The End of 6,000 Years of Man-Rule Approaches​—What Has Been Accomplished?

SINCE a new Jewish lunar year began in September 1975 a significant point in human history was reached. What was that? According to the Bible’s count of time, mankind then completed 6,000 years of existence on earth. Yes, the first man Adam, if he had chosen to remain obedient under God’s rulership, would have still been alive and 6,000 years old in September of this year.

Does this mean, then, that mankind has now reached 6,000 years into the 7,000-year period that God ‘blessed and made sacred’ as his great “rest day”? Does it mean that Christ’s millennial Kingdom rule, as the final 1,000 years of that “rest day,” is to be reckoned from September 1975?​—Gen. 1:27, 31; 2:2, 3; Rev. 20:1-6.

No, it does not mean that. Why not? Well, the Bible record shows that God’s creations on the “day” just preceding that 7,000-year “rest day” did not end with Adam’s creation. It shows a time lapse between the creation of Adam and that of his wife, Eve. During that time, God had Adam name the animals. Whether that period amounted to weeks or months or years, we do not know. So we do not know exactly when Jehovah’s great “rest day” began, nor do we know exactly when it will end. The same applies to the beginning of Christ’s millennial reign. The Bible provides us no way to fix the date, and so it does us no good to speculate when that date may be.​—Gen. 2:18-25; Matt. 24:42, 44.

However, the Bible’s time clock does indicate to us that 6,000 years of human history end in this year 1975. Early in God’s “rest day” Adam became a rebel against God-rule. Thus, for the most part, the first 6,000 years of man’s history have been marked by man-rule. What did man’s independent rulership accomplish during those six millenniums of time, or six spans of 1,000 years each? Let us take a panoramic view of those millenniums, each in its turn.

First Thousand Years

Man’s happiness in the paradise of Eden ended as Adam and Eve rebelled against the sovereignty of their Creator, Jehovah God. Justly, God expelled the man and his wife from the garden into the uncultivated earth, to fend for themselves under the independent government of their choice. Probably that became a form of patriarchal rule. But during the 900-and-more years that remained of Adam’s life, sin-tainted mankind became involved more and more in violence, murder, false religion and a permissive way of life that ended only in death.​—Rom. 5:12; Gen. 3:12, 16-19; 4:10, 11, 23, 26.

Second Thousand Years

Under man-rule, “the badness of man” abounded to the point that God, after giving due warning, brought a global deluge to destroy those who had “ruined” the earth and filled it with violence. Though God preserved alive faithful Noah and his family because of their righteousness, their descendants became involved in human politics in defiance of Jehovah God. Less than 200 years after the Flood, Nimrod became a ruthless dictator and king. He exalted himself against the Most High God, so that there came to be a saying, “Just like Nimrod a mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.” His hunting exploits no doubt included the killing of men, as well as of animals, so that he established a tyranny over mankind. When his rebellious course culminated in building a city, Babel, and “a tower with its top in the heavens,” Jehovah performed the miracle of confusing the language of mankind. This forced them to abandon their building program, and to be scattered over the earth. The first human dictatorship disintegrated in defeat!​—Gen. 6:4, 5, 11; 10:8-12; 11:1-9.

Third Thousand Years

There were wars among mankind, tribe against tribe, city-state against city-state and kingdom against kingdom. Egypt became the dominant world power, but was punished by God because it oppressed his people, Israel. The people of the nations drifted deeper into pagan idolatry, even to the point of offering child sacrifices. Oppressive dictatorships arose and the common people suffered as pawns of the rulers.​—Gen. 14:1-16; Ex. 1:8-11; 6:1-6; 14:26-31; Deut. 18:9-12.

Fourth Thousand Years

In Egypt’s wake, a procession of world empires, ruled by ambitious kings, arose in succession. These became prominent in the fourth millennium. Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece and Rome​—each, in turn, fought with its mighty armies and gained world domination. They were also permitted to gain and wield sovereignty over the nation of Israel. The prophecies of Daniel and Revelation both liken such mighty political powers to “beasts.” False religion was always prominent in its support of these cruel dictatorships.​—Dan. 7:2-8, 17; 8:3-8, 20-22; Rev. 13:1, 2; 17:3-8, 11; Ezek. 21:25-27.

Fifth Thousand Years

Imperial Rome now held sway over many lands. In the domain of Rome, John the Baptist was beheaded, Jesus Christ was impaled, the imperial armies destroyed Jerusalem and Christians were persecuted​—all this within the first century of our Common Era. In the fourth century C.E., the unbaptized Caesar Constantine organized Christendom with its clergymen and the politico-religious setup of Rome, and the Catholic Hierarchy brought on the Dark Ages, with all their miserable oppression of the common man, and particularly of those who sought to serve God. The Church-and-State combine was glorified in 800 C.E. when the Roman pope crowned Charlemagne as ruler of the Holy Roman Empire.​—Mark 6:25, 27; 15:25, 37; Luke 21:20-24; 2 Thess. 2:3.

Sixth Thousand Years

The Roman Empire fragmented into rival and oppressive European states. These sent their warships abroad to seize and colonize the so-called “pagan” areas of the earth. Great Britain became the dominant world power. Colonial America declared and gained its independence from Britain, but continued close alliance in an Anglo-American world-power arrangement. The eighteenth century was a time of industrial revolution, and the twentieth century started an era of world wars, which embraced nearly all political nations, supported by the leading religions. The domination of the democratic “king of the south” was challenged by the Germanic “king of the north,” but dictatorial Germany has now been superseded by the Communist giant as “king.” None of these forms of political government have brought real happiness or security to their subjects. And now a nuclear arms race threatens the annihilation of mankind. Revolution and rebellion against authority, the mushrooming of a permissive society and the rapid growth of crime and pollution have added to man’s problems.​—Dan. 11:27-40; Rev. 11:18.

Panoramic Survey

This 6,000-year period of man’s existence was early marked by the loss of paradise. Since then, frustrated mankind has tried many kinds of government in an effort to regain at least some form of material paradise. But what has been accomplished? The result is world confusion. Mankind faces ruination, just as Jesus foretold concerning our day: “On the earth anguish of nations, not knowing the way out . . . while men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.” But God’s Word holds forth hope!​—Luke 21:25, 26.

Almost 6,000 Years of Witnessing for Jehovah

THE rebellion of man and woman in Eden raised a great issue. Would humans out of sheer love for Jehovah loyally choose to render sacred service to their Creator and Sovereign God. “The original Serpent, the one called Devil and Satan,” had set out to mislead the entire inhabited earth. By challenging Jehovah’s sovereignty, he implied that not even one of mankind would prove faithful to God. Satan claimed that man was inherently selfish​—that man would serve God only for what he could get out of it in a material way.​—Gen. 3:1-5; Rev. 12:9; Job 1:7-12.

In his great wisdom, Jehovah determined to prove once and for all time the rightness and righteousness of his sovereignty. He foresaw that there would be those of mankind, of the offspring of Adam, who would rejoice to uphold His sovereignty under whatever kind of test Satan might bring upon them. Once this issue had been settled beyond any doubt, the vindication of Jehovah’s sovereignty would thereby stand proved for all eternity. This would be a touchstone against which any future challenge could immediately be tested and turned back. But it would take a period of time, some 6,000 years, to settle this issue. And what have 6,000 years of human history shown thus far? Have there been integrity-keeping witnesses of Jehovah on earth during all that time, to prove that God is true and that Satan is a liar?​—Prov. 27:11.

First Millennium

Abel was the first integrity-keeping witness of Jehovah, upholding His sovereignty. (Heb. 11:4) Because he offered an animal sacrifice acceptable to Jehovah, while Cain’s offering was not acceptable, Abel was murdered by his brother Cain. “The founding of the world” took place when Adam and Eve began to have sons and daughters. Abel was the second reported son. Enoch, the seventh man from Adam, also ‘walked with God’ as a faithful witness, and prophesied concerning Jehovah’s judgment of ungodly men. Because of his faithfulness, after 365 years, “God took him” from the land of the living in such a way that he did not see death in the same way that others do.​—Gen. 4:1-15; 5:1-4, 21-24; Luke 11:49-51; Jude 14, 15; Heb. 11:5.

Second Millennium

Early in this millennium, Methuselah’s son Lamech was inspired by God to utter a prophecy that his own son Noah would bring comfort to mankind. Born in 1056 A.M. (anno mundi), Noah, as a man of towering faith, lived 944 of his 950 years in this millennium. Although angelic sons of God disobediently took up married life on earth in his day and mankind became prone to violence, Noah “walked with the true God” and proved to be “faultless among his contemporaries.” As evidence of his faith, at God’s direction he constructed a huge “ark for the saving of his household [of seven other faithful ones]; and through this faith he condemned the world” of ungodly men. He was “a preacher of righteousness,” and later he offered sacrifices to God in thankfulness for deliverance during the Flood. In serving faithfully in obedience to Jehovah, Noah and his family provided living proof that Satan is a liar, to the chagrin of that wicked one.​—Gen. 5:28-31; 6:9; Heb. 11:7; 2 Pet. 2:5.

Third Millennium

Noah lived six years into this millennium. Two years after his death, Abraham was born. Because Abraham truly believed God, putting obedience to his Creator ahead of physical comfort and even demonstrating faith that God could restore to life by a resurrection, he was richly blessed by Jehovah. As “Jehovah’s friend,” Abraham received God’s promise that the Messiah would come through his family line. Abraham, his son Isaac and his grandson Jacob (later named Israel) all showed exemplary faith, not attaching themselves to any human kingdom but dwelling in tents in a foreign land as they awaited the symbolic “city” that Jehovah would build. Jacob’s twelve sons became the heads of the twelve tribes of Israel. Of these sons, Joseph showed great loyalty to God by following high moral principles and in rescuing his father’s family (in whom the Abrahamic promise centered) in a time of famine. Later, Moses chose to champion the worship of the true God, rejecting personally the glory of Egypt. Steadfastly he obeyed Jehovah in leading God’s people out of Egyptian captivity to be organized into a typical “holy nation.” A contemporary, Job, was prominent in refusing to break integrity to God, even when afflicted with material losses and impairment of health. Joshua, Caleb and the judges of Israel were also outstanding fighters for righteousness. As this millennium drew toward its close, David, the son of Jesse, proved to be ‘a man agreeable to God’s heart,’ and because of his unswerving allegiance God made with him a covenant for an everlasting kingdom.​—Gen. 9:28, 29; 11:26; 12:1-3; Jas. 2:23; Acts 13:22; Heb. 11:8-32; Job 1:8; 27:5.

Fourth Millennium

Following the death of David’s son Solomon, the nation of Israel was divided into two kingdoms. Faithful kings were in a minority. However, there were many integrity-keepers to be found among Jehovah’s prophets, such as Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Jeremiah and many others. It was reported in Elijah’s time that seven thousand faithful ones in the northern Israelite kingdom had “not bent down to Baal.” In the southern kingdom, at Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem, thousands of individuals, including many loyal priests, continued to worship the true God. When the northern kingdom went into exile, many God-fearing Jews who had come from the north continued to worship at Jerusalem; and when Jerusalem itself was desolated, faithful exiles in Babylon​—Ezekiel, Daniel and others—​continued to uphold true worship. After seventy years, nearly 50,000 devout Jews and associates returned to rebuild the temple at Jerusalem, and restore Jehovah’s worship there. The prophets Haggai and Zechariah encouraged them in this. Also, Nehemiah and other faithful Jews worked hard at instructing God’s people in the Law, so that they could appreciate that “the joy of Jehovah” is indeed a “stronghold.” Faithful scribes, too, worked painstakingly at making handwritten copies of the Scriptures, and God’s Word multiplied and spread.​—1 Ki. 19:18; Neh. 8:9, 10; Hag. 1:12-14; Zech. 1:1-3; Heb. 11:32-38.

Fifth Millennium

This millennium opens with the Bible’s mention of Jehovah’s blessing and favor on Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, Joseph and Mary, Simeon, Anna and other true worshipers. John the Baptist came ‘preparing the way of Jehovah,’ and his fearless service led to his death as a martyr. But fear for his own safety did not make him compromise. The promised Messiah himself appeared, to set the perfect example of integrity. Oh, how Satan strove to find some flaw in Jesus’ constant loyalty to Jehovah’s sovereignty! But he failed in this, miserably. Jesus’ faithfulness under the most excruciating trials, right down to a cruel death, gave the complete and conclusive answer to the challenger. The apostles and other early Christians followed in Jesus’ footsteps. But after the close of the first century, as foretold, the “weed” class of false Christians, sown by Satan, began to persecute the “wheat” class, the true Christians. About the fourth century, some who rejected the pagan Trinity doctrine were labeled “Arians.” Others who held faithfully to celebrating the Memorial of Christ’s death on Nisan 14 were termed “Quartodecimans (or, Fourteenthers).” In the seventh century some who held to “genuine apostolic Bible-Christianity” were called “Paulicians.” But this name-calling, along with persecutions, did not deter faithful anointed Christians from keeping their integrity!​—Luke chapters 1 and 2; Matt. 13:24-30.

Sixth Millennium

Amidst Christendom’s vast domain of imitation Christians, the true anointed Christians continued to remain loyal in the face of sadistic tortures and martyrdom at the hands of the Catholic priesthood. From the twelfth century C.E., the “Waldenses” in France rejected Catholic traditions in favor of adhering closely to the Bible. Many of these became martyrs. One of them said: ‘The Cross should not be prayed to but loathed as the instrument of the Just One’s death.’ Starting in the sixteenth century C.E., the Reformation resulted in a breaking away from the authority of the Catholic Church on the part of many individuals and countries. In the 1870’s, the modern Christian witnesses of Jehovah began preaching vigorously as an organized group. Despite opposition from the ‘weedlike’ clergy of Christendom, this “wheat” class was separated out, and down to this year of 1975, they have witnessed in 207 lands by their preaching. Particularly during the two world wars, these Christians were bitterly persecuted. Many of them died in Nazi concentration camps rather than renouncing their faith in Jehovah God, and Jehovah’s witnesses continue to face trials in Communist and other lands. But through it all they keep integrity, and continue wholeheartedly to proclaim the good tidings of the Kingdom throughout the entire earth. Since 1935, the few thousand anointed ones have been joined by over two million others in witnessing to God’s kingdom, and these are truly a “great crowd” looking to Jehovah as their Universal Sovereign and to his Son as their Messianic King!​—Rev. 2:10; 3:10; 20:4; 7:9, 10.

Jehovah Vindicated

As the millenniums have passed on into history, Jehovah’s side of the issue raised in Eden has been convincingly proved. In all ages, Jehovah has had his faithful witnesses on earth, and they are here on earth in rapidly growing numbers today! At the close of this sixth millennium, they are thankful to God for all his marvelous provisions, including the gift of life itself and the glorious prospect of everlasting life in his new order. All of this has been made possible by the sacrifice of his integrity-keeping Son, the Messiah-King, Jesus Christ. They believe that Jehovah’s sovereignty is the right sovereignty. Their one desire is to follow his righteous ways. They are determined that Satan will never swerve them from the path of integrity. They rejoice to have a share in proving Satan to be a liar and they press on with unshakable faith in making known the modern “magnificent things of God.” What joy they have in knowing that Jehovah himself is about to act to uphold righteousness and to magnify His own sovereignty by removing Satan, his adherents and all his wicked works in the impending great “day of Jehovah’s anger”!​—Acts 2:11; Zeph. 2:2, 3.

6,000 Years of the Grand Outworking of Jehovah’s Purpose Toward Mankind

WHEN Adam openly rejected Jehovah’s rightful sovereignty, Jehovah dealt with mankind in a merciful, loving way. He did not put Adam to death immediately and start all over again by creating a replacement for him here on earth. Rather, God chose to allow Adam to continue living and to commence producing the human family. This family that stemmed from Adam was “subjected to futility” by God in that, through inheritance from Adam, it came under condemnation of death. Of itself, humankind could find no way of release from this unhappy condition. However, this subjection to futility was “on the basis of hope,” in that God, out of his incomparable undeserved kindness, purposed a way out for faithful ones among Adam’s descendants. In this manner they might be “set free from enslavement to corruption” and be delivered into a “glorious freedom” as restored children of God. This grand hope was expressed in a prophecy that Jehovah himself spoke back in Eden. Examine now the record, millennium by millennium, as to whether there has been any slowness on God’s part in carrying forward his purpose to bring release for humankind.​—Rom. 8:20, 21; Gen. 3:15; 2 Pet. 3:9.

FROM 4026 TO 3026 B.C.E.

During the millenniums preceding man’s creation, God had shown deep love and interest by preparing a paradise home for the human family. But when man in Eden rebelled, Jehovah, as the Sovereign Ruler, held court, sentenced Adam and Eve to death, and expelled them from the garden of pleasure. Jehovah acted in accordance with his quality of justice. But he did not carry out the sentence in such a way as to blot out the human race. He allowed the first pair, though now sinners, to produce children. When sentencing Adam and Eve, Jehovah also declared that he would raise up a “seed” or offspring to bruise Satan and his followers. This indicated that he would act with mercy toward Adam’s offspring, so that they could have hope of recovery and life through this promised “seed.”​—Gen. 3:8-24.

When Cain murdered his brother Abel, Jehovah made clear that mankind is to be held accountable for bloodguilt. This just God inspired faithful Enoch to prophesy that Jehovah would come “with his holy myriads, to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds.” So Jehovah made it clear that he would always act justly and in righteousness against the wicked, but in his mercy he held out a glorious hope for those who would honor him.​—Gen. 4:9-11; Jude 14, 15; Ex. 34:6, 7.

FROM 3026 TO 2026 B.C.E.

Early in this millennium Noah was born. Jehovah used Noah in acting out a prophetic portrayal of the deliverance that He would at last bring to mankind. In what way? Jehovah brought the cataclysm of the Deluge as his execution of judgment upon the ungodly. Only Noah and his family survived, along with specimens of all the animal kinds, in the ark, to emerge in due course into the cleansed earth. More than two millenniums later, the Messiah, Jesus, explained the prophetic meaning of the Deluge. He said: “For just as the days of Noah were, so the presence of the Son of man will be. For as they were in those days before the flood, eating and drinking, men marrying and women being given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark; and they took no note until the flood came and swept them all away, so the presence of the Son of man will be.” In this way the “Son of man,” Jesus himself, pointed forward to the purposed “day and hour” when Jehovah God would bring the “great tribulation” upon the earth, ridding it of ungodly men.​—Gen. 6:13-22; Matt. 24:36-39.

Following the Deluge, when granting man permission to eat animal flesh, Jehovah declared life to be sacred and he prohibited the eating of any blood. But even while Noah yet lived, the cleansed human society became corrupt and showed disregard for God’s law, as Nimrod, a wanton hunter, set himself up as earth’s first king. Jehovah had purposed that human society should spread abroad in all the earth. When Nimrod defiantly opposed this purpose by trying to centralize the world of mankind under himself as dictator and “god,” Jehovah acted! By confusing the language of mankind, Jehovah enforced the scattering of mankind “over all the surface of the earth.” Thus he showed that no one who tries to tamper with his stated purpose will succeed.​—Gen. 9:1-7; 10:9, 10; 11:1-9; Isa. 55:11.

FROM 2026 TO 1026 B.C.E.

Jehovah had made known that the promised “seed” and Deliverer for mankind would come through the family line of Noah’s son Shem. In this line there appeared Abraham, a man who was counted righteous because of his strong faith. God made a covenant with Abraham, stating that by means of Abraham’s seed, all nations of the earth would “certainly bless themselves.” By having Abraham go to the point of attempting to offer his son Isaac in sacrifice, God portrayed not only the future sacrifice of his own Son as a ransom for mankind but also the glorious resurrection hope. God also used Abraham’s great-grandson Joseph in Egypt to picture how the Messiah would be raised up as a savior for mankind. In the nearby land of Uz, Job’s “holding fast his integrity” in proving Satan to be a liar foreshadowed how the Messiah, as well as other faithful servants of God, would endure much persecution in vindication of Jehovah’s purposes.​—Gen. 22:3-18; Heb. 11:17-19; Gen. 47:21-27; Job 2:3.

At the halfway mark of this millennium, Jehovah led Israel, under Moses, out of Egypt and told them: “You yourselves will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” God gave a detailed law to Moses, together with instructions for the tabernacle, its service and the priesthood. All of this provided foregleams of Jehovah’s future administration of matters for uniting all things under the Messiah. As this millennium drew to its end, God made a covenant with faithful King David, which gave promise that Messiah, as the ‘seed of David,’ would sit upon the throne of God’s kingdom forever. As this millennium closed, David’s son Solomon completed the building of Jehovah’s grand temple in Jerusalem. Indeed, the outworking of God’s purpose was moving grandly forward!​—Ex. 19:5, 6; Eph. 1:9, 10; 1 Chron. 17:11-14; 2 Chron. 5:1.

FROM 1026 TO 26 B.C.E.

The dedication of the glorious temple of Jehovah built by Solomon was held in the opening year of the fourth millennium. This was at the halfway point between Adam’s creation and our present day. Fittingly, Solomon prayed that the temple at Jerusalem would become a house of prayer for all nations. But Jehovah had specially chosen Israel to be the instrument by means of which He would reveal His divine purpose in restoring mankind, and through them He continued to make prophetic patterns of future events.​—1 Ki. 8:1-66; Mark 11:17.

However, Israel fell into apostasy. In 740 B.C.E., Jehovah used Assyria as ‘the rod of his anger’ in punishing and sending the northern kingdom of Israel into exile. In 607 B.C.E., he likewise used Babylon in desolating Judah and Jerusalem. After seventy years a faithful remnant of Jews returned from exile in Babylon to rebuild the temple and restore true worship in Jerusalem.​—Isa. 10:5-11; Jer. 25:8-14.

God used the prophet Daniel to prophesy that “Messiah the Leader” would appear sixty-nine weeks of years after the going forth of the command to rebuild Jerusalem itself, which command was issued in 455 B.C.E. Therefore Messiah, God’s Anointed One, would be due to appear in 29 C.E. God also indicated that the Gentile domination of earth, as permitted by God, commencing in 607 B.C.E., would last for 2,520 years, ending therefore in 1914 C.E.​—Dan. 9:24-27; 4:16, 23, 25, 32.

The written canon of the Hebrew Scriptures was completed in this millennium, by the end of the fifth century B.C.E. But language barriers were not to hinder the spread of the vital information contained in those sacred scrolls. During the third century B.C.E., the Greek Septuagint version of the Hebrew Scriptures began to be made in Egypt; this was prepared for the benefit of Greek-speaking Jews scattered in other lands.​—Rom. 3:1, 2; 15:4.

FROM 26 B.C.E. TO 975 C.E.

Events of the first century C.E. are of tremendous significance for mankind. From the spring of 29 C.E. John the Baptist was used to “prepare the way” before the Messiah. In the fall of this year, John baptized Jesus, at which time Jehovah anointed Jesus “with holy spirit and power.” Jesus thus became the Messiah, Jehovah’s King-designate and High Priest, for bringing everlasting salvation to mankind. By preaching and performing miracles during a special three-and-a-half-year ministry, Jesus demonstrated how he would carry out Jehovah’s purpose when he gained the promised Kingdom rule. This would include raising the dead, and healing and restoring mankind to perfection in an earthly paradise. Jesus was impaled on a torture stake, condemned by the Jewish priests and Roman authorities. After his death and burial, Jehovah declared him to be altogether righteous by resurrecting him from the dead to heavenly life. Then the value of that perfect human sacrifice was presented to God in heaven by Jesus as High Priest, that its benefits might be applied on behalf of humankind.​—Matt. 3:3, 13-17; Acts 10:37-43; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 9:24-28.

On the day of Pentecost, 33 C.E., Jehovah poured out his spirit on Jesus’ assembled disciples, bringing them as a spiritual Israel into the new covenant, mediated by Christ. Starting with the conversion of Cornelius and his household in 36 C.E., Christianized Gentiles were also brought into this “Israel of God.” Before this “little flock” of anointed Christians lay the grand prospect of sharing with Christ in his heavenly kingdom!​—Acts 2:1-4; 10:24, 44-48; Heb. 9:15; Gal. 6:15, 16.

During the first century C.E., the Christian congregation became firmly established. Several apostles and other disciples of Jesus wrote down the Christian Greek Scriptures. By the end of that century the Bible canon was complete. The grand purpose of Jehovah God had now been written down in its entirety. The inspired Scriptures showed how many prophecies of God had been fulfilled or were in course of fulfillment. They held forth the certain hope of fulfillment of all of Jehovah’s promises through the kingdom of his Son.​—Acts 9:31; 2 Tim. 3:16, 17; 2 Pet. 1:19-21.

The good news in its purity was preached by anointed Christians in ‘all creation under heaven.’ But after the death of the apostles the foretold great apostasy set in, and the Christian congregation was contaminated through the infiltration of “wolves”​—“ungodly men”—​who spurned the undeserved kindness of God. In 325 C.E. apostates established hypocritical Christendom under the patronage of pagan Rome, and this brought a deep spiritual darkness. The fifth millennium drew to its close with understanding and appreciation of Jehovah’s glorious Kingdom purposes at a very low ebb. But God’s promises stood sure! He does not lie.​—Col. 1:13, 23; Acts 20:29, 30; Jude 4; Titus 1:2.

FROM 975 C.E. TO 1975 C.E.

During the sixth millennium Jehovah continued to test his true anointed ones as they endured persecutions. At last, curtains of darkness began to lift as the Bible was translated into the common languages of the people and began, especially from the sixteenth century, to circulate throughout Christendom. In the 1870’s there started a thrilling restoration of appreciation of basic Bible truths. Jehovah began to gather his anointed ones. These, as a “faithful and discreet slave” class, again became prominent in carrying out a great spiritual feeding program. Devout Christians began to look forward with keen anticipation to the year 1914 C.E., for this would mark the end of the Gentile Times. Indeed, it was in 1914 that Jehovah enthroned Christ Jesus in the heavenly kingdom, on heavenly Mount Zion, with possession of “the kingdom of the world.” All the features of Jesus’ prophesied “sign” indicating his presence in heavenly glory and the “conclusion of the system of things” became clearly evident as these features started to be, and continue to be, fulfilled. This has given true Christians great cause for rejoicing and has led to their vigorously proclaiming God’s established kingdom.​—Rev. 20:4; Matt. 24:3-14, 32-34, 45-47; 25:31-33.

From 1919 on, a spiritual paradise under Christ’s headship was restored for God’s anointed remnant on earth. And beginning with 1935 a “great crowd” of other humble worshipers came into evidence, joining with the anointed remnant of Jehovah’s Kingdom class in singing Jehovah’s praises throughout the earth. For forty years the ingathering of this “great crowd” has proceeded. Now more than two million of these servants of God look forward to passing through the fast-approaching “great tribulation” into a cleansed earth, where a literal paradise will be restored throughout this globe, and for all eternity! In some 35,000 Christian congregations, in 207 lands of the earth, God’s zealous people are being prepared for survival​—prepared also for the united work that lies ahead of them in connection with the literal paradise on earth.​—John 10:16; Rev. 7:9, 10, 14, 15; compare Isaiah 35:1-10; 65:17-23.

JEHOVAH ACTS PROGRESSIVELY ON BEHALF OF MANKIND

Truly, Jehovah is a progressive God. He is not slow in carrying out his majestic purpose in all its aspects for the blessing and good of his creatures. Ungodly men may ridicule the good news that the promised “presence” of the Messiah as reigning King has taken place in our day. But their words of ridicule will be turned right back on them at the “day and hour” that Jehovah has chosen to reveal “the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels.” That will mean fiery destruction and “vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” Of this we can be sure​—“Jehovah is not slow respecting his promise.” While patiently awaiting “Jehovah’s day” for action, we can be happy that the “great crowd” that is to survive the “great tribulation” continues to increase rapidly. Surely we can exert ourselves vigorously on their behalf.​—2 Thess. 1:7-10; 2 Pet. 3:3, 4, 9; 1 Tim. 4:10.

The parade of divine acts that has just been recounted, and that leads to man’s restoration, stirs our hearts. With full confidence that all of Jehovah’s grand purpose will be fulfilled toward those who love him, we will follow his leadings and those of his King, Jesus Christ, clear through the “great tribulation” into the yet future millennial Kingdom rule. Yes, Jehovah God has done and continues to do “surpassingly” for mankind.​—Isa. 12:2-5.