princes of Israel." (19:1) This is a wail or lament over the leaders or chief ones in Christendom, who have ruled and do now rule. What was then and there said to Jerusalem, or the Jews, has a modern application to Christendom; and for this reason it is important to here consider it.
Jehovah made a covenant with the Israelites; and that covenant, and that covenant city Jerusalem, was God's typical organization, and was the "mother" that bore the Israelitish nation. The words of lament are addressed to the leaders in Jerusalem, and to the leaders of Christendom: "And say, What is [what was, R.V.] thy mother? A lioness; she lay down among lions, she nourished her whelps among young lions." (19: 2) The covenant God made was symbolized by a lioness. As stated in Genesis 49:10, the ruling offspring of that covenant (the lioness) was Judah: "Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise. . . . Judah is a lion's whelp; from the prey, my son, thou art gone up; he stooped down, he couched as a lion, and as an old lion; who shall rouse him up?" (Gen. 49:8,9) This particular lioness did not produce "the Lion of the tribe of Juda". (Rev. 5:5) All the whelps of the lioness mentioned in Ezekiel
were failures; and hence this lioness must represent God's covenant for the kingdom as applied to the royal line of Solomon. God promised or covenanted to establish the throne of Solomon for ever, provided Solomon and his house were faithful to God: "But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them; then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I east out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people." — 1 Ki. 9:2-7.
This particular lioness mentioned by the prophecy "lay down among lions", meaning, among the political rulers of Judah and Jerusalem; and she brought forth and reared a succession of kings of the line of Solomon: "And she brought up one of her whelps; it became a young lion, and it learned to catch the prey; it devoured men." (19:3) At the death of Josiah the king, the people took his son Jehoahaz (whose name means "whom Jehovah upholds or sustains") and made him king. He became the "lion" and learned to catch the prey. "Jehoahaz was twenty and three years old when he began to reign; and he reigned three months in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Hamutal, the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. And he did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord, according to all that his fathers had done." (2 Ki. 23:31,32) Because of the wickedness of the king, Jehovah did not uphold him.
The Devil's visible organization then included all the nations of the earth except the Israelites, and he was now scheming to get complete control of that nation. Through the Gentile powers Satan sought to capture Jehoahaz; therefore it is written: "The nations also heard of him; he was taken in their pit, and they brought him with chains unto the land of Egypt." (19:4) As Ezekiel prophesied here, the Gentile nation, as Satan's instrument, captured the king Jehoahaz "and Pharaoh-nechoh put him [Jehoahaz] in bands at Riblah, in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; . . . And .Pharaoh-nechoh . . . took Jehoahaz away; and he came to Egypt, and died there." (2 Ki. 23:33,34) None of these "whelps" of the "lioness" of the line of Solomon could succeed then, because the forty years of "iniquity of the house of Judah" had begun in the thirteenth year of Josiah, at which time Jeremiah became God's prophet. — Jer. 1:1-3; Ezek. 4:6,7.
Other "whelps" were then provided to be rulers: "Now, when she saw that she had waited, and her hope was lost, then she took another of her whelps, and made him a young lion." (19:5) There were three more princes that ruled Jerusalem, all of whom embarked upon a course of wickedness. The "whelp", or young lion, here mentioned represents those three, to wit: Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin and Zedekiah, all of whom met disaster. (2 Ki. 23: 35; 24: 6-20) The name of each one belied the real state of affairs. "Jehoiakim" means "Jehovah sets up"; "Jehoiachin," "Jehovah establishes" or "whom Jehovah will establish"; "Zedekiah" means "justice of Jehovah". They were all workers of iniquity and did exactly contrary to
what their names implied. "And he went up and down among the lions, he became a young lion, and learned to catch the prey, and devoured men. And he knew their desolate palaces, and he laid waste their cities; and the land was desolate, and the fulness thereof, by the noise of his roaring." (19:6,7) All three of these rulers in Jerusalem followed the course that led to the desolation of the land.
The nations round about Jerusalem were against Jerusalem. "Then the nations set against him on every side from the provinces, and spread their net over him; he was taken in their pit." (19: 8) "In his days Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came up, and Jehoiakim became his servant three years; then he turned and rebelled against him. And the Lord sent against him bands of the Chaldees, and bands of the Syrians, and bands of the Moabites, and bands of the children of Ammon, and sent them against Judah to destroy it, according to the word of the Lord, which he spake by his servants the prophets." (2 Ki. 24:1, 2) At the death of Jehoiakim his son Jehoiachin succeeded him to the throne and reigned in Jerusalem three months. The city was again besieged by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, and Jehoiachin went out to him. He was taken captive to Babylon, "that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel": "And they put him in ward in chains, and brought him to the king of Babylon; they brought him into holds, that his voice should no more be heard upon the mountains of Israel." — 19:9.
"And he carried away Jehoiachin to Babylon, and the king's mother, and the king's wives, and his
officers, and the mighty of the land; those carried he into captivity from Jerusalem to Babylon." (2 Ki. 24:15) Zedekiah became the ruler of Jerusalem, and he was taken prisoner and carried away to Babylon. (2 Ki. 25: 6, 7) Thus God's typical kingdom was taken from these "whelps", the rulers of the line of Solomon. The house of Solomon had proven unfaithful, and failed. They did not bring forth 'the fruits of the kingdom', and they came to their bitter end.
APPLICATION TO CHRISTENDOM
The fact that Jehovah caused an accurate record of these deeds to be kept is proof that there must be a modern fulfilment or application thereof to the people or nation foreshadowed by Jerusalem. (1 Cor. 10:11) The rulers of Christendom, called "princes", claim and have long claimed to be ruling by divine right or authority as the representatives of "the Lion of the tribe of Juda", and that Christendom is therefore fulfilling God's covenant as mentioned in Genesis 49:10, or more particularly the covenant made with David. (2 Sam. 7:12-16; 23: 5) The "whelp" (prince or ruler) produced by Christendom in these latter times, and which is the chief ruler of the world, is the "British lion" and her colonies, including the United States, which together constitute the seventh world power; concerning which world power it is written in Revelation 17:10 that "when he cometh, he must continue a short space". During that time the seventh world power has certainly been a "lion" in its rapacity and in its roaring. The British Empire is the greatest and the chief ruling power of Christendom. It has been considered the stabilizer of
the world. The World War made manifest its bondage to commercialism and militarism, symbolized by Egypt.
Now the larger supposed stabilizer has been formed in the League of Nations; and this, together with its auxiliaries, the World Court and similar treaties and peace pacts, is expected to stabilize the world commercially and bring lasting peace. Christendom has put forward this League of Nations as her last hope. It "is the eighth [world power], and is of the seven, and [must go] into perdition". (Rev. 17:11) Not one of the so-called "heathen" nations had to do with the original formation of the League of Nations. It was brought forth by the British, that is to say, the Anglo-American imperialism; and Christendom is its chief strength. The King, Christ Jesus, is Jehovah's instrument for the destruction of Satan's organization, and will capture and destroy this "whelp" (representing all the rulers of Christendom), 'that his voice shall be heard no more'; and Christendom will meet its death in captivity, as did the last ruler of Jerusalem.
The offspring of the "lioness", which is God's covenant as applied to Solomon's royal line, was never reinstated. The kingdom was taken from him and was given to "the Lion of the tribe of Juda". So shall it be with the princes or rulers of Christendom. In 1919, when Christendom made this "whelp" (the League of Nations) its hope, and refused to recognize earth's rightful King, the great Prince, Christ Jesus, Christendom lost every hope of reinstatement and must go down for ever. Christendom was afterwards warned by the witnesses whom the Lord sent to them,
but refused to heed God's message, even as Zedekiah refused to hear the testimony of Jeremiah the prophet. (Jer. 38:20-23) The doom of Christendom is therefore sealed, and God's judgment will be executed upon her; and she shall never rise again.
Continuing the lament the prophet was instructed to say: "Thy mother is like a vine in thy blood, planted by the waters; she was fruitful, and full of branches by reason of many waters." (19:10) This also is addressed to the princes of Israel, and its later application is to the princes, or rulers or heads, of Christendom. Although claiming to rule by divine right, these princes or rulers of Christendom are not of the royal lineage for which the covenant for the kingdom is sure. They have gone in the way of those who were unfaithful to God. Christianity was started by the arrangement of Jehovah, but within a short time the leaders thereof went contrary to the Word of God and contrary to his counsel, and formed themselves into "organized Christianity" or what is now known as "Christendom".
By reason of the many peoples of different languages and nationalities in Christendom, she has had many "branches" and has spread out over a greater portion of the earth. When the prophet says, "Thy mother is like a vine," he does not mean that this represents, or is any part of, the true vine which is Christ. Although Christianity was planted in the right way, "organized Christianity" or Christendom soon became a "degenerate plant of a strange vine". (Jer. 2:21) "Organized religion," falsely called "Christianity", is a part of "the vine of the earth" which is to be cast into the "winepress" at
the battle of Armageddon, and there its lifeblood will be crushed out. — Rev. 14:18-20.
By the term "Christendom" are meant the nations that call themselves "Christian", and these nations have had large opportunities. Christendom was planted among many peoples. She had many strong rulers wielding the scepter and calling themselves "Christian monarchs". And this is represented in the prophecy of Ezekiel: "And she had strong rods for the sceptres of them that bare rule, and her stature was exalted among the thick branches, and she appeared in her height with the multitude of her branches." (19:11) Christendom became the loftiest and most powerful combination of nations holding or claiming to hold one common faith upon the earth. She has produced the greatest world empire, to wit, the seventh world power.
The wrath of God upon Christendom dates from 1918 forward; and shortly after that date Christendom was wholly rejected, and this was foreshadowed by the leprosy of which Uzziah died. (Isa. 6:1) Christendom had become great amongst the nations. "But she was plucked up in fury, she was cast down to the ground, and the east wind dried up her fruit; her strong rods were broken and withered, the fire consumed them." (19:12) She brought forth wild grapes, and no fruit of the kingdom of God, and therefore she must be abased. She has turned the people away from Jehovah and his kingdom under Christ. The "east wind" dried up her fruit, and she is ready to be burned. (Isa. 46:11; 41:2; Rev. 16:12) Her rulers ("her strong rods") have proven themselves to be weaklings and incompetent guides of the affairs
of state. The fiery tests of the day are too much for them. All hope of Christendom's recovery is gone. "And now she is planted in the wilderness, in a dry and thirsty ground." — 19:13.
The "rods", or princes or rulers, of Christendom have been debauched by the devilish religious practices that have also brought great reproach upon Jehovah's name. "And fire is gone out of a rod of her branches, which hath devoured her fruit, so that she hath no strong rod to be a sceptre to rule. This is a lamentation, and shall be for a lamentation." (19:14) The Devil has come down to earth, and with Christendom it is a time of "woe, woe!" (Rev. 12:12) The earth, or nations of the earth, is not receiving God's blessing. The unrighteous course of the rulers ("rods" of control) has led them entirely into Satan's camp, and the fire of destruction is about to devour them completely. Like the rulers or princes amongst the Jews, they have not heeded the warning from the Lord. As a vine Christendom has produced no kingdom fruit, and now must go because of being of no use for anything that is good. No ruler of Christendom will be permitted on the earth nor in any part of God's kingdom of heaven. Jehovah will give none of these an opportunity to further reproach his name after Armageddon.
ELDERS AS RULERS
(EZEKIEL, CHAPTER 20)
In the organization of the church the elders were given a place of responsibility to feed the flock of God and to rule. This does not mean that they were to be harsh, austere and severe; but they were to
have charge over the organization. (Heb. 13: 7) "Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine." (1 Tim. 5:17) It is not the will of God that any man should lord it over his heritage. (1 Pet. 5:3) Likewise there were elders in the organization of the Jews. Both in the organization of the Jews and in Christendom the elders became proud and self-centered and hypocritical.
The twentieth chapter of Ezekiel shows the elders coming to Ezekiel, ostensibly for advice. Ezekiel was then a young man of thirty-two years of age. It was just four years from the time of the coming of elders to Ezekiel until the city of Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed by fire. (2 Ki. 25: 8-10) "And it came to pass in the seventh year, in the fifth month, the tenth day of the month, that certain of the elders of Israel came to inquire of the Lord, and sat before me." (20:1) Those ancient "gentlemen of the cloth", manifestly insincere and hypocritical, came to Ezekiel in the hope of catching him in his words. It was somewhat of a recognition by them that Ezekiel was a prophet, the representative of the Lord God; and that being true, their hypocrisy is magnified and they were more reprehensible.
Those elders more particularly foreshadowed the elders who have been in the ecclesias of God's consecrated people but who were not in heart sympathy with the work of proclaiming the message of God's kingdom. They are represented in another prophecy as 'old men who dream dreams'. (Joel 2: 28, 29) They have made a specialty of "character development" and have become 'more holy than thou'. The words
of Jehovah clearly indicate that these elders are hypocrites and that he has no use for them. Therefore the Lord said to Ezekiel (picturing the "faithful servant" class): "Son of man, speak unto the elders of Israel, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye come to inquire of me? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you." — 20:3.
The subject matter of their inquiry is not disclosed by the text, but it was no doubt about the live issues of the day of Ezekiel's prophecy, to wit, the then strained relationship between Babylon and Jerusalem, and what would be the outcome. The live issue of the present day is the strained relationship between the Lord's kingdom and the world powers, and what will be the outcome thereof. The elders of the present time inquire with sarcasm, and with criticism leveled at those who are delegated to tell the truth to the people, concerning God and his kingdom. Such elders have no heart inclination to come into line with the light of present truth that Jehovah causes to flash forth from his temple. They want to do things their own selfish way, and not in God's appointed way. They pretend to be hearers of the Word of the Lord God, but they continue to follow their own selfish course. "With their mouth they shew [forth] much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness." (Ezek. 33: 31) God is not deceived and mocked, therefore he says: "As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by [them]." Jehovah refuses to give them information only to have it treated lightly and ignored. Their course is like that of Saul, who was unfaithful to his anointing; and "when Saul in-
quired of the Lord [God], the Lord answered him not, neither by dreams, nor by Urim, nor by prophets". (1 Sam. 28:6,15; 15:35) "The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant." — Ps. 25:14.
The Lord God would now use Ezekiel, and in modern times his "servant" class, to show some things to them: "Wilt thou judge them, son of man, wilt thou judge them? cause them to know the abominations of their fathers." (20:4) The modern fulfilment of this prophecy dates from the time of the coming of Christ Jesus to the temple of God for judgment. "For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God; and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?" (1 Pet. 4:17) The judgment includes not only the "faithful and wise servant" class, but also those who do not obey the Lord and who become the "evil servant" class, chief amongst which are the rebellious elders.
The commandment of the Lord to Ezekiel is further proof that the witnesses of Jehovah, that is, his "faithful servant" class, must pronounce the judgment of the Lord against the lukewarm and the unfaithful and against the mere hearers of the Word of God who refuse to do his will. "Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come." (1 Cor. 4:5) Now the Lord is come to his temple, and it is God's time of judgment; and the "servant" class must declare the judgments of the Lord God against those who are disobedient to his Word. This is done that the derelicts may be able to see that their own course reflects that which was taken by their fathers, and
that they are true children of their fathers and are naturally filling up the measure of their fathers' iniquity.
The rule of the Lord announced in the eighteenth chapter of Ezekiel shows that the Lord will not hold them accountable for the wrongful deeds of their fathers nor will he give them credit for the good done by their fathers. Each one must now be judged according to the course he takes in the light of God's Word. But these elders are taking the same course that their fathers took; and that is the lesson. They are doing similarly to what their fathers did in the denominational churches. They are guilty of the same sins that the Israelitish elders committed, which sins may be summed up in the words 'rebellion' and 'unfaithfulness'. "Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come." (1 Cor. 10:11) Jehovah therefore authorizes his "faithful servant" class to compare the abominations of modern elders with those of ancient Israel. Such is not the pronouncing of judgment by men, but is the declaration of God's judgment, already written, and which his witnesses merely make known.
Jehovah directed Ezekiel to tell the elders of their abominations; and this he did, as the text in chapter twenty, verses five to twenty-nine, shows. Jehovah declares that because of their unfaithfulness he would have destroyed them except for his own name's sake: "But I wrought for my name's sake, that it should not be polluted before the heathen, among whom they were, in whose sight I made myself known unto them, in bringing them forth out of the land
of Egypt." (20:9) Three times the Lord makes a like declaration in this chapter. Thus three times Jehovah emphasizes the fact that the vindication of his name was the issue of real importance then, and for that reason he refrained from destroying the rebellious, unfaithful, covenant-breaking nation of Israel, upon whom he had bestowed such great favor, mercy and love. He had put his name there, and his name must be vindicated. The Jews had entered into a covenant to worship and serve Jehovah, and the elders were appointed as leaders and helpers of the people; and they rebelled against God and were unfaithful to their covenant and turned to idolatrous practices. These were the things that provoked God to anger. (See verses 8,13, 21.) In modern times elders have entered into the covenant to serve and to honor God and to do his will; but, being unfaithful to their covenant, they have followed their own selfish way in giving honor and credit to one of God's creatures instead of giving all honor and credit to the great Creator for the truth revealed concerning his purposes and his kingdom.
"Wherefore I gave them also statutes that were not good, and judgments whereby they should not live: and I polluted them in their own gifts, in that they caused to pass through the fire all that openeth the womb, that I might make them desolate, to the end that they might know that I am the Lord." (20: 25, 26) Briefly, this means that God permits such to take their own wrongful course until his own good time to call them to account. The word "gave" in the text means "to give up to" or 'to suffer', as in Judges 15:1 and 1 Samuel 24:7. Hence one of the trans-
lators renders the text: "I myself indeed suffered them [to walk in] statutes which were not good, and regulations in which they could not live." (Roth.) This means that God suffered or permitted the Israelites, without hindrance, to walk in the statutes of the heathen nations. The statutes or rules of the heathen nations were not good and could not bring them life, but, on the contrary, brought death, exactly the contrary to what God had given them. (20:11) They disregarded God's statutes and followed their own evil course.
This is an explanation of the permission of evil on a small scale. God's purpose in not restraining evil is to demonstrate that he is the Life-giver, and that life can be gained only by walking in the way of his rules. Those who are set in their own ways he gives up to their own selfishness and wilfulness. In effect the Lord says to such: 'If you want to go in the way of wickedness, go the limit and take the consequences'; and thus he said to the Jews: "As for you, 0 house , of Israel, thus saith the Lord God, Go ye, serve ye every one his idols, and hereafter also, if ye will not hearken unto me; but pollute ye my holy name no more with your gifts, and with your idols." (20: 39) Jehovah absolved himself from all connection with or responsibility for wickedness. It is men who have made it to appear that Jehovah is responsible for the practice of evil. Men have called themselves by the name of the Lord, and have thus associated their own evil ways with the name of Jehovah and thereby cast reproach upon him. Jehovah never permits evil for the purpose of teaching men 'the exceeding sinfulness of sin'; but when men insist on taking their own
selfish course, he lets them do it. By his Word of truth he teaches that which is right.
Those who attempt to come to the Lord with impure and unrepentant hearts cannot receive his counsel. In harmony with this statement he directed Ezekiel to say unto the house of Israel: "Thus saith the Lord God, Are ye polluted after the manner of your fathers? and commit ye whoredom after their abominations? for when ye offer your gifts, when ye make your sons to pass through the fire, ye pollute yourselves with all your idols, even unto this day; and shall I be inquired of by you, 0 house of Israel? As I live, saith the Lord God, I will not be inquired of by you." (20:30,31) Such have no right to inquire of the Lord and to receive his counsel. To permit them to do so would belittle the dignity of Jehovah, and he would have them know that he will not hear them. The heady, self-centered and self-important ones who follow their own selfish course and compromise with the enemy God will not hear, but those who come to him in humility and with contrite hearts he will not cast away. (Ps. 51:17; 34:18; Isa. 57:15) The famine of the hearing of the Word of God in the land of Christendom is due to the sin of rebellion and unfaithfulness. This applies to the elders or rulers in nominal churches, the clergy and the chief ones of the flock, and also to the elders in any and all other professed Christian organizations that follow a like course.
The elders and leaders of Christendom insist on following after the ways of satanic religion by compromising with the Devil. In this they are following in the way of their fathers. "And that which cometh
into your mind shall not be at all, that ye say, We will be as the heathen, as the families of the countries, to serve wood and stone. As I live, saith the Lord God, surely with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out, will I rule over you." (20: 32, 33) This does not mean that God would force them to serve him, but he tells them that they cannot decide to ape idolatry and practice satanic religion and at the same time continue to call themselves God's people. Jehovah intervenes for his name's sake. He must either clear out the hypocritical and unfaithful or else cast the whole company away. There can be no partnership or compromise between Jehovah and the house of the Devil. (2 Cor. 6:15) Jehovah is not a tyrannical ruler, but the terms of the covenant provide for punishment upon the other party to the covenant when such party becomes delinquent in the performance of that covenant. This is God's fixed rule. After the punishment of the Jews failed to bring them into subjection to their covenant, "seven times" of punishment came upon the unfaithful nation. "Then I will walk contrary unto you also in fury; and I, even I, will chastise you seven times for your sins." — Lev. 26: 28.
PURGING AND RESTORATION
In the prophecy, chapter twenty (34-36), the Lord declares his purpose to gather out his covenant people from others and to bring them into the wilderness. This part of the prophecy manifestly applies to the latter days, and is again mentioned in Ezekiel 34:12,13. During the period of time of 'preparing the way before the Lord', as stated by another proph-
et (Mal. 3:1), Jehovah was accomplishing this particular work of gathering out from the peoples of the earth "a people for his name". This was the work done just before the appearing of Christ Jesus at the temple. This work took on a greater momentum about 1914, when there was a wide proclamation of the truth by means of the "Photo-drama" and other means; and it was about that time that God's indignation against Satan and his organization began to be expressed.
In the years 1917 and 1918 the Lord brought his gathered-out class into "a wilderness" or "desert" amidst the worst throes of the World War. It was then that The Finished Mystery was published; and God's purpose in permitting it to be published surely was for it to serve as an instrument to do a separating work that manifested the real heart condition of those who had professed to be in the covenant with him. "And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant." (20: 37) In harmony with these words of the prophet, and in those darkest days of the World War, God's people did pass under the rod of correction and affliction and felt the harsh "rod of the wicked" upon them. They were chastised with "the rod of men". (2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 89: 32; 125: 3) The wicked rulers of Christendom (including a number of elders in the ecclesias of God's covenant people and who had served present truth) "smote" the humble followers of Christ Jesus, and in so doing they "[smote] the judge of Israel with a rod upon the cheek". (Mic. 5:1) 'Inasmuch as ye did it unto my brethren, ye did it also unto me.' (Matt. 25:45) The words "the
bond of the covenant" (vs. 37) mean the obligation of the covenant. God's law covenant with Israel provided that if they forsook their covenant, they were tinder bond to receive punishment with a view of their correction. In 1918 "the Messenger of the covenant" came to the temple, and under the bond of the covenant he subjected "the sons of Levi" to a great fiery test. — Mal. 3: 2, 3.
There was a separating or cleansing work done by the Lord at the time of his coming to the temple, in harmony with the statement of Ezekiel 20: 38: "And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me; I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel; and ye shall know that I am the Lord." This coincides with the prophecy of Malachi: "And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness." (Mal. 3:3) Also the words of Christ Jesus: "So shall it be at the end of the world; the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just; and shall cast them into the furnace of fire; there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 13:49,50) "The wicked" specifically refers to the elders or leaders who rebelled against God and followed their own selfish course; and such he declares are not permitted to "enter into the land", that is to say, into the spiritual blessings that God has provided for his remnant. (1 Cor. 2: 9,10) According to the whole argument of chapter twenty; of Ezekiel it
is evident that the rebellious elders do not return to the Lord and become a part of his servant class.
During the World War some of the elders in the ecclesias of God's people consorted with others of Christendom and caused the imprisonment of certain members of God's organization. Following the release of these imprisoned ones God's covenant people on earth were in a "wilderness" condition for three and one-half "times", or 1260 days. (Rev. 12:6-14) (See Light, Book One, page 246.) In that time God faithfully pleaded with his people while in the wilderness condition, that they might discern and prepare for the kingdom service which followed shortly thereafter and which is still in progress. This drew the remnant into a class to itself with the Lord, but at the same time hardened the hearts of "the rebels" and resulted in their being separated from amongst the faithful people of God. Thus it is seen that Ezekiel 20:39 corresponds with Revelation 22:11.
Zion is God's kingdom organization, wherein his temple is located. (Isa. 27:1, 13; 66:20-22; Joel 3:17) Concerning this, through his prophet Ezekiel, the Lord says: "For in mine holy mountain, in the mountain of the height of Israel, saith the Lord God, there shall all the house of Israel, all of them in the land, serve me; there will I accept them, and there will I require your offerings, and the firstfruits of your oblations, with all your holy things." (20:40) This statement, and also that of verses forty-one and forty-two, would indicate that after the Lord returned unto Zion in 1918 and brought about the restoration of his remnant, and made such the custodian of his kingdom interests, then Jehovah, his purposes,
and his name would be revealed to his people more clearly than ever before. (Ps. 102:16) Such is in exact harmony with the facts that have come to pass. The "land" which Jehovah swore with uplifted hand to give unto his anointed was the kingdom and the kingdom privileges and places in his organization as his witnesses to do the work he has commissioned them to do. — Luke 22: 29, 30.
After the coming of the Lord to the temple God's faithful children began to grow in wisdom and to see many of their mistakes and shortcomings, and this is indicated by the words of the prophet: "And there shall ye remember your ways, and all your doings, wherein ye have been defiled; and ye shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for all your evils that ye have committed." (20:43) This began with the fulfilment of the remorseful words uttered by Isaiah: "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips, for mine eyes have seen the King: the Lord of hosts." — Isa. 6:5.
As God's children progressed in the understanding and wisdom they saw things by which they had polluted themselves, such as so-called "character development" to fit them to 'help God run the universe'; and such Babylonish formalities in the congregation as long-tailed black coats worn upon the platform, and a solemn and prayerful attitude assumed in the presence of the public; and sanctimonious speech; and the setting up upon a pedestal of the leaders in the church, and insisting that one man is God's "faithful and wise servant" to whom God has committed all his work concerning the kingdom of heaven; and
further, the observance of such things as "Christmas" and other heathen idolatrous customs. God's people thereafter came to see that they are commissioned to do his work and to represent him, and not to follow the hypocritical practices of Christendom. In the past his covenant people have not resorted to such practices with a wrongful intent; but their course was not right, and God could not pass it by unnoticed, and in due time he made it known to them; and this brought remorse and reformation, and this to their good.
Jehovah has worked or "wrought" with his professed people, even as the prophecy says, and that for his name's sake: "And ye shall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my name's sake, not according to your wicked ways, nor according to your corrupt doings, 0 ye house of Israel, saith the Lord God." (20: 44) He has been long-suffering and forbearing with them, in order that he might bring forth "a people for his name", and that his name might be vindicated and honored. Before 1918 the church was not without fault, but the Lord 'withdrew his hand', as stated in verse twenty-two, until the time for judgment should begin, in 1918.
FIERY DESTRUCTION
Jehovah then directed Ezekiel to prophesy against the people of the south: "Son of man, set thy face toward the south, and drop thy word toward the south, and prophesy against the forest of the south field." (20:46) At that time Ezekiel was in captivity in the north; hence to set his face toward the south meant to look toward Jerusalem. The destruction
which was to come upon Jerusalem was said to come from the north. (Jer. 1:14) Relatively, Judah and Jerusalem were to the south. When the captivity was returned to Jerusalem it was said to be turned southward. (Ps. 126:4) "The forest of the south field" would therefore have reference to the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem, both to the rulers and to the ruled. In its larger fulfilment it would represent Christendom and would pertain to the rulers and to the ruled that support the rulers. These are made up of the haughty and godless men, amongst whom there are very few "trees of righteousness", and these "trees" who are in the world are not of it. The prophecy, therefore, was directed against the peoples of Christendom.
Jehovah then directed Ezekiel, who represents the "faithful servant" class, to speak to the people thus: "And say to the forest of the south, Hear the word of the Lord, Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, I will kindle a fire in thee, and it shall devour every green tree in thee, and every dry tree: the flaming flame shall not be quenched, and all faces from the south to the north shall be burned therein." (20:47) The people of Christendom, that is, the rulers as well as the ruled, must feel the wrath of God, because they have all turned to folly: "For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest; and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke. Through the wrath of the Lord of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother." — Isa. 9:18,19.
Christendom is boastful and heedless of God's
Word. The clergy and the leaders are boastful and arrogant, and many of the people "love to have it so"; and concerning this the Lord says: "Behold, I am against thee, 0 inhabitant of the valley, and rock of the plain, saith the Lord; which say, Who shall come down against us? or who shall enter into our habitations? But I will punish you according to the fruit of your doings, saith the Lord; and I will kindle a fire in the forest thereof, and it shall devour all things round about it." (Jer. 21:13,14) Out from this burning destruction Jehovah plucks his remnant, and such are as "a brand plucked out of the fire". — Zech. 3:2; Amos 4:11.
When Jehovah God gives expression to his righteous indignation against Christendom at Armageddon no one will be able to check that conflagration. It will sweep Christendom like a forest fire. "And all flesh shall see that I the Lord have kindled it; it shall not be quenched." (20: 48) The people will see that it is no ordinary trouble between men and nations, but that it is the expression of God's wrath. It is his decree that calls for the destruction of Christendom, and it will be enforced.
At this very day there are a number of elders, who have been elders amongst the people of God, but who have little or no interest in God's kingdom. They are more interested in getting themselves into a soft place and in opposing and doing evil to God's true witnesses, against whom they speak sneeringly. God will not hear them nor advise them. He caused Ezekiel to say, and likewise his "faithful servant" now says: "Then said I, Ah Lord God! they say of me, Doth he not speak parables?" (20:49) The hearts of such
rebellious leaders are hard, and they do not understand or heed the warning of the Lord. Their supporters and followers they lead into Satan's trap. — 2 Thess. 2:11,12.
CHRISTENDOM'S RULERS
(EZEKIEL, CHAPTER 21)
The outstanding thought of the twenty-first chapter of Ezekiel's prophecy is "the sword", used to symbolize war or destruction at the hand of Jehovah's executive officer. Jehovah directed Ezekiel then to prophesy against Jerusalem, which foreshadowed Christendom. "Son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, and drop thy word toward the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel. And say to the land of Israel, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I am against thee, and will draw forth my sword out of his sheath, and will cut off from thee the righteous and the wicked." — 21: 2, 3.
This applies against those who claim to have special favors from God and that they are ruling by divine right; and hence its application is against the clergy and the principal of their flock in the land, or nations, called "Christendom". Since 1922 God's anointed "servant" class has been delivering this hard saying against the controlling powers of Satan's visible organization, to wit: 'Jehovah is against you, because you have rejected THE STONE, Christ Jesus, who is God's King and earth's rightful Ruler.' Against these rulers in Christendom God will now draw out his sword, which means that he will destroy the organization called "Christendom". His faithful servant class must give testimony concerning it.
During the time that Jesus was required to sit at the right hand of Jehovah and wait, God's sword was in its sheath. It is his chief instrument for the execution of his judgment against the wicked organization, and the sword therefore represents Jesus Christ, God's chief executive officer: "For I lift up my hand to heaven, and say, I live for ever. If I whet my glittering sword, and mine hand take hold on judgment, I will render vengeance to mine enemies, and will reward them that hate me." — Deut. 32:40,41.
Among the rulers of Christendom there are two classes, to wit, those who are self-righteous and who claim and assume to be pious and to serve God, and another class made up of those who deny God and his Word and who oppose openly everything pertaining to his kingdom or that names the name of the Lord. Both of these classes shall be cut off, as the prophecy declares. This is shown by the statement of verses four and five. God unsheaths his sword, and it will not return to its sheath until his judgments are executed upon Christendom, which has taken his name in vain.
In 1928 God directed his people, then assembled in convention at Detroit, to throw down the gauntlet, declaring his purpose to destroy Satan's organization and directing attention particularly to Christendom. There will be no withdrawal therefrom. The remnant is now telling "the testimony of Jesus Christ" in obedience to God's commandment, and telling it against Christendom; and when God's sword smites Christendom she will know that it is from the hand of the great Jehovah.
The "faithful and wise servant" class, pictured by Ezekiel, is then directed by Jehovah to sigh with bitterness before the eyes of Christendom. When asked the reason for such bitter sighing, the servant is to say: "For the tidings, because it cometh." (21:6,7) God's faithful witnesses are now certain that they have the correct understanding of what is coming upon Christendom and upon all of Satan's organization. God has revealed to his faithful people that the battle of Armageddon will be truly terrible and be the greatest of all tribulations, because God through Christ Jesus, and not by man, will execute his righteous judgment against Christendom. Seeing the terrible disaster that shall befall the peoples and the nations, necessarily those of the remnant sigh with bitterness, because of what they see coming.
The remnant must tell this message to Christendom by giving plain notice of the approaching great tribulation; and by their so doing, the "heart [of Christendom's rulers] shall melt, and [their] hands shall be feeble, and [their] spirit shall faint, and all knees shall be weak as water: behold, it cometh, and shall be brought to pass, saith the Lord God". (Vs. 7) The remnant is now delivering this message, but little heed is being given thereto. The remnant must continually tell the message; and when the rulers of Christendom actually face the crisis her rulers, lords and defenders will grow weak and will realize their utter inability to hold out against God's power. They will be brought face to face with the situation that will destroy all their boastfulness and courage and take away their impudence before God. The remnant must continue to press the battle to the gate. Jehovah
will provide his remnant with all needed strength to do the work he has commissioned them to do. — Isa. 6:11,12; 28:5,6.
Jehovah's witness, the faithful remnant, must call attention to the threatening "sword of Jehovah". Only by so doing can the remnant be the faithful watchmen. Therefore the remnant is commanded: "Son of man, prophesy, and say, Thus saith the Lord; Say, A sword, a sword is sharpened, and also furbished." (21: 9) The responsibility is upon the "servant" class to deliver the message, and the responsibility is upon those who hear and who have failed to heed it. (Ezek. 33: 2-4) It is the time to perform this solemn duty, because the Lord has drawn his sword for the vindication of his name. The time has come for God to act: "It is sharpened to make a sore slaughter; it is furbished that it may glitter; should we then make mirth? it contemneth the rod of my son, as every tree." (21:10) Christendom's rulers claim to be the sons of God and God's favorites. (Ps. 82:6) They claim that they have a strong rod or scepter, and that they rule the earth as God's special favorites and by right from him. But even if their rod were as large as a tree, God's Word would contemn or despise it, because Christendom will not be permitted to escape. With boastful arrogance Satan now assembles his forces for Armageddon, and by various treaties and compacts his rulers on earth bind themselves as rods together until they have the appearance of a tree for thickness; yet God's great sword despises them and they are contemptible in his sight. The remnant must do their duty in declaring the truth.
Christ Jesus is the mighty warrior who will wield the sword of Jehovah and slay his adversaries. The Lord God has prepared it that it may be handled. "And he hath given it to be furbished, that it may be handled; this sword is sharpened, and it is furbished, to give it into the hand of the slayer." (21:11) Christ Jesus is the great slayer, and now he girds his sword upon him and rides victoriously to the war. (Ps. 45: 3, 4) As this sword glitters in the divine light, the remnant class on earth catch the flashes of its lightning and see the way to go and how to use "the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God", in harmony with his will. Christ, with his mighty invisible armies, is marching to the war, and the small division, the remnant on earth, is announcing the approaching battle and singing the praises of Jehovah. Those in the covenant who do not joyfully obey the Lord do not see the flashes of light and cannot appreciate what is about to come to pass. Without doubt Jehovah sends to his faithful people these flashes of light in "the day of his preparation" that they may be able to use the Word of God with effect and to be encouraged and to press the battle to the end. It is God's truth, and he gives it to his people according to their needs. He feeds them upon food which is convenient.
In the light of God's commandment to Ezekiel, as set forth in verses twelve and thirteen, no faithful member of the remnant could now remain idle or indifferent. It is the judgment time upon all professed people of God, which includes all in Christendom. Sentimental religionists think it strange that God would despise "organized Christianity" and destroy
it, but they do not understand. Concerning this the Lord says: "Because it is a trial, and what if the sword contemn even the rod? it shall be no more, saith the Lord God." (21:13) Ezekiel was commanded to smite upon his thigh, directing attention to the fact that God's wartime was at hand. It is a "trial", or test time, upon those who bear the rod or scepter to rule, and these shall fall. Christendom's power shall be no more, because it is an abomination in God's sight. The kingdom-sword will not return to its sheath until all the adversaries of Jehovah are silenced.
The proclamation of this message is of such tremendous importance that God commands that an extra effort be made to attract the attention of the people thereto. Hence to Ezekiel he said: "Thou, therefore, son of man, prophesy, and smite thine hands together, and let the sword be doubled the third time, the sword of the slain; it is the sword of the great men that are slain, which entereth into their privy chambers." (21:14) It is manifest that the words here used, "let the sword be doubled the third time," are used to emphasize the importance of the message and the complete effectiveness of God's war against Satan's organization. "And let 'The sword' be repeated the third time." (Leeser) That means, Let the proclamation of the message of the day of the vengeance of our God continue with emphasis until it is complete. Repeatedly call the attention of the people thereto.
Let the battle cry of God's anointed people be: "THE SWORD OF JEHOVAH AND OF HIS ANOINTED."
The remnant has continued to use this battle cry since 1928. It is a message of Jehovah through Christ Jesus concerning his vengeance upon Christendom. It is the sword that slays the great and mighty rulers in Satan's earthly organization. "It is upon all the princes of Israel," that is to say, upon the rulers of Christendom. "Cry and howl, son of man; for it is upon my people, it is upon all the princes of Israel; they are delivered over to the sword with my people; smite therefore upon thy thigh." — 21:12, R.V.
The Lord in this present day makes the truth clear and bright, that it might cut deep into the ranks of the adversaries. "I have set the point of the sword against all their gates, that their heart may faint, and their ruins be multiplied. Ah! it is made bright, it is wrapped up for the slaughter." (21:15) The word "point" is rendered "consternation" in the Revised Version, margin. Other translators render the text: "Ah, it is made bright [made as lightning, to flash like lightnings]. It is wrapped up [pointed, keen, thin-edged, sharp; it is well prepared] for the slaughter," and is put in the hands of the slayer, Christ Jesus.
"The point," as used above, is from the root word which seems to mean "to turn", and hence to brandish. Jehovah has ordered his sword to be turned or brandished against the gates of the traitors of "organized Christianity", and that causes consternation to the enemy. The Lord makes everything ready for the execution of his judgments of vengeance against Christendom, and it will be done in grand style. Christendom has not a "ghost of a chance" to withstand the assault of the Lord and to survive. The
remnant is now exhibiting the Word of God before Christendom, and is brandishing it by declaring his message of vindication. It is not a rusty or dull-edged sword either, but is keen, thin-edged, pointed and polished, and an effective weapon. The remnant are confidently and boldly going forward proclaiming the message of the Lord's judgments, until he shortly executes his judgment against the adversaries.
Verse sixteen of the twenty-first chapter of this prophecy is addressed to the sword, and this is indicated by the gender of the verb. According to another translator it reads: "One firm stroke to the right, turn to the left, whithersoever thine edge is directed." (Roth.) It is therefore certain that this is the command of Jehovah to Christ Jesus, his polished "Sword", and to his army that faithfully follow after him, including the remnant, to proceed to the battle, and for each member to do his duty and to smite in three different directions, to wit, to the right, to the left, and in front of them, which means, against the three divisions of Satan's organization. God's remnant is commanded to do a smiting work; as it is written: "I have . . . raised up thy Sons, O Zion, ... as a sword of a mighty man." (Zech. 9:13,14) The remnant, however, does the smiting work by declaring the message of truth, and the Lord Jesus does the great actual smiting against Christendom.
It is a time of war, and therefore the time for vigorous action. "I will also smite mine hands together, and I will cause my fury to rest; I the Lord have said it." (21:17) The Lord brings forcibly together his strength and power for his work, causing
all divisions of his mighty army to work with complete unity. There will be no peaceful time until Jehovah's fury has been satisfied upon the enemy at Armageddon. All the adversaries of Jehovah must go down, that his name and word may be vindicated.
OVERTHROW CERTAIN
Having determined that Jerusalem should fall, Jehovah used the king of Babylon to accomplish his purpose. To Ezekiel, therefore, Jehovah said: "Also, thou son of man, appoint thee two ways, that the sword of the king of Babylon may come; both twain shall come forth out of one land; and choose thou a place, choose it at the head of the way to the city." (21:19) What follows seems clearly to show that God will first destroy Christendom and will then destroy the entire organization of Satan. Jerusalem was first destroyed, and then, later, Babylon was destroyed.
Did Nebuchadnezzar, in destroying Jerusalem, typify Jesus Christ? The answer is No. To be a type of Christ one must be wholly devoted to God, like Moses. Nebuchadnezzar was not devoted to Jehovah, but was the instrument of Satan, and therefore could not be a type of Christ Jesus.
Prior to his rebellion Lucifer was a servant of Jehovah, clothed with power and authority to inflict the death penalty for the violation of God's law. (Ezek. 28:14; Heb. 2:14) When Jehovah withdrew his favor from Israel and determined upon its destruction, that nation passed under the control of Satan by sufferance, and Satan, by the sufferance of Jehovah, became the god of the entire world. Nebuchadnezzar, being the visible head of the universal world power, there
sat in the position similar to that occupied by Lucifer prior to his rebellion. God used Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, to punish Israel; and for that purpose Nebuchadnezzar was the servant of Jehovah, and Jehovah spoke of Nebuchadnezzar as his servant. (Jer. 25: 9; 27: 6; Ezek. 29:19, 20) Nebuchadnezzar was not a type of Jesus Christ merely because God used him for his purpose to foreshadow the destruction of Christendom. As long as Israel was a covenant people of God, Nebuchadnezzar could not be the universal ruler of the world; and when God cast Israel off, Nebuchadnezzar, being the representative of Satan on earth, became the universal ruler of the world by reason of what God did to the Israelites; and hence it is properly said that Jehovah gave Nebuchadnezzar the kingdom, that is to say, he suffered him to take it. Daniel, addressing Nebuchadnezzar, said: "Thou ... art a king of kings, for the God of heaven hath given thee [the] kingdom." (Dan. 2:37) That does not mean that God had made Nebuchadnezzar his representative in the earth; but by reason of what God did to Israel he made Nebuchadnezzar king of the Israelites.
There is no reason to believe that Nebuchadnezzar knew he was serving God's purposes; but that did not preclude him from being so used. Any creature whom the Lord uses in his service, even if that creature be an ass, is his servant. (Num. 22:28-30) God could have caused even the very stones to do his service and therefore to be his servant. (Luke 19:40) Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon stood, as it were, at the forks of the road, considering whether he should take the road that led him to Ammon, and smite first the
Ammonites, or should take the other road and smite first Judah and Jerusalem. God intervened and so controlled the affairs of Nebuchadnezzar that Nebuchadnezzar chose to go to Jerusalem and did go and smite it first. In thus controlling the action of Nebuchadnezzar Jehovah said to Ezekiel: "Choose thou a place ... at the head of the way to the city [Jerusalem]." "And a hand engrave thou, at the head of the way to the city engrave it." (Roth.) (21:19) Just as though one would place a signboard with an index finger there at the fork of the road, the finger pointing a certain way, in like manner the Lord directed that Nebuchadnezzar go to Jerusalem. Jerusalem was more reprehensible before God, and he directed the assault with the sword to be made there first.
Then the prophecy discloses a picture of Nebuchadnezzar appealing to an unseen power, which meant, of course, to the Devil and his angels. "For the king of Babylon stood at the parting of the way, at the head of the two ways [at the fork of the road] to use divination [to appeal to his deity, Satan]: he made his arrows bright, he consulted with images [teraphim, or idols], he looked in the liver." As Nebuchadnezzar stood there facing the south, "at his right hand was the divination for Jerusalem." (21:22) While he consulted his various signs, Jehovah overruled the omens or signs so that God's will would be accomplished upon Jerusalem. Without doubt Jehovah had his angel on the spot to see that Nebuchadnezzar did as he wanted him to do. Jehovah called to remembrance the iniquity of Jerusalem, and so con-
trolled the affairs of Nebuchadnezzar that the assault was made upon it first. — 21: 23.
Even so today: those of the Devil's organization call upon their deity, "the god of this [wicked] world," and consult mediums and idols to know what they shall do; but regardless thereof the will of Jehovah shall be done against hypocritical "organized Christianity". It was Jehovah who brought punishment upon Jerusalem, and it is Jehovah that will bring a like punishment upon Christendom. In both instances the instrument used is Jehovah's servant, but it does not at all follow that the first servant was a "type" of the last.
Jerusalem had come to the full in wickedness, and God caused Ezekiel to announce his decree against her. Likewise, Christendom has come to the full in wickedness, and God causes his anointed people, whom Ezekiel foreshadowed, to announce his decree against her: "Therefore thus saith the Lord God, Because ye have made your iniquity to be remembered, in that your transgressions are discovered, so that in all your doings your sins do appear; because, I say, that ye are come to remembrance, ye shall be taken with the hand." (21:24) Thus Jehovah sets forth that it is the measure of sinfulness and wickedness, in proportion to light, that brings responsibility and that therefore brings down upon the wicked his sword. In this verse (24) Jehovah laid the charge against the Jews at the beginning of the Gentile times; and with stronger reasoning the charge applies to Christendom since the close of the Gentile times and before bringing upon Christendom the sword at Armageddon.
Zedekiah was then the ruler in Jerusalem, and
Zedekiah foreshadowed the exalted rulers in Christendom. To such Jehovah says: "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end." (21:25) This applied, of course, to Zedekiah; and its wider application is to the exalted ones of Christendom who are lifted up, haughty, austere, and who are "profane" [meaning "death-deserving" (Leeser)], lawless ones who assume to be worthy to rule in God's name and who hypocritically claim to be God's representatives on the earth. Other renderings of the text are illuminating: "Whose day hath come in a time of final iniquity" (Roth.); "And thou, death-deserving wicked one, prince of Israel, whose day is come, at the time of the iniquity of the end." (Leeser) This means that the time has come when God will restrain evil, and that time is marked by extreme wickedness in Christendom; and now it must come to an end.
Jehovah then addresses his chief officer, saying: "Thus saith the Lord God, Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high." (21: 26) Christ Jesus is the one who knocks the crowns off the heads of the rulers of the world, and who takes away all kingdom privileges from the unfaithful, and who exalts the obedient ones who are faithful to their covenant. This work began with the coming of the Lord to his temple for judgment, in 1918. The fall of Zedekiah marked the end of the Jewish nation. The fall of Christendom will mark the end of hypocritical "organized religion".
Then with decided emphasis Jehovah announces: "I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall
be no more, until he come whose right it is; and I will give it him." (21:27) The it means the crown, or authority to rule. The rulers of Christendom assume to wear it, the crown, and God will take it away completely from Christendom and all other earthly rulers. Christ is earth's rightful King, and God has placed him upon his holy hill in Zion. (Ps. 2:6) The kingdom of God is taken from Christendom and given to the "nation bringing forth the fruits thereof", to wit, Christ Jesus and his faithful body members, the faithful servant of Jehovah. (Matt. 21:43) "The Lord lifteth up the meek; he casteth the wicked down to the ground." — Ps. 147:6.
Other renderings of verse twenty-seven disclose a flexibility of phraseology of the text, making it apply both in 1914 and at Armageddon. "Also this shall not belong (to any one) until he come whose right it is, and I will give it him." (Leeser) "Even this hath not befallen until the coming of One to whom belongeth the right, then will I bestow it." (Roth.) This shows that the prophecy applied at 1914, when the Lord Jesus was then placed upon the throne, but applies more particularly at the coming of the Lord Jesus to the battle of Armageddon. Then the crowns of Satan's organization will be thrown down, and the heads broken. (Ps. 110: 6) There will then be no rival eon-tender for the crown, but it belongs to and will be used exclusively by Christ Jesus.
Now earth's rightful King has come, and three and one-half years after his coming, to wit, in 1918, he was presented as King and was rejected by Christendom; and the next great act is the complete overthrow and destruction of Christendom. Three times
the word "overthrown" or "overturn" is used, and manifestly for the purpose of emphasis, as the words "sword be doubled the third time" are used. Such means the certain and complete destruction of Christendom that it may rise no more.
ANTI-RELIGIONISTS
Jehovah so directed the lots cast by Nebuchadnezzar that Nebuchadnezzar first went to Jerusalem and destroyed it, although he had considered to first effect the destruction of Ammon. Rabbah was the capital city of the Ammonites. That people was descended from Lot, the nephew of Abraham. They were unfriendly to the Israelites; and they hated both the faithful and the unfaithful Jews, just because they were called by the name of Jehovah, or Jehovah's covenant people. When Nebuchadnezzar was actually reducing Jerusalem, the Ammonites indulged in reproaching Jehovah's name. The sword of God must smite the Ammonites. (Ps. 83:7,12; Ezek. 25:1-7) The decree of Jehovah marks their fall and was announced by the Prophet Ezekiel: "And thou, sou of man, prophesy and say, Thus saith the Lord God concerning the Ammonites, and concerning their reproach; even say thou, The sword, the sword is drawn; for the slaughter it is furbished, to consume because of the glittering; whiles they see vanity unto thee, whiles they divine a lie unto thee, to bring thee upon the necks of them that are slain, of the wicked, whose day is come, when their iniquity shall have an end." — 21:28, 29.
The Ammonites represent those in the land who do not profess to be God's people but who have a spite
and contempt for any and all who do claim to represent God, whether they be faithful or unfaithful. They reproach the name of God and do evil to his people. Such are the atheists, many of whom are today in Russia, and who have come to the fore since the World War. They are anti-religionists, and are prognosticators who oppose whatsoever is called by the name of Jehovah God. They despise his Word and the people who use it. They make false pretexts, to publish lies for the purpose of provoking anti-religionists to tear down professed Christianity and also true Christianity. They carry on a campaign to propagate their anti-God and anti-kingdom doctrines. They put up the bars and hinder God's witnesses from entering their land to deliver the message of truth.
After the sword of the Lord has smitten Christendom it will not be put back in its sheath until it has smitten others, such as the Ammonites or those whom the Ammonites represented, and who have reproached and do reproach God's name. Concerning such the Lord says: "Shall I cause it to return into his sheath? I will judge thee in the place where thou wast created, in the land of thy nativity." (21: 30) God's judgment will come home to the defamers of his name. Jeremiah prophesied concerning the execution of God's wrath at Armageddon upon such as the Ammonites. (Jer. 25:21) "For, lo, I begin to bring evil on the city which is called by my name [Christendom], and should ye [Ammonites and other heathen] be utterly unpunished? Ye shall not be unpunished; for I will call for a sword upon all the inhabitants of the earth, saith the Lord of hosts." — Jer. 25: 29.
The prophecy of Ezekiel 21: 31, 32 briefly sums up the matter of the punishment God will bring upon all nations aside from Christendom. These shall be for ever forgotten. Jehovah has spoken the decree, and Jehovah's word and name shall be vindicated.
