Questions From Readers

● Revelation 21:4 says that in the new world there will be no more death. Does this mean that even animals will not die then?—M. I., New York.

This text does not mean that all death will be eliminated. Rebellious human creatures will die during Christ’s millennial reign, and those siding with Satan at the end of the thousand years will perish. (Isa. 65:17, 20; Rev. 20:7-10) True, Revelation 20:14 shows death destroyed and thereafter Revelation 21:4 says there will be no more death, but the death referred to is death due to inheritance from Adam. Men will not then degenerate and die because of Adam’s transgression, but at any future time Jehovah God could execute any willful rebel that would disrupt the peace of the new world. Hence Revelation 21:4 speaks only of the Adamic death of humans, and has no application to the animal realm.

As to whether animals will die in the new world we cannot be dogmatic. It appears that men will not kill them for food, nor will animals prey upon one another. In the new world Jehovah’s original purpose relative to food supplies will be realized, as stated to Adam and Eve: “See, I give you all the seed-bearing plants that are found all over the earth, and all the trees which have seed-bearing fruit; it shall be yours to eat. To all the wild beasts of the earth, to all the birds of the air, and to all the land reptiles, in which there is a living spirit, I give all the green plants for food.” (Gen. 1:29, 30, AT) If that outstanding carnivorous animal, the lion, is to “eat straw like the ox”, surely no others will be meat-eaters. (Isa. 11:6-9) Incidentally, this shows that Revelation 21:4 does not eliminate all death of organic life, for plants will die to become food for men and animals.

But merely that animals will not be used for food does not prove they will live forever. There is reason to believe they will die. Man’s disobedience in Eden did not bring death to animals—they had been living and dying and many forms becoming extinct for thousands of years before man’s creation. The new world will eliminate the effects of Adam’s disobedience, but that does not concern animal death. The status of the beast has remained unchanged since its creation—it lives out its life span and dies. At no time has it had set before it the prospect of eternal life.

Man’s position is different. Adam had hope of eternal life set before him, but that hope vanished when he failed to pass the test of obedience. Had he passed that test he doubtless would have eventually eaten of the “tree of life”. Through Adam all men lost the opportunity of eternal life, but through the ransoming work of Christ Jesus the opportunity is restored and men of good will may hope for eternal life in the new world. None of this concerns animals.

If a man is willfully wicked and scorns the ransom, he will never gain eternal life, though he lives for a few years now. He loses the better position of opportunity that is open for mankind, and drops into the same position as that of animals, a position that offers no opportunities of eternal life. Of such ones the inspired apostle Peter wrote: “But these men, like unreasoning animals born naturally to be caught and destroyed, will, in the things of which they are ignorant and speak abusively, even suffer destruction in their own course of destruction.”—2 Peter 2:12, NW.

If animals had opportunity for eternal life, why would these men who lose such opportunity be compared to them? There seems to be no Scriptural basis for arguing that animals will live forever in the new world, but rather that they will continue being born, maturing, bringing forth offspring, and dying. Argument to the contrary seems to be based largely on sentimental grounds.

East Germany Bans Jehovah’s Witnesses

EAST GERMANY BANS JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES

On August 30 at Magdeburg in the Soviet zone 60 of Jehovah’s witnesses were arrested and jailed, according to a dispatch in the New York Times, August 31. The report said that for months past the Witnesses “have been imprisoned by the dozens, their meetings broken up and various individuals among them badly beaten by the police on the ground that they constituted a threat to peace. Accusations have been raised against them constantly in the Communist press that they were spies and saboteurs in the pay of the United States ‘imperialists’”.

Then on September 5 the New York Daily News carried a United Press dispatch dated September 4 that reported: “The East German Communist government banned Jehovah’s witnesses in the Soviet zone today, charging the estimated 25,000 members with ‘espionage for a foreign, imperialistic power’ . . . . This was the first formal action against the organization by the Communist government, although it has carried on a propaganda campaign against Jehovah’s witnesses in recent weeks and assigned a small army of men and women to watch the members day and night.” The New York Times also reported this matter, but added: “Yesterday, reliable sources reported from the East that the leaders of the group asserted 500 members had been seized last Wednesday in a secret police raid on the Magdeburg headquarters.”

On September 6 the New York Times published the following Reuters dispatch of September 5: “The East German security police have thrown 1,000 of Jehovah’s witnesses into prison in the twenty-four hours since the East German government banned the sect, a Berlin spokesman for the Witnesses declared today. . . . The ‘illegal pamphlets’, allegedly found in the sect’s offices, were Biblical literature translated into more than ninety languages and available all over the world.”

In Switzerland the Berner Tagblatt, September 4, published on its front page: “A representative of the sect stated that the action taken by the communists against the sect had led to persecution more severe than that of the Gestapo. The Gestapo had labelled the members of the sect as friends of communists and Jews. Today they are charged as being ‘agents of American imperialism’. The sect will never submit to dictatorial pressure. Neither will it cease to preach the gospel in the Soviet zone.”

Announcements

USE THE REMAINING TIME WISELY

Not forever will the Creator allow present distress and wickedness to continue on the earth. He has foreordained a definite time to bring the last vestiges of Satan’s world to a violent end; and the remaining time is very short. Don’t you desire to use that remaining time wisely? (Eph. 5:15, 16, RS) If so, we invite you to join with Jehovah’s witnesses in the activity they have arranged for November. During this month they will be offering the new book “This Means Everlasting Life”, on a contribution of 35c. Through its 320 pages this attractive and enlightening book alerts its readers to how everlasting life may be gained and the nearness of the time when it will be the cherished possession of righteous humankind. Life seekers need to quickly and intelligently seek God and his kingdom. Can you think of a wiser use of your time than to aid another to learn of the way to life? Jehovah’s witnesses in your community will be glad to assist you to share in this activity. Or, if you prefer, write to us and we will furnish you with helpful instructions and report forms.

NEW WORLD TRANSLATION OF THE CHRISTIAN GREEK SCRIPTURES

Outstanding among the Scripture translations issued in recent years is the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures, first released on Wednesday, August 2, 1950, at the Theocracy’s Increase Assembly of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Yankee Stadium, New York city. Its total initial distribution at this assembly was 85,850 copies. This translation, accomplished by the New World Bible Translation Committee, is highly accurate, taking into account the latest Bible research. Modern speech is used throughout, yet for the sake of accuracy it is as literal as modern English usage will permit. The Creator’s name, Jehovah, appears 237 times from Matthew to Revelation. Copious marginal references, chain references on important words and phrases, footnotes, a foreword and an appendix combine to make the New World Translation a remarkable contribution toward a better understanding of the Christian Greek Scriptures. Your copy will be sent to you, postpaid, for a contribution of $1.50.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES

Week of November 26: Riches of the Full Assurance of Our Understanding, ¶1-15; and Further Enrichment of Understanding, ¶1-4.

Week of December 3: Further Enrichment of Understanding, ¶5-25.