• The Kind of Fruit Bearing That Glorifies God
    The Watchtower—1978 | December 15

    • Before learning the good news of Jehovah’s newly born kingdom under the control of Jesus Christ “the true vine,” they used to dwell under another vine​—“the vine of the earth.” (Rev. 14:19) What kind of “vine” is that? It is the earth-wide political organization by means of which human rulers defiantly try to hold onto world domination, thereby competing with Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom.

      18. Why have the “branches” of the “true vine” urged those of the “great crowd” to get out from under the “vine of the earth”?

      18 The fruit-bearing “branches” of the “vine” that Jehovah has planted have urged those of the “great crowd” to get out from under “the vine of the earth.” No longer should they partake of its poisonous, death-dealing grapes and wine. Why so? Because that “vine” is doomed to destruction, as foretold in Revelation 14:18-20:

      “Still another angel emerged from the altar and he had authority over the fire. And he called out with a loud voice to the one that had the sharp sickle, saying: ‘Put your sharp sickle in and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth, because its grapes have become ripe.’ And the angel thrust his sickle into the earth and gathered the vine of the earth, and he hurled it into the great winepress of the anger of God. And the winepress was trodden outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress as high up as the bridles of the horses, for a distance of a thousand six hundred furlongs.”

      Here it is the case of one symbolic vine against another, for the glorified Jesus Christ, who is “the true vine,” crushes the enemy vine, “the vine of the earth.” The “horses” used in the treading of the deep winepress 200 miles long are the war mounts of Jesus Christ and his angelic armies.​—Rev. 19:11-15.

      19. (a) Why is there no “winepress” of God’s anger reserved for his spiritual “vineyard”? (b) Why would it be hurtful to the “great crowd” for them to introduce things like “thornbushes and weeds” into that vineyard?

      19 The “winepress” of God’s “anger” is reserved for the anti-Christian “vine of the earth.”