the “war of the great day of God the Almighty,” at a place called in Hebrew Har–Magedon (or Armageddon). (Matt. 24:7-14) Not strange, then, that the preachers of this particular Kingdom message have become what Jesus Christ foretold in Matthew 24:9, “objects of hatred by all the nations.” Modern history has recorded much persecution of these Kingdom preachers internationally.

“FEAR THEM NOT”

24. Why has the good news of the Kingdom continued to be preached despite persecution, and what special message was published in 1933, and for whom particularly?

²⁴ If the Kingdom preachers had yielded to the fear of men who can kill the body, “this good news of the kingdom” would not have continued to be preached under heavy persecution. Thirty-one years ago, or in the year 1933, this magazine The Watchtower published in its issue of November 1, the leading article entitled “Fear Them Not.” This took up a special discussion of Matthew 10:26-28, just like this present magazine article that you are reading. It was written for those who were coming into special danger at that time, namely, for “the remnant,” “the temple class,” which is evidenced by the fact that the remnant is repeatedly mentioned in the article, from the second paragraph clear through to its forty-second and last paragraph. (Rev. 12:17) No mention is made therein of the “other sheep,” whom the Fine Shepherd Jesus Christ gathers to his fold in hope of eternal life on earth amid Paradise conditions. (John 10:16) That article on fearlessness was well timed for the “remnant” yet on earth, that is, the faithful followers who will be made associate kings with Jesus Christ in his heavenly kingdom.—Rom. 8:16, 17.

25, 26. (a) What action did the Roman Catholic Hierarchy take toward the year of that publication? (b) Why, nevertheless, was that year a critical one?

²⁵ The year 1933 was a critical year. True, the pope of Vatican City, Rome, had declared the year to be a Holy Year in commemoration of the killing of the body of Jesus Christ exactly nineteen centuries previous. So the Roman Catholic Hierarchy expressed the hope that ‘a tide of religion would arise and sweep the nations into peace and prosperity.’ However, in Germany, Adolf Hitler, the Nazi leader, became Chancellor and was voted into dictatorship by the German Reichstag on March 23. In Italy, Benito Mussolini had already become dictator, fastening upon that nation a Fascist rule, and he had entered into a concordat with the pope of Rome by which the pope became the sovereign of Vatican City.

²⁶ Japan was then in the tight grip of war lords who had imperialistic ambitions, and it was working toward becoming an Axis partner with Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. On March 27 the emperor of Japan declared Japan’s withdrawal from the League of Nations because of taking offense at it. So the world situation was shaping itself, not for international “peace and prosperity,” but for the outbreak of World War II and the deathblow to the League of Nations. Along with all such political developments, Catholic Action was, even in “democratic” lands, cooperating with the Roman Catholic dictators of Europe.

27. Whose faith and courage were strengthened by that article “Fear Them Not,” and what was their experience afterward?

²⁷ The Watchtower article “Fear Them Not” strengthened the faith and courage of the Kingdom preachers, particularly Jehovah’s witnesses in Nazi Germany and in lands that came under the sway of the Third German Reich (Empire). They were the first ones against whom the Nazi dictatorship proceeded. They were thrown into prisons and the horrible concentration camps for refusing to renounce God’s kingdom and to worship the Nazi State. Still, throughout all the earth, not excluding “democratic lands,” Jehovah’s witnesses began feeling increased persecution and opposition because of fearlessly continuing to preach God’s kingdom.

28. By the end of World War II in 1945 how many Kingdom preachers had met death, and to what had they not yielded?

²⁸ By the end of World War II in 1945 and the overthrow of the Nazi and Fascist dictatorships and the imperialistic war lords of Japan, the preachers of God’s kingdom who had met death at the hands of “those who kill the body” ran into the thousands. In Nazi Germany, out of ten thousand witnesses of Jehovah who had been put in prisons and concentration camps only eight thousand came out alive. They had not yielded to the fear of mere men.

29. Today what situation do the Kingdom preachers face, so that they need to be reminded of Matthew 10:28?

²⁹ Today, thirty-one years after the much-needed message “Fear Them Not” was published in the columns of the Watchtower magazine, we face a worse situation. The operation of the United Nations has failed to put on an unshakable foundation the desired peace and security of the world. Dread of a third world war with hydrogen bombs and other fiendish means haunts all the nations. The Nazi, Fascist dictatorships are gone, but other dictatorships, including those of political Communism, flourish; and the contagious fever of selfish nationalism spreads like a plague. The worship of national sovereignties and of the political State expands and takes on new expressions. The march of the nations to Armageddon in opposition to the sovereignty of God’s heavenly kingdom is speeded up to double-quick time. As never before, the upholders and preachers of God’s kingdom need to be reminded of Jesus’ words to his apostles in Matthew 10:28.

30. So what texts of Revelation that call for faith and endurance apply today, and who else besides those referred to in these texts are concerned?

³⁰ Our day, with its attempts to force all mankind into worshiping the symbolic “wild beast” of world politics and into worshiping its image, the United Nations organization, is the time for the words of Revelation 13:10 to apply: “Here is where it means the endurance and faith of the holy ones.” Also, the words of Revelation 14:12: “Here is where it means endurance for the holy ones, those who observe the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” Moreover, today not only the “remnant” of these “holy ones” are concerned. They have been joined by an increasing “great crowd” of “other sheep,” who have volunteered to share in the Kingdom preaching. For this great crowd of “other sheep” the shaping up of things on the international scene calls for faith and endurance to hold fast to Christian integrity. The “other sheep” cannot do so and at the same time fear men who kill.

Why Not to Fear Those Who Kill the Body

1, 2. (a) Who are those whom Jesus tells his followers not to fear, and in what condition are they? (b) With what words did God by his prophet Isaiah call attention to this when encouraging his people?

WHO are those persons whom Jesus Christ tells his followers not to fear, in Matthew 10:28? They are all mortal men, just the same as we ourselves are. Politically or militarily or materially or religiously they may be strong, and may be worshiped as gods by the people under