(Kingdom) delivered, and God would now use his people to sound forth his name world-wide, to be a praise in all the earth. (Isaiah 12) For centuries Jehovah’s name had been reproached, ridiculed, blasphemed, lied about; but now he would have the truth told, his holy name would be known everywhere and his praises sung. But who would honor his name? Who would be the people for that purpose? A deep feeling of gratitude was welling up in the hearts of God’s children. They had come to appreciate they were the treasured possession. Had not God delivered them from bondage and Babylon’s dust? Had he not restored them to the place where they were free to worship him? Had he not cleansed and showed them marvelous things, helping all to see the reason for bringing them from the north, south, east and west? Jehovah’s favor had returned to Zion, and his face was toward them. “Jehovah make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: Jehovah lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.” (Num. 6:25, 26, AS) How beautifully and clearly Jehovah was helping his people to see the great things he would yet do for them in fulfillment of his word, as shown in such prophecies as Isaiah 52, Isaiah 60, Isaiah 61, and Isaiah 62! The time had truly come for Jehovah’s praises to be sung at last. The Watchtower for January 1, 1926, contained the article “Who Will Honor Jehovah?” and the text for that year was “Blessed be the Lord out of Zion”. (Ps. 135:21) Joy and gladness had now become the portion of Zion, the now happy, favored Zion!

13. What quotations from The Watchtower mark 1926 as being a truly blessed year?

¹³ The year 1926 proved to be a most blessed one, and to give some conception of this happiness and their appreciation of the work that had yet to be done, we here quote small excerpts from two of the Watchtower articles:

“Among the things which ‘The Servant’ in this prophecy is directed must be done is this: ‘To restore the desolations of Israel,’ and ‘to cause to inherit the desolate heritages’. (Isaiah 49:6, 8, margin) Those mentioned as ‘the desolate’ are undoubtedly that class designated the great company. . . . Then the prophet addresses ‘The Servant’ and declares what that Servant shall do: ‘That thou mayest say to the prisoners, Go forth; to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places.’ (Isaiah 49:9) This definitely proves that ‘The Servant’, acting under the direction of Jehovah, must deliver a message to these prisoners, to them that are in darkness.”—The Watchtower, November 15, 1926.

“It is ‘the people from far’ who must be encouraged to rally to the standard of Jehovah. ‘The servant’ is commanded to lift up God’s standard, which means he must give to the people the testimony concerning God and his kingdom. The command to the servant is: ‘Behold, I will lift up mine hand to the Gentiles, and set up my standard to the people: and they shall bring thy sons in their arms, and thy daughters shall be carried upon their shoulders.’—Isaiah 49:22.

“The prophet indicates that many other peoples must yet hear, and that hearing they shall rejoice. Figuratively speaking, those thus hearing bear up in their arms and upon their shoulders these children who have been brought to a knowledge of God’s provision for giving them life. They thereby express their joy and approval. When a people are happy they find no better way to express it toward another than to carry upon their shoulders or in their arms the one who is favored. Great numbers of the people are providing themselves today with the books which teach God’s plan. Even greater numbers are hearing the message by radio. These are telling others about it. Many of these have become friends of those who love the Lord and his message; and while they give no evidence of being spirit begotten yet they rejoice in the truth and in its message of life and express this joy in their own way, illustrated by bearing children up in their arms and on their shoulders.”—The Watchtower, August 15, 1926.

14. Why was it no longer a question of how long the Lord’s servants would have to continue on earth performing His service?

¹⁴ No longer was it a question with the faithful anointed ones as to how long they would have to work on earth before entering heavenly glory. But rather, here present with us is Kingdom service, just as though the Kingdom had come down from heaven to the people of God, and they were living in it. No longer were they concerned, whether it meant remaining on earth one or many years, for they were so very happy. “Like the dew of Hermon, that cometh down upon the mountains of Zion: for there Jehovah commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.” (Ps. 133:3, AS) Assurance and confidence became their blessed portion. “And a Redeemer will come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith Jehovah. And as for me, this is my covenant with them, saith Jehovah: my spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith Jehovah, from henceforth and for ever.” (Isa. 59:20, 21, AS) “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of Jehovah, and their righteousness which is of me, saith Jehovah.” (Isa. 54:17, AS) “Awake, awake, put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean.” (Isa. 52:1, AS) The desolate places were to be filled, the tents stretched out, the wilderness become a pool. All her children were to come home to Zion. Oh, what a joyful time was now in store for children of Jehovah, and that forevermore!

15. Why is it “he that waiteth” who is blessed at the end of the 1,335 days?

¹⁵ Let us now see how this fits in with Daniel’s prophecy. Think of all the happenings from 1914 on, and now this comforting word: “Blessed is he that waiteth, and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days.” (Dan. 12:12, AS) The word “waiteth” is from the Hebrew word meaning “to adhere, stick fast or remain steadfast and fixed”. During the many years since 1914 there had been many shakings, great tests of faith and numerous trials. Blessed are those who remained, who were steadfast and fixed, and who came to the 1,335 days. They would then understand the purpose of all these things, and be filled with gratitude. When, then, did the 1,335 days begin and end? According to Biblical reckoning, at 30 days to a month, it is a period of three years, eight and one-half months.

16. What finally marks 1926 as the fulfillment of the 1,335-day period when the Lord’s servants enter into signal blessedness?

¹⁶ Keep in mind that the 1,290 days ended by seeing the “continual sacrifice” restored, and being assured that the sacrifice of offering praise would then continue though there would be many persecutions. On the service goes now, and blessed is the one who comes to the 1,335 days. So reckoning this period on from the termination of the 1,290 days would mean from September, 1922, to May, 1926,—three years, eight and one-half months—at which time a large international convention of Jehovah’s people was in session at London, England. It was a season most blessed, for there had been a great cleansing work done in God’s spiritual city, Zion. Many ecclesiastical and false religious ideas were disposed of, a great blow was being delivered against the great “abomination” of the League of Nations, and it was known now that God’s people were on the earth for the purpose of singing praises to Jehovah God, to really and truly be a people for his name. They knew why they were alive, what they were doing, and where they were going. The great joy of being in this condition was a daily source of comfort. Oh, the blessedness of those who came to the 1,335 days! We are now living in a day when these blessings are realized. It is not feasible or reasonable to compare the joys and favors of today with those blessed experiences in 1926, in order to get a proper and correct view of the application of this prophecy, but rather to compare, if one must, the great and wonderful position Jehovah’s people were in during 1926 with their condition in 1914 and 1918. Then the blessedness will be understood.

More Liberation Prophecy to Be Fulfilled

1, 2. What other prophetic utterances point to the fact that the Lord’s people must enter into still more fulfillment of prophecies following the 1,335 days?

THOUGH the above portion of Daniel’s prophecy is realized, yet it is not the end, for Jehovah and His King are determined to deliver ‘all the children of his people’. Every one of God’s children will be brought to the beloved city; some already having been brought back are now ready for Kingdom service. So that we may learn the progressive purposes of God beyond the 1,335 days we connect Daniel’s prophecy with John’s vision at Revelation, and note that it takes us beyond the time spoken of by Daniel. With this in mind we now refer to Daniel’s vision of the angel standing on the water. (Dan. 12:5-7) This same angel is also seen in vision recorded at Daniel 10:5-7, AS: “I lifted up mine eyes, and looked, and, behold, a man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with pure gold of Uphaz: his body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as flaming torches, and his arms and his feet like unto burnished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude. And I, Daniel, alone saw the vision; for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, and they fled to hide themselves.” This angel is identified for us as the Lord Jesus Christ in glory at the time of his kingdom: “And in the midst of the lampstands someone like a son of man, clothed with a garment that reached down to the feet, and girded at the breasts with a golden girdle. Moreover, his head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes as a fiery flame, and his feet were like fine copper when glowing in a furnace, and his voice was as the sound of many waters. And when I saw him, I fell as dead at his