Do You Remember?

Have you read the recent issues of The Watchtower carefully? If so, you should recognize these important points.

● What are the scrolls from which people will be judged during the 1,000-year reign of Christ?

They are the law books of Jehovah, setting forth his will for all people on earth during Christ’s millennial reign. People will be judged on the basis of the way they obey what is written in them.—P. 523.

● What did Jesus mean when he said that Jerusalem would be trampled upon “until the appointed times of the nations are fulfilled”?

He meant that the royal line of King David, which ruled from Jerusalem, would be kept low, inoperative, from 607 B.C.E. until he, Jesus, the permanent heir of David, would be enthroned as king in heavenly Jerusalem in 1914 C.E.—Pp. 612, 613, 616.

● What is the river of water mentioned at Revelation 22:1, 2, and when does it begin to flow?

The symbolic river pictures the entire provision Jehovah makes for obedient mankind to have everlasting life through Jesus Christ. Its flowing begins after Armageddon and the abyssing of Satan.—P. 636.

● How can it be said at Psalm 68:11 that “the women telling the good news are a large army”?

In ancient times Israelite women declared the good news of military victory over God’s enemies with dance, song and instrumental music. A great many modern-day women are declaring the good news of Jehovah’s kingdom and his deeds in his victorious march to Armageddon.—Pp. 652, 653, 655.

● What is depicted by the “fish” taken by the dragnet in Jesus’ prophecy at Matthew 13:47-50?

The symbolic fish that are sorted out and kept are those taken from mankind to reign with Christ in the kingdom of the heavens. The unsuitable fish that are thrown away are those Christians who prove unfaithful to the heavenly calling and the millions of people who stay in Christendom.—Pp. 685-687.

● In what sense do Jehovah’s witnesses advocate the saving of mankind by blood?

Not by medical blood transfusions, but by God’s way of using it, which is the sacrificial use of Jesus’ blood for the redemption of the world of mankind.—P. 726.

● With whom in modern times can the Gibeonites be compared?

With the “great crowd” who are full of faith that the Greater Joshua, Jesus Christ, can protect them through Armageddon.—P. 628.

● Why can it be said that the prophecy at Matthew 24:14 about the worldwide ‘preaching’ of the good news of the Kingdom does not include teaching?

The Greek word translated “to preach” means to make proclamation as a herald. So Jesus prophesied that the good news of the Kingdom’s establishment would be heralded world wide in our day. Teaching work is also being done but this is not what is referred to in this text.—Pp. 756-758.

Questions From Readers

● Is it proper for Christians to “drink a toast” when they get together?—M. D., U.S.A.

In some lands, when acquaintances are about to part, they have a parting drink of some alcoholic beverage, with glasses raised and touched together and accompanied with an expression of ‘to your health’ or something similar. At wedding receptions frequently a toast is similarly offered to the health and happiness of the newlyweds. Understandably, some have questioned whether it would be Scripturally proper for Christians to share in such toasts.

Certainly there is nothing wrong with a Christian’s wishing a friend happiness and good health. Nor would it be improper to do so as a group. The spiritually older men in the first century concluded a letter to the Christian congregations with an expression meaning, essentially, “Good health to you!”—Acts 15:29.

But is that all there is to “toasting”? Why do the toasters raise their glasses, or lift their mugs and clink them together? Is it in imitation of some custom? Note what The Encyclopædia Britannica, 11^th Ed., Volume 13, page 121, says:

“The custom of drinking ‘health’ to the living is most probably derived from the ancient religious rite of drinking to the gods and the dead. The Greeks and Romans at meals poured out libations to their gods, and at ceremonial banquets drank to them and to the dead.” Then, after showing how such pagan customs survived among Scandinavian and Teutonic peoples, this reference work adds: “Intimately associated with these quasi-sacrificial drinking customs must have been the drinking to the health of living men.”

When most people join in a “toast” they probably do not imagine that they might be copying the custom of lifting up a libation or liquid sacrifice to pagan gods, yet that could be so. Without question, a faithful Christian would not share in an actual pagan sacrifice, realizing that “you cannot be drinking the cup of Jehovah and the cup of demons.” (1 Cor. 10:21) A mature Christian would also avoid even imitating false religious rituals. This spiritually mature course would please Jehovah. Remember, God specifically warned the Israelites against copying religious practices of the pagan nations round about them.—Lev. 19:27; 21:5.

If a Christian is going to make a request for divine blessing on another, then an appropriate way to do that is through heartfelt prayer to God, not by following traditions based on pagan worship that Jehovah abhors.—Phil. 1:9; 2 Cor. 1:11.

Customs and traditions abound all over the earth. If a mature Christian knew that a particular one was directly based on false religion, obviously he would avoid it. But not all customs are objectionable. Some may simply be local practices or etiquette without a false religious origin, such as greeting by shaking hands or bowing. (Gen. 23:7) Each individual can consider what he knows about a particular custom and his own motive with regard to it. Just why is he doing it? He might also ask himself, ‘Will doing this stumble others, or will people in the community link my actions with false religion?’ (1 Cor. 10:32, 33) No one else can serve as the conscience for a particular Christian; hence each one can think the matter over and make a decision so as to have a clear conscience.—Acts 23:1; 2 Cor. 1:12.

Announcements

ARE YOU INTERESTED IN SUCCESS?

What is success? Certainly it cannot be measured in money. It is a succeeding in any worthwhile effort. So the good results of a minister’s work indicate success in his preaching. The number of converts alone is not the answer. Though increase world wide in numbers baptized by Jehovah’s witnesses during 1967 is close to an all-time peak, the report of faithful service in the face of increasing opposition will also stand as a part of the permanent record of the successful ministry of these modern-day servants of Jehovah God. Get your copy of the 1968 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Send only 50c. Send also for the 1968 calendar, only 25c.

FIELD MINISTRY

The faithful men of old times, such as Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and the other prophets, endured many trials in proving their faith and love for God. Was it because they were powerful physically? No, but, rather, it was mainly their powerful spiritual condition, their faith, that enabled them to serve and please God. (Heb. 11:32-34) The same is true with Jehovah’s Christian witnesses today. Though having physical limitations, it is powerful spirituality that enables them to endure successfully the tests of faith in these critical times. Thousands of persons have been aided by them to gain such spirituality through the faith-strengthening magazine The Watchtower. Throughout January, Jehovah’s witnesses will be offering to all interested persons a year’s subscription for this Bible magazine, along with three Bible booklets, for $1.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

January 28: How Great a Witness? ¶1-26. Page 7. Songs to Be Used: 67, 89.

February 4: How Great a Witness? ¶27-50. Page 14. Songs to Be Used: 66, 113.

February 11: How Great a Witness? ¶51-73. Page 20. Songs to Be Used: 11, 58.