is no longer any sacrifice for sins left, but there is a certain fearful expectation of judgment and there is a fiery jealousy that is going to consume those in opposition.”—Heb. 10:26, 27, NW.

27. What is the key to understanding God’s purpose in providing the ransom?

²⁷ Make no mistake about it, Jehovah God has a very definite purpose in providing the ransom for mankind, and the key to that purpose lies in the vindication of his own great name. The building of a new world, including the starting once again of a human society that will worship him, is part of his purpose in the vindication of himself as the eternal sovereign. This helps us to understand why he arranges for the payment of a ransom by Christ Jesus, for through it a nucleus of men qualify to take part in the “new earth” after Armageddon and in bringing forth children and training them in the ways of God. “For the undeserved kindness of God which brings salvation to all kinds of men has been manifested, instructing us to repudiate ungodliness and worldly desires and to live with soundness of mind and righteousness and godly devotion amid this present system of things, while we wait for the happy hope and glorious manifestation of the great God and of our Savior Christ Jesus, who gave himself for us that by a ransom he might release us from every kind of lawlessness and cleanse for himself a people peculiarly his own, zealous for good works.”—Titus 2:11-14, NW.

28. What appearance of Jesus Christ will be both a blessing and a time of trouble? And what examination should be made by every person now?

²⁸ The next striking manifestation of God and his Son, Jesus Christ, at Armageddon, will not be a pleasing one for those who do not qualify for the merit of his ransom. It will be a righteous act on Jehovah’s part, for “it is righteous on God’s part to repay tribulation to those who make tribulation for you, but, to you who suffer tribulation, relief along with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with his powerful angels in a flaming fire, as he brings due punishment upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus. These very ones will pay the penalty of everlasting destruction from before the Lord and from the glory of his strength, at the time he comes to be glorified in connection with his holy ones and to be regarded in that day with wonder in connection with all those who exercised faith, because the witness we gave met with faith among you.” (2 Thess. 1:6-10, NW) Do not be lulled to sleep by the teaching that God must save all men. He will not do so! But he does make the ransom available to “all kinds of men” who will accept it on the terms he lays down. Examine whether you are meeting those terms, for it means your life.

Letter Regarding “New Heavens and a New Earth”

THE following interesting letter from the twenty-second class of Gilead to the president of the Watch Tower Society is published because of its general interest.

November 9, 1953

Dear Brother Knorr:

The new earth founded 1919! Indeed a faith-strengthening fact to all lovers of truth and righteousness. We, the students of the 22nd class of Gilead, having completed an absorbing study of the book “New Heavens and a New Earth”, are very grateful to the “Giver of every good and perfect present” for this provision and, through you, we desire to express our heartfelt thanks to the “faithful and discreet slave.”

From its opening chapter our appreciation grows for Jehovah our God, who does not leave us in ignorance or at the mercy of worldly scientists, but rather invites us to ask Him questions concerning His purposes and operations for the blessing of mankind. With forceful simplicity our questions were reasonably and Scripturally answered as we were quickly carried through the revealing study of creation, exhibiting the wonderful harmony of true science with His Word.

Our attention was next irresistibly drawn to the account of Ezekiel, chapter 28, detailing the striking parallelism of the once faithful, but later treacherous, course of conduct of the king of Tyre with God’s people; how this so exactly fits the perfidious action of the archenemy, Satan the Devil, in whom this prophecy finds its major fulfillment!

Exciting as these truths were to us, of surpassing joy was the clear realization of the establishment and operation of the New World society. Since the “new heavens” are higher than the “new earth,” so a righteous heavens will guarantee a righteous earth. How proper, then, to delight in the qualifications of the tried and tested foundation stone, Christ Jesus! Contrasting his course with the failure under test of the original “covering cherub” serves to emphasize the solid, enduring and perfectly righteous qualities of the new world’s foundation, laid in heavenly Zion A.D. 33 in the first instance, but in full scale when the Kingdom was born A.D. 1914.

Tracing the history of the prophetic city of Jerusalem, or Zion, down to its fatal end and the vivid description of the desolating of spiritual Israel thereafter, prepared us for the masterly exposition of Isaiah 66. Barrenness and desolation ended! In one day, Jehovah’s day, Zion, the universal organization, brings forth a heavenly man-child government in 1914, and in 1919 a new nation, yes, also a new land! With liberation from Babylonish captivity the new nation of the anointed remnant are brought into the new land of organized activity, these happy inhabitants thus forming the “new earth.” Joy at this realization increased as we learned that the land, a visible organization, has now expanded to include additional inhabitants, the “strangers,” men of good will from all countries and “the isles afar off,” who join in with the new nation in building up the land, the New World society organization.

To learn how Isaiah 65:25 also applies now in that the “new earth” is free from all beastliness, animalism and any vicious disposition to be wild and hurtful to fellow associates, greatly enhances our appreciation of living and working under the New World society.

Striking a note of urgency, the book directs our attention to Luke 21:20, 21 and highlights the prophetic significance of the “disgusting thing that causes desolation” as to ‘Jerusalem’s being surrounded by encamped armies.’ A strong appeal is made to all to follow the course of the faithful Christians who, when the Roman armies first encircled Jerusalem A.D. 66, rightly took this as the cue foretold by Jesus and ‘fled to the mountains.’ So today, as we see the leftist totalitarian forces contained within the modern “disgusting thing,” the alliance of apostate religion with the United Nations, lined up against antitypical Jerusalem, should this not alert the discerning reader to flee posthaste to God’s organization, the New World society?

In a ring of optimism the last chapter gives us a clearing vision of the operation of the New World society after Armageddon. Stepping out as pioneers into a cleansed earth, they will undertake, under the direction of the New World society, tremendous reconstruction projects. Living in the resultant paradise will never become monotonous, but will be a daily delight, perpetually warmed with love from God and his King and from fellow man. This transformed earth will never end, but will be preserved by the Creator of the “new heavens and the new earth” to be an eternal monument testifying to the vindication of his universal sovereignty and holy name.

In the intervening period between now and Armageddon we feel this publication will be the means of directing many thousands to associate with the New World society. With its striking title, concrete hopes, wealth of Scripture proofs, colored illustrations and chart of historical dates, we are eagerly looking forward with the rest of our brothers under the New World society to offering this latest textbook in the house-to-house ministry. As a medium for home Bible studies we are convinced of its excellency. Above all, we are assured that this book will prove particularly advantageous at the congregational book studies where an examination of it will deepen the faith and appreciation of all associates of the New World society.

Our own study of this book has made us look forward with increased faith and zeal to the time when we can, in a more abundant way, help those who ‘sigh and cry’ to appreciate Jehovah’s “new heavens” and to gain everlasting life as part of His righteous “new earth.”

Your co-workers in the interests of the New World society,

THE STUDENTS OF THE

22ND CLASS OF GILEAD

Finding Hearing Ears in Thailand

FROM Watch Tower missionaries in Thailand comes the following letter: “To reach the village of Pe Pong we had to travel some twenty-four kilometers (approximately fifteen miles) by bus, which took four hours, and then we had to wade through flooded rice fields several more kilometers. We were received well by the villagers, and after a few minutes of rest we proceeded to advertise the Bible lecture to be held that evening.

“The lecture began at 7 p.m., with all of us seated on the floor. Never had we seen an audience give such careful attention as did that one. Many of them had brought along big Bibles and from time to time they would check what the speaker said with their Bibles. By the time the lecture was completed we found that more than seventy had come through darkness and flooded and snake-infested rice fields and roads, and some from long distances. But they did not want to go home after hearing just one lecture; they wanted more. So other lectures were given and after that their many questions were answered. It was one o’clock in the morning before everybody was satisfied and content to go home.

“The next morning at ten o’clock the villagers gathered again, wishing to hear another lecture, and they did. Three young men wanted to see how Jehovah’s witnesses carried on their preaching activity and they went along with us.

“In the evening at seven o’clock we had a Bible study with the aid of The Watchtower, and some of our new friends answered as well as did our own brothers. Then another Bible lecture, which was attended by sixty villagers. They asked questions until twelve o’clock and would have kept us there longer but we told them we were going to sleep. After the final talk the elder of this congregation expressed himself as follows: ‘We have opened our doors to everybody who has come with the Word of God and to every religious group that we have in Thailand. But never have we had people like you Jehovah’s witnesses.’”