⁶⁰ Other national governments have tampered with the religious rights of Jehovah’s witnesses, but with distasteful results to themselves. (Prov. 6:27, 28) But the spirit of nationalism is getting stronger in all the earth during these years since World War II, and this is creating further difficulties for Jehovah’s witnesses.

61. What has been the effect of the Dragon’s warfare against the remnant upon many observers, and what have they done?

⁶¹ For forty-six years now the abased Dragon, Satan the Devil, has led earthly nations in warring against the remaining ones of the offspring of heavenly Jerusalem, the anointed ambassadors of God’s heavenly kingdom of the “house of David.” What, however, has been the effect of this warfare? Hundreds of thousands of observers have discerned that these religious and political systems of this world are actually fighting against God, fighting against heavenly Jerusalem and its enthroned royal family of the “house of David.” These observers have gratefully accepted the witness given by the Kingdom ambassadors and have aligned themselves on the side of the Kingdom ambassadors, on the side of the heavenly Jerusalem and its recently born kingdom of the “house of David.” They forsake the ranks of those who are laying siege to the heavenly Jerusalem and its Davidic kingdom. They join the anointed Kingdom ambassadors in preaching the Kingdom message all around the globe. They give their full dedicated support to the “tents of Judah” out in the field of action, whose tents Jehovah has promised to save first.

ANNIHILATION FOR BESIEGERS

62. Such experiences resulting to the nations from tampering with Kingdom representatives are preliminary to what final fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy about the burdensome stone?

⁶² Thus far the peoples and nations have been sent reeling and been given severe lacerations for tampering with the visible representatives on earth of the heavenly Jerusalem and its King of the house of David. But this is only the preliminary to the grand final fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. Not yet have nations learned enough to quit meddling, to lift their siege. Under unseen demonic influence they are being gathered to a situation that calls for a final, all-decisive war with God the Almighty, an Armageddon battle. (Rev. 16:14-16) In their last attempt to move God’s kingdom of the heavenly Jerusalem out of the way like a big obstructing stone, by trying to have us Kingdom preachers moved out of the way, they will be lacerated to shreds. The royal Stone laid in Zion (or Jerusalem) will smash them, as the stone smashed the metallic image seen in the king of Babylon’s dream. Jesus Christ, the royal Stone, said to his opposers: “The person falling upon this stone will be shattered. As for anyone upon whom it falls, it will pulverize him.”—Matt. 21:44; Dan. 2:34, 36, 44, 45.

63. As the enemies tighten their siege, why need we not give way to panicky fear?

⁶³ Consequently, as the earthly enemies strengthen and broaden their siege against us preachers and upholders of God’s kingdom as the only rightful government for all the earth, we need not give way to panicky fear. Almighty God will give us courage to meet the final situation. “‘In that day,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘I shall strike every horse with bewilderment and its rider with madness; and upon the house of Judah I shall open my eyes, and every horse of the peoples I shall strike with loss of sight. And the sheiks of Judah will have to say in their heart, “The inhabitants of Jerusalem are a strength to me by Jehovah of armies their God.” In that day I shall make the sheiks of Judah like a fire pot among trees and like a fiery torch in a row of newly cut grain, and they must devour on the right hand and on the left all the peoples round about; and Jerusalem must yet be inhabited in her own place, in Jerusalem.’” (Zech. 12:4-6) So we can be courageous.

64. What will Jehovah do to the enemy war machine, and what will the spiritual “sheiks of Judah” have to admit?

⁶⁴ Our God Jehovah promises us to take care of the attacking horse and its rider, the visible war machine of Satan the Devil. Jehovah will blind it and throw it into bewilderment, but he will keep his own eyes open on his spiritual Judeans on earth and their loyal companions, to preserve them and look out for their welfare as His people. The spiritual sheiks of the royal tribe of Judah will have to admit that the strength to keep on upholding the heavenly Jerusalem and its royal house is not their own strength. It results, rather, from the invisible backing that they get from the royal inhabitants of the heavenly Jerusalem, mainly Jesus Christ.

65. How do those “sheiks” and those serving under them fight against the enemy, and to what is the effect thereof likened?

⁶⁵ The spiritual sheiks of Judah and, of course, those who serve under them will not fight the foe with mortal fleshly weapons. Our only weapons are spiritual ones, the written Word of God and its messages. By publishing God’s Word so as to make the besiegers and attackers feel the consuming heat of Jehovah’s indignation the spiritual sheiks of Judah will, figuratively, cause a conflagration. Even now, under angelic guidance, they are being used to pour out the ‘seven last plagues of the anger of God’ on all peoples alienated from Him. (Rev. 15:1 to 16:21) O how this pains our besiegers!

66, 67. (a) As respects the enemy nations, what will Jehovah then be seeking? (b) As respects the spiritual Judeans and their loyal helpers, what will Jehovah find?

⁶⁶ At the time for the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” he will not have to look far to find a just cause for annihilating those who attack the spiritual Judeans and their dedicated companions. But he will find much for which to protect his Kingdom ambassadors and their loyal helpers. Hence by his prophet he says:

⁶⁷ “And Jehovah will certainly save the tents of Judah first, to the end that the beauty of the house of David and the beauty of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not become too great over Judah. In that day Jehovah will be a defense around the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and the one that is stumbling among them must become in that day like David, and the house of David like God, like Jehovah’s angel before them. And it must occur in that day that I shall seek to annihilate all the nations that are coming against Jerusalem.”—Zech. 12:7-9.

68. “In that day” with what will the besiegers really be tampering?

⁶⁸ “In that day” the heavenly Jerusalem will in the fullest way be made a drinking bowl causing reeling and a burdensome stone causing severe scratches to those who think they are strong enough to lift God’s kingdom out of the way. Their malicious tampering with the Kingdom interests of the heavenly Jerusalem will backfire and hurt the tamperers. They tamper with their own annihilation at the hands of Jehovah God, who can destroy both body and soul in the Gehenna of everlasting destruction. (Matt. 10:28) Let them beware!

69. What is our obligation toward God’s angel who goes before us, and what is reserved for those who do this?

⁶⁹ As for us, when we consider the enemies to be faced on earth, we may feel weak, like stumblers, like those unable to keep walking erect. But the heavenly kingdom is strong, mighty enough to smash all the enemies into nonexistence. Her reigning King, Jesus Christ of the “house of David,” will live up to his God-given name “Mighty God.” He will be Jehovah’s angel to go before us. We must continue following him, the Greater David. Hence there is every reason for us to trust in Jehovah God and to draw strength to endure till the utter annihilation of the enemy besiegers. For the spiritual “tents of Judah” and for the “great multitude” of their loyal companions on earth there will be final salvation from Jehovah our God by his invincible King of kings, Jesus Christ.—Isa. 9:6; Rev. 7:9-17, AV.

Keeping in Touch with Persons Who Move

● When persons move from place to place it may be hard for Jehovah’s witnesses to keep in touch with them, but that it is well worth the effort is the feeling of a Witness in Manitoba, Canada. She writes:

“Last spring a young couple were contacted by a Witness in Winnipeg. They showed interest and several discussions were held, but then they moved. The publisher did not forget about them, though, and she sent the information to the congregation where they had moved. They were visited by the congregation servant, and then, as I already held a study nearby, it was arranged that I call on them. After just a few calls a regular study was arranged in the book From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained. This study has been held regularly. Each week they have had many questions to ask. They have shown a keen desire to do what is pleasing to Jehovah. They are attending many of the congregation studies and are having a study with their six children. In less than a year they have both begun sharing the good news of the Kingdom with others. We can certainly see the benefits of striving to keep in contact with those who show an interest in God’s Word.”

BIBLE STUDY BY MAIL

● “A study was being conducted with a young Air Force man and his wife here in Canada,” reports one of Jehovah’s witnesses. “The study progressed well, to the point that they started attending meetings. But then the Air Force was going to transfer him to a remote part of northern Quebec. Of course, there would be no congregation there; in fact, there was not one brother within two hundred miles. Nothing could be done to change his assignment, so arrangements were made at least to continue the study by mail, and this arrangement went along all right. Then we received this letter:

“‘Guess what! Bob came home the other night with our Awake! and tied to it was one of our neighbor’s Awake! magazines. So I went over to see her. She went to the meetings occasionally in Ottawa and also had a study in her home. She has four children but her husband is opposed. I’m going to see if she’d like to study with us, so you just never know. It seems as if we were just meant to get her Awake!’

“That was very encouraging, but they were still restricted to receiving their spiritual nourishment through the mail and we did not believe they would make marked spiritual progress until they moved to a place where they could be associated with Witnesses. Then the brother of this lady moved there. What did they do but start studying the book From Paradise Lost to Paradise Regained with him. According to their letters he is progressing quite well. Not satisfied with these things, the couple then started studying together the book ‘Equipped for Every Good Work.’ Now things really began moving. With their next letter they requested another Paradise book and three new subscriptions. In the letter they explained why:

“‘We received your book. I’m sending it to my husband’s sister. We’re going to start working on his family. I’ve been reading “This Means Everlasting Life.” This book is very clear. I find “Your Will Be Done on Earth” very interesting and it is starting to sink in. I had a very interesting talk about the truth to an old friend who was stationed at Cranberry Portage with us. She is coming to my house soon to look at some of the books.’

“Thinking over their letters, I am reminded that they have now placed two books, a number of subscriptions and other literature, which this young man has been placing with his friends. All this has helped to disprove the thought that nothing could really be accomplished through a study by mail.”