Witnesses to the Most Distant Part of the Earth

1. What was one of the most dramatic moments in the history of mankind?

IT WAS undoubtedly one of the most dramatic moments in the history of mankind. Never had a parting been more moving. The Son of God was about to take leave of his followers on earth, never to be visibly present with them again in the flesh. There was time for just one more question, one more answer. On what topic? That last conversation would affect Christ’s followers right up until the end of the present system of things!

2. What was the last question put to Jesus before he left the earth for all time, and why does his answer interest us greatly?

² The final question Jesus’ disciples put to him was: “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” What their precise motives were in asking that question is a matter of conjecture. Whatever their expectations were, one thing is clear: they wanted to know when God’s purposes concerning the Kingdom would be fulfilled. Who can blame them? They were neither the first nor the last to show impatience for final deliverance. So Jesus’ comments, yes, his very last words before leaving the earth for all time, are of the utmost interest to us today.

CHRIST’S PARTING COMMISSION

3, 4. (a) How did Jesus reply? (b) What twofold lesson did Jesus give his disciples?

³ Jesus replied: “It does not belong to you to get knowledge of the times or seasons which the Father has placed in his own jurisdiction; but you will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon you, and you will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the most distant part of the earth.” The account adds: “And after he had said these things, while they were looking on, he was lifted up and a cloud caught him up from their vision.”​—Acts 1:6-9.

⁴ The import of Jesus’ parting words was twofold. He first tactfully, yet firmly, told his disciples that the timing of the outworking of Jehovah’s purposes was not their concern. He thus confirmed what he had already stated in his prophecy on the conclusion of the system of things. (Matt. 24:36; Mark 13:32-37) Then he went on to show them what would henceforth be their concern. They were to be Christian witnesses first in Jerusalem, where they had been told to remain for the time being (Acts 1:4), then in all Judea and Samaria and, ultimately, “to the most distant part of the earth.” To that end they would receive “power” by means of the holy spirit.

5. When did “power” come upon Jesus’ disciples, and what did it move them to do?

⁵ That “power” arrived upon them a week and a half later, at Pentecost. The apostles and other disciples had obediently stayed in Jerusalem, and on that festival day “they were all together at the same place.” Suddenly, “they all became filled with holy spirit and started to speak with different tongues, just as the spirit was granting them to make utterance.” They spoke, not some unintelligible babble, but “about the magnificent things of God.”​—Acts 2:1, 4, 11.

“IN JERUSALEM”

6. How did these anointed Christians begin fulfilling their commission, but with what opposition?

⁶ These newly anointed Christians immediately set about carrying out the commission that they had received from the resurrected Christ. They first preached “in Jerusalem”; not without opposition, however. The religious and civil leaders of the Jews plotted against them, saying:

“What shall we do with these men? Because, for a fact, a noteworthy sign has occurred through them [the healing of a lame man], one manifest to all the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and we cannot deny it. Nevertheless, in order that it may not be spread abroad further among the people, let us tell them with threats not to speak anymore upon the basis of this name [Jesus] to any man at all.”​—Acts 4:16, 17.

7. (a) How did Christ’s disciples react thereto? (b) How did a religious opposer provide proof that the early Christians were faithfully carrying out their commission?

⁷ Christ had said: “You will be witnesses of me.” The Jewish Sanhedrin threatened the early Christians “not to speak anymore upon the basis of this name.” Whom did they obey? They respectfully told their persecutors: “We cannot stop speaking about the things we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20) They kept right on witnessing. Although the apostles were jailed, after their miraculous release during the night “they entered into the temple at daybreak and began to teach.” (Acts 5:17-21) What zeal! Again they were arrested.

“They brought them and stood them in the Sanhedrin hall. And the high priest questioned them and said: ‘We positively ordered you not to keep teaching upon the basis of this name, and yet, look! you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.’” (Acts 5:27, 28)

Unwittingly, this religious dignitary testified to the fact that these early Christians were faithfully carrying out the first part of their Christ-given commission. They were being zealous witnesses of him “in Jerusalem.”

8. How had these Christians ‘filled Jerusalem with their teaching,’ and what results did they obtain?

⁸ After being flogged and ordered “to stop speaking upon the basis of Jesus’ name,” these Christians “went their way from before the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy to be dishonored in behalf of his name.” Far from being discouraged, “every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus.” (Acts 5:40-42) Notice that they “continued” witnessing “from house to house.” (New World Translation; New International Version) That is how they, although relatively few in number, had managed to ‘fill Jerusalem with their teaching.’ This method brought splendid results. “Consequently the word of God went on growing, and the number of the disciples kept multiplying in Jerusalem very much.”​—Acts 6:7.

ON INTO SAMARIA AND JUDEA

9. Under what circumstances did the witnessing work move on to Judea and Samaria?

⁹ But the early Christians could not stop there. They were to be Christ’s witnesses also “in all Judea and Samaria.” Actually, it was their very zeal in carrying out the first part of their commission that led them into fulfilling the second part of their Christian work. Opposition to their witnessing in Jerusalem reached a climax with the religious murder of Stephen, and this set in motion a wave of persecution against the congregation of Christian witnesses in Jerusalem. The purpose of this violent opposition was to silence these witnesses of Christ. Instead, it gave a new boost to the witnessing work and extended it just where Christ wanted it to go. “All except the apostles were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria.” And what did those dispersed Christians do in those areas? They “went through the land declaring the good news of the word.”​—Acts chap. 7; Ac 8:1, 4.

10. What did the apostles do when they heard that “Samaria had accepted the word of God,” and what ‘key’ did Peter use?

¹⁰ Soon news got back to “the apostles in Jerusalem” that “Samaria had accepted the word of God.” Rising to the situation, the apostles sent two of their number, Peter and John, to consolidate the good work done by these scattered Christians, including Philip the evangelizer. Using the prerogative that Christ had granted him, Peter opened up the way for the Samaritans to become spirit-begotten, anointed Christians, called to share with Christ in “the kingdom of the heavens.” (Matt. 16:18, 19; Acts 8:14-17) The account in Acts continues: “When they had given the witness thoroughly and had spoken the word of Jehovah, . . . they went declaring the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.” (Acts 8:25) So much for Samaria!

11. What evidence is there that “all Judea” received a fine witness?

¹¹ As for Judea, doubtless many Judeans were present in Jerusalem at Pentecost and received the fine witness given by the newly anointed Christians, notably by Peter. (Acts 2:9, 14-36) We also know that before the wave of persecution broke out against the Christians in Jerusalem, “the multitude from the cities around Jerusalem kept coming together, bearing sick people and those troubled with unclean spirits, and they would one and all be cured.” (Acts 5:16) All these inhabitants of Judea received the witness concerning Jesus. Referring to the period following the conversion of Paul, Luke wrote: “The congregation throughout the whole of Judea and Galilee and Samaria entered into a period of peace, being built up.” (Acts 9:31) About 15 years later Paul was able to write to Christians in Thessalonica: “For you became imitators, brothers, of the congregations of God that are in Judea.” (1 Thess. 2:14) Undeniably, the early Christians zealously carried out their Christ-given commission to be his witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria.”

“AWAY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH”

12. How were seeds for future expansion sown on the day of Pentecost?

¹² However, Jesus’ parting commission went still farther. It stated: “You will bear witness for me in Jerusalem, and all over Judaea and Samaria, and away to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8, The New English Bible) There is evidence that Christ’s name was witnessed to among the Jews of the Diasporaa at an early date, even before 36 C.E.​—the year Peter again used his Christ-given prerogative, this time to open up the Kingdom to the uncircumcised Gentiles. (Matt. 16:18, 19; Acts chap. 10) For one thing, the 3,000 Jews and proselytes who became baptized Christians on the day of Pentecost 33 C.E. were not inhabitants only of Jerusalem and Judea. Many of them had come from such far-flung places as Parthia, Media, Elam and Mesopotamia (modern Iran and Iraq), Asia Minor (modern Turkey), North Africa and Italy. (Acts 2:8-11) Upon returning to their homelands on the three continents of Asia, Africa and Europe, these newly converted Christians undoubtedly witnessed to Christ’s name, at least to other Jews and proselytes in their respective countries. Thus seeds for future expansion were sown right there at Pentecost.

13. What indicates that the Christian witness was given beyond Judea and Samaria at an early date?

¹³ Furthermore, we read in Acts 11:19: “Those who had been scattered by the tribulation that arose over Stephen [sometime after Pentecost, but before the conversion of Paul in 34 or 35 C.E.] went through as far as Phoenicia and Cyprus and [Syrian] Antioch, but speaking the word to no one except to Jews only.” This provides definite proof that even before the preaching reached out to the non-Jews, Christ was being witnessed to far beyond Judea and Samaria.

14. Where did systematic witnessing among the uncircumcised apparently begin? Explain.

¹⁴ Once Peter had used another of the “keys of the kingdom of the heavens” to unlock Kingdom opportunities to the uncircumcised, in 36 C.E., the way was open to carry the Christian witness to all peoples, yes! “away to the ends of the earth.” (NE) Apparently, systematic witnessing among the uncircumcised Gentiles first got under way in Syrian Antioch, at that time the third largest city in the world, after Rome and Alexandria. It happened this way: Sometime after 36 C.E., but before 44 C.E., “there were some men [Christians] of Cyprus and Cyrene [in North Africa] that came to Antioch and began talking to the Greek-speaking people, declaring the good news of the Lord Jesus. Furthermore, the hand of Jehovah was with them, and a great number that became believers turned to the Lord.”​—Acts 11:20, 21.

15. (a) What did the Jerusalem congregation do about this new situation, and why was their choice a judicious one? (b) What had Paul been doing for the past several years? (c) Why is the case of the early congregation of Antioch of particular interest?

¹⁵ The zealous preaching activities of these Christians from Cyprus and Cyrene among non-Jews were blessed by Jehovah. “The congregation that was in Jerusalem” sent a special representative up north to Syria to handle this new situation. They chose Barnabas, himself a Greek-speaking Jew from Cyprus. After having encouraged these new disciples of Christ, Barnabas went to Tarsus to fetch Paul, who himself had just spent several years “declaring the good news about the faith” in Syria and Cilicia, now southeastern Turkey. (Compare Acts 9:26-30 with Galatians 1:18-23.) “It thus came about that for a whole year [probably about 45 C.E.] they [Barnabas and Paul] gathered together with them in the congregation [now made up of both Jews and Gentiles] and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.”​—Acts 11:22-26.

16, 17. (a) How was the witnessing work expanded out from Syrian Antioch? (b) What prophecy did Paul and Barnabas quote to justify their activities, and to whom did this prophecy originally apply? (c) How does this shed light on Acts 1:8?

¹⁶ For 10 years or so Syrian Antioch became a center from which intense missionary activities were carried out, under the direction of the holy spirit. (Acts 13:1-4; 14:26; 15:35, 36; 18:22, 23) Paul, together with various fellow missionaries, undertook three extensive witnessing tours that spread Christianity throughout Asia Minor and Greece. They preached Christ to both Jews and Gentiles. On one occasion, Paul and Barnabas justified this course of action to a group of irate Jews, saying:

“It was necessary for the word of God to be spoken first to you. Since you are thrusting it away from you and do not judge yourselves worthy of everlasting life, look! we turn to the nations. In fact, Jehovah has laid commandment upon us in these words, ‘I have appointed you as a light of nations, for you to be a salvation to the extremity of the earth.’”

Luke adds: “When those of the nations heard this, they began to rejoice and to glorify the word of Jehovah, and all those who were rightly disposed for everlasting life became believers.”​—Acts 13:46-48.

¹⁷ By quoting Messianic Servant prophecies (Isa. 42:6; 49:6) and applying them to their own activity, Paul and Barnabas showed that they and their fellow Christians were actually “substituting for Christ,” whom Jehovah had commissioned to bring “light” and “salvation” to “the extremity of the earth.” Christ, in turn, had commissioned his followers to be his witnesses “to the most distant part of the earth.”​—2 Cor. 5:20; Acts 1:8; compare Isaiah 49:5-9 with Luke 2:25-32.

A LONG-TERM COMMISSION

18. What do we know about the early Christians’ efforts to be witnesses “to the most distant part of the earth”?

¹⁸ As we have seen, the book of Acts shows the zeal with which the apostles and early Christians sought to carry out their Christ-given witnessing commission in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and as far as they were able to go toward “the ends of the earth.” We know, for example, that the apostle Peter was a faithful witness of Christ as far east as Babylon, and that Paul witnessed as far west as Italy and perhaps even as far as Spain.​—1 Pet. 5:13; Acts chap. 28; Rom. 15:23-28.

19. What shows, however, that Christ’s parting commission to Christians would extend to the present day, and what question arises?

¹⁹ But it is quite evident that Christ’s parting commission to be witnesses “to the most distant part of the earth” was more far-reaching than that. According to Jesus’ own prophecy, it went beyond the apostolic period, reaching right down until the “conclusion of the system of things.” (Matt. 24:3, 14) However, it has been very strengthening and faith-inspiring to review the fine example set by the early Christians. Now the question arises: Who, today, are carrying on the good work begun by the apostles, and by what means have they been witnesses for Christ and his heavenly Father, literally “to the most distant part of the earth”? We shall see in the following article.

[Footnotes]

Go! Make Disciples

1, 2. (a) How would the expression “the most distant part of the earth” take on new scope as time went by? (b) How did Jesus show that the Christian commission to witness would not end with the first-century Christians?

BOTH timewise and geographywise, Jesus’ parting commission to be witnesses to the ends of the earth, as recorded in Acts 1:8, did not end with the early Christians. They did a fine job telling out the “good news” as far as they could go “in all the world” or ‘in all creation under heaven’ in their day. (Col. 1:5, 6, 23) But as time went by those expressions would take on new scope, as the ever-increasing population sprawled out over six continents and countless islands, literally “to the most distant part of the earth.”

² Jesus was well aware of this. For the benefit of all his disciples​—not only the first-century Christians but all Christians down through the years, and especially those Christians living on earth during “the conclusion of the system of things”—​the resurrected Christ stated:

“All authority has been given me in heaven and on the earth. Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you. And, look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.”​—Matt. 28:18-20.

3. According to one scholar, what work would anointed Christians have to accomplish?

³ Here is proof for any who need it that the commission Christ gave his disciples on the day of his ascension was not completely fulfilled in the first century C.E. It would go on being fulfilled right up to the “conclusion of the system of things.” By whom? Interestingly, regarding Acts 1:8, Rylands Professor F. F. Bruce writes: “As Jesus Himself had been anointed at His baptism with the Holy Spirit and power, so His followers were now to be similarly anointed and enabled to carry on His work. This work would be a work of witness-bearing​—a theme which is prominent in the apostolic preaching throughout Acts (cf. Chs. Ac 2:32; 3:15; 5:32; 10:39; 13:31; 22:15, etc.). An OT [Old Testament] prophet had called Israel to be God’s witnesses in the world (Isa. 43:10; 44:8); the task which Israel as a nation had not fulfilled was taken up by Jesus, as the perfect Servant of the Lord, and passed on by Him to His disciples.”

4. Since when have the remnant been fulfilling this commission, and why did this take tremendous faith?

⁴ Yes, the commission to be witnesses to the ends of the earth and to make disciples of people of all the nations at this “conclusion of the system of things” has been passed on to the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel, who are collectively Jehovah’s “servant” and his “witnesses.” (Isa. 43:10-12) They have been faithfully fulfilling this commission particularly since 1919. But how could these few thousand spirit-begotten Christians reach the billions of humans scattered “to the most distant part of the earth”? What tremendous faith it took even to envisage undertaking such a task!

5. What means has helped modern-day Christians to spread the witness to the ends of the earth?

⁵ Reread the modern history of Jehovah’s Witnessesa and you will see that one of the principal means used to spread the Kingdom message far and wide has been by the distribution of magazines, namely, The Watchtower and its companion magazine Awake! (formerly The Golden Age, then Consolation). These Bible-based periodicals have been distributed literally by the billionsb in over 100 languages and to the four corners of the earth.

“ARMIES OF CAVALRY”

6, 7. (a) How are the anointed remnant symbolized in Revelation, chapter 9, and what do they have at their disposal? (b) What do these picture? (c) What comment did the book “Then Is Finished the Mystery of God” make on this prophecy?

⁶ In Revelation, chapter 9, the anointed remnant are symbolized by “four angels,” or messengers, released from captivity to Babylon the Great, “at the great river Euphrates.” (Re 9 Verses 14, 15) These liberated messengers have at their disposal “armies of cavalry” numbering “two myriads of myriads,” or 200,000,000, used for, symbolically speaking, ‘killing’ a large fraction of humanity. (Re 9 Verses 16-19) The “horses” in this vision picture the means used by the anointed remnant to publicize Jehovah’s judgment messages directed particularly against Christendom, the most reprehensible part of “Babylon the Great” (the world empire of false religion).

⁷ Explaining this fascinating vision, the book “Then Is Finished the Mystery of God” states: “The charging of these symbolic ‘horses’ increased greatly when the Watch Tower’s magazines began to be offered on the streets, from house to house, from store to store.” (Pages 246, 247) So, while these symbolic “horses” include books, booklets and tracts, undoubtedly the magazines have played, and are still playing, an important part in spreading the Kingdom witness “to the most distant part of the earth.”c

8. How have the anointed remnant also obeyed Christ’s command to ‘go make disciples’?

⁸ Not only have the anointed remnant zealously and courageously led such symbolic cavalry against the bastions of false religion, but they have also heeded Christ’s command to ‘go make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them.’ Since 1935 an increasing number of persons have read the judgment messages published against the world empire of false religion and have obeyed the divine order to ‘get out of “Babylon the Great.” ’ (Rev. 18:1-4) They have dedicated themselves to Jehovah God and have been baptized “in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit.” Having themselves been helped by The Watchtower and Awake!, they have joined the anointed remnant in disseminating these fine magazines far and wide, yes, “to the extremity of the earth.”​—Isa. 49:6.

ARE YOU AN ACTIVE PROCLAIMER OF THE “GOOD NEWS”?

9. What is the duty of each and every Christian?

⁹ The order to be witnesses “to the most distant part of the earth” and to go “make disciples of people of all the nations” applies to all who claim to be Christians. Hence, all dedicated witnesses of Jehovah should have a deep, heartfelt determination to share in fulfilling that blessed commission.

10. (a) What should members of the “great crowd” remember? (b) What, however, has been the attitude of some?

¹⁰ If you are now a member of the “great crowd,” described in Revelation 7:9-17, remember that in order to “come out of the great tribulation” you have to “keep on . . . saying: ‘Salvation we owe to our God, who is seated on the throne, and to the Lamb,’” and you must not stop “rendering him [Jehovah] sacred service day and night in his temple.” Lately, however, some have adopted the attitude that it is sufficient to attend the Memorial of Christ’s death once a year, keep abreast of current Bible knowledge by reading the Watch Tower Society’s publications, attend meetings from time to time and let their light shine merely by leading a good life and giving an occasional witness if and when the opportunity to do so occurs.

11. Can the Christian commission be fulfilled merely by leading a good life, or how else?

¹¹ But is this enough? How could the Christian witness have been given “to the most distant part of the earth” if the early Christians and the modern-day anointed remnant had just stayed where they were, leading good lives? In order to ‘make disciples of people of all nations,’ they first had to “GO”! Yes, they had to get out and witness “from house to house” and “in people’s homes.” (Acts 5:42, New World Translation; Today’s English Version) This public witnessing is an indispensable part of our “sacred service.”

12. What may some have forgotten, and what are these now encouraged to do?

¹² Where do you stand? Have you been a Kingdom publisher who found inward joy in making known the “good news” and also Jehovah’s judgments by means of the symbolic “horses,” particularly the Society’s magazines? If you have slowed down or even stopped altogether, is it because you have lost sight of the spiritual significance of such activities, namely, helping the anointed remnant to fulfill their commission to “proclaim the year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah and the day of vengeance on the part of our God”? (Isa. 61:1, 2, 5) Then it is high time for you to rediscover that joy by again busying yourself in Jehovah’s service.

DO YOU HAVE DIFFICULTY IN EXPRESSING YOURSELF?

13, 14. (a) Why may some have held back from witnessing from house to house? (b) What practical suggestions are made to help them to overcome their timidity?

¹³ Perhaps you have found witnessing from house to house difficult because you are not fluent in expressing yourself. Or maybe you are among the millions who appreciate reading the Society’s magazines and meeting with Jehovah’s Witnesses in their Kingdom Halls, but who have never taken part in house-to-house witnessing because they are afraid they will not know what to say. You are well aware that the witness must be given “to the most distant part of the earth” and that disciples must be made among “people of all the nations,” but you just do not feel capable yourself of facing the people at their doors. You know you should do it, and you meet the Scriptural qualifications, but you feel you cannot. Your heart is full of appreciation for the truth of God’s Word, but your legs just refuse to carry you to that first door because you are afraid that your lips will not find the words you need. What can you do about it?

¹⁴ You might start by taking your Bible and rereading Romans 10:8-15. That should set your feet tingling to get out and “declare good news of good things.” Next, pray to Jehovah for strength​—yes, to “him who imparts power.” (Phil. 4:13; compare Acts 1:8.) Then, the next time you go to the Kingdom Hall or to your local congregation book study, ask one of the Christian elders to put you in touch with a Witness who has had some experience in telling out the “good news” from house to house. This Kingdom publisher will not expect you to engage the householders in Bible-based conversations right from the start. Most likely he (or she) will suggest that you spend a little time together considering the latest issues of The Watchtower and Awake! before going together from door to door to present these fine magazines to the public.

15. Why is the magazine work an ideal way to gain experience in house-to-house witnessing and in starting home Bible studies?

¹⁵ Witnessing with magazines is an ideal way to get started or to get busy again in the work of preaching and making disciples. It is undoubtedly one of the easiest and best ways of getting out among the people and gaining experience in witnessing from house to house. Each issue provides new talking points. In addition, if you call back on all those who accept a magazine, soon you will have a list of people you can call on regularly with the latest issues. You will gradually get to know these people. Such features as the series “Have You Ever Wondered . . . ?” (in Awake!) will enable you to start a conversation and even begin a Bible study. Read the first paragraph to the householder, ask the first printed question (subtitle)​—allowing the person to reply—​before reading the following paragraph and any scriptures cited. Then go on to the next question (subtitle), and so on for the time the householder has available. Why not try this? You will be amazed at the joy and godly contentment you feel by regularly rendering to Jehovah such “sacred service.”​—Rev. 7:15.

YOUNG CHRISTIANS, GET THOSE “HORSES” MOVING!

16. What scriptures show that young Christians are also involved?

¹⁶ The responsibility to be “witnesses . . . to the most distant part of the earth” rests upon all Christians, young and old. The prophetic 110th Psalm says of Christ:

“The rod of your strength Jehovah will send out of Zion, saying.: ‘Go subduing in the midst of your enemies.’ Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force. In the splendors of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, you have your company of young men just like dewdrops.” (Ps. 110:2, 3)

Another Messianic psalm speaks of “virgins” who would be “companions” of Christ’s bride. (Ps. 45:13, 14) Both of these passages apply to the anointed remnant and to the “great crowd” that literally includes you “young men” and “virgins.” So you, too, must ‘offer yourselves willingly’ and be loyal “companions” to the remaining ones of the anointed bride class still on earth, also symbolized by the “four angels” who are directing the “armies of cavalry” against Satan’s religious world empire.​—Rev. 9:15-19; 21:2, 9.

17. How are many fine young men and women performing “sacred service”?

¹⁷ Many such young men and women are performing “sacred service” at the Brooklyn headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses and in the 97 branches located throughout the earth. There, they willingly perform various tasks directly connected with the preparation and the shipping of the symbolic “horses”​—publications containing judgment messages related to the “day of vengeance on the part of our God” and setting forth also comforting truths about “the year of goodwill on the part of Jehovah.” (Isa. 61:1, 2) All these willing ones not only share in preparing the “horses” for use in the field, but also take part in the actual field service, making extensive use of such “horses,” particularly the magazines.

18. (a) How are other young Christians proving themselves to be zealous companions of the remnant? (b) How do the King and his “brothers” consider their zeal?

¹⁸ Other young Christians “offer themselves willingly” and prove themselves to be zealous companions of the anointed remnant by serving as “pioneers,” that is, by devoting at least 1,000 hours a year to the public witnessing work. The zeal of all these young Christians is highly regarded by the King Jesus Christ and his anointed “brothers” still on the earth.​—Compare Matthew 25:34-40.

19. What encouragement is given to all other young Christians?

¹⁹ But there are many thousands of other “young men” and “virgins” within the congregations of Jehovah’s people. Are you ‘offering yourselves willingly on the day of Christ’s military force’? Or are you letting the symbolic “horses” pile up in your room or lie dormant in your witnessing bag? Get those “horses” moving! Get out into the field during your afterschool hours, your midweek break (where this arrangement exists), weekends and the various vacation periods you have throughout the year. The auxiliary pioneer service gives you a wonderful opportunity to ‘offer yourselves willingly’ for “sacred service.” And the magazine work is a method of Christian witnessing that is especially appropriate for you young ones. It is within your reach and it can produce fine results.

ACTIVE WITNESSES UP UNTIL THE END

20, 21. (a) What commission did Christ give to first-century Christians and to those living in the “last days”? (b) The testimony of a history professor shows what? (c) How have Jehovah’s Witnesses used the magazines to this end?

²⁰ To the early Christians Jesus stated: “You will be witnesses of me . . . to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) To Christians living in the “last days,” or the “time of the end,” he stated prophetically: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.”​—Matt. 24:14; Dan. 12:4; 2 Tim. 3:1.

²¹ The Jewish high priest, an archenemy of the early Christians, ruefully admitted: “Look! you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching.” (Acts 5:28) In his book These Also Believe, history professor Charles Braden wrote: “Jehovah’s Witnesses have literally covered the earth with their witnessing. . . . It may be truly said that no single religious group in the world displayed more zeal and persistence in the attempt to spread the good news of the Kingdom than the Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Although numbering only a few thousand in 1919, the anointed remnant accepted the challenge. Through the “power” of the holy spirit and with increasing help from the ever-expanding “great crowd” of their companions, they have indeed “literally covered the earth with their witnessing.” From 1919 to 1980, these Christians have distributed over four and three-quarter billion copies of The Watchtower and its companion magazine (The Golden Age; Consolation; now Awake!).

22. What do the facts show, and so what are we all encouraged to do?

²² These two fine Christian magazines have been and continue to be important means for witnessing to the ends of the earth and making “disciples of people of all the nations.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) The facts show that there is still much witnessing to be done. So to your “horses” all you faithful Christian witnesses! Get them and keep them moving out in the “field,” and may Jehovah continue to bless the intensive use of The Watchtower and Awake! in the days ahead.

[Footnotes]

[Chart on page 19]

Distribution Chart of Worldwide Activity

Years Tracts & Pamphlets Magazines Bound Books Total

(Booklets)

1879 to

1917 419,078,170 (Mags. included) 9,894,056 428,972,226

1918 102,775 13,140 256,609 372,524

1919 to

1980 2,322,888,592 4,767,784,340 450,642,739 7,541,315,671

Grand

Totals 2,742,069,537 4,767,797,480 460,793,404 7,970,660,421