Chapter 9

Growth and Protection of God’s Capital Organization

1. (a) Who is the greatest Organizer? (b) According to Romans 1:19, 20, what should intelligent creatures on earth have perceived about that Organizer?

THE GREATEST organizer in all existence is “The First Great Cause,” the Creator of all the things made. His matchless organizing ability is amply demonstrated by all his works in heaven and on earth. In first-century Rome (Italy) there were those who worshiped, not the national god Jupiter, but the living Almighty God. To these worshipers it was written, about the middle of the first century C.E.: “What may be known about God is manifest among them, for God made it manifest to them. For his invisible qualities are clearly seen from the world’s creation onward, because they are perceived by the things made, even his eternal power and Godship, so that they are inexcusable.” (Romans 1:19, 20) From the creation of the world of mankind onward, intelligent humans should have been able to perceive that there was a Creator, God, even though he was invisible and even without his speaking to any of them out of the invisible. By the visible works that he made and arranged so orderly, they should have perceived that he is a perfect Organizer.

2, 3. (a) What basis is there for believing that He would organize his intelligent creatures with minds of their own? (b) What warning did He give through Enoch about his invisible heavenly organization?

² Since this God could organize unintelligent creations so perfectly in the visible heavens and in the amazing ecology of the earth, he could and would organize all his living intelligent creations. It would be in the interest of universal peace and harmony and in order to prevent anarchy that He would organize such creatures with minds of their own. He visibly showed his organizing ability more than three thousand four hundred years ago when he organized the nation of Israel at Mount Sinai in Arabia and gave them a set of laws with which none of all the pagan nations had anything to compare. For immeasurable time before that he had an invisible organization, made up of heavenly spirit creatures. Enoch, the seventh man in line of descent from the first man, gave us people on earth a warning concerning this invisible organization, saying:

³ “Look! Jehovah came with his holy myriads, to execute judgment against all, and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds that they did in an ungodly way, and concerning all the shocking things that ungodly sinners spoke against him.”​—Jude 14, 15; Genesis 5:18-24; Hebrews 11:5.

4. When was mankind part of God’s universal organization, when did they get out of it, and when will mankind be restored to that organization?

⁴ Perfect man and woman in the Edenic garden that Jehovah God planted for their home were part of His universal organization. They were the earthly visible part of it. And since the earth is spoken of as the footstool of Jehovah who thrones in the heavens, perfect man and woman were the lowest part of his universal organization. (Isaiah 66:1) When man was driven out of the garden of Eden because of rebelliously sinning against Jehovah God, he was driven out of God’s holy universal organization. Holy cherubs from out of his invisible organization appeared at the entrance of the garden of Eden and prevented disobedient man and woman from going back in. (Genesis 3:1-24) When God’s Messianic kingdom restores an Edenlike Paradise to earth, obedient ones of all mankind will be elevated to human perfection and holiness and thereafter Jehovah God the great Organizer will make humankind once again a part of his universal organization. (Luke 23:43) Then there will be sublime harmony between heaven and earth.

5. What does God purpose to set up over all his intelligent creation, and from where are the component members of this taken?

⁵ The perfect Organizer has more in mind than just to restore the earthly visible part of his universal organization. In the Book of his recorded purposes, the Holy Bible, he informs us of his grand purpose to establish a capital organization over all his intelligent creatures. Logically, that capital organization will be in the holy heavens, next below the Most High God himself. Most remarkable of all, those whom He takes to make up this capital organization are drawn out from mankind here on God’s footstool the earth. What an exaltation for these! In the last book of the Holy Bible we have an illustration of this.

6. In David’s days, what was made the capital of Jehovah’s visible organization, and how was the capital quality thereof enhanced in David’s days?

⁶ We remember that in the days of King David, when the nation of Israel was the visible theocratic organization of Jehovah God, the city of Jerusalem was made the royal capital of this theocratic organization. (2 Samuel 5:1-10) The capital quality of the city of Jerusalem was tremendously enhanced when Jehovah’s Ark of the Covenant was transferred and lodged in a tent near King David’s palace in Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 6:11-14; 7:1-3) By his spirit Jehovah throned in that sacred tent as Israel’s invisible heavenly King.

7-10. (a) The name of what city is adapted to God’s capital organization? (b) How does the apostle John show the application of that name, and how does he describe the capital organization?

⁷ Appropriately, then, the name of earthly Jerusalem is adapted to Jehovah’s capital organization. Only it becomes called a New Jerusalem, of course. The Holy Bible could not be completed without this glorious fact’s being called to our attention. In Revelation, chapter twenty-one, the application of the name is made and the organization to whom it is applied is identified. The aged Christian apostle John writes and tells us:

⁸ “And I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea is no more. I saw also the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God and prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. With that I heard a loud voice from the throne say: ‘Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his peoples. And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away.’

⁹ “And there came one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls which were full of the seven last plagues, and he spoke with me and said: ‘Come here, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’ So he carried me away in the power of the spirit to a great and lofty mountain, and he showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God and having the glory of God. Its radiance was like a most precious stone, as a jasper stone shining crystal-clear. It had a great and lofty wall and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names were inscribed which are those of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. On the east were three gates, and on the north three gates, and on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. The wall of the city also had twelve foundation stones, and on them the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

¹⁰ “And I did not see a temple in it, for Jehovah God the Almighty is its temple, also the Lamb is. And the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to shine upon it, for the glory of God lighted it up, and its lamp was the Lamb. And the nations will walk by means of its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. And its gates will not be closed at all by day, for night will not exist there. And they will bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But anything not sacred and anyone that carries on a disgusting thing and a lie will in no way enter into it; only those written in the Lamb’s scroll of life will.”​—Revelation 21:1-4, 9-14, 22-27.

11. What body does that New Jerusalem picture, and what nationality do the members thereof have and on what official level?

¹¹ There is no mistaking of it. That “holy city,” New Jerusalem, pictures the clean, undefiled, holy Christian congregation. It is composed entirely of spiritual Israelites, Jews inwardly, circumcised in their hearts. True, the “twelve apostles of the Lamb” were natural, circumcised Jews or Israelites; but from the festival day of Pentecost of the year 33 C.E. onward they all became spiritual Israelites or Jews, for then Jehovah’s holy spirit was poured upon them through the Lamb Jesus Christ. (Acts 1:12 to 2:42) These spiritual Israelites are 144,000 in number (12 x 12 x 1,000), grouped into twelve tribes, as it were, the names of these twelve tribes being inscribed over the twelve gates of the New Jerusalem. (Revelation 7:4-8) Calling attention to their official position is the fact that they are called ‘the kings of the earth.’ (Revelation 20:4, 6) They are higher than “the nations” on earth who walk by means of the light of the New Jerusalem.​—Revelation 5:10.

12, 13. (a) What in that Revelation description shows that the New Jerusalem is to be a capital organization? (b) How does one of the symbolic foundation stones identify the bride’s husband?

¹² The name New Jerusalem indicates that it would be a capital organization, resembling Jerusalem in the days of King David and of his son King Solomon. But what is there to show that the New Jerusalem of 144,000 spiritual Israelites would be the capital organization over all of Jehovah’s realm of creation? It is this: The New Jerusalem is called “the bride, the Lamb’s wife.” (Revelation 21:2, 9; 22:17) To this figurative Lamb, it is said: “You were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.” (Revelation 5:9, 10) This once slaughtered Lamb is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of Jehovah God. In agreement with that fact, one of the “twelve apostles of the Lamb” wrote to his fellow Christians and said:

¹³ “It was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were delivered from your fruitless form of conduct received by tradition from your forefathers. But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, even Christ’s.”​—1 Peter 1:18, 19; 1 Corinthians 5:7.

14, 15. (a) Who is the Head of that bride-wife? (b) Because of what heirdom of the members thereof is the station of the bride-wife elevated, and what does Peter state is the station of her Husband?

¹⁴ As a husband, the Lamb Jesus Christ is the head of his bride-wife, New Jerusalem: “a husband is head of his wife.” (Ephesians 5:23) Nevertheless, the bride-wife is made up of spirit-begotten sons of God, who are not only ‘heirs of God,’ but also “joint heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:16-18) Such heirdom elevates the station of the bride-wife, and she shares with her husband in his glory and honor in the heavens. What, then, is the heavenly station of her “husband,” the Lamb Jesus Christ? Peter, one of the “twelve apostles of the Lamb,” says of him:

¹⁵ “Christ died once for all time concerning sins, a righteous person for unrighteous ones, that he might lead you to God, he being put to death in the flesh, but being made alive in the spirit. . . . through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is at God’s right hand, for he went his way to heaven; and angels and authorities and powers were made subject to him.”​—1 Peter 3:18, 21, 22.

16. How does Paul, at Philippians 2:5-11, go into greater detail as to the present station of the bride-wife’s Husband?

¹⁶ To other “joint heirs with Christ,” the apostle Paul writes in even greater detail, saying: “Keep this mental attitude in you that was also in Christ Jesus, who, although he was existing in God’s form, gave no consideration to a seizure, namely, that he should be equal to God. No, but he emptied himself and took a slave’s form and came to be in the likeness of men. More than that, when he found himself in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient as far as death, yes, death on a torture stake. For this very reason also God exalted him to a superior position and kindly gave him the name that is above every other name, so that in the name of Jesus every knee should bend of those in heaven and those on earth and those under the ground, and every tongue should openly acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”​—Philippians 2:5-11.

17. (a) In what position did such elevation of God’s Son put him, and how did God create a capital “organization”? (b) As to priesthood, what relative positions do Jesus Christ and those of his bride-wife hold?

¹⁷ No creature could get any higher than to the “right hand of God,” and the “superior position” to which God exalted him was to that right-hand position. (Psalm 110:1; Acts 2:34-36; Hebrews 1:3, 13; 8:1, 2; 10:12, 13; 12:2) This put the Lamb Jesus Christ in the capital position over all the rest of God’s creation. Of course, the Lamb Jesus Christ is not an “organization” in himself. But since Jehovah God gives him a bride-wife, namely, the congregation of 144,000 joint heirs, the Most High God creates a capital organization over all his holy universal organization. In this capital organization that the Supreme Being establishes, Jesus Christ is His High Priest and the bride-wife class are 144,000 underpriests, “a royal priesthood.” (1 Peter 2:9) Scripturally, then, beyond all contradiction, the Most High God Jehovah now has a capital organization through which he deals with all the rest of his universal organization.

THE THIRD VISION

18, 19. (a) According to Zechariah’s previous vision, what would need to be done for Jerusalem? (b) In his third vision, what did the man with the measuring rope want to do?

¹⁸ This Scriptural understanding of Jehovah’s capital organization to which the name Jerusalem is attached will aid us in understanding the third vision that the prophet Zechariah had on that wonderful twenty-fourth day of the eleventh month (Shebat) of the year 519 B.C.E. Zechariah had just had his vision about the four craftsmen whom Jehovah sent to “cast down the horns of the nations that are lifting up a horn against the land of Judah, in order to disperse her.” This dispersion therefore included Jerusalem, and for that reason she would have to be regathered in Jehovah’s fixed time, when he would “return to Jerusalem with mercies.” (Zechariah 1:14-21) So the theme of Zechariah’s third vision logically follows. Here is how this vision proceeded:

¹⁹ “And I proceeded to raise my eyes and see; and, look! there was a man, and in his hand a measuring rope. So I said: ‘Where are you going?’ In turn he said to me: ‘To measure Jerusalem, in order to see what her breadth amounts to and what her length amounts to.’”​—Zechariah 2:1, 2.

20. (a) What did his being a young man indicate about him? (b) What did Jerusalem’s walls not yet having been rebuilt allow for this young man to measure off?

²⁰ The bearer of the measuring rope proved to be a young man, and naturally he has still quite a number of things to learn or things on which to be informed. With all the verve of youth he was interested in the full restoration of Jerusalem and was eager to see how large she would become or how extensive she ought to become. Hence his measuring rope. There was at least the Jerusalem of that year 519 B.C.E. that could be measured. However, the walls of the city had not yet been rebuilt, nor would they be rebuilt for a long time to come. As long afterward as the ninth lunar month (Chislev) of the year 456 B.C.E., over sixty-three years later, it was reported in the Persian capital Shushan: “The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its very gates have been burned with fire.” (Nehemiah 1:1-3) Possibly, then, the Jerusalem of 519 B.C.E. had not yet reached the limits of the former preexile city. Or, possibly, the restored city might be extended beyond those former limits. The young man with the measuring rope may have had in mind to measure off what should be the final limits of the second Jerusalem.

21. What did the one angel tell the other angel to advise the young man with the measuring rope?

²¹ Was it the proper thing for an enthusiastic young man to set the limits for the Jerusalem to which Jehovah was returning with mercies? Let us see, from what Zechariah now reports: “And, look! the angel who was speaking with me was going forth, and there was another angel going forth to meet him. Then he said to him: ‘Run, speak to the young man over there, saying, “‘As open rural country Jerusalem will be inhabited, because of the multitude of men and domestic animals in the midst of her. And I myself shall become to her,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘a wall of fire all around, and a glory is what I shall become in the midst of her.’”’”​—Zechariah 2:3-5.

22. From what took place in the days of Governor Nehemiah and also after Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 C.E., are we to understand this information to the young man to be in a literal way?

²² Was Jehovah of armies there talking about the literal earthly Jerusalem of Zechariah’s days? The later facts indicate plainly that He was not doing so. Why not? Because Jerusalem ceased to be inhabited “as open rural country.” Sixty-four years later the walls of Jerusalem were completely rebuilt under the leadership of Governor Nehemiah, in 455 B.C.E. Also, those rebuilt walls had twelve gates, as reported by Governor Nehemiah. (Nehemiah 2:3 to 6:15; 7:1) There were the Valley Gate, the Gate of the Ash-heaps and the Fountain Gate on the south; the Water Gate, the Horse Gate and the Inspection Gate on the east; the Gate of the Guard, the Sheep Gate and the Fish Gate on the north; the Gate of the Old City, the Gate of Ephraim and the Corner Gate on the west. (Nehemiah 2:13, 14; 3:26, 28, 31; 12:39; 3:32, 3, 6; 2 Chronicles 25:23) That city was destroyed by the Roman legions in the year 70 C.E. (Luke 21:20-24) The third Jerusalem, which is standing in this year 1972, is also walled and has gates on all four sides. But a modern Jerusalem has been built alongside it and its population is reported to be 275,000 as a whole.

23. (a) How is it apparent that Zechariah 2:4, 5 is not fulfilled in modern-day Jerusalem? (b) Where, then, should we look for the prophecy’s fulfillment?

²³ Even though the Jerusalem of today has expanded far out beyond the old walled city even into “open rural country,” no informed observer will argue, not even the Israelis themselves, that Jehovah of armies has become to her “a wall of fire all around” and a “glory . . . in the midst of her.” For protection the Jerusalem of the Republic of Israel is trusting in the United Nations, of which it has been a member since 1949, also in the military aid supplied to the Republic of Israel by friendly nations such as the mostly Gentile United States of America. All this obliges us to look to the spiritual Jerusalem for the fulfillment of the divine prophecy of Zechariah 2:4, 5. The prophecy has to do with the remnant of the spiritual Israelites, who are yet to become part of the heavenly New Jerusalem under the Greater Governor Zerubbabel, Jesus Christ, the capital organization of Jehovah’s universal organization.

24. After World War I, who were the only ones surviving on earth who were obligated to respond to the rousing call of Isaiah 60:1-3 because of Jehovah’s glory?

²⁴ The postwar year of 1919 C.E. found a remnant of the spiritual Israelites surviving on the earth and eagerly desiring to preach “this good news of the kingdom” world wide as a witness to all the nations. (Matthew 24:14) In that faithful remnant the heavenly New Jerusalem under Christ was represented. Because of what they represented on earth, these spiritual Israelites were the ones who were obligated to respond to the rousing prophetic command: “Arise, O woman, shed forth light, for your light has come and upon you the very glory of Jehovah has shone forth. For, look! darkness itself will cover the earth, and thick gloom the national groups; but upon you Jehovah will shine forth, and upon you his own glory will be seen. And nations will certainly go to your light, and kings to the brightness of your shining forth. And to you the sons of those afflicting you must go, bowing down; and all those treating you disrespectfully must bend down at the very soles of your feet, and they will have to call you the city of Jehovah, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

25. To what extent would Jehovah speed up the growth of his organization?

²⁵ “And as for your people, all of them will be righteous; to time indefinite they will hold possession of the land, the sprout of my planting, the work of my hands, for me to be beautified. The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, shall speed it up in its own time.”​—Isaiah 60:1-3, 14, 21, 22.

26. Why was that rousing call to the representatives of the “city of Jehovah” most fitting back in 1919 C.E., and how had Jehovah glorified these?

²⁶ The call to the spiritual “city of Jehovah, Zion of the Holy One of Israel,” was most fitting at the time. Back there in the year 1919 C.E. the outlook for the peoples of the earth was gloomy, dark. Today it was never darker! Back there it was the time for the representative remnant of the New Jerusalem to arise from the low, beaten-down condition to which the persecutions during World War I had brought them, and to shine, to “shed forth light.” To shine with what? To shed forth what light? The only light that the faithful remnant had was, not any worldly enlightenment of this so-called Brain Age, but the “glory of Jehovah” that had shone forth upon his devoted remnant. Glory is resplendent, magnificent, beaming with light. Jehovah had glorified them by delivering them from bondage and abject subjection to their enemies, religious, political, military. He had glorified the remnant by appointing the members of it to be the witnesses to His sovereignty and the ambassadors of His established Messianic kingdom. They must let this “glory of Jehovah” upon them be seen everywhere by acting as his witnesses and Kingdom ambassadors.

27. To whom, then, does Jehovah need to become a “wall of fire all around,” and why?

²⁷ To whom, then, is it that Jehovah needs to become a “wall of fire all around”? Not the New Jerusalem in the invisible heavens, but the remnant of the New Jerusalem as that glorified remnant goes out into this bedarkened world and acts as the witnesses of Jehovah of armies and as his Kingdom ambassadors.

28. Why is Jehovah’s “wall of fire” around his remnant more effective in this Age of Violence than stone walls as now around Old Jerusalem?

²⁸ A literal stone wall like that which surrounds Old Jerusalem in the Republic of Israel, of what protection could such a wall be in this day of nuclear weapons and missiles with nuclear warheads? The idea is ridiculous! The stone walls that were built around Jerusalem by Governor Nehemiah in 455 B.C.E. (and later) did not successfully resist the Roman legions in the year 70 C.E. In this Age of Violence, nuclear firepower must be met by fire. Jehovah of armies can meet it that way. He can be and he has promised to become a “wall of fire” all around the faithful remnant of the New Jerusalem. Who, then, can effectively assault them?

29. What protection of Elisha at Dothan do the spiritual Israelites recall, and what do they discern would result to the enemies in trying to crash through the “wall” that God is about them?

²⁹ The glorified remnant of spiritual Israelites are therefore not trusting in man-made or natural defenses. They look to Jehovah of armies to be a “wall of fire” all around them, even though it is invisible to them and to their enemies. They remember that the “horses and war chariots of fire” with which the mountains around the town of Dothan were full were invisible to the prophet Elisha’s servant and to the Syrian war forces that surrounded Dothan to capture Elisha. (2 Kings 6:13-17) They get their spiritual eyes opened to discern that God Almighty can, by invisible means, protect them and that it would mean fiery destruction for any enemy to try crashing through the “wall of fire” and attacking them. “For our God is also a consuming fire.”​—Hebrews 12:29.

30. How was the surviving remnant inclined in 1919 C.E. to limit the growth of the organization, and what was the real fact about the “harvest” of “sons of the kingdom”?

³⁰ Why do interested persons like the young man with the measuring rope think to measure off a limit on the growth of Jehovah’s capital organization? Do not fear that otherwise the “city” will get so big and extensive that it will not be possible to build an adequate protective “wall” around it! For a time back there in 1919 C.E., after World War I was all over, the surviving remnant of spiritual Israelites thought that the harvest work that Jesus predicted for the “conclusion of the system of things” was finished and that all there was for them to do henceforth on earth was a “gleaning work,” gathering up just a few leftovers or overlooked ones. (Matthew 13:39) They did not for the moment discern that the spiritual harvest was only really beginning and that there were many more of the “sons of the kingdom” to be collected into God’s capital organization, “sons” whom their preconceived ideas had not allowed for. In fact, the full number of the remnant needed to bring to the full the foreordained company of 144,000 “sons of the kingdom” was to be collected during this “conclusion of the system of things.”

31. (a) How do we estimate Jerusalem’s population in Zechariah’s day? (b) How was the young man with the measuring rope made to see that it would be improper for him to put limits on the city’s size, because of any fear about it?

³¹ Apparently, in Zechariah’s vision of 519 B.C.E., the young man with the measuring rope wanted to measure off what the length and breadth of the restored Jerusalem should grow to be. At that time the population of Jerusalem was apparently not too large. Let us remember that only 42,360 Israelites and some 7,560 servants and singers, or a total of some 49,920, had returned from exile in Babylon in 537 B.C.E. and that later, in Governor Nehemiah’s time, it was arranged to “bring in one out of every ten to dwell in Jerusalem the holy city.” So Jerusalem had only several thousand inhabitants in Zechariah’s day. (Ezra 2:64, 65; Nehemiah 7:66, 67; 11:1, 2) Hence when Jehovah’s angel told the young man that “as open rural country Jerusalem will be inhabited, because of the multitude of men and domestic animals in the midst of her,” he knew that it was not his business to measure off what should be Jerusalem’s length and breadth in order to put a material wall all around it. Its population was to grow according to what Jehovah had in mind for it, and He would safely protect it.

32. Although the number of partakers of the emblems at the annual Lord’s Supper increased, what was true of Jehovah’s protection?

³² In the case of the modern-day remnant of the spiritual heirs of Jehovah’s capital organization, the number of members grew as the years went on. Correspondingly, the number of dedicated, baptized Christians who attended the annual celebration of the Lord’s Supper and who partook of the emblematic bread and wine increased according to the reports sent in for the record. No matter to what extent the number of Jehovah’s remnant of spiritual Israelites increased all around the earth, Jehovah protected them as with a “wall of fire” all around them. Through all these perilous times he preserved them, even through the world’s spree of war madness during 1939-1945 C.E., yes, down till the present time.

33. What do the facts show as to whether Jehovah has become a ‘glory in the midst of her’ as represented by the anointed remnant?

³³ Also, did Jehovah fulfill to this anointed remnant of heirs of the New Jerusalem his promise: “A glory is what I shall become in the midst of her”? (Zechariah 2:5) He has indeed, for he has glorified himself by being the heavenly Protector in the midst of the persecuted, harassed, opposed remnant. Their surviving despite their being without visible protection of an earthly carnal kind reflects gloriously upon the God whom they worship and in whom they put their trust. They glory in Him and not in men; and after years of bearing witness to his name and Kingdom, they embraced the name by which they have been known world wide since July 26, 1931, namely, Jehovah’s witnesses. Through them, and not through any other religious organization on earth today, Jehovah has been made known by name all around the earth. They have conscientiously avoided bringing any reproach upon his holy name. In imitation of his Son Jesus Christ they have endeavored to live up to the rules of conduct set out in his sacred Word, the Holy Bible, obeying Him as ruler rather than men, and this course has brought glory to His name. (Acts 5:29) He is truly a glory amidst them!

THE CALL OF THE LIBERATOR

34. Who is the rallying point for lovers of pure worship to assemble, and what call to assemble has rung out since 1919 C.E.?

³⁴ Is not the glorious God, Jehovah of armies, a rallying point to which all lovers of pure worship that is undefiled by politics, militarism and commercialism should gather in unity and brotherhood? Yes! And where His glory is seen, there is the place to assemble. He issues the call to assemble, and he liberates his people from religious bondage to Babylon the Great and calls to them to assemble. Since 1919 C.E. the words of his call have rung out: “‘Hey there! Hey there! Flee, then, you people, from the land of the north,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.”​—Zechariah 2:6.

35. (a) What was called “the land of the north” in Zechariah’s day, and why so? (b) The fleeing from there foreshadowed what today?

³⁵ In the prophet Zechariah’s day the “land of the north” was Babylon, the city conquered by the Medes and Persians in the year 539 B.C.E. Babylon really lay to the east of Jerusalem, but, when sending its armies to bring about the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E., Babylon had its armies take the circuitous route and come down against Jerusalem from “the north.” (Jeremiah 1:14-16; Ezekiel 21:18-22) Also, the conquered territories under Babylon extended to the north of Jerusalem. When the Jews were carried into exile in the years 617 and 607 B.C.E., they were, so to speak, carried off to the “land of the north.” From that land they could be called to flee. This foreshadowed our modern times. During World War I the dedicated, baptized remnant of spiritual Israelites came into bondage to Babylon the Great, that is, to the world empire of false religion. From there it was that Jehovah of armies called the repentant remnant in the year of liberation, 1919 C.E. From there the remnant must flee, now that he had opened the way for them.

36. (a) How were Jehovah’s words, “In the direction of the four winds of the heavens I have spread you people abroad,” true back there? (b) How did they become true as to the modern-day remnant?

³⁶ It was quite a dispersion of the twelve tribes in Israel, Judah and Jerusalem that the “horns” of the Assyrian Empire and the Babylonian Empire had caused as agents of divine discipline for Jehovah’s chosen people. So with correctness he could go on to say, as recorded in Zechariah 2:6 (b): “‘For in the direction of the four winds of the heavens I have spread you people abroad,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.” Those Israelites who dodged the conquerors and managed to escape ahead of them fled to the various lands in different directions. In the case of the modern-day remnant of spiritual Israelites, they too were dispersed in all directions, to “the four winds of the heavens.” Not necessarily physically or in a bodily sense, for it was their God-given spiritual estate on earth from which they were dispersed.

37. How was this dispersion of the spiritual Israelites in a figurative way accomplished?

³⁷ Hence the dispersing of them was in a figurative sense. It would mean scattering them into any and every situation or set of circumstances that would keep them from acting within their rightful God-given spiritual estate on earth. This resulted in their being limited in their spiritual privileges, in doing their spiritual work. For instance, government bans on certain literature or on all literature of Jehovah’s remnant would be one way of doing it. Or, banning their religious organization. Or, putting some of the Christian spiritual Israelites in military prisons or encampments for their refusing to violate their Christian neutrality toward international conflicts of this world. Or, arresting the officers of their legal corporations and railroading these off to prison or penitentiaries on false charges trumped up because of war hysteria and religious prejudice. Methods of all kinds, in all directions, just to get the remnant of spiritual Israelites away from their God-given spiritual estate and their Christian privileges and activities on that spiritual estate.

38. Why was it fitting for Jehovah’s angel to call out to the Jewish exiles: “Make your escape, you who are dwelling with the daughter of Babylon”?

³⁸ In the calamities suffered at the hands of King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, the larger part of the Jewish survivors were taken into exile in Babylon and its territories, which included territories taken from the former Assyrian Empire. It was therefore quite fitting for the angel of Jehovah of armies now to cry out: “Hey there, Zion! Make your escape, you who are dwelling with the daughter of Babylon. For this is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Following after the glory he has sent me to the nations that were despoiling you people; for he that is touching you is touching my eyeball. For here I am waving my hand against them, and they will have to become spoil to their slaves.’ And you people will certainly know that Jehovah of armies himself has sent me.”​—Zechariah 2:7-9.

39. In crying out, “Hey there, Zion,” to whom was Jehovah calling out to make an escape?

³⁹ Ancient Zion, which is here the same as Jerusalem, represented the whole nation, not merely the exiled former inhabitants of the capital city. Now that Babylon had been overthrown in 539 B.C.E. and Cyrus the Persian conqueror had issued his decree of liberation to the Jewish exiles, the call to Zion was really addressed to all the exiled Jews. They were dwelling as exiles “with the daughter of Babylon,” the city of Babylon being spoken of as a woman no longer an unviolated virgin daughter.

40. What is the meaning of the expression “following after the glory” in Zechariah 2:8?

⁴⁰ The expression “following after the glory” does not seem to mean being in pursuit of future glory but refers to time. Jehovah had got glory by having his word of prophecy vindicated as being true in what he had said about disciplining the Israelites.

41. In administering the discipline to Jehovah’s people, why should the nations have shown some fear, respect, toward Him?

⁴¹ It was now time for Jehovah of armies to turn his attention to the enemy nations that had been used to administer the discipline, but who had abused their assignment of work. They had gone too far and had used the occasion to vent their spleen at people who belonged to Jehovah God. They had gone too far in mistreating Zion and her people. (Zechariah 1:15, 21) They should have been more considerate in handling his people whom he delivered into their hands for disciplinary purposes. They should have shown some fear of the God of this people, some respect. He stated the reason why, in saying to his disciplined people: “For he that is touching you is touching my eyeball.”

42. (a) Jehovah’s waving of his hand was a warning of what reversal to the persecutor nations? (b) What was such a reversal for Babylon?

⁴² Accordingly, when he now waves his hand against those arrogant, presumptuous nations it is a threatening waving of the hand, like the shaking of the fist. It is no idle, meaningless gesture. It was to warn them that they the dispersers and despoilers would suffer reprisals. They would become a spoil to those who had been their slaves in Babylonian exile. What a reversal, and this from the hand of Jehovah of armies! Something of this kind of reversal happened when the Jewish exiles were freed by the conqueror Cyrus the Great to return to the location of Jerusalem and rebuild Jehovah’s temple. What a great humiliation it was for the conquered Babylon when, according to Ezra 1:7, 8, “King Cyrus himself brought forth the utensils of the house of Jehovah, which Nebuchadnezzar had brought out from Jerusalem and then put in the house of his god. And Cyrus the king of Persia proceeded to bring them forth under the control of Mithredath the treasurer and to number them out to Sheshbazzar the chieftain of Judah.”​—Daniel 1:1, 2; 5:3-23.

43. How was there a reversal for Babylon as in Daniel’s case?

⁴³ In the course of time and in many ways the once enslaved Israelite captives had occasion to trample Babylon under their feet, she becoming a “place of trampling, like the mire of streets.” (Micah 7:8-10) At the fall of Babylon to Darius the Mede and Cyrus the Persian, the prophet Daniel ceased to be a slave of Babylon and was made one of “three high officials” whom King Darius the Mede set up over the one hundred and twenty satraps that were over the whole Medo-Persian kingdom.​—Daniel 6:1-3, 28.

44. How was there a reversal as regards the Babylonian worship and the worship by Jehovah’s people?

⁴⁴ Also, because of the difference between religion of the Persian worshipers of Zoroaster and the religion of the old Babylonian cultists, the magic-practicing priests, conjurers, Chaldeans and astrologers became overshadowed religiously and finally felt obliged to move from the religious center of Babylon. It appears that they transferred westward to Pergamum in Asia Minor and then from there over to Italy. (Revelation 2:12, 13) In sharp contrast with this, the worshipers of Jehovah won favor from the conquerors of Babylon, and their priests and Levites were reinstated in the posts of service at the rebuilt temple of Jehovah on its original site in Jerusalem. Thus “Zion” escaped homeward from Babylon.

GOD’S REACTION TO TOUCHING “MY EYEBALL”

45. (a) How sensitive is Jehovah about anyone’s violently touching his people? (b) So why has he been waving his hand against the nations of today?

⁴⁵ All this vividly illustrates that it is an outrageous thing for the nations of this world to touch Jehovah’s worshipers in a violent way. It pains Jehovah God. It is like touching his eyeball, a very sensitive part of a body. Long ago, as far back as the year 1473 B.C.E., the prophet Moses pointed out how sensitive Jehovah was over his chosen people, saying: “He began to encircle him, to take care of him, to safeguard him as the pupil of his eye.” (Deuteronomy 32:10) He is just as sensitive about his Christian witnesses of today. But the nations of Christendom and of pagandom have chosen to ignore this fact in their handling of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. Is it any wonder, then, that He has been doing as he foretold, “waving my hand against them, and they will have to become spoil to their slaves”? (Zechariah 2:9) How has He been doing this?

46. How, in 1919 C.E., did Jehovah make the spoilers of his people to become a spoil to them?

⁴⁶ He has liberated his remnant of spiritual Israelites from religious bondage to Babylon the Great and restored them to their rightful God-given spiritual estate on earth. They do not bow in abject subservience to the political paramours of that international harlot, Babylon the Great, but say to worldly politicians that try to encroach upon the things belonging to Jehovah God: “We must obey God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) In the liberation year of 1919 C.E., they began to proclaim far and wide the adverse judgments of Jehovah God, especially against the international organization for world peace and security, namely, the League of Nations, saying that it would fail. The reason for this? Because the League of Nations was adopted and put in force in 1919 C.E. by the nations of Christendom instead of God’s Messianic kingdom, which had been born in the heavens at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E.​—Revelation 12:5.

47. How did these adverse judicial decisions of Jehovah become more pronounced during the years 1922 through 1928?

⁴⁷ These adverse judicial decisions of Jehovah of armies became more pronounced and comprehensive during the seven years of 1922 through 1928. During that period a series of annual international assemblies was held by the International Bible Students Association in America, Great Britain and Canada, in connection with which Bible commentaries were released that dealt with the divine prophecies concerning these religious and political matters. At each of these principal annual conventions of the International Bible Students resolutions or declarations were adopted, the first one of these, in 1922, being entitled “A Challenge” and the seventh and last, in 1928, being called “Declaration against Satan and for Jehovah.” These seven resolutions and the supporting public addresses, together with related Bible pronouncements, corresponded with things foretold in the last book of the Bible, Revelation, chapters 8 through 16.

48. These emissions corresponded to what in Revelation?

⁴⁸ They corresponded with the seven trumpets that were sounded by the seven angels and that introduced seven prophetic tableaux. Also with the “seven last plagues,” which are poured out from bowls by the seven appointed angels.​—Revelation 21:9; 15:1 to 16:21.

49. (a) What effect did the modern fulfillment of such things have on those concerned? (b) How long did the publication of such judgments of Jehovah continue, so that in effect he has been doing what to the nations?

⁴⁹ The modern fulfillment of those tableaux introduced by trumpets and of the seven bowls full of the seven last plagues caused a great stir, uneasiness, and rebellious resentment both in Babylon the Great (including Christendom) and in the worldly political governments. The publication of those adverse judgments of Jehovah of armies was not confined to just those seven years of 1922 through 1928, but it has continued on down till the present in greater volume and strength and on a wider scale than back there in the 1920’s. By such publication world wide of his adverse judicial decisions against religious Babylon the Great and her political patronizers Jehovah of armies is in effect shaking his fist, waving his hand menacingly at the worldly organizations, religious and political, that have been despoiling his people. He is doing so by means of His witnesses, formerly slaves of such oppressors.

50. (a) When Jehovah finally executes those judgments, what will be known about the angel who was sent? (b) By the divine execution, the vindication of what persons is brought about, even in our day?

⁵⁰ Shortly we shall see those divine judicial decisions executed upon those enemies who have pained the Most High God as if they were touching his eyeball. That will be the momentous time of which the angel spoke in Zechariah’s hearing, saying: “And you people will certainly know that Jehovah of armies himself has sent me.” (Zechariah 2:9) But do we today have to wait until that time of complete fulfillment? Even now we have enough evidence at hand to prove that this angel has spoken the truth, like history written in advance. This, in turn, proves that only Jehovah of armies himself could be the One that sent this angel. In this way the prophet Zechariah is also being vindicated as being the recorder of true, infallible prophecy. And what about today? Today there is also a vindication taking place. Of whom? Of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses, who have been calling attention to Zechariah’s wonderful prophecies and to the modern fulfillment of them.

WHY NOW THE CALL TO REJOICE?

51. Why did the maliciously minded nations have reason to cry out and rejoice during World War I?

⁵¹ Once the maliciously minded nations did have reason to cry out loud and rejoice at the turn of human events. That was when Jehovah of armies let his Christian witnesses fall into their power during World War I and the nations were given the freedom to vent their spleen upon these Christian spiritual Israelites. At the time the nations were fighting over the issue of world domination, not domination by the Creator of heaven and earth, but domination by themselves, by either the democratic bloc of nations or by the autocratic, dictatorial bloc. They wanted to control the resources of the earth, exploiting these for commercial profit.

52. Why did those nations mistreat the spiritual Israelites for standing faithfully for God’s Messianic kingdom?

⁵² They were very nationalistic, with national patriotism running at fever heat. In their efforts at total mobilization of the people for their nationalistic goals, they became enraged at those who refused to be integrated with them because of standing for God’s Messianic kingdom that had been inaugurated in the heavens at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914. So, under war stress, the nations mistreated these champions of God’s kingdom. How they did rejoice at killing off the influence of these for God’s kingdom!

53. How does Revelation 11:7-10 describe the nations’ jubilation?

⁵³ The glee and self-congratulations that the beastly nations indulged in at this defeat for the advocates of God’s Messianic kingdom is foretold in Revelation, chapter eleven, which borrows figures of speech from Zechariah’s prophecy. In pictorial language Revelation 11:7-10 says: “And when they have finished their witnessing, the wild beast that ascends out of the abyss will make war with them and conquer them and kill them. And their corpses will be on the broad way of the great city which is in a spiritual sense called Sodom and Egypt, where their Lord was also impaled. And those of the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their corpses for three and a half days, and they do not let their corpses be laid in a tomb. And those dwelling on the earth rejoice over them and enjoy themselves, and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those dwelling on the earth.” But their jubilation proved to be short-lived.

54, 55. (a) When, however, was it that the remnant of spiritual Israelites were called upon to cry out joyfully? (b) This was the same as calling to whom to cry out, with what reason for crying out?

⁵⁴ In 1919 C.E., just as portrayed in the Revelation vision, Almighty God resurrected these unburied witnesses spiritually and reactivated them in his Kingdom service. Dismay smote the nations and their religious prostitute Babylon the Great, but now the time had come for the revived remnant of spiritual Israelites to cry out loud and rejoice. Their heavenly Reviver and Liberator called upon them to do so. Inasmuch as they represented the heavenly New Jerusalem and were in line for membership therein it was as if God was calling out to that spiritual organization. Calling that organization Zion (the alternate name for Jerusalem), he said:

⁵⁵ “‘Cry out loudly and rejoice, O daughter of Zion; for here I am coming, and I will reside in the midst of you,’ is the utterance of Jehovah. ‘And many nations will certainly become joined to Jehovah in that day, and they will actually become my people; and I will reside in the midst of you.’ And you will have to know that Jehovah of armies himself has sent me to you. And Jehovah will certainly take possession of Judah as his portion upon the holy ground, and he must yet choose Jerusalem. Keep silence, all flesh, before Jehovah, for he has aroused himself from his holy dwelling.”​—Zechariah 2:10-13.

56. (a) How did Jehovah show whether he let go his claim to the land of Judah at its desolation? (b) How did Jehovah take possession of the land again, and what miracle did he produce then?

⁵⁶ In seeing what that prophecy meant back there in Zechariah’s day we can discern what the fulfillment of it means in this remarkable twentieth century of our Common Era. Away back there did Jehovah let go his claim on the land of Judah and allow any territory-greedy nations to take possession of it or land squatters to move in upon it? By no means! Although he had his people deported from it to Babylon, he safeguarded that land and enforced a long sabbath of rest upon it. How? By keeping it desolate, without man or domestic animal, just as he had foretold. At the end of those seventy years of sabbath keeping for the land, he again took possession of the territory of Judah by freeing his exiled people and moving them back from Babylon onto their beloved homeland. Jerusalem he again chose as the capital of Judah by having the restored exiles build a second Jerusalem upon the old location. Thus a peopled land was brought forth as with childbearing labor “in one day.” Also, “at one time” a nation was “born” by having its capital reestablished at Jerusalem exercising governmental rule over the “holy ground” of Judah. (Isaiah 66:7, 8) It was miraculous!

57. So, when did Jehovah take up residence in the land of Judah, and when and how did his residence there become more evident?

⁵⁷ As ancient Israel was a theocratic nation, under divine rule and law, Jehovah God resumed his residence at Jerusalem when it was founded again and rebuilt. This became all the more evident when the temple of his worship was brought to its completion in 515 B.C.E. and his regular worship, on a full scale, began there. That rebuilt temple would be a symbol to all the surrounding nations that Jehovah of armies had taken up residence there, that he was now dwelling in Zion, in Jerusalem. He could be approached there.

58. How would honest-hearted people of nations round about make favorable observations, and so what would they do (Zechariah 2:11)?

⁵⁸ What effect was this to have upon the pagan nations round about? Many of the people in those nations would be rightly impressed with the evidence that Jehovah of armies was the God of truth; that he had displayed his perfect foreknowledge and his all-power by fulfilling the prophecies given over his own name. As he had resurrected his people of Israel from a national death and raised it out of its grave in Babylon and restored them to the land of the living in their own homeland, these observers with honest hearts saw that He was the one living and true God, the only One deserving to be worshiped. Sincerely they would desire to worship him and, if possible for them, they would come to his place of residence in Zion (Jerusalem) to do so. Zechariah 2:11 was not to be left unrealized: “And many nations will certainly become joined to Jehovah in that day, and they will actually become my people.” That indicated an increase of the worshipers of Jehovah world wide, and not just on the “holy ground” of Judah.

59, 60. (a) How did the like take place in connection with the remnant who were in line for a place in the New Jerusalem and who were like buried in Babylon the Great’s domain? (b) How has Jehovah shown that he has taken up residence with the remnant?

⁵⁹ Has not the like of this also become true in the case of the modern-day remnant of spiritual Israelites? Do they not have every reason to “cry out loudly and rejoice,” as the “daughter of Zion” was told to do in ancient times, in Zechariah’s day? Yes! This remnant of spiritual Israelites is like a bride, ‘promised in marriage to one husband so as to be presented as a chaste virgin to the Christ,’ and it is therefore in line for a part in the heavenly New Jerusalem. That New Jerusalem with Jesus Christ as its Head is the capital organization of Jehovah God over all his universal organization. (2 Corinthians 11:2; Revelation 21:2, 9, 10) During World War I the remnant’s unity as a “holy nation” was broken up, they were exiled from their God-given spiritual estate and were as if buried in a grave in Babylon the Great’s domain. After that first world conflict was over and its pressures were lifted, the amazing fulfillment of what was depicted prophetically in Revelation 11:11-13 startled the world!

⁶⁰ Jehovah revived the buried remnant spiritually, brought them up out of their grave in Babylon the Great, restored them to their rightful spiritual estate on earth, and reintegrated them as his united “holy nation.” He had again chosen this faithful remnant that was looking upward to citizenship in the New Jerusalem under Christ. (Philippians 3:20, 21) Jehovah turned his favorable attention to them, and he energized them with that mighty active force, his holy spirit, to undertake a worldwide witness to his Messianic kingdom, the like of which has never been realized before in all Christian history. (Mark 13:10; Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) They did not join the nations of Christendom in worshiping the idolatrous League of Nations as “the last hope of the world,” but fervently devoted themselves to the worship of the “God of hope” at his spiritual temple. (Revelation 13:14, 15; 14:9) They made known the name of their God, Jehovah, to an extent never before equaled. (Isaiah 12:4, 5) By all outward tokens, he had taken up his residence with them.

61. How has it become true, therefore, that “many nations will certainly become joined to Jehovah in that day”?

⁶¹ Can we see today that this had its effects upon the peoples of the world? The nations as political entities had their fears aroused. But among those nations there were sincere, honest-hearted individuals who were hungering and thirsting for a pure, true, sensible religion that really brought a person into touch with the true God, worthy of worship. As the faithful remnant of spiritual Israelites carried the preaching of “this good news of the kingdom” into more and more of the inhabited earth, more and more of these seekers for the true God were reached. They learned that the Lord Jesus Christ was the Messiah of Jehovah God and they took the steps of dedication to God and water baptism in order to become disciples of His Messiah. (Matthew 28:19, 20) It turned out to be just as foretold, “many nations will certainly become joined to Jehovah in that day.” (Zechariah 2:11) No nationalities or races were barred from doing so.

62. To what extent has this become true since 1935 C.E., and how have they become Jehovah’s “people”?

⁶² This markedly became true from 1935 C.E. onward, four years after the anointed remnant had embraced the designation, Jehovah’s witnesses. World War II did not stop these genuine seekers of the true God from becoming “joined to Jehovah” as disciples of His Messiah. In comparison with how many they were back there in 1935, yes, and in comparison with the anointed remnant, these thus “joined to Jehovah” have become a “great crowd” without a fixed number set for them in the Bible. (Revelation 7:9-17) And as Jehovah said, “they will actually become my people.” They do not profess to be of the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites. This is because God has not begotten them with his holy spirit to become his spiritual sons, even though he has accepted their joining of themselves, their dedicating of themselves, to Him through His High Priest, Jesus Christ. It is the merit of Jesus’ atoning sacrifice that makes them acceptable to Jehovah God. Thus these dedicated, baptized ones He counts as “my people,” attached to Him. So these, as “other sheep,” become “one flock” with the anointed remnant under the Fine Shepherd, Jesus Christ.​—John 10:16.

63. As such “sheep,” how have they become “joined to Jehovah”?

⁶³ These “other sheep” have heard the voice of the Fine Shepherd and have responded to his call and come forth from “many nations.” They join with the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites in the worship of the true God at his spiritual temple. (Revelation 7:15) In such a way they become “joined to Jehovah.”

64. (a) What hope has been set before them, and why? (b) How has Jehovah, because of them, filled his house with glory (Haggai 2:7)?

⁶⁴ Since Jehovah has not begotten these “other sheep” with his spirit to become part of the heavenly New Jerusalem, he sets before them the hope of eternal life on His “footstool,” that is, this earth, but then transformed to a beauteous Paradise. (Genesis 2:8; Luke 23:43) Jehovah God has rocked all the nations by the way that he has dealt with human affairs since 1914 C.E., and thereby these “other sheep” have become aware of His Messianic kingdom. In appreciation of His kingdom they have come into his house of worship, and He receives them as desirable worshipers. In fact, they are the “desirable things of all the nations” that were foretold to “come in,” and by means of them at his place of pure worship Jehovah fills his house or temple with glory.​—Haggai 2:7.

65. The evidence today shows what as to the sender of the ones by whom we got the third vision of Zechariah, and this strengthens our conviction as to what further?

⁶⁵ Today, nearly forty years since that memorable year of 1935 C.E., which called our attention to the “great crowd” of Revelation 7:9-17 in a right understanding thereof, we see the things foretold in the third vision to Zechariah being grandly realized. Already, therefore, we have enough evidence to know that it was the God of truth, Jehovah, and not some false prophetic source, that sent the angel to Zechariah and his people. This same Jehovah also sent Zechariah as a prophet to record the vision for us today. This strengthens our conviction that all further visions to Zechariah will come true.

66. What are we rightly commanded to do now, and in order to do what has Jehovah “aroused himself from his holy dwelling”?

⁶⁶ Should we not, then, keep silent so as to hear what Jehovah has to say? Indeed so! Highly appropriate, therefore, is the inspired command with which the third vision to Zechariah closes: “Keep silence, all flesh, before Jehovah, for he has aroused himself from his holy dwelling.” (Zechariah 2:13) He has aroused himself from his holy dwelling in the heavens to fulfill his Word.

Chapter 10

Satan’s Failure in Resisting the High Priest

1. Religiously, the whole world of mankind needs what today, and why just that?

THROUGHOUT the earth today there are to be found high priests of various religious cults. The mightiest of such priestly chiefs is the Pontifex Maximus, the Supreme Pontiff, located at Vatican City. But what the whole world of mankind needs is just one high priest. Why so? Because there is just the one living and true God, the Creator of heaven and earth, the Sovereign of all the universe. He needs just one high priest to represent him to the people and to deal with Him for the people. This comports with the fact that there is just the one true religion, just the one pure worship of Him “with spirit and truth.”​—John 4:24.

2. What one high priesthood did Jehovah recognize down to Nisan 16 of 33 C.E., when what one spiritual high priest appeared?

² For more than fifteen centuries, from 1512 B.C.E. to 33 C.E., there was just one high priesthood that this living and true God recognized. That high priesthood was established in the line of Aaron the brother of Moses the prophet, of the tribe of Levi. Aaron was installed in office on the first day of the lunar month of Nisan in the year 1512 B.C.E. During the centuries that followed there was a succession of high priests from among the descendants of Aaron, down till Sunday, Nisan 16, in the year 33 C.E. That was the resurrection day of the Lord Jesus Christ from a sacrificial death. On the fortieth day from then he ascended as a spiritual High Priest to enter into the heavenly Most Holy and there presented the precious value of his perfect human sacrifice to the one living and true God, Jehovah.

3. Since then, why has Jehovah been able to deal with just one high priest?

³ From that time on till now Jehovah God has been dealing with just one High Priest​—not a high priest of the family of Aaron the Levite, but the one never-dying High Priest, Jesus Christ. To him it was said prophetically: “You are a priest forever according to the manner of Melchizedek.”​—Hebrews 5:5, 6, 10; 6:19, 20; 7:15-17.

4. (a) Also, by what other high priest, on the annual Day of Atonement, was Jesus Christ typed? (b) Hence, by whom was he typified in the fourth vision of Zechariah?

⁴ However, Jesus Christ, as a sacrificing spiritual high priest, was also prefigured or typified by the Aaronic high priest of the ancient nation of Israel. Just as the high priest of Israel on the annual Day of Atonement entered with sacrificial blood into the Most Holy of the temple at Jerusalem, Jesus similarly entered with the value of his own sacrificial blood into the true Most Holy, heaven itself, of the spiritual temple of Jehovah God. Consequently, Jesus Christ was prefigured by the Israelite high priest Joshua the son of Jehozadak, who returned from exile in Babylon in the year 537 B.C.E. to Jerusalem in order to rebuild the temple of Jehovah there. (Haggai 1:1) From this standpoint it is intriguing for us to consider the fourth vision of the prophet Zechariah, in which this high priest Joshua is the principal figure. As if looking into a courtroom Zechariah writes:

5. What did Jehovah’s angel say to the one at Joshua’s side?

⁵ “And he proceeded to show me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of Jehovah, and Satan standing at his right hand in order to resist him. Then the angel of Jehovah said to Satan: ‘Jehovah rebuke you, O Satan, yes, Jehovah rebuke you, he who is choosing Jerusalem! Is this one not a log snatched out of the fire?’”​—Zechariah 3:1, 2.

6. (a) Who was that Satan? (b) Why was he resisting Joshua?

⁶ The Satan who is pictured here was no mere ecclesiastical “devil’s advocate” who was acting as a prosecuting attorney for Jehovah. He was the same Satan that appeared at the meeting of the angelic sons of God in heaven in the seventeenth century before our Common Era and wrongly accused the patriarch Job before the face of Jehovah God. (Job 1:6 to 2:7) But why, in that vision to Zechariah in the year 519 B.C.E. was Satan the Devil trying to resist the high priest Joshua before the angel of Jehovah? Because on the twenty-fourth day of the lunar month of Chislev of the preceding year High Priest Joshua had taken a decisive step for the worship of God. He and Governor Zerubbabel and the faithful remnant of Israel began working at the foundation of the second temple of Jehovah in Jerusalem. (Haggai 2:18, 19) High Priest Joshua was thus working for his reinstallation in the full service of Jehovah at a completed second temple. Such taking up of his duties at a completed temple would put Joshua in a new light.

7. (a) What was Satan trying to prevent in Joshua’s case? (b) Satan was trying to counteract whose prophesying, and how?

⁷ Satan the Devil, who fights the true religion, was out to resist High Priest Joshua on this score, so as to downgrade him and keep him out of his full service to Jehovah in behalf of the nation of Israel. That would keep Joshua in poor appearance because of a major deficiency in his service to God. To that end Satan would try to counteract the prophesying of Haggai and Zechariah and rouse up overwhelming opposition on the part of the enemies of Israel against the rebuilding of the temple. In that way he could charge High Priest Joshua with failure to discharge his full high-priestly duties, and this would result in reproach upon Jehovah.

8. (a) Why did the angelic judge say that it should be Jehovah who should rebuke Satan? (b) How had Jehovah already chosen Jerusalem?

⁸ Satan, however, was too late in his malicious attempt. Before he could give force to his resistance and launch his wicked charges against High Priest Joshua, the angel who was acting as a judge for Jehovah said to Satan: “Jehovah rebuke you, he who is choosing Jerusalem!” The Most High God was the One high enough to rebuke Satan, and not some subordinate angel who was merely representing Jehovah. Thus the angel was giving due regard to Jehovah’s position. (Jude 8-10) Furthermore, Jehovah had already begun action to the magnifying of his own holy name. He was already choosing Jerusalem as the city for his temple. Satan could not alter this divine choice nor make it an unrealizable choice. He was the one to be frustrated, rebuked by beholding the temple completely rebuilt in the year 515 B.C.E. This rebuke would be from Jehovah, for he had successfully accomplished this!

9. (a) What did the “log snatched out of the fire” symbolize? (b) What now showed that it had been snatched out of the fire, and how?

⁹ Why, though, did the angelic judge of Jehovah add the question: “Is this one not a log snatched out of the fire?” Because, after a rescue from the fire not too much was to be expected instantly of a symbolic “log.” “This one” who was pictured by the log snatched out of the fire was the high priest Joshua. But, due to his office, Joshua represented the whole nation of Israel for whom he served as high priest before God. Joshua was not the only one who had come back from exile in Babylon, where Satan the Devil had tried to burn to ashes their identity as Jehovah’s chosen nation. More than 42,000 other Israelites had also come back, along with thousands of servants and singers. So the whole number of the remnant were, all together, like a “log snatched out of the fire.” It was Jehovah’s mercy and faithfulness to his promises that snatched them out of the symbolic Babylonish “fire” and restored their nationhood on the “holy ground.” Since this was so, He was patient toward their long delay in rebuilding His temple, but He stuck to his purpose to have a temple there at Jerusalem for which purpose he chose her. Hence Satan should not be too hasty with his charges.

10. What was now done to Joshua to remove any possible grounds for Satan to lay charges against him?

¹⁰ Satan’s resistance to High Priest Joshua was blocked. So what is done with Joshua to clear him of anything about him that Satan might have used as a ground for bringing charges against him? Zechariah describes it for us, saying: “Now as for Joshua, he happened to be clothed in befouled garments and standing before the angel. Then he answered and said to those standing before him: ‘Remove the befouled garments from upon him.’ And he went on to say to him: ‘See, I have caused your error to pass away from upon you, and there is a clothing of you with robes of state.’”​—Zechariah 3:3, 4.

HOW A CHANGE OF GARMENTS WAS NECESSARY

11. How could it be that Joshua in befouled garments pictured the heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ?

¹¹ Here a question arises: Since Joshua the high priest was pictured as clothed with befouled garments, how could he typify or prefigure Jesus Christ as the heavenly High Priest? Does not Hebrews 7:26, 27 say to true Christians today: “Such a high priest as this was suitable for us, loyal, guileless, undefiled, separated from the sinners, and become higher than the heavens. He does not need daily, as those high priests do, to offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and then for those of the people: (for this he did once for all time when he offered himself up)”? Yes, this is true. Yet it is with the High Priest Jesus Christ as with the ancient High Priest Joshua. The high priest represents the people for whom he serves in this high office, and their condition reflects upon him. He bears the iniquities of his people.

12. What had long ago been said to Aaron’s two surviving sons and to Aaron himself to indicate that the priests bore the people’s error?

¹² That the priesthood bore the error of the people, the prophet Moses indicated, when he said to the two surviving sons of Aaron for a failure on their part: “Why did you not eat the sin offering in the place that is holy, since it is something most holy and he has given it to you that you may answer for the error of the assembly so as to make atonement for them before Jehovah?” (Leviticus 10:16, 17) The sanctuary or temple was holy, and if the people touched it this would be committing an error on their part; and so the sanctified priests had to serve at the sanctuary for the people in order to prevent the committing of such an error. To this effect we read, in Numbers 18:1: “And Jehovah proceeded to say to Aaron: ‘You and your sons and the house of your father with you will answer for error against the sanctuary, and you and your sons with you will answer for error against your priesthood.’” So the priests acted as shields against error by the people.

13. How had Haggai pointed out the uncleanness of the nation of Israel, in his dialogue with the priests, and why was it unclean?

¹³ Now as regards the sanctuary or temple in Jerusalem at the time that Haggai and Zechariah had begun to prophesy, its foundation had lain neglected without a superstructure’s being built upon it for sixteen years. This was due to forcible opposition by surrounding enemies. During that period the repatriated Israelites had lapsed into indifference and had turned to materialism. Hence, in a dialogue with the priests, when Haggai asked what would happen when someone ceremonially unclean touched a part of a sacrifice, they answered: “It will become unclean.” At once Haggai came back with this statement: “‘That is how this people is, and that is how this nation is before me,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and that is how all the work of their hands is, and whatever they present there. It is unclean.’”​—Haggai 2:13, 14.

14. So why did Joshua appear as if clothed with befouled garments?

¹⁴ Since High Priest Joshua represented the nation of Israel before Jehovah, this unclean condition of the people was also attributed to him. As a consequence, it was as if he were clothed with befouled garments. He was trying to officiate without a temple, and for that reason it did not look right. He could not serve with the full dignity and grandeur as in a temple. In leveling charges against High Priest Joshua, Satan the Devil would be leveling charges against the entire negligent, unclean nation.

15, 16. (a) Did the spiritual condition of the surviving remnant of spiritual Israelites in 1919 C.E. reflect favorably or unfavorably on the appearance of High Priest Jesus Christ in heaven, and why? (b) What did the remnant’s outcry like that of Isaiah at the temple indicate?

¹⁵ Similarly with the antitypical High Priest, who was prefigured by High Priest Joshua in that year 519 B.C.E. The High Priest Jesus Christ was reflected upon by the spiritual condition of the remnant of the spiritual Israelites on earth as these entered into the postwar year of 1919 C.E. Because of impediments due to war restrictions, opposition and persecution, the remnant had come short in many respects with regard to the open, courageous worship of Jehovah at his spiritual temple. They had yielded to bondage to Babylon the Great and her political and military paramours. They were in a spiritual state like that of the ancient remnant of Israel that had been repatriated. Like Isaiah, when he had his vision of Jehovah at his holy temple, they could say:

¹⁶ “Woe to me! For I am as good as brought to silence, because a man unclean in lips I am, and in among a people unclean in lips I am dwelling; for my eyes have seen the King, Jehovah of armies, himself!”​—Isaiah 6:5.

17. Judged by the remnant’s appearance, how did their High Priest appear, and so was this the proper condition for the remnant to be in then?

¹⁷ If one judged the appearance of their High Priest by the spiritual appearance of the surviving remnant, their High Priest Jesus Christ would appear to be “clothed in befouled garments.” This was an improper appearance to be attributed to him. The spiritually befouled condition was an improper situation in which the remnant was representing their High Priest, and it reflected badly upon the heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ.

18. In the vision, what was done to remedy the situation?

¹⁸ Such a state of affairs deserved to be remedied​—promptly. Jehovah’s judicial angel saw to that: “Remove the befouled garments from upon him.” Then he said to Joshua: “See, I have caused your error to pass away from upon you, and there is a clothing of you with robes of state.”​—Zechariah 3:4.

19. What did Joshua the high priest have to do himself in order to experience a change of garments before God?

¹⁹ How did this occur with High Priest Joshua? By getting the restored nation of Israel whom he represented in holy office out of their unclean state before Jehovah. This would be by getting the restored remnant to work again upon the temple of Jehovah and completing it, letting everything else be put in a secondary place, in the background. The cleansing of the people in this vital regard would result in a cleansed appearance of their high priest. It would be as if he had had a change of garments. He was meant to be clothed with “robes of state.” He was meant to have a temple in which to serve clothed in those “robes of state.” The completing of the temple and the inaugurating of it would call for him to don those “robes of state” and present a glorious appearance to the praise of Jehovah. High Priest Joshua as the national religious representative took the lead with Governor Zerubbabel in getting the temple rebuilding started again, and for this reason he deserved a change of garments for the better. In that way his religious appearance would not reflect reproachfully on God.

20. How was the heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ given a bad appearance because of the remnant’s appearance after World War I?

²⁰ The same was true of the one whom High Priest Joshua prefigured, namely, the heavenly High Priest Jesus Christ. The remnant of his spirit-begotten, anointed disciples came out of World War I in an “unclean” spiritual condition. They were spiritual Israelites, yes, spiritual underpriests of Jehovah under his High Priest Jesus Christ. Their spiritual garments were befouled by their deportment and deficiencies during World War I. This reflected badly upon their High Priest in the heavens and hence misrepresented him. Since he bears or answers for the iniquity or error of the nation of spiritual Israelites, it was as if he himself were clothed with befouled religious garments.

21. Therefore, what did the surviving remnant need to do as the postwar period opened up?

²¹ What was needed, then, was for the remnant of spiritual underpriests to repent and return to Jehovah and be forgiven by Him through Christ. This is what actually happened at the beginning of the postwar period. They showed their return or conversion to Jehovah by searching the Holy Scriptures diligently to determine God’s will and work for the postwar period and then applying themselves whole-souled to these things of first importance.

22. To what then did the forgiven remnant apply themselves, and who was taking the lead in promoting these efforts?

²² Thus the repentant, converted remnant of spiritual underpriests applied themselves whole-souled to Jehovah’s worship at his temple and endeavored to purify that worship from any and all Babylonish pollution. Their efforts at rebuilding the pure, undefiled worship “from the standpoint of our God and Father” corresponded with the renewed work of the repatriated Israelites in rebuilding Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem. (James 1:27) It was the invisible, heavenly High Priest, Jesus Christ, who was taking the lead in this reviving of the remnant of his underpriests in Jehovah’s worship and service. So, when Jehovah mercifully forgave them and cleansed them, this gave them a clean appearance before Him.

23. How was the heavenly High Priest thus relieved of his figurative “befouled garments”?

²³ Even the false accusers under Satan the Devil began to see the difference in the doctrines, the message and the public activity of the remnant of Christ’s underpriests. This served to cast due credit upon their heavenly Chief Priest, Jesus Christ. He no longer had to bear or answer for such error on the part of his underpriests. The “befouled garments” that were indirectly attributed to him were taken from upon him, and he was given a change of garments. Bring forth “robes of state” for him!

24. What did Zechariah ask to be put on Joshua’s head, and what did Jehovah then say with regard to Joshua’s privileges?

²⁴ Who would not want to see the high priest of the one living and true God adorned with an official headgear? The prophet Zechariah wanted such a thing. Either in his mind he thought of such a thing or he even spoke out impulsively for such a thing! He tells us: “At that I said: ‘Let them put a clean turban upon his head.’ And they proceeded to put the clean turban upon his head and to clothe him with garments; and the angel of Jehovah was standing by. And the angel of Jehovah began to bear witness to Joshua, saying: ‘This is what Jehovah of armies has said, “If it is in my ways that you will walk, and if it is my obligation that you will keep, then also it will be you that will judge my house and also keep my courtyards; and I shall certainly give you free access among these who are standing by.”’”​—Zechariah 3:5-7.

25. Why would Joshua the high priest be glad when Zechariah revealed this part of the vision to him?

²⁵ How glad the high priest Joshua the son of Jehozadak must have been when the prophet Zechariah disclosed to him this part of the prophetic vision! Joshua could then realize that he had now an acceptable appearance before God and was no cause for reproach upon Him. Satan’s malicious effort to find continued cause for shaming the high priest of Jehovah had failed!

26, 27. What obligations to Jehovah would Joshua conscientiously keep, in order to enjoy what privileges?

²⁶ Joshua surely must have desired to judge Jehovah’s “house” of Israel according to divine law and to keep the courtyards of God’s temple.

²⁷ Hence Joshua would take to heart the admonitory witness from the angel and walk obediently in Jehovah’s way and conscientiously keep his obligation to Jehovah, so as to prove worthy of the privileges mentioned.

28. Who were those standing by in the vision among whom Joshua was to have free access, and how was this to be?

²⁸ Besides that, Joshua would be given “free access among these who are standing by.” It was the heavenly angels who were standing by in the vision; and just as they had access to God in heaven, so Joshua as high priest could approach God directly as an intermediary for the house of Israel. He would also be honored with the privilege of entering into the Most Holy of the completed temple of Jerusalem on the annual Day of Atonement.

29. In the postwar period, what does the heavenly High Priest do about walking in Jehovah’s way, keeping His obligation, judging His house and keeping His courtyards?

²⁹ Jesus Christ is, of course, the ideal High Priest for all the world of mankind. The royal priestly turban is placed upon his head as a “high priest according to the manner of Melchizedek forever.” (Hebrews 6:20; Psalm 110:1-4; 21:1-5) He has always walked in God’s way and kept his obligation to God. But after the experiences of his dedicated, baptized disciples on earth during World War I, he sees to it that the remnant of his underpriests learn more clearly God’s way in order to walk in it, and he helps them to discern more fully their holy obligation to Jehovah God, so as to keep it completely. His glorious priestly garments are pictured in the Revelation that he gave to the apostle John, in which the glorified Lord Jesus is seen walking among the seven golden lampstands. (Revelation 1:12 to 2:1) He faithfully judges the house of spiritual Israel according to the law of the new covenant. He guides them in the earthly courtyards of Jehovah’s spiritual temple, assigning to them their spiritual duties there.

30. How does the heavenly High Priest have “free access among these who are standing by,” and from when on and to what extent?

³⁰ The earthly high priest, Joshua the son of Jehozadak, began entering the Most Holy of the temple of Jerusalem in the year 515 B.C.E. (Ezra 6:15); but the spiritual High Priest, the Greater Joshua, entered into the antitypical, real Most Holy, heaven itself, in the year 33 C.E. He ascended to heaven and presented the merit of his human sacrifice in the very presence of Jehovah of armies. He now being made “better than the angels” and having “inherited a name more excellent than theirs,” he also can have “free access among these who are standing by,” that is, among the angels of heaven. He, above all others, can approach God directly and intercede in behalf of Jehovah’s worshipers on earth. As Jehovah prophetically said of him: “I will cause him to come near, and he must approach to me.”​—Jeremiah 30:21.

THE “SPROUT” AND “THE STONE”

31. To Joshua now in his robes of state, what does the judicial angel say about “Sprout” and “the stone”?

³¹ In the vision to Zechariah, the judicial angel of Jehovah continued to speak to the high priest in his robes of state: “‘Hear, please, O Joshua the high priest, you and your companions who are sitting before you, for they are men serving as portents; for here I am bringing in my servant Sprout [New Growth, By]. For, look! the stone that I have put before Joshua! Upon the one stone there are seven eyes. Here I am engraving its engraving,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, ‘and I will take away the error of that land in one day.’”​—Zechariah 3:8, 9.

32. How did Joshua and his “companions” serve as portents?

³² The message of this part of the vision, the prophet Zechariah had to make known, not only to the high priest Joshua, but also to his “companions” who were sitting before him, that is to say, the underpriests. Why? Because these were “men serving as portents.” In this case they would not portend anything bad, but, in view of the divine announcement that they are about to hear, they would portend something good, especially good. They would have to bear witness to what they were told through the judicial angel of Jehovah, and on that account they would portend the coming of a greater priesthood in the not too distant future, a priesthood of higher rank than theirs at the temple in Jerusalem. It would be a Messianic priesthood, and their high priest would be the Messiah himself. In harmony with that portentous significance that they as underpriests of the second temple of Jerusalem had taken on, their present high priest, Joshua the son of Jehozadak, was a portent of the Messianic High Priest. He was a type of that one!

33, 34. (a) So, as portended, there was a need of what then? (b) Was this needed High Priest provided according to a legal commandment or according to something extraordinary on God’s part?

³³ There was need for a better priesthood, particularly a better high priest, one like ancient Melchizedek. (Genesis 14:18-20) In explanation of that fact it was later written, in Hebrews 7:15-22, to Hebrews who had accepted the promised Messiah:

³⁴ “And it is still more abundantly clear that with a similarity to Melchizedek there arises another priest, who has become such, not according to the law of a commandment depending upon the flesh, but according to the power of an indestructible life, for in witness it is said: ‘You are a priest forever according to the manner of Melchizedek.’ Certainly, then, there occurs a setting aside of the preceding commandment on account of its weakness and ineffectiveness. For the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in besides of a better hope did, through which we are drawing near to God. Also, to the extent that it was not without a sworn oath, (for there are indeed men that have become priests without a sworn oath, but there is one with an oath sworn by the One who said respecting him: ‘Jehovah has sworn (and he will feel no regret), “You are a priest forever,”’) to that extent also Jesus has become the one given in pledge of a better covenant.”

35. How was the greater High Priest a “sprout” rather than a “branch,” and from what was he foretold by Jeremiah to sprout?

³⁵ The underpriests who were companions of High Priest Joshua and who sat before him to receive instructions from him had to be “men serving as portents” of something better, forasmuch as Jehovah by his judicial angel went on to say: “For here I am bringing in my servant Sprout!” (Zechariah 3:8) “My servant,” Jehovah’s servant, was not to be a branch of the priesthood of Aaron’s family. As far as priesthood was concerned, he was shooting up out of entirely different soil, from a different root. Jeremiah 23:5, 6 indicates of whom the Messianic High Priest would be the sprout, saying: “‘Look! There are days coming,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘and I will raise up to David a righteous sprout [a new growth of David coming right, By]. And a king will certainly reign and act with discretion and execute justice and righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel itself will reside in security. And this is his name with which he will be called, Jehovah Is Our Righteousness.’” God brought in this Sprout in the year 33 C.E.

36, 37. (a) Jehovah’s putting the “stone” before Joshua the high priest was a guarantee of what? (b) Whom did that “stone” picture, and how did Jesus apply Psalm 118:22, 23 in that connection?

³⁶ What, now, about that “stone” that God would put before High Priest Joshua? In a literal way, it would be the stone with which the temple then under construction would be given its finishing touch and be made complete. The foundation of that second temple had already been laid, and so this “stone” would serve as a headstone. So Jehovah’s putting this stone before Joshua was a sign guaranteeing that the temple would be completed, despite any resistance on Satan’s part. That stone, too, was symbolic of the Messiah, the Anointed One. Picturing the Messiah as a stone, Psalm 118:22, 23 (By) said: “A stone that the builders had rejected has become the head of a corner. This was from Jehovah, it is a wonder to our eyes.” In the year 33 C.E., Jesus, when speaking to the Jews who rejected him as the promised Messiah, applied this scripture to himself and said to them:

³⁷ “Did you never read in the Scriptures, ‘The stone that the builders rejected is the one that has become the chief cornerstone. From Jehovah this has come to be, and it is marvelous in our eyes’? This is why I say to you, The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits.”​—Matthew 21:42, 43. See also 1 Peter 2:4-9.

38. What is signified by the fact that on that one “stone” there are seven eyes?

³⁸ This symbolic “stone” was to be given full divine attention. As confirmation of this the high priest Joshua and his companion priests were to be told, “Upon the one stone there are seven eyes.” (Zechariah 3:9) Not that seven eyes were to be carved upon that stone, to give the idea that those beholding the stone were being looked at in a sevenfold way. With the eyes we fix our attention upon something. Also, as the number seven Scripturally symbolized perfection, the seven eyes upon that one stone mean to say that Jehovah fixes his perfect attention upon that symbolic Stone, his promised Messiah. Others might overlook that symbolic Stone. Or, they might ignore it, reject it, but not so Jehovah. Because of such full attention from Him, it must be something most precious to Him.

39. In what way is it that Jehovah engraves the engraving of that symbolic Stone?

³⁹ Consequently, in showing the complete attention that He gives to this symbolic Stone and its outstanding position and appearance, Jehovah goes on to say: “Here I am engraving its engraving.” In glorious fulfillment of this promise, Jehovah the heavenly Engraver gave the symbolic Stone, his beloved Son Jesus Christ, distinguishing marks of beauty such as he conferred upon no one else. Consequently, Hebrews 1:1-3 speaks of the outstanding Son of God as being the one who is the “exact representation [Greek, kharaktér, meaning ‘impress’] of his very being,” that is, of God’s being. As the symbolic engraved headstone, the Messianic High Priest, Jesus Christ, is given the highest and most responsible position of service in Jehovah’s spiritual temple of worship. This betokened something most beneficial for all mankind.

40. What was the “error of that land,” and how was it to be taken away by Jehovah?

⁴⁰ With the topstone in place and the temple all completed for the full-scale worship of the one living and true God, what could we expect logically to follow? Blessings, blessings, blessings! Nothing would now be in the way of such blessings, for, as Jehovah went on to say, “I will take away the error of that land in one day.” (Zechariah 3:9) Because of the long interruption that the repatriated Israelites had allowed to take place in the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, the whole land of Judah was lying in “error.” Its inhabitants were looked upon as unclean and the work of their hands in materialistic things was unclean. (Haggai 2:13, 14) But now, come 515 B.C.E., with the triumphant completion of the second temple at Jerusalem the erroneous course of the land of Judah was entirely corrected. So Jehovah was pleased, and he took away the error of inhabitants of the land in the special “one day,” the day when the temple stood complete, with its engraved headstone, and pure worship was inaugurated therein.

41. What stimulus should this give to us today with reference to God’s worship?

⁴¹ What a stimulus this should give to us today to put the worship of the true God at his spiritual temple in the first place in our lives! We should not let ourselves be delayed in doing this. We should not let interruptions take place in this effort.

42. Since 1919 C.E., in what way have the remnant of spiritual underpriests been “men serving as portents”?

⁴² The faithful remnant of spiritual underpriests of the Messiah know what blessings have come to them for doing this more and more determinedly during the now more than fifty years since that restoration year of 1919 C.E. They have come to appreciate more and more deeply that, like the underpriest companions of High Priest Joshua, they are “men serving as portents” for this “time of the end” of this worldly system of things. They portend the best of good things for all those who devote themselves to the pure, undefiled worship of the one living and true God.

43. What are the reactions of the remnant toward the one whom Jehovah calls “my servant Sprout” and the “one stone”?

⁴³ They are not deceived by any false Messiahs or false Messianic organizations of today. They have identified the one whom Jehovah calls “my servant Sprout.” He is the one whom Jehovah of armies installed in the Messianic throne in the heavens at the close of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E. and who has now begun his Messianic reign, namely, Jesus Christ. They have identified also the one symbolized by the stone that was laid before High Priest Joshua and upon which stone there were “seven eyes.” They admire how Jehovah has engraved this symbolic Stone with a beauty that befits the high position given to that Stone, and they rejoice that this one has been made the symbolic headstone or topstone, the highest and most responsible one in Jehovah’s system of worship. They are happy to be underpriests under that symbolic engraved Stone, Jesus Christ. They see from the Holy Scriptures that as “men serving as portents” they are under divine command to serve as witnesses to this exalted Stone, Jehovah’s one High Priest, Jesus.

SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY LEADING TO ENDLESS LIFE

44. After Jehovah’s taking away the “error of that land,” what was to be expected, according to Zechariah 3:10?

⁴⁴ What was to be expected after Jehovah fulfilled his promise given through Zechariah: “I will take away the error of that land in one day”? Nothing else but divine favor, expressed in material and spiritual blessings for the Israelites worshiping at their completed second temple in Jerusalem. Most appropriately, then, that promise was followed up by this divine prophecy: “‘In that day,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, ‘you will call, each one to the other, while under the vine and while under the fig tree.’”​—Zechariah 3:10.

45. What does that prophecy of Zechariah 3:10 mean for worshipers at the temple where Jesus Christ serves as High Priest?

⁴⁵ In this day when all false religions are crumbling and are about to be destroyed in the world’s worst trouble, that prophecy meant spiritual prosperity to sincere God-fearing persons who give themselves wholeheartedly to divine worship at the one true spiritual temple where Jehovah’s one approved High Priest serves. It means the fulfillment of the companion prophecy of Micah 4:1-4 (By):

And in the future days the mountain of Jehovah’s house shall be set at the head of the mountains, lifted above hills, and peoples shall stream to it. And many nations shall go and say “Come and let us go up to Jehovah’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, to have him instruct us in ways of his that we may go in his paths,” because from Sion instruction shall go out and Jehovah’s word from Jerusalem. And he shall give judgment between many peoples and pronounce verdicts for numerous nations to a great distance, and they shall pound their swords into hoes and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not take up sword against nation, and they shall never again learn war. And they shall sit each man under his grape-vine or his fig-tree with no one to alarm them, for the mouth of Jehovah of Armies has promised it.

46. So, what state of affairs do Jehovah’s witnesses maintain on their God-given spiritual estate?

⁴⁶ Even so today, when nuclear warfare threatens the world, Jehovah’s Christian witnesses reside on their God-given spiritual estate in spiritual prosperity. They maintain loving peace among themselves, absolutely taking no part in the wars of this world. Satan has failed in resisting their High Priest Jesus Christ!

Chapter 11

“Not by a Military Force, Nor by Power, But”—

1. How do Israel of Zechariah’s days and the Republic of Israel compare as to military force?

WAS there any military force under arms in the Israel of the days of the prophet Zechariah? No; unlike in the Republic of Israel of today, in which even the womenfolk are conscripted for the army.

2. How long had the repatriated remnant been without a military force, and therefore what question arises as to building the temple?

² Back in the year 522 B.C.E., during the brief reign of Artaxerxes (Gaumata the Magian) as king of Persia, when the Samaritan adversaries stopped the Israelite temple builders “by force of arms,” the Israelites at Jerusalem did not muster out a military force to combat them. (Ezra 4:7-24) Later, in the eleventh lunar month (Shebat) of the year 519 B.C.E., on the twenty-fourth day of the month, when Zechariah received his fifth vision, there was still no military force in Jerusalem and the land of Judah. This was still in the second year of King Darius I, who had succeeded Artaxerxes as the ruler of the Persian Empire. Would it be possible for the Israelites to complete the temple of Jerusalem without operating from a “position of strength” by means of having an impressive military force? The fifth vision to Zechariah answered the question.

3. (a) Out of what kind of state is Zechariah aroused before being given the fifth vision? (b) To the interpretative angel, what does Zechariah report seeing?

³ After the faith-inspiring vision concerning High Priest Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the prophet Zechariah appears to have lapsed into an attitude of meditation and contemplation, in which he appeared to be asleep. But the series of visions was not yet over; there was more for him to see. That is why he goes on to tell us concerning the interpretative angel who was explaining things to him: “And the angel who was speaking with me proceeded to come back and wake me up, like a man that is awakened from his sleep. Then he said to me: ‘What are you seeing?’ So I said: ‘I have seen, and, look! there is a lampstand, all of it of gold, with a bowl on top of it. And its seven lamps are upon it, even seven; and the lamps that are at the top of it have seven pipes. And there are two olive trees alongside it, one on the right side of the bowl and one on its left side.’”​—Zechariah 4:1-3.

4. The sight of that lampstand stirs up in us recollections of what house, and why so?

⁴ Do we have a mental picture of what Zechariah was shown? That golden lampstand with its seven branches topped by seven lamps that are fed with olive oil stirs up recollections of Jehovah’s house of worship. In earlier Israel, from the days of the prophet Moses down to the days of King David, that house of worship had a golden lampstand in its first compartment, The Holy. (Exodus 40:1-25) The vision of this lampstand was therefore very fitting, inasmuch as this vision had to do with the rebuilding of the temple.

5. How were the seven lamps furnished with illuminating fuel from a central reservoir, and how was this central supply kept full?

⁵ The seven lamps had a central supply of illuminating oil. It was that bowl on the top of the golden lampstand, from which bowl there extended seven pipes, an individual pipe running to each individual lamp to convey oil to it from the central supply. But from where did this bowl get its supply of oil, and how regularly? From those two olive trees that stood alongside the bowl, one tree to its right and the other tree to its left. Those trees could be a constant source of supply, and they were immediately at hand, with no need for transporting oil from afar.

6. Despite there being seven lamps, how was it one lampstand?

⁶ The lampstand being all one, its seven lamps were all connected with it by branches running from a central support.

7. What did Zechariah now ask the angel concerning the lampstand?

⁷ There was a meaning to this vision. So Zechariah at once responded to it: “Then I answered and said to the angel who was speaking with me, saying: ‘What do these things mean, my lord?’ So the angel who was speaking with me answered and said to me: ‘Do you not really know what these things mean?’ In turn I said: ‘No, my lord.’”​—Zechariah 4:4, 5.

8, 9. (a) By what course can we, like Zechariah, benefit from this vision? (b) What answer does the angel give to Zechariah, and what does this convey to us as instead of explanation of details?

⁸ Like the prophet Zechariah, we do not care to place our own interpretation upon the vision. We are willing to be taught from Jehovah of armies, by means of his angel. Only by getting the divine truth from the right source can we benefit from the vision. On being inquired of by Zechariah, the angelic interpreter does not first go into the meaning of all the details of the vision. Rather, he gives us the force, the all-embracing lesson, of the vision as a whole. This adds vigor to a vision of just a lampstand.

⁹ “Accordingly,” says Zechariah, “he answered and said to me: ‘This is the word of Jehovah to Zerubbabel, saying, “‘Not by a military force, nor by power, but by my spirit,’ Jehovah of armies has said. Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become a level land. And he will certainly bring forth the headstone. There will be shoutings to it: ‘How charming! How charming!’”’”​—Zechariah 4:6, 7.

THE BARRIER TO BE REDUCED TO NOTHING

10. What opposition did Zerubbabel face, and what might it seem to be like, especially in view of what circumstances?

¹⁰ How would anyone of us have liked to have the opposition of the pagan governors of the Persian provinces on this side (the western side) of the Euphrates River? Not just that, but how would any single one of us have liked to have the opposition of the emperor of the whole Persian Empire, King Darius I? That is the opposition that, for the time being, stood in the way of Zerubbabel as he went ahead with rebuilding Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem in that year 519 B.C.E. (Ezra 5:3 to 6:2) That would indeed appear like a “great mountain” in the way of carrying the temple’s reconstruction to a successful finish, would it not? He did not have any military force among the less than fifty thousand who had returned with him from Babylon back in 537 B.C.E. How, then, could he withstand any armed invasion by protesters to stop the temple work? What power did he or his fellow Israelites have? He did not know King Darius I personally, and had no political pull or influence with him. How, then, could he ever expect to finish Jehovah’s house of worship​—without being severely punished?

11. (a) What is the divine answer to the question? (b) So what did Zerubbabel need to have behind him in the temple work, and why?

¹¹ Do we today ask or did Governor Zerubbabel ask “How”? Back comes the answer from the greatest military Commander in Chief of all: “‘Not by a military force, nor by power, but by my spirit,’ Jehovah of armies has said.” (Zechariah 4:6) Zerubbabel did not need to worry about having a military force or power of any human source. All he had to do was to trust in the One who had told him by his prophets to go ahead with the work and to depend upon the spirit of that One, the Supreme Authority. That spirit of that One is, to be sure, an invisible active force, but it is irresistible, overwhelming, ever successful, always triumphant. Work invisibly it does, but it does produce results as purposed by the divine Source of that spirit. All the military might in the whole earth and all the political, religious power among all mankind cannot hold their ground against His holy active force in operation. In going ahead with the temple work, Governor Zerubbabel had that spirit behind him!

12. That figurative “great mountain” before Zerubbabel was to become what, and how was the fulfillment of Isaiah 40:4, 5 an assurance of this?

¹² What, then, is a figurative “great mountain” in the way? To it Jehovah of armies says: “Before Zerubbabel you will become a level land.” Before Zerubbabel and the faithful remnant that had returned with him from Babylon Jehovah had fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 40:4, 5: “Let every valley be raised up, and every mountain and hill be made low. And the knobby ground must become level land, and the rugged ground a valley plain. And the glory of Jehovah will certainly be revealed, and all flesh must see it together, for the very mouth of Jehovah has spoken it.” He could now do a similar thing in the case of this “great mountain” that confronted Governor Zerubbabel in that year 519 B.C.E. Let us note how He did so, by no strenuous effort on Zerubbabel’s part, but by His spirit.

13. (a) How had Jehovah earlier, on Chislev 24, 520 B.C.E., given Zerubbabel an assurance against enemy military force, through Haggai? (b) What would the adversaries do, certainly after Zerubbabel acted under stimulation by Zechariah’s fifth vision?

¹³ Just two months previously He had declared how he would deal with the enemy military hosts, saying: “I am rocking the heavens and the earth. And I shall certainly overthrow the throne of kingdoms and annihilate the strength of the kingdoms of the nations; and I will overthrow the chariot and its riders, and the horses and their riders will certainly come down, each one by the sword of his brother. ‘In that day,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, ‘I shall take you, O Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, my servant,’ is the utterance of Jehovah; ‘and I shall certainly set you as a seal ring, because you are the one whom I have chosen,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies.” (Haggai 2:20-23) Because of what Governor Zerubbabel and his fellow workers did that day (Chislev 24, 520 B.C.E.) at the foundation of the temple in Jerusalem, the provincial governors west of the Euphrates River may have taken their appeal to King Darius I in Shushan, Persia. But certainly those provincial governors must have protested to King Darius I after Zerubbabel went forward with the temple work under the stimulation of this fifth vision that Zechariah reported to him.

14. According to Ezra 6:1-13, what did King Darius I do on getting the appeal of the aroused provincial governors?

¹⁴ Up till then King Darius I had let the ban as imposed by King Artaxerxes stand against the temple building. But on getting the appeal of the aroused provincial governors, what did he do?

It was then that Darius the king put an order through, and they made an investigation in the house of the records of the treasures deposited there in Babylon. And at Ecbatana, in the fortified place that was in the jurisdictional district of Media, there was found a scroll, and the memorandum to this effect was written within it:

“In the first year of Cyrus the king, Cyrus the king put an order through concerning the house of God in Jerusalem: Let the house be rebuilt as the place where they are to offer sacrifices, and its foundations are to be fixed, its height being sixty cubits, its width sixty cubits, with three layers of stones rolled into place and one layer of timbers; and let the expense be given from the king’s house. And also let the gold and silver vessels of the house of God that Nebuchadnezzar took out of the temple that was in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon be returned, that they may reach the temple that is in Jerusalem at its place and be deposited in the house of God.

“Now Tattenai the governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues, the lesser governors that are beyond the River, keep your distance from there. Let the work on that house of God alone. The governor of the Jews and the older men of the Jews will rebuild that house of God upon its place. And by me an order has been put through as to what you will do with these older men of the Jews, for rebuilding that house of God; and from the royal treasury of the tax beyond the River the expense will promptly be given to these able-bodied men without cessation. And what is needed, young bulls as well as rams and lambs for the burnt offerings to the God of heaven, wheat, salt, wine and oil, just as the priests that are in Jerusalem say, let there be given them continually day by day without fail; that they may continually be presenting soothing offerings to the God of the heavens and praying for the life of the king and his sons. And by me an order has been put through that, as for anybody that violates this decree, a timber will be pulled out of his house and he will be impaled upon it, and his house will be turned into a public privy on this account. And may the God who has caused his name to reside there overthrow any king and people that thrusts his hand out to commit a violation and destroy that house of God, which is in Jerusalem. I, Darius, do put through an order. Let it be done promptly.”

Then Tattenai the governor beyond the River, Shethar-bozenai and their colleagues, just as Darius the king had sent word, so they did promptly.​—Ezra 6:1-13.

15. (a) To what alone can we assign that startling turn of events, and why so? (b) Foreknowing this, what did Jehovah say that Zerubbabel would do with the headstone of the temple?

¹⁵ Was the spirit of Jehovah of armies acting and directing in this matter? It is only to His spirit that we can assign this startling turn of events, for it was done without any military force or human power on the part of Governor Zerubbabel. The figurative “mountain” that was raised up by opposition forces in the way of Zerubbabel was made a “level land” for him. His faith in Jehovah of armies and his courage to do the temple work were amply rewarded. Foreknowing what he would accomplish by means of his invincible spirit, Jehovah went on to say in that fifth vision to Zechariah: “And he will certainly bring forth the headstone. There will be shoutings to it: ‘How charming! How charming!’”​—Zechariah 4:7.

THE “CHARMING” HEADSTONE

16. How essential was that headstone, and what would Zerubbabel’s bringing it forth certify?

¹⁶ That “headstone” was the crowning stone of the temple to be rebuilt at Jerusalem. That headstone was the essential stone that would put the finishing touch to the temple. Governor Zerubbabel’s bringing it forth would certify that he would bring the temple work through to a completion. There would be no stopping of him as Jehovah’s servant now. Jehovah’s spirit would see to that!

17. Why would that day of putting the headstone in place be one of exultation, and why would the spectators cry out, “How charming!”?

¹⁷ A day of boundless exultation it would be when he put that headstone into its place, to signalize the successful finishing of the temple at the city where God had put his holy name. The enraptured crowd of spectators on beholding this crowning feat would cry out in admiration of that headstone in its prominent place: “How charming! How charming!” It was beautiful in itself, for it was the same stone that was laid before High Priest Joshua the son of Jehozadak and the engraving of which Jehovah himself had engraved by means of his agent. (Zechariah 3:9) But that engraved headstone took on added beauty as it now occupied its assigned position in the temple structure and gave to the temple structure a gratifying appearance. Not only were the charmed eyes of the temple worshipers on that headstone, but Jehovah’s “seven eyes” were specially upon that stone in undivided attention. Its being put in place was a vindication of his word of prophecy by Haggai and Zechariah.

18. According to recorded history, when did that day of exultation come?

¹⁸ That day of exultation and of vindication came on the third day of the lunar month Adar of the year 515 B.C.E., for this is what recorded history says: “And the older men of the Jews were building and making progress under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the grandson of Iddo, and they built and finished it due to the order of the God of Israel and due to the order of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes the king of Persia. And they completed this house by the third day of the lunar month Adar, that is, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.”​—Ezra 6:14, 15.

19. What grand prospect does that prophetic religious occasion set before us today, and by what means will this be brought about?

¹⁹ What a grand prospect that historic but prophetic occasion sets forth before all lovers of the pure, undefiled worship of the one living and true God today! It points ahead to the time when the true worship of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will be brought to its perfected state at his spiritual temple. This will be when Babylon the Great (the world empire of false religion, including sectarian Christendom) is destroyed and all the political, military and social elements of this world who are opposed to even the pure religion are destroyed, and the cleansed earth is left with only the remnant of spiritual underpriests of spiritual Israel and their fellow worshipers out of all nations and peoples and tribes. This crowning achievement will be brought about, as Jehovah says, “not by a military force, nor by power, but by my spirit.”

20. What governor has a specially privileged part in that coming fulfillment of prophecy?

²⁰ The antitypical Governor Zerubbabel will have a specially privileged part in bringing to reality the modern-day fulfillment of this divine prophecy. We know who he is​—Jesus Christ, who now governs from his heavenly throne over the faithful remnant of his spiritual underpriests and their dedicated, baptized companion worshipers.

21. Zerubbabel and Joshua picture what capacities that are combined in Jesus Christ and also prefigured in Melchizedek?

²¹ Zerubbabel prefigured the glorified King Jesus Christ in an aspect different from what High Priest Joshua the son of Jehozadak did. High Priest Joshua (whom Greek-speaking Jews called “Jesus”) pictured Jesus Christ in his priestly functions. Zerubbabel, being appointed governor of the province of Judah, pictured the Lord Jesus Christ in his governmental capacity as of a king. These two capacities, that of high priest and that of governor, are combined in the glorified Jesus Christ, for he is also prefigured by Melchizedek, concerning whom Genesis 14:18 says: “Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine, and he was priest of the Most High God.” Hebrews 7:1 calls him “Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God.”​—Psalm 110:1-4.

22. (a) Zerubbabel used his governing power in protecting and promoting what work, under whose decree? (b) Whom did Zerubbabel prefigure in a like work and as leveling what “great mountain”?

²² Zerubbabel as governor of Jerusalem and Judah would promote the rebuilding of the temple as decreed by King Cyrus. He would use his governmental power to safeguard the temple work. To him, evidently under the title of Sheshbazzar, the sacred “utensils of the house of Jehovah” were entrusted by King Cyrus, and these holy utensils Zerubbabel brought from Babylon to Jerusalem to be used in the rebuilt house of Jehovah. (Ezra 1:7 to 2:2; 5:13-16) Rightly, then, Governor Zerubbabel took the leading part in the laying of the foundation of the second temple of Jehovah at Jerusalem. (Ezra 3:8-10) In this way Zerubbabel foreshadowed how the reigning King Jesus Christ would give stimulus to the work of restoring the pure worship of Jehovah at his spiritual temple. He would protect the remnant of anointed spiritual underpriests now on earth in their efforts since 1919 C.E., to restore Jehovah’s pure worship among all mankind. The “great mountain” of opposition and difficulty in the way of their doing this he has reduced to “level land.”

23. (a) How does Jesus Christ compare with Governor Zerubbabel in promoting the temple-building work? (b) How does he fulfill the picture of bringing forth the headstone and placing it?

²³ To compare with Governor Zerubbabel in bringing forth the headstone and putting it in place in the temple in 515 B.C.E., the glorified Jesus Christ will bring the work of reestablishing Jehovah’s worship at His spiritual temple to triumphant completion. By means of his invisible holy angels he will gather all the needed remnant of spiritual underpriests and will aid them in carrying out their duties in the antitypical Holy of Jehovah’s spiritual temple. He himself will fulfill the role of the “headstone” in that spiritual arrangement for Jehovah’s worship. At God’s due time he will take his own assigned place in that spiritual framework of worship and thus give the finishing touch to its completion. He is the Key One, like a figurative headstone, to the perfecting of that divine arrangement for worship, in which he serves as the Royal High Priest in behalf of all mankind. When he takes his place and reports to Jehovah God that he has completed the work on restoring the full-scale worship by means of all the necessary underpriests at the spiritual temple, that will result in a “charming” sight.

24. When will Jehovah’s worshipers cry out to the Greater Headstone, “How charming!”?

²⁴ At that sacred moment, when it becomes manifest that the work with regard to true worship has been perfected despite the opposition of Babylon the Great and her political patronizers, all true worshipers of Jehovah on earth will be filled with irrepressible appreciation of the part that the Greater Governor, Jesus Christ, has successfully performed. Jubilantly they will shout out to him as the Greater Headstone: “How charming! How charming!”

THE “DAY OF SMALL THINGS” NOT TO BE DESPISED

25. When the postwar work of building up the theocratic organization for Jehovah’s worship began in 1919 C.E., why did it look despicable?

²⁵ When this work of building up the theocratic organization for Jehovah’s worship began in the postwar year of 1919 C.E., it looked despicable in the eyes of religious Babylon the Great and her military, political paramours. It looked so impossible of realization to them. Why so? Because the surviving remnant of anointed spiritual Israelites was so small and was in international disrepute. (Matthew 24:9) For example, when the general convention of the International Bible Students Association was held on September 1-8, 1919, at the resort grounds of Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A., there were only about 6,000 that attended the weekday sessions; and other thousands, who could not attend this convention so early after World War I, were scattered all around the earth, some 17,961 (according to incomplete reports) having attended the previous celebration of the Lord’s Supper on April 13, 1919. What were these thousands of Jehovah’s dedicated, baptized worshipers in comparison with Christendom’s hundreds of millions of church members? As nothing!

26. (a) Was the surviving remnant to be despised for its smallness? (b) Who brought a corrective message, and by whom was he sent?

²⁶ Yet, was this surviving remnant of spiritual Israelites to be despised for its smallness? Because it had no “military force”? Facts that are available today, more than fifty years later, give a resounding answer, and they prove that it was the infallible God who sent his prophet Zechariah with a message to correct all wrong ideas drawn from the early appearance of things. Listen, as Zechariah goes on to report: “And the word of Jehovah continued to occur to me, saying: ‘The very hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house, and his own hands will finish it. And you will have to know that Jehovah of armies himself has sent me to you people. For who has despised the day of small things? And they will certainly rejoice and see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel. These seven are the eyes of Jehovah. They are roving about in all the earth.’”​—Zechariah 4:8-10.

27. When was the absolute proof furnished that it was Jehovah who had sent Zechariah to the people?

²⁷ If there had been any doubts in the minds of any of the repatriated remnant of Jews in the land of Judah, they positively knew that it was no other than Jehovah who had sent Zechariah to His people​—on the third day of the twelfth lunar month (Adar) of 515 B.C.E. The record of Ezra 6:14, 15 tells us: “And the older men of the Jews were building and making progress under the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the grandson of Iddo, and they built and finished it due to the order of the God of Israel and due to the order of Cyrus and Darius and Artaxerxes the king of Persia. And they completed this house by the third day of the lunar month Adar, that is, in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.” Jehovah’s prophetic word was vindicated!

28. (a) Why did Jehovah’s eyes not fail to see it when Zerubbabel, with the plummet in hand, placed the headstone on the temple? (b) At what similar but greater event will his eyes rejoice still more?

²⁸ Governor Zerubbabel may have had a plumb line with a plummet in his hand when he finished Jehovah’s house of worship by laying that essential headstone in its place. Eyes did rejoice at seeing that sight. Especially did Jehovah’s eyes. Nothing escapes His eyes. It is as if He has a complete set of eyes​—seven—​eyes that rove about in all the earth to observe everything done, whether done by His enemies or done by his dedicated people. His eyes did not fail to see the laying of the headstone by Zerubbabel with the plummet in his hand. His own eyes rejoiced with those of his faithful remnant who put the worship of the true God in the first place in their lives. How much more will his all-observing eyes rejoice when they behold the Greater Zerubbabel finish the work with regard to restored pure worship on earth at His spiritual temple!

“THE TWO ANOINTED ONES”

29. When Zechariah first asked what the vision of the golden lampstand meant, what was he told, and how are we now enabled to see the fitness of that answer?

²⁹ At this point, do we remember what the angel told the prophet Zechariah when he asked what the meaning of the golden lampstand with seven lamps was? Yes, it was this: “‘Not by a military force, nor by power, but by my spirit,’ Jehovah of armies has said.” (Zechariah 4:6) Now we are enabled to see the fitness of this mighty statement by further details that appear in the vision, with further explanation. To satisfy us on the matter we are told:

30. What did the angel tell Zechariah that the two olive trees alongside the lampstand pictured?

³⁰ “And I proceeded to answer and say to him: ‘What do these two olive trees on the right side of the lampstand and on its left side mean?’ Then I answered the second time and said to him: ‘What are the two bunches of twigs of the olive trees that, by means of the two golden tubes, are pouring forth from within themselves the golden liquid?’ So he said to me: ‘Do you not really know what these things mean?’ In turn I said: ‘No, my lord.’ Accordingly he said: ‘These are the two anointed ones who are standing alongside the Lord of the whole earth.’”​—Zechariah 4:11-14.

31. How was the supply of oil delivered to the lamps, why was the supply constant, and what did the oil picture?

³¹ Zechariah saw good to follow up his first question immediately with a second one, in order not to miss inquiring about a feature that he had not mentioned in his first question. Those two olive trees, we recall, stood to the right and the left of the golden bowl from which seven pipes extended out to the seven lamps on the lampstand in order to deliver to them oil from the central supply. From where did the golden bowl atop the lampstand get its own supply of illuminating liquid? From the bunch of twigs of the olive tree to the right and the bunch of twigs of the olive tree to the left, and this by means of a golden tube from each bunch of twigs. The liquid thus delivered looked golden, and it could no more be turned off than those two olive trees could be turned off. The supply was constant, just as the source of it was living and constant. That illuminating liquid pictured, not a military force, nor human power, but, as Jehovah said, “my spirit.” Oil was thus used to picture God’s spirit.​—Zechariah 4:6.

32. (a) What is the source of the symbolic “olive oil”? (b) What is symbolized by the lampstand that gets such oil?

³² Just as the olive tree was created by Jehovah God and so He is the Source of its oil, likewise he is the Source of the spirit or invisible active force, that kindles the flame of the true worship of Him. The two olive trees accordingly picture the two agents by means of which he conveys his spirit to the symbolic lampstand, that is, to his “holy nation,” the anointed remnant of the spiritual Israelites. Who, then, are the two agents that are symbolized by the two olive trees?

33. How does Revelation 11:3, 4 use olive trees to symbolize God’s living creatures, and so whom do the two olive trees in Zechariah’s vision symbolize?

³³ It is not going contrary to the Scriptures to say that the two olive trees picture intelligent creatures of God. In connection with the vision of the temple as reported by the Christian apostle John in the last book of the Bible, we read: “And I will cause my two witnesses to prophesy . . . dressed in sackcloth. These are symbolized by the two olive trees and the two lampstands and are standing before the Lord of the earth.” (Revelation 11:3, 4) The two olive trees of Zechariah’s vision are explained to be the “two anointed ones [literally, two sons of oil] who are standing alongside the Lord of the whole earth.” Whom, then, do these picture? Not the inspired prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, but two individuals to whom Zechariah was commanded to transmit the word of Jehovah of armies, namely, High Priest Joshua the son of Jehozadak and Governor Zerubbabel.

34. (a) How did the high priest and the governor impart the symbolic oil to the symbolic lampstand? (b) How did Zerubbabel and Joshua themselves keep constant in their supply of God’s spirit?

³⁴ By means of the inspired prophets Haggai and Zechariah Jehovah’s spirit was imparted to Joshua and Zerubbabel. These, in turn, were to take the lead in the building of the second temple of Jehovah and to impart Jehovah’s spirit to the Israelite remnant in that behalf. These two “anointed ones” were to imbue the whole restored nation with Jehovah’s spirit constantly, by sticking to the work to the finish and by encouraging on the temple workers both by words of exhortation and by personal example. They could do this if they constantly stood alongside Jehovah, “the Lord of the whole earth.” They must stand on His side as respects the issue of the only true worship, and they must constantly attend upon Him in favor of that worship of Him exclusively. In this way the sacred work would be accomplished by Jehovah’s spirit. Being “Lord of the whole earth,” he fulfills his will toward it.

35. In the modern-day fulfillment of the vision, whom do the two olive trees symbolize?

³⁵ In the fulfillment of this vision in the present “time of the end,” whom do the “two olive trees,” the “two anointed ones,” picture? Since, in the first fulfillment of the vision in Zechariah’s own day, they pictured High Priest Joshua and Governor Zerubbabel, they must picture just the one personage, namely, Jehovah’s Anointed One, Messiah or Christ, Jesus who was anointed with the holy spirit of God.​—Isaiah 61:1-3; Luke 4:1.

36. (a) How has Jesus Christ acted like Joshua the high priest and Governor Zerubbabel in connection with God’s spirit? (b) How has he, like the two olive trees, kept in constant supply of the spirit, and to what symbolic lampstand has he imparted it?

³⁶ Yes, indeed, Jesus the Messiah was prefigured by both High Priest Joshua and Governor Zerubbabel. Before he left his loyal apostles on earth he promised to send them the spirit, which proceeds from the Heavenly Father. (John 14:16, 17; 15:26; 16:13, 14) Then, on the festival day of Pentecost of 33 C.E., he served like the two olive trees of Zechariah’s vision. On that day Jehovah God began to use him to channel and pour out the holy spirit upon the “holy nation” of spiritual Israel. (Acts 1:5; 2:1-35; Matthew 3:11; Mark 1:7, 8; Luke 3:16) Like the “two anointed ones” or “two sons of oil” in Zechariah’s fifth vision, Christ Jesus stands “alongside the Lord of the whole earth” as High Priest and Governor and constantly attends upon Him, for he is at the right hand of God in the heavens. (Acts 2:34-36; 7:56) In this position he can be the channel of a constant supply of the spirit of the Lord God to the symbolic “lampstand” on earth, the faithful remnant of spiritual Israel.

37. (a) Energized by what and under whose leadership do the remnant keep on in the temple work? (b) To whom, therefore, will the complimentary praise and credit go for success in the temple work?

³⁷ Not by a military force, but by the unfailing spirit of God Almighty, the anointed remnant work on under their heavenly Governor and High Priest, Jesus Christ. Stimulated and energized by holy spirit they will carry on the temple work until it is fully accomplished. Accordingly, the compliments, praise and credit for the final, crowning success will go, not to the remnant of spiritual underpriests, but to Jehovah God the Source of the spirit and through Jesus Christ as His loving channel.

Chapter 12

An End to Permission of Wickedness

1. Instead of going through mere religious formalities at his temple, what should the nation of Israel do to have Jehovah’s blessings according to his covenant?

THE ANCIENT nation of Israel had at Jerusalem the beautiful symbol of the pure worship of the only living and true God. It was his sacred temple, rebuilt. But the nation should be doing more than merely going through routine ceremonial performances at that center of worship. The chosen nation of Israel, with its rebuilt temple of Jehovah’s worship at Jerusalem, should be living that religion daily throughout its God-given land. Then their religion would not be just a mere pious formality, but would be a living experience. It would not result in profaning the sacred house of Jehovah’s worship. It would not bring ridicule and reproach upon the name of God. Then he could gladly bless the worshipful inhabitants of the land in accord with the promise of his solemn covenant with the nation. He would not be obliged to send a death-dealing curse upon those not living up to the covenant.

2. (a) On the part of Jehovah’s worshipers there should be a hatred of what, according to Psalm 97:10, 11? (b) In harmony with what purpose of God should they tolerate no wickedness in their God-given estate?

² On the part of His sincere worshipers, there must be a genuine hatred of wickedness. To that effect the inspired psalmist exhorts them: “Oh you lovers of Jehovah, hate what is bad. He is guarding the souls of his loyal ones; out of the hand of the wicked ones he delivers them. Light itself has flashed up for the righteous one, and rejoicing even for the ones upright in heart.” (Psalm 97:10, 11) There should be no tolerating of wickedness where the lovers of Jehovah reside, in their God-given estate. In his own time, to which he strictly adheres, he will put an end to all wickedness throughout the whole earth, together with all its terrible consequences. He will no longer permit wickedness. Hail that happy time for all righteously disposed mankind!

3. In harmony with that theme, what vision was now given, and for whose encouragement was it recorded?

³ In harmony with this delightful prospect is the theme of the sixth vision given to the prophet Zechariah on the twenty-fourth day of the eleventh lunar month (Shebat) in the year 519 B.C.E. That it might be preserved for our encouragement in this time of its complete fulfillment, he was inspired to record it.

THE SIXTH VISION

4, 5. (a) To the interpretative angel, what did Zechariah report seeing? (b) How was that scroll proceeding through the air, and how much writing surface did it have, for what kind of message?

⁴ Zechariah writes: “Then I raised my eyes again and saw; and, look! a flying scroll. So he [the angel of interpretation] said to me: ‘What are you seeing?’ In turn I said: ‘I am seeing a flying scroll, the length of which is twenty cubits, and the breadth of which is ten cubits.’”​—Zechariah 5:1, 2.

⁵ The scroll is unrolled. With flat surface it is skimming through the air as with the wings of an airplane. It is a large scroll, for it is twenty cubits long and ten cubits broad, to total up an area of two hundred square cubits, or around four hundred and fifty square feet. And if both sides of the scroll were used for writing, that would amount to nine hundred square feet of writing surface. It did prove to be written on both sides. This would enable it to convey an impressively large message. Was the message favorable for the land, or unfavorable? That would indicate what the flying scroll meant. Zechariah wanted to know. So do we.

6. What did the interpreting angel explain the flying scroll to mean?

⁶ What did the interpreting angel say? “Then he said to me: ‘This is the curse that is going forth over the surface of all the earth, because everyone that is stealing, according to it on this side, has gone free of punishment; and everyone making a sworn oath, according to it on that side, has gone free of punishment.’”​—Zechariah 5:3.

7, 8. What questions arise as regards the thief and the swearer of a false oath in Jehovah’s name, and what does Jehovah say that the curse will do?

⁷ What, then, is to happen to these evildoers who have thus far got off scot-free? According to what is written on the one side of the scroll, what curse is to be executed upon the hitherto-unpunished stealer? And according to what is written on the other side of the scroll, what curse is to be executed upon the guilty maker of a sworn oath? Even we today are interested in knowing, because all the earth at present abounds with stealers and with persons who do not live up to their sworn oath. What does the interpreting angel have to tell us? This:

⁸ “‘I have caused it to go forth,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies, ‘and it must enter into the house of the thief and into the house of the one making a sworn oath in my name falsely; and it must lodge in the midst of his house and exterminate it and its timbers and its stones.’”​—Zechariah 5:4.

9. To what extent was the extermination to proceed​—to the houses alone?

⁹ The thief and the maker of a sworn oath in Jehovah’s name falsely were cursed to destruction. Not alone were their houses to be exterminated, timbers, stones and all, but the thief and false oath swearers were to be exterminated. The very place of their residence was to be blotted out of the land, and they along with their living quarters. A terrible curse, indeed! Drastic!

10. To what land did this matter apply, and why did this fact make the stealing and the false swearing all the more serious?

¹⁰ We must bear in mind that this applied to the land occupied by the remnant of once exiled Jews who had been liberated from Babylon and had returned to the land of Judah for the purpose of rebuilding Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem. That made matters all the more serious. Under the Ten Commandments, as given through the prophet Moses, those natural, circumcised Jews were under divine command not to steal, not to swear falsely or bear false witness. Hence, in stealing from God’s chosen people, the thief was really stealing from Jehovah. In swearing falsely in Jehovah’s holy name, the false swearer was lying, not only to the one for whom the sworn oath was to be an assurance or guarantee, but also to Jehovah. It was a misuse of His name, the use of His name in a worthless way. (Exodus 20:7, 15, 16) Although the thieves and false swearers escaped for a time punishment at the hands of those who should enforce God’s law, yet His curse would apply to those violators and would in due time take effect upon them.

KINDS OF THIEVERY

11. Did hunger make thievery excusable, or what consequences did such stealing bring according to Solomon and proverbialist Agur?

¹¹ No matter what the motive for stealing might be and how excusable the theft might seem to be under the circumstances, yet it was a sin and deserved to be punished according of God’s law. Said the inspired wise King Solomon: “People do not despise a thief just because he commits thievery to fill his soul when he is hungry. But, when found, he will make it good with seven times as much; all the valuables of his house he will give.” (Proverbs 6:30, 31) The proverbialist Agur the son of Jakeh did not desire to get into circumstances where he felt obliged to steal, for he saw that his God was involved or was affected. Hence he prayed to God: “Untruth and the lying word put far away from me. Give me neither poverty nor riches. Let me devour the food prescribed for me, that I may not become satisfied and I actually deny you and say: ‘Who is Jehovah?’ and that I may not come to poverty and I actually steal and assail the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:1, 8, 9) How would he by thievery be assailing the name of his God?

12. (a) How, in the light of the Ten Commandments, is the stealing, even for hunger’s sake, an assailing of God’s name? (b) What does the apostle Paul say on this?

¹² Because thievery is an expression of idolatry. The thief idolizes himself or the thing he steals. He covets that to which he has no right but which belongs to another. To escape punishment for thievery, he takes the coveted thing when the owner or enforcers of the law are not watching. Since the commandment against thievery was given over God’s name Jehovah, the thieving person is disregarding God’s name and assailing it as being of no force or importance. Wrote the Christian apostle Paul to Christian heirs of God’s heavenly kingdom: “No fornicator or unclean person or greedy person​—which means being an idolater—​has any inheritance in the kingdom of the Christ and of God.” (Ephesians 5:5) He also wrote: “Deaden, therefore, your body members that are upon the earth as respects fornication, uncleanness, sexual appetite, hurtful desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.” (Colossians 3:5) Paul may have had in mind the prophecy of Zechariah when he wrote: “Let the stealer steal no more, but rather let him do hard work, doing with his hands what is good work, that he may have something to distribute to someone in need.”​—Ephesians 4:28, 25.

13. (a) How does the “curse” affect the dedicated, baptized Christian who takes up stealing? (b) What stealing is more serious than stealing some creature’s material property?

¹³ If a dedicated, baptized Christian renews any stealing that he did before his conversion or he takes up stealing, he is assailing the name of his God. Since he as a stealer cannot inherit God’s Messianic kingdom, he comes under the divine curse. This will mean his destruction, for if he fails to gain entrance into the kingdom to which he is called, there is nothing else left for him. To be a thief, we do not necessarily need to steal material things from another person. Of more serious consequence is one’s stealing the words of God. God is against such stealing.

14. What does Jehovah say, in Jeremiah 23:30-32, about those who steal His words?

¹⁴ “‘Therefore here I am against the prophets,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘the ones who are stealing away my words, each one from his companion.’ ‘Here I am against the prophets,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘the ones who are employing their tongue that they may utter forth, “An utterance!”’ ‘Here I am against the prophets of false dreams,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘who relate them and cause my people to wander about because of their falsehoods and because of their boasting.’ ‘But I myself did not send them or command them. So they will by no means benefit this people,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.”​—Jeremiah 23:30-32.

15. (a) What must be said as to whether we are stealing our companion’s words when we make Bible quotations to others? (b) How did the false prophets in Jeremiah’s days steal God’s words from their companion?

¹⁵ Stealing Jehovah’s words from one’s companion is a serious matter. How do we do this? Do we steal Jehovah’s words from the prophet when we quote the words of the one whom He inspired to say them? No, for we give due credit to the inspired prophet whose words we are quoting for our support or for proof of a teaching. We refer people to the Bible book, chapter and verse from which we quote. We do not do like the false prophets in Jeremiah’s day. These prophets would take the prophecy of the man whom Jehovah inspired to utter the prophecy and then would palm this prophecy off as being their own. And, of course, when they enlarged upon this prophecy that they had stolen, they would not have the divine guidance in doing so. This would result in their not explaining it correctly or in making unauthorized additions of their own or adulterating, distorting, watering down the prophecy. In this way they would use the purloined prophecy to their own selfish ends.

16. How did those who pretended to be inspired prophets or who related mere dreams steal God’s name?

¹⁶ They put on an appearance of being a prophet by saying, as if under inspiration: “An utterance!” Then they really steal the name of Jehovah by attaching it to their own “utterance” to which it does not belong. They dream up false dreams for the future so as to influence the people against Jehovah’s true mouthpieces. Because of their false dreams and their boasting regarding the future, they cause the people to go astray religiously and spiritually and leave them unprepared for the real things to come. Jehovah did not send them or command them, for which reason they have no right to steal God’s name from its rightful place and use it for their deceptive purposes. Such thieves benefit no one.

17. What did Jehovah forewarn was approaching, and how were the prophets that did not stand in His intimate group responsible for the people’s conduct?

¹⁷ “For who has stood in the intimate group of Jehovah that he might see and hear his word? Who has given attention to his word that he might hear it? Look! The windstorm of Jehovah, rage itself, will certainly go forth, even a whirling tempest. Upon the head of the wicked ones it will whirl itself. The anger of Jehovah will not turn back until he will have carried out and until he will have made the ideas of his heart come true. In the final part of the days you people will give your consideration to it with understanding. I did not send the prophets, yet they themselves ran. I did not speak to them, yet they themselves prophesied. But if they had stood in my intimate group, then they would have made my people hear my own words, and they would have caused them to turn back from their bad way and from the badness of their dealings.”​—Jeremiah 23:18-22.

18. How have Christendom’s clergymen done what Revelation 22:19 warns against, and how have they stolen the words of their companion?

¹⁸ The foregoing corresponds with what is said to dedicated, baptized Christians in the last book of the Bible: “If anyone takes anything away from the words of the scroll of this prophecy, God will take his portion away from the trees of life and out of the holy city, things which are written about in this scroll.” (Revelation 22:19) In teaching that the book of Revelation has no prophetic value or that the Bible is full of myths and legends and impossibilities, the clergy of Christendom have certainly taken away much from God’s Word, and so are withholding it from the unsuspecting people. How often during political campaigns and in wartime the clergy of Christendom have appropriated to their own selfish use a text from the Bible and employed it as a pretext to talk to their congregations about worldly politics, social reform schemes and war propaganda! Is that not stealing Jehovah’s word from one’s companion?

19. How can we, like the apostle Paul, avoid God’s curse for stealing God’s words from those needing them?

¹⁹ In contrast with stealing away any of the Word of God from those who deserve to hear it, we should imitate the example of the apostle Paul who said: “I did not hold back from telling you any of the things that were profitable nor from teaching you publicly and from house to house. But I thoroughly bore witness both to Jews and to Greeks about repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus. Hence I call you to witness this very day that I am clean from the blood of all men, for I have not held back from telling you all the counsel of God.” (Acts 20:19-21, 26, 27) Like Paul, we do not want to be cursed for spiritual stealing.

MAKING A SWORN OATH IN GOD’S NAME FALSELY

20. The prophet Zechariah and his fellow Jews could well remember what outstanding case of swearing falsely by God’s name in Judah?

²⁰ Zechariah and the rest of the restored Jews of his day could well remember an outstanding case in history that showed how strongly God felt about one’s swearing falsely with an oath in His name. This case was that of their last king on the throne of Jerusalem, namely, that of King Zedekiah the son of Josiah. He died blind in a prison in Babylon before the faithful Jewish remnant were liberated from Babylonian exile. Why? The record at 2 Chronicles 36:12, 13 explains why, saying: “He continued to do what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah his God. He did not humble himself on account of Jeremiah the prophet at the order of Jehovah. And even against King Nebuchadnezzar he rebelled, who had made him swear by God; and he kept stiffening his neck and hardening his heart so as not to return to Jehovah the God of Israel.”

21. According to Ezekiel 17:16-20, what decision did Jehovah make concerning unfaithful King Zedekiah?

²¹ With regard to the oath with which King Zedekiah swore to King Nebuchadnezzar in the name of Jehovah, Ezekiel 17:16-20 sets forth this decision of Jehovah:

“‘As I am alive,’ is the utterance of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, ‘in the place of the king [Nebuchadnezzar] who put in as king the one that despised his oath and that broke his covenant, with him in the midst of Babylon he will die. . . . And he has despised an oath in breaking a covenant, and, look! he had given his hand and has done even all these things. He will not make his escape.’ ‘Therefore this is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said: “As I am alive, surely my oath that he has despised and my covenant that he has broken​—I will even bring it upon his head. And I will spread over him my net, and he will certainly be caught in my hunting net; and I will bring him to Babylon and put myself on judgment with him there respecting his unfaithfulness with which he acted against me.”’”

22. How did King Zedekiah forswear himself, and against whose counsel?

²² Since King Zedekiah had sworn with an oath to King Nebuchadnezzar in the name of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah, he owed it to God to live up to his oath and carry out his covenant to be a vassal king to the king of Babylon. In disregard of the inspired counsel of the prophet Jeremiah, he perjured himself, forswore himself and rebelled and turned to Pharaoh of Egypt for military help.​—Ezekiel 17:11-15, 17; Isaiah 31:1-3.

23. Similar to Zedekiah, how have the nations of Christendom and their clergy gone for help and broken their covenant?

²³ Similar to King Zedekiah, who was in the Law covenant with God through the mediator Moses, the nations of Christendom have gone down to symbolic Egypt for help, yes, to the world with its military equipment. The religious clergymen of Christendom have gone along with their respective nations and have blessed and prayed for their armies, their military weapons and their war procedures. In this manner the nations of Christendom and their clergy, who claim to be in the new covenant with God through Christ as mediator, have broken their covenant with God. The religious clergy have violated the neutrality toward world conflicts that is binding on all Christians.

24. (a) How have Christendom’s clergymen acted toward vows or oaths taken when they were ordained as ministers? (b) How will they fare when God executes the flying scroll “curse” in the coming “great tribulation”?

²⁴ Whatever vows or sworn oaths the sectarian clergy of Christendom have made to God when being ordained to the ministry of their respective religious denominations, they have broken. They have done so by their worldly course, well knowing that “the friendship with the world is enmity with God” and that “whoever, therefore, wants to be a friend of the world is constituting himself an enemy of God.” (James 4:4) What about the “curse” that was represented by the unusually large flying scroll that was going forth over all the surface of the earth? Will it enter into the houses of those spiritual or religious thieves? Will it exterminate them and all their religious houses in the time of God’s executing that curse? Without fail, yes! Those clergymen and their professed Christian nations are “false to agreements” respecting God, although they should know full well “the righteous decree of God, that those practicing such things are deserving of death.” (Romans 1:31, 32) Woe to them in the coming “great tribulation” when that curse on the “flying scroll” is executed by God.​—Matthew 24:21, 22.

25, 26. (a) Where finally must an end be put to those kinds of wickedness specified on the flying scroll? (b) By what course of action will dedicated, baptized Christians escape the “curse” of the flying scroll?

²⁵ As in the vision to Zechariah the curse was to put an end to thievery and false swearing in Jehovah’s name throughout the land of His people, so an end must be put to such things in all the earth. Especially so now in the spiritual estate of Jehovah’s restored remnant of spiritual Israel. Such kinds of wickedness are no longer to be permitted, tolerated, and allowed to go unpunished in this earth, which belongs to its Creator, the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. To escape the coming extermination all fully dedicated, baptized Christians are under Scriptural obligation to be “no part of this world,” to stick inseparably to theocratic neutrality toward the selfish disputes of this world. Because the restored remnant of spiritual Israelites do this, there is fulfilled to them what is foretold in Revelation 22:3-5:

²⁶ “And no more will there be any curse. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his slaves will render him sacred service; and they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. Also, night will be no more, and they have no need of lamplight nor do they have sunlight, because Jehovah God will shed light upon them, and they will rule as kings forever and ever.”

WICKEDNESS REMOVED TO BABYLON

27. (a) In the seventh vision, what did Zechariah see going forth? (b) What question is raised regarding “their aspect in all the earth”?

²⁷ Since there is to be no curse from God, there is to be no wickedness any longer. That wickedness was to be permitted no longer in and on the property that belongs to the divine Creator, the seventh vision to the prophet Zechariah indicates with interesting symbols. Let us fix our mental eyes on the word picture that Zechariah draws for us: “Then the angel who was speaking with me went forth and said to me: ‘Raise your eyes, please, and see what this is that is going forth.’ So I said: ‘What is it?’ In turn he said: ‘This is the ephah measure that is going forth.’ And he went on to say: ‘This is their aspect in all the earth.’” (Zechariah 5:5, 6) According to the language used by the angel, that is to say, the Hebrew, the expression “their aspect” is literally “their eye.” Similarly to here, in Numbers 11:7 “its eye” (that is, of the newly found manna) is translated as “its look.” However, in the Greek Septuagint Version of Zechariah 5:6 it reads differently: “This is the unrighteousness of them in all the earth.” Will the “aspect” or “look” of them all be unrighteous?

28. What does the fact that the container was a definite measure of volume indicate as regards those “in all the earth”?

²⁸ Well, we shall have to see what is inside that flying ephah measure, which, we are to find, has a leaden lid upon it. An ephah contained more than half a bushel (.62 bushel), or twenty-two liters. Since it measures off what is contained in it, it appears to say that it measures off or takes the measure of what is inside the symbolic ephah and thereby presents the “aspect” or “look” of all those in the land or earth. Is it unrighteous, as the rendering of the Greek Septuagint Version suggests?

29. What was exposed as being inside the ephah, and what was the name given thereto?

²⁹ “And, look!” says Zechariah, “the circular lid of lead was lifted up; and this is a certain woman sitting in the midst of the ephah. So he said: ‘This is Wickedness.’ And he proceeded to throw her back into the midst of the ephah, after which he threw the lead weight upon its mouth.”​—Zechariah 5:7, 8.

30. (a) So what did the “woman” inside picture, and her being confined in the ephah suggest? (b) Did the container’s being an ephah used in commercial affairs limit the kind of wickedness symbolized, but in any case where did it belong?

³⁰ So the wickedness of all the inhabitants of the land is symbolized by a woman. But now this “wickedness” has been confined like the woman inside the ephah measure. It itself has been measured off, and the time for its permission in the land has also been measured off by the Sovereign Lord Jehovah. And to keep it confined, a heavy circular lid of lead has been put upon the ephah measure’s mouth. The ephah in being a measure used in trading might suggest something commercial and, correspondingly, contain commercial wickedness, bad business dealings. But not necessarily so! A measure can be taken also of all fields of human relations and activities, and that appears to be how “wickedness” as symbolized here should be viewed. Wickedness of whatever kind has no place anywhere in the land or spiritual estate of Jehovah’s dedicated people. It should be put in a container and shipped out, in full measure, to where it belongs. It should not be permitted to stay.

31. What did Zechariah see next happen to the ephah measure?

³¹ Such a removal and transfer of “wickedness” is just what this seventh vision to Zechariah portrays. We can rejoice with him as he tells us: “Then I raised my eyes and saw, and here there were two women coming forth, and wind was in their wings. And they had wings like the wings of the stork. And they gradually raised the ephah up between the earth and the heavens. So I said to the angel who was speaking with me: ‘Where are they taking the ephah?’”​—Zechariah 5:9, 10.

32. How are these two women set in contrast with the woman inside the ephah, and what does having the wind in their wings suggest?

³² Two symbolic women are used to transport the confined “wickedness” away posthaste as if by airfreight of modern times. This is a good use of symbolisms. This womankind is used not just to symbolize wickedness; wickedness is not confined to women, but they too can be virtuous and useful in Jehovah’s service. And here in this vision they are used to symbolize agents employed by the Sovereign Lord God, who hates wickedness. Like Him, these two symbolic women hate wickedness and are glad to be used by him to rid the land of it. So here we have a nice balance in the use of women as symbols. And since “wind was in their wings,” it shows they had heavenly help to make speedy riddance of wickedness.

33. What features about the stork made it appropriate for these two symbolic women to have stork wings in this connection?

³³ We observe that their wings are the “wings of the stork.” How appropriate such kind of wings for these two symbolic women, for the Hebrew word for “stork” (hha·si·dahʹ) is evidently derived from the Hebrew word (hheʹsed) that means “loving-kindness” and “loyalty,” qualities that mark womankind. The stork is known to be markedly tender toward its brood of young and also loyal to its mate throughout life. But, of course, there is to be no tenderness in the treatment of “wickedness.” Storks being migratory birds and having an instinctive awareness of the times for their migration, these two symbolic women with stork wings would know Jehovah’s appointed time for the removal of “wickedness.” (Jeremiah 8:7) Since storks have a wingspread of up to seven feet (2.1 meters), they can fly high and also lift heavy loads. With stork wings the two symbolic women should be able to lift and carry off the heavy load of “wickedness.” (Job 39:13; Psalm 104:17) With Zechariah we ask: “Where are they taking the ephah?”

34. Where did the angel say that the winged women were taking the loaded ephah?

³⁴ The angel who was speaking with Zechariah tells us: “In turn he said to me: ‘In order to build for her a house in the land of Shinar; and it must be firmly established, and she must be deposited there upon her proper place.’”​—Zechariah 5:11.

35. What about the “land of Shinar” made it the fitting location to which to transport “wickedness” and house it on its “proper place”?

³⁵ Why was the depositing of “wickedness” in the “land of Shinar” a putting of it in its own “proper place”? Because it was there, even in the prophet Zechariah’s day, that the city of Babylon was located. It was there that Babylon was founded by Nimrod, the “mighty hunter in opposition to Jehovah.” It was there, with the city of Babylon as its center, that wicked rebellion against the Sovereign Lord Jehovah was organized. There too organized false religion was founded, so that the city of Babylon came to be the world center of false religion. It became the seat for “Babylon the Great,” the world empire of false religion, which religious empire persists to this day. (Genesis 10:8-10; 11:1-9; Revelation 14:8; 17:1-18) So, then, in the “land of Shinar,” symbolizing the location of rebellion against the universal sovereignty of Jehovah God and also the location of false Babylonish religion, there is where “wickedness” should be settled and kept, as in a house firmly established upon its “proper place” as a base.

36. With the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem, the God-given land of Jehovah’s chosen people was not a proper place for what, even as indicated by Paul in 2 Corinthians 6:14-16?

³⁶ The God-given land of Jehovah’s chosen people was, indeed, no place for wickedness of any kind, whether idolatry, stealing, crooked commercial dealings, the swearing of oaths falsely in God’s name, or any other wicked thing. This should be the case especially with the rebuilding of Jehovah’s temple in Jerusalem for his pure, undefiled, whole-souled worship. As the Christian apostle Paul wrote to the congregation in the pagan city of Corinth: “What fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? Further, what harmony is there between Christ and Belial? Or what portion does a faithful person have with an unbeliever? And what agreement does God’s temple have with idols?” (2 Corinthians 6:14-16) None whatsoever! As regards anyone practicing what is wrong within the congregation of Jehovah’s dedicated, baptized people, Paul says: “Remove the wicked man from among yourselves.”​—1 Corinthians 5:13.

37. In this “time of the end,” what should be done with “wickedness” as respects the God-given spiritual estate of Jehovah’s worshipers?

³⁷ During this “time of the end,” during this “conclusion of the system of things,” let wickedness of all kinds be removed from the God-given spiritual estate of Jehovah’s worshipers. Let it be kept out and confined to the realm of Babylon the Great and her political, military and commercial patrons. There let it stay fixed, as if residing in a firmly established house. We want no fellowship and association with this symbolic woman Wickedness. Leave her to her destruction along with Babylon the Great and all rebels against Jehovah’s universal sovereignty “in the land of Shinar.”

38. So since the beginning of the building of pure worship at Jehovah’s temple in 1919 C.E., what removal has been in progress, and how did Jesus foretell such a thing in his parable of the wheat and the weeds?

³⁸ Already since the restoring and rebuilding of Jehovah’s pure worship at his spiritual temple was begun in 1919 C.E., this removal of wickedness as if by the two stork-winged women has been in progress. It is just as Jesus Christ foretold for this “conclusion of the system of things,” saying: “The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels. Therefore, just as the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be in the conclusion of the system of things. The Son of man will send forth his angels, and they will collect out from his kingdom all things that cause stumbling and persons who are doing lawlessness, and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be.” (Matthew 13:39-42) When Babylon the Great and her worldly paramours are destroyed as with fire in the approaching “great tribulation,” their weeping and gnashing of teeth will cease at their destruction.​—Matthew 24:21, 22; 25:41, 46.

39. What, then, is the course of loyalty for us to persist in, while taking to heart Psalm 145:20?

³⁹ All we who have left Babylon the Great and her worldly paramours in the Babylonish “land of Shinar” have no reason to go back to that “wickedness” that belongs in that place of its inception. Our course of loyalty to Jehovah as the Sovereign Lord and only true God is to persist in his pure, undefiled worship at his spiritual temple under his High Priest, Jesus Christ. We take to heart what his inspired psalmist has written: “Jehovah is guarding all those loving him, but all the wicked ones he will annihilate.”​—Psalm 145:20.

Chapter 13

Chariots of God Safeguard Coronation

1. Are the chariots seen in Zechariah’s eighth vision those brought up from Egypt?

CHARIOTS make their appearance in the eighth and final vision given to the prophet Zechariah. These chariots are not any brought up from Egypt for the protection of the temple builders at Jerusalem in that year of the vision, 519 B.C.E., or the second year of the reign of King Darius I of Persia. The higher source of these more powerful chariots is revealed in the vision. Let us watch with Zechariah as they dash on the scene:

2. From between what did the chariots come forth, how many were there, and by what kind of horses were they drawn?

² “Then I raised my eyes again and saw; and, look! there were four chariots coming forth from between two mountains, and the mountains were copper mountains. In the first chariot were red horses; and in the second chariot, black horses. And in the third chariot there were white horses; and in the fourth chariot, horses speckled, parti-colored.”​—Zechariah 6:1-3.

3. What do the colors of the horses serve to do, and what question comes up as to the mountains?

³ We need not make guesses as to what the differentiating colors of the horses mean. The colors of the horses served to distinguish the chariots pulled by each color group. How many horses were hitched to each chariot, Zechariah does not tell us. But those two copper mountains from between which the four chariots come forth​—what do they represent? They certainly do not picture the mountain height of Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives right to its east. What they stand for becomes clear from what Zechariah is now told:

4. From where does the angel say that the chariots come forth?

⁴ “And I proceeded to answer and say to the angel who was speaking with me: ‘What are these, my lord?’ So the angel answered and said to me: ‘These are the four spirits of the heavens that are going forth after having taken their station before the Lord of the whole earth.’”​—Zechariah 6:4, 5.

5. Who is “the Lord of the whole earth,” and why did the four chariots take their stand before him?

⁵ Aha! not material war chariots from the flatlands of Egypt are these, but they are visionary chariots, symbolizing the “four spirits of the heavens that are going forth after having taken their station before the Lord of the whole earth.” And who is that “Lord of the whole earth”? (Zechariah 4:14) It is Jehovah of armies. (Micah 4:13) And where is he located? In the heavens, in his holy spiritual temple. It is before Him that these four symbolic chariots present themselves, taking their stand respectfully before Him to receive their official commission, their assignments with respect to the earth of which He is the Lord. After that they emerge from between the two symbolic copper mountains.

6. Scripturally, what do the two copper mountains picture?

⁶ These two mountains of copper must accordingly picture mountains of God. That is to say, governmental organizations of God. This is not surprising, for in the Holy Scriptures mountains are used as the symbols of royal governments, kingdoms. For example, God’s angel said to the Christian apostle John concerning the seven-headed wild beast that carried the harlot, Babylon the Great: “The seven heads mean seven mountains, where the woman sits on top. And there are seven kings.” (Revelation 17:9, 10) So the one copper mountain would picture the personal kingdom of Jehovah God in which he reigns as Universal Sovereign. The second copper mountain would represent the Messianic kingdom that Jehovah establishes in the hands of his only-begotten Son, Messiah Jesus.

7. (a) That second mountain was seen by Daniel in vision as coming into existence in what way? (b) When and how does the fulfillment of its work take place?

⁷ This second copper mountain is the one seen in a dream by King Nebuchadnezzar in Babylon just eighty-seven years before this eighth vision to Zechariah. This was at first the stone that was cut out of a large mountain without hands and that then struck and crushed the political image of Gentile domination of all mankind, after which that symbolic stone grew and became a large mountain that filled the whole earth. Explaining this mountain to be a picture of the Messianic kingdom of God’s Son, Daniel said: “In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.” (Daniel 2:35, 44, 45) That Messianic kingdom was “cut out” in the year 1914 C.E., at the close of the Gentile Times, and in the oncoming “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon, it will clear the earth of all these Gentile governments.

8. When did these chariots come forth from between the two symbolic mountains, and how does their being of copper comport with what they symbolize?

⁸ Consequently, after the Gentile Times ended in early autumn of 1914 C.E., there were two symbolic “copper mountains,” namely, Jehovah’s royal government of His universal sovereignty and the Messianic kingdom of his royal Son Jesus Christ. So it is from between these two heavenly governments that the four symbolic “chariots” come forth. Evidently they came forth in the postwar year of 1919 C.E., when the remnant of spiritual Israel was released from Babylon the Great and went to work at building up the theocratic worship of Jehovah God at his spiritual temple. Anciently, copper was a noble metal like gold and silver, and it was used in Jehovah’s sacred tabernacle of worship and also in the temple at Jerusalem. Appropriately, then, the noble quality of the copper of the two symbolic mountains represented the noble quality as well as the weighty stability of Jehovah’s kingdom of universal sovereignty and of his Messianic kingdom by his Son.

9. How is it that the four chariots are said to be the “four spirits of the heavens,” and what service do these render?

⁹ How can it be that the four chariots pulled by sets of horses of different colors are “the four spirits of the heavens”? (Zechariah 6:5) It is because, in the fulfillment of the prophetic vision, they are angelic spirit forces, who have access to the presence of the heavenly “Lord of the whole earth.” Jehovah is the One “making his angels spirits.” (Psalm 104:1-4; Hebrews 1:7) He being “Jehovah of armies,” he can use these angels as in a military capacity for the protection of his chosen people. As Jesus Christ said to the apostle Peter before a mob in the Garden of Gethsemane: “Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father to supply me at this moment more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matthew 26:53) Since these “four spirits of the heavens” are pictured by horse-drawn war chariots, they picture bands of heavenly angels who are commissioned by their heavenly Commander in Chief to protect His people on earth during the time of rebuilding His temple of worship at Jerusalem.

10. Where do the chariot-drawing horses go on their respective assignments?

¹⁰ Where, then, is it that (1) the red horses, (2) the black horses, (3) the white horses, and (4) the speckled, parti-colored horses go forth on assignment? In answer, the angel explained to Zechariah regarding the movements of the four chariots: “‘As for the one in which the black horses are, they are going forth to the land of the north; and as for the white ones, they must go forth to behind the sea [literally, ‘after them’; that is, to their own rear]; and as for the speckled ones, they must go forth to the land of the south. And as for the parti-colored ones, they must go forth and keep seeking where to go, in order to walk about in the earth.’ Then he said: ‘Go, walk about in the earth.’ And they began walking about in the earth.”​—Zechariah 6:6, 7.a

11. (a) Why do the red horses seem to be overlooked? (b) What assignments do the other horses respectively have, and in what behalf?

¹¹ The “red horses” seem to be overlooked here; but this seeming oversight may be because they have already finished their assignment of military patrol duty. The black horses go to the “land of the north,” that is to say, to territory formerly that of Babylonia. The white horses go their way westward, the direction opposite from what they were facing (the sunrising). The speckled, parti-colored horses appear to have a double assignment, namely, “the land of the south” (toward Africa, including Egypt) and to reconnoiter the remaining open country, the eastern parts not covered by the other chariots. Jehovah’s angel told all the chariots to go to their assignments respecting the various quarters of the earth. Obediently they did so, to safeguard God’s people in Judah.

12. Of what force is this vision to those restoring pure worship, and what scriptures do they have in mind?

¹² What a comfort such import of this vision must have been to the temple builders in Zechariah’s day! They did not have to worry about violent interference from their enemies to stop their work on the house of Jehovah’s worship. How strengthening and heartening this is, too, for the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel today while they are engaged in restoring to the fullest extent the pure, undefiled worship of the Sovereign Lord of the whole earth at his spiritual temple! They confide in the divine promise: “The angel of Jehovah is camping all around those fearing him, and he rescues them.” (Psalm 34:7) By faith they see what the eyes of the prophet Elisha’s attendant at besieged Dothan were opened miraculously to see: “The mountainous region was full of horses and war chariots of fire all around Elisha.”​—2 Kings 6:17.

13. As the chariots go forth on patrol duty, what does Jehovah say about the black horses as respects his spirit?

¹³ The eighth and last vision to the prophet Zechariah closes as he sees and hears Jehovah’s approval expressed as the military patrol work of the four symbolic chariots proceeds. Zechariah tells us: “And he proceeded to cry out to me and speak to me, saying: ‘See, those going forth to the land of the north are the ones that have caused the spirit of Jehovah to rest in the land of the north.’”​—Zechariah 6:8.

14. How was danger shown to exist in that “land of the north” even in the days of King Darius I of Persia?

¹⁴ The expression “the land of the north” refers to Babylonia. (Jeremiah 25:8, 9) Even during the reign of King Darius I of Persia there was danger from that quarter. As indicative of this, we read in the book “Babylon the Great Has Fallen!” God’s Kingdom Rules! page 376, the following history:

. . . This is, of course, not Darius the Mede, but King Darius I the Persian, who began ruling the empire in 522 B.C.

In that year Darius I had to move against Babylon and its local ruler (Nidintu-Bel), who had taken the name of Nebuchadnezzar III. Darius defeated him in battle and shortly afterward captured him and killed him at Babylon, which had tried to assert its independence. After that Darius I was recognized as king of Babylon till September, 521 B.C.E. Then Babylon revolted under the Armenian Araka, who took the name of Nebuchadnezzar IV. Thus Darius had to reconquer the Babylonians. After the city had been taken by storm that same year, he entered Babylon as conqueror. The old tradition was thus broken, namely, that Babylon’s god Bel was the one to confer on a man the right to rule that part of the earth; and Darius the conqueror ceased to acknowledge such a false claim. What a blow for Bel or Marduk! This time, after the Persians took the city, they did not deal with it leniently, as Cyrus had dealt with it.​—See also page 317, paragraph 1.

15. What was the chariot with the black horses sent to the “land of the north” thus preventing, and how did they thus cause “the spirit of Jehovah to rest in the land of the north”?

¹⁵ Thus the repatriated Jews in the land of Judah did not come again under the domination of Babylon, which had destroyed the first temple of Jehovah at Jerusalem and which “did not open the way homeward even for his prisoners.” (Isaiah 14:17) After this, also, Jehovah’s symbolic chariot that went to the “land of the north” kept the rebellious Babylonians from successfully revolting and from again enslaving the liberated Jews and interfering with the building of the second temple of Jehovah. That is how the chariot and horses going to the north already “have caused the spirit of Jehovah to rest in the land of the north.” Their faithful safeguarding work up there quieted His spirit up north and was an assurance that all the other chariots and horses in other quarters of the earth would safeguard God’s temple work.

16. What grand assurance does this give to Jehovah’s liberated witnesses?

¹⁶ How grand an assurance this is today to Jehovah’s liberated worshipers at his spiritual temple. Under protection of the symbolic chariots of Jehovah they will never again be conquered by Babylon the Great and all her political paramours!

A CROWN FOR THE TEMPLE-BUILDING HIGH PRIEST

17. Zechariah is now told to come into the house of Josiah with whom from Babylon, and to do what in that place?

¹⁷ The series of eight visions on that memorable twenty-fourth day of the eleventh lunar month (Shebat) of the year 519 B.C.E. had now ended, and the prophet Zechariah was directed to events visible to the natural eye in the land of Judah. Look! Here come three new arrivals from Babylon and (as it seems) Josiah the son of Zephaniah takes them to his home in Jerusalem for entertainment. Who are those three men, and what are they bringing with them? The spirit of prophecy identifies them to Zechariah: “And the word of Jehovah continued to occur to me, saying: ‘Let there be a taking of something from the exiled people, even from Heldai and from Tobijah and from Jedaiah; and you yourself must come in that day, and you must come into the house of Josiah the son of Zephaniah with these who have come from Babylon. And you must take silver and gold and make a grand crown and put it upon the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak the high priest.’”​—Zechariah 6:9-11.

18. Why was there no objection to Zechariah’s taking part of the silver and gold and performing a prophetic act?

¹⁸ Likely the prophet Zechariah did not use all the silver and gold that Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah, as a delegation, brought as a contribution from the Jews still in exile in Babylon. Although these three men from Babylon were not directed by the senders to give the silver and gold to Zechariah, yet there could be no objection to his taking part of it at the command of Jehovah of armies, forasmuch as the silver and gold were really contributed to Him in behalf of the restoration work under Governor Zerubbabel. With what Zechariah took, he was to perform a prophetic act, as an encouragement to the restoration work.

19. What was Zechariah to make and then do with it?

¹⁹ With what precious metal he took, Zechariah was to make a “grand crown” (literally, “make crowns,” but evidently the plural noun being used in the sense of grandeur). What Zechariah made he was to put upon the head of High Priest Joshua. What did it mean?

20. (a) What was the one called Sprout to build, and where would that one rule? (b) What was to become of the golden crown that was made?

²⁰ Let us listen to what Zechariah is told to say to Joshua: “And you must say to him, ‘This is what Jehovah of armies has said: “Here is the man whose name is Sprout. And from his own place he will sprout, and he will certainly build the temple of Jehovah. And he himself will build the temple of Jehovah, and he, for his part, will carry the dignity; and he must sit down and rule on his throne, and he must become a priest upon his throne, and the very counsel of peace will prove to be between both of them. And the grand crown itself will come to belong to Helem [or, Heldai] and to Tobijah and to Jedaiah and to Hen [or, Josiah] the son of Zephaniah as a memorial in the temple of Jehovah. And those who are far away will come and actually build in the temple of Jehovah.”’”​—Zechariah 6:12-15.

21. Why was it fitting that High Priest Joshua be the one crowned, and not Governor Zerubbabel?

²¹ In the fourth vision to Zechariah he had been told to say to High Priest Joshua: “Here I am bringing in my servant Sprout!” (Zechariah 3:8) In Jeremiah 23:5 the foretold Sprout is said to be raised up to King David of the house of Judah, not to a high priest of the house of Levi. Yet it was appropriate for Zechariah to put the golden crown upon the head of High Priest Joshua instead of upon the head of Governor Zerubbabel. Why? Because, concerning Sprout, it was said: “He must sit down and rule on his throne, and he must become a priest upon his throne.” (Zechariah 6:13) Here the Greek Septuagint Version reads differently, saying: “And there shall be a priest on his right hand”; and a number of modern Bible translators take that reading instead of the Hebrew and Syriac. The crowning of High Priest Joshua instead of Governor Zerubbabel would not arouse the fears of King Darius I of Persia that a Jewish revolt was being set forward. No, the kingdom of David was not being restored at that time, but it had to wait until the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E.​—Luke 21:20-24.

22. Did Joshua the son of Jehozadak sit upon a throne and rule as priest-king, and, in the light of that, what is the application and fulfillment of the prophecy?

²² High Priest Joshua did have part with Governor Zerubbabel in finishing the building of the second temple of Jehovah at Jerusalem and he witnessed its inauguration. He did not, however, personally rule as a crowned Priest-King upon a throne in Jerusalem. Neither did Governor Zerubbabel do so. But the anointed High Priest Joshua was a type or prophetic figure of the Messiah, the Christ, and in this latter one the prophecy concerning Sprout is fully realized. The Messiah, the Son of God, Jesus Christ, does become a Priest-King, in heaven, at the right hand of Jehovah God. He fulfills what was foreshadowed in ancient Melchizedek, who was both king of Salem and priest of the Most High God at the same time. Since the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E., he reigns in the heavens as a King-Priest, like Melchizedek, and now rules and goes subduing in the midst of his enemies.​—Psalm 110:1-6.

23. (a) Is there any conflict between Jesus’ office of High Priest and his office of King? (b) For whom does he bear the “dignity” worthily, and for what work will Jehovah give him credit?

²³ The Messiah Jesus, crowned in 1914 C.E., is no imitator of the religious clergy of Christendom who meddle in worldly politics and try to boss the resentful politicians. There is no conflict between his office of heavenly High Priest and his office of Messianic King. As it is written, “the very counsel of peace will prove to be between both of them.” (Zechariah 6:13) He worthily carries “the dignity” conferred upon him by the God for whom he is High Priest. (Hebrews 5:4-6) From his royal throne in the heavens he has carried forward the temple work at the earth since the year 1919 C.E. among the liberated remnant of his anointed spiritual underpriests. As in the case of High Priest Joshua in rebuilding Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem, Jesus Christ the heavenly High Priest will bring the temple work to completion. With this honor he will rightly be credited by his God.

24. The use of the crown from the gold contributed by the three from Babylon and (indirectly) by Josiah indicates what for those contributing to the temple work?

²⁴ In that spiritual temple of the Most High God those who have contributed toward the temple work will be given due remembrance. Their part will not be allowed to be forgotten, just as the crown made from the gold brought by Helem (Heldai, in the Syriac), Tobijah and Jedaiah and, indirectly by their hospitable host, Hen (Josiah, Syriac), served as a “memorial in the temple of Jehovah.” (Zechariah 6:14) It will linger in Jehovah’s memory.

25. The coming of the three men from Babylon with a contribution was, seemingly, a forerunner of what according to the next words said?

²⁵ The coming of Heldai, Tobijah and Jedaiah from Babylon to make or deliver a contribution in support of the temple rebuilding seemed to be the forerunner of something bigger. This is indicated by Jehovah’s words uttered immediately after speaking of the temple memorial of those three exiles from Babylon: “And those who are far away will come and actually build in the temple of Jehovah.” (Zechariah 6:15) Doubtless, although unreported, many Jews did leave exile in Babylon and come to Jerusalem just to lend a helping hand in the second temple at Jerusalem.

26. How has this prophecy been fulfilled since 1919 C.E.?

²⁶ Likewise, after 1919 C.E., many who desired to worship Jehovah left Babylon the Great with a particular object in view. This object they carried out in that they dedicated themselves to Jehovah as God and got baptized in water as commanded by Jesus Christ and they joined the anointed remnant that had survived the affliction of Jehovah’s people during World War I. Jehovah God accepted their dedication through Christ and begot them by his spirit, thus adding them to the remnant of spiritual Israelites engaged in temple work. They have seized this blessed opportunity before temple work is over!

27, 28. What may be said as to whether the “great crowd” of worshipers who are not spiritual Israelites come under the fulfillment of Zechariah 6:15?

²⁷ What, also, is to be said of the “great crowd” of those who do not become spiritual Israelites, but who join with the anointed remnant in the worship of Jehovah God and give support to the remnant in the temple work? The last book of the Holy Bible, at Revelation 7:9-17, foresaw an unnumbered “great crowd” of such fellow worshipers of the only living and true God. These acknowledge him as the enthroned Sovereign of the universe. They accept the sin offering of his sacrificial Lamb, Jesus Christ. In expression of this they dedicate themselves to Jehovah through Christ and testify to this by water baptism. Then they render what sacred service they are assigned to do in the earthly courtyard of Jehovah’s spiritual temple. They get inside the walls that surround the courtyards and that separate those courtyards from the profane things on the outside.

²⁸ They do this now, before the coming “great tribulation” breaks upon Babylon the Great and all the rest of this worldly system of things. They thus get in ahead of the finishing of the temple work by that momentous time. Jehovah will not forget their part. He will memorialize it with a reward.

29. What accomplishment in 515 B.C.E. proved that Zechariah had been sent by Jehovah?

²⁹ At the completion of the second temple in Jerusalem in 515 B.C.E., the Jewish remnant and the proselytes in the land of Judah had finalizing proof that Zechariah was God-sent as a true prophet. Not in vain had the words been said to Zechariah: “And you people will have to know that Jehovah of armies himself has sent me to you. And it must occur​—if you will without fail listen to the voice of Jehovah your God.”​—Zechariah 6:15.

30. As in Zechariah’s day, if we listen to Jehovah’s voice we shall witness what event and we shall come to the fullness of what knowledge?

³⁰ In our case today it is the same. It all depends upon whether we listen to the voice of Jehovah as our God. If we do, we shall be privileged to witness the triumphant finish of the temple work, with honor to the crowned Priest-King Jesus Christ. We shall come to the fullness of the knowledge that Jehovah of armies sent the prophet Zechariah and that He gave us in advance a correct understanding of Zechariah’s prophecy for our benefit and joy. Jehovah’s four symbolic chariots have patrolled all the earth to safeguard the spiritual estate of the worshipers at his temple. Under their safeguarding our work comes to completion!

[Footnotes]

Chapter 14

Fasting over God’s Executed Judgments Improper

1. When is the propriety of fasting, even over past events, questionable, and how does fasting and mourning affect one’s part in God’s work?

IS A TIME of prosperity the proper time for fasting? Especially so when this prosperity comes from the hand of the Creator of heaven and earth? If the God worshiped is pleased with his worshipers and is rejoicing in them, is it proper for his worshipers to be mourning, even over the past? Would not the sharing in His joy be more strengthening and enlivening to his worshipers to get on with his assigned work​—rather than fasting and mourning? Nehemiah, a fifth-century governor of the Persian province of Judah, once said to the people at Jerusalem: “The joy of Jehovah is your stronghold.”​—Nehemiah 8:10.

2. In almost two years since Haggai’s final prophecy, how many blessed harvests should the Jews have gathered in, and why?

² The time that the above questions came up was in the fourth year of the reign of King Darius I of the Persian Empire, or in the year 518 B.C.E. Just twenty days less than two years prior to this time of inquiry, Jehovah by means of the prophet Haggai had said to the Jews who had just resumed working at the foundation of the second temple at Jerusalem: “Set your heart, please, on this from this day and forward, from the twenty-fourth day of the ninth month, from the day that the foundation of the temple of Jehovah was laid; set your heart on this: Is there as yet the seed in the grain pit? And as yet, the vine and the fig tree and the pomegranate tree and the olive tree​—it has not borne, has it? From this day I shall bestow blessing.” (Haggai 2:18, 19) Since then two blessed harvests should have been gathered from the land.

3. When and how did the delegation of men from Bethel raise the question of the fitness of fasting?

³ Now, when the question of fasting and mourning is raised, this time Jehovah answers by his prophet Zechariah. The prophet tells us: “Furthermore, it came about that in the fourth year of Darius the king the word of Jehovah occurred to Zechariah, on the fourth day of the ninth month, that is, in Chislev. And Bethel proceeded to send Sharezer and Regem-melech and his men to soften the face of Jehovah, saying to the priests who belonged to the house of Jehovah of armies, and to the prophets, even saying: ‘Shall I weep in the fifth month, practicing an abstinence, the way I have done these O how many years?’”​—Zechariah 7:1-3.

4. Over what event were those Bethelites evidently fasting in that fifth month each year?

⁴ Bethel was one of the towns that had been reestablished in the land of Israel by the Jews who returned from exile in Babylon. (Ezra 2:28; 3:1) When Sharezer and Regem-melech from there asked: “Shall I weep?” it meant every inhabitant of Bethel individually. For “O how many years” now the Bethelites had been celebrating a fast, an abstinence from food, in the fifth lunar month of each year. It was observed evidently on the tenth day of that month (Ab), in order to commemorate how on that day Nebuzaradan, the chief of Nebuchadnezzar’s bodyguard, after two days of inspection, burned down the city of Jerusalem and its temple. (Jeremiah 52:12, 13; 2 Kings 25:8, 9) But now that the faithful remnant of Jews were rebuilding the temple of Jehovah at Jerusalem and were about half through, should the Bethelites continue to hold such a fast?

5. What other fasts were those Bethelites observing yearly, and to commemorate what events?

⁵ Those Bethelites were also celebrating three other fast days. One of these was on the third day of the seventh lunar month (Tishri), to commemorate the assassination of Governor Gedaliah, who was of the royal house of King David and whom Nebuchadnezzar made governor of the land for the poor Jews who were allowed to remain after the destruction of Jerusalem. (2 Kings 25:22-25; Jeremiah 40:13 to 41:10) Another fast was observed on the tenth day of the tenth month Tebeth, to memorialize the day when Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon began his long siege of Jerusalem. (2 Kings 25:1, 2; Jeremiah 52:4, 5) A fourth fast was kept on the ninth day of the fourth month (Tammuz), for that was the day when the Babylonians made a breach in the walls of Jerusalem in 607 B.C.E., and made their way into the doomed city.​—2 Kings 25:2-4; Jeremiah 52:6, 7; Zechariah 8:19.

6. The first three events as commemorated were what expressions from Jehovah, and so what question properly arises?

⁶ The things commemorated by fasting down to the year 519 B.C.E., namely, the start of the siege of Jerusalem, the breaching of the walls of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, and the destruction of Jerusalem and its temple by the armies of Babylon, were all the execution of the judgments of Jehovah. Whereas the murder of Governor Gedaliah by a treacherous Jew was not the execution of a judgment from God, it did lead up to the utter abandonment and desolation of the land of Judah just as Jehovah had decreed. All these were mournful events for the disobedient Jews. But were the judgments executed by Jehovah things over which to fast and to mourn? Should the carrying out of God’s will be bemoaned? Is it an evil to be memorialized in sorrow?

7, 8. (a) To whom was Jehovah’s viewpoint on the question directly given? (b) Instead of there being fasting, what should have been done, and when this?

⁷ God’s viewpoint of the matter was given to his prophet Zechariah, not to the priests of whom Sharezer and Regem-melech had been sent from Bethel to inquire. Says the inspired Zechariah:

⁸ “And the word of Jehovah of armies continued to occur to me, saying: ‘Say to all the people of the land and to the priests, “When you fasted and there was a wailing in the fifth month and in the seventh month, and this for seventy years, did you really fast to me, even me? And when you would eat and when you would drink, were not you the ones doing the eating, and were not you the ones doing the drinking? Should you not obey the words that Jehovah called out by means of the former prophets, while Jerusalem happened to be inhabited, and at ease, with her cities all around her, and while the Negeb [Southland] and the Shephelah [Lowlands] were inhabited?”’”​—Zechariah 7:4-7.

9. From what standpoint was their fasting for those seventy years and since then comparable with their own eating and drinking, and what would have been the better thing?

⁹ When the exiled Jews fasted during the seventy years of desolation of the land of Judaha and also during all these years since the remnant of them returned to their homeland, were they really fasting to Jehovah? Was it fasting that He could accept? Was it fasting that he had imposed upon them? Was it not a fasting over the destruction of things that he had condemned to destruction? These abstinences from food were just like their indulging in food and drink. They were eating for themselves. Similarly, they were fasting for themselves, because of the calamities that had come upon them for their not obeying the words that their God had called out by Jeremiah and other former prophets. Under such attitudes, how could they benefit spiritually from their fasting? How could such fasting make them more inclined to do God’s will? Obedience in the first place was better than fasting over the calamities that came upon them because of not obeying God right at the start.

10. Was it fasting that would straighten out matters, and what preventive measures should have been taken by those involved?

¹⁰ It is not fasting because of one’s troubles that straightens out matters with God. What does do this is one’s turning from the disobedient way and doing positive good according to God’s commands. On this score, let us note what Zechariah was further told to say: “And the word of Jehovah continued to occur to Zechariah, saying: ‘This is what Jehovah of armies has said, “With true justice do your judging; and carry on with one another loving-kindness and mercies; and defraud no widow or fatherless boy, no alien resident or afflicted one, and scheme out nothing bad against one another in your hearts.” But they kept refusing to pay attention, and they kept giving a stubborn shoulder, and their ears they made too unresponsive to hear. And their heart they set as an emery stone to keep from obeying the law and the words that Jehovah of armies sent by his spirit, by means of the former prophets; so that there occurred great indignation on the part of Jehovah of armies.’

11. Because the inhabitants had refused to hear him calling to them, what did Jehovah do to them, with what effect on the land?

¹¹ “‘And so it occurred that, just as he called and they did not listen, so they would call and I would not listen,’ Jehovah of armies has said. ‘And I proceeded tempestuously to hurl them throughout all the nations that they had not known; and the land itself has been left desolate behind them, with no one passing through and with no one returning; and they proceeded to make the desirable land an object of astonishment.’”​—Zechariah 7:8-14.

12. The repatriated Jews remaining on the land would now be by what course​—by fasting or what?

¹² That was straightforward speech to Sharezer, Regem-melech and the men with them from Bethel. Their beloved homeland had been left desolate for seventy years because of the badness and disobedience to God’s law calling for justice according to truth, for loving-kindness and mercies. Now their return from Babylon had discontinued the desolation of the land. They could remain in that land by a course opposite to that of their fathers, that of obedience. Fasting in memory of calamities would not do it. In connection with obedience, they must carry on with the temple work.

13. Why would fasting over mournful events that befell Jehovah’s people during World War I be improper, and so what is the proper course for us to take?

¹³ Are we today going to carry on mourning or fasting on days that are anniversaries of calamities or mournful events that befell Jehovah’s worshipers during World War I? If such things were judgments executed by Him for the delinquencies of His organized people, are these executions of divine judgment not right things, proper things? Mourning or fasting over such things expressing God’s righteous judgments is improper. We should not mourn or fast because we have suffered thereby. That would be self-centered​—not a fasting to Jehovah, but a feeling sorry for ourselves. Learn the lessons from the past and apply them now! Then, with tears dried from our eyes, let us rejoice in Jehovah’s restored favor and forge ahead with his temple work!

[Footnotes]

Chapter 15

Many Nations Go to the City of Divine Favor

1. For the would-be fasters, what was the good news from Jehovah through Zechariah?

HERE IS the good news​—for the would-be fasters of almost twenty-five centuries ago, and for those of today: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth month, and the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month will become for the house of Judah an exultation and a rejoicing and good festal seasons.’”​—Zechariah 8:19.

2. Such a change in attitude called for what other change in the background, as in David’s case according to Psalm 30:1, 11?

² Such a change meant indeed a change in the mental attitude of the members of the restored “house of Judah” away back there in the sixth century B.C.E.​—and of us today! As a background for such a radical change in viewpoint and conduct, there had to be a great change in the set of circumstances that are involved. Also, since it was predicted and thus decreed by their God, there had to be a merciful expression of divine favor toward them. It was just as King David, who captured Mount Zion and Jerusalem, stated matters in his own case: “I shall exalt you, O Jehovah, for you have drawn me up and you have not let my enemies rejoice over me. You have changed my mourning into dancing for me; you have loosened my sackcloth, and you keep me girded with rejoicing.”​—Psalm 30:1, 11.

3. This change in the set of circumstances would come about because of what feeling on Jehovah’s part toward his worshipers and toward their enemies?

³ How this was to come about was told to the prophet Zechariah, just after the question of fasting by the restored Jews had come up. On this we read Jehovah’s first statement of a series in Zechariah’s account: “And the word of Jehovah of armies continued to occur, saying: ‘This is what Jehovah of armies has said, “I will be jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and with great rage I will be jealous for her.”’” (Zechariah 8:1, 2) Jehovah’s feelings in this regard would be like those of a man whose wife had been abused, outraged, by his enemies. Since he had not rejected Mount Zion (or, Jerusalem) in complete abandonment of her, he would be very zealous, earnestly active in recovering her from the disgraced state into which she had been brought before the eyes of the world. He would be very vigilant in safeguarding her interests and demonstrating that she had been reinstated in his favor. Whereas this meant divine favor to her, it meant rage against those who had disgraced her and those who were trying to hinder her complete recovery, especially as a worshiper of Jehovah. His zeal for this would equal in degree his rage upon his enemies.

4. Had Jehovah by that time fully returned to Jerusalem, and when was such a full return possible for Him?

⁴ For seventy years, while the deported Jews were exiles in Babylon, the city of Jerusalem and the land of Judah had lain desolate, without man or domestic animal. In 537 B.C.E. Jehovah of armies proved true to his word and brought back to their homeland the repentant remnant. But in a sense Jehovah had not then fully returned to Mount Zion or Jerusalem. He had brought them back to build a second temple for his worship at Jerusalem. For sixteen years they had permitted the enemies to suppress the building of that holy house of worship, and now, when Jehovah here spoke by his prophet Zechariah, the temple was still not completed or inaugurated into divine service. So, not until that temple had its culminating feature, its headstone, put in place and was inaugurated by his priests, yes, not until then would Jehovah have fully returned to the holy city. First then would he be taking up residence in her by taking up residence in the Most Holy of the finished temple, by His spirit.

5. According to Jehovah’s declaration, what was Jerusalem yet to be called as a city, and also Jehovah’s mountain?

⁵ Hence now comes the second divine promise introduced by the declaration “This is what Jehovah [of armies] has said,” as a formal introduction: “This is what Jehovah has said, ‘I will return to Zion and reside in the midst of Jerusalem; and Jerusalem will certainly be called the city of trueness, and the mountain of Jehovah of armies, the holy mountain.’”​—Zechariah 8:3.

6. Why was Jerusalem’s mountainous elevation to be called “the holy mountain,” and she herself called “the city of trueness”?

⁶ The completed temple would sanctify the mountainous height of Jerusalem, and this elevation would consequently be called “the holy mountain.” Because Jerusalem as the provincial capital of Judah had thus proved true to her commitment to the worship of Jehovah and had put the interests of his pure worship first and ahead of all else, Jerusalem would be correctly called “the city of trueness.” The true worship would be practiced in her. The truths of the pure and undefiled worship of the true God would be spoken in her. Her mountainous location would be called “the mountain of Jehovah.” How much this promise of God means to us today!

7. According to Jehovah’s third promise, what was to indicate the life expectancy of Jerusalem’s people, and what was to mark her public squares?

⁷ But that was not all, for now comes a third promise of divine favor: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘There will yet sit old men and old women in the public squares of Jerusalem, each one also with his staff in his hand because of the abundance of his days. And the public squares of the city themselves will be filled with boys and girls playing in her public squares.’”​—Zechariah 8:4, 5.

8. That prophetic picture borders on the fulfillment of what prophecy in chapter sixty-five of Isaiah?

⁸ What a delightful picture this is of good physical health and peace and security and of a good population growth, unmarred by the sorrowful early death of infants! It borders on the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy as delivered more than one hundred and twenty-five years before the seventy-year-long desolation of Jerusalem and the land of Judah without man and domestic animal:

“For here I am creating new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be called to mind, neither will they come up into the heart. But exult, you people, and be joyful forever in what I am creating. For here I am creating Jerusalem a cause for joyfulness and her people a cause for exultation. And I will be joyful in Jerusalem and exult in my people; and no more will there be heard in her the sound of weeping or the sound of a plaintive cry.

“No more will there come to be a suckling a few days old from that place, neither an old man that does not fulfill his days; for one will die as a mere boy, although a hundred years of age; and as for the sinner, although a hundred years of age he will have evil called down upon him. And they will certainly build houses and have occupancy; and they will certainly plant vineyards and eat their fruitage. They will not build and someone else have occupancy; they will not plant and someone else do the eating. For like the days of a tree will the days of my people be; and the work of their own hands my chosen ones will use to the full. They will not toil for nothing, nor will they bring to birth for disturbance; because they are the offspring made up of the chosen ones of Jehovah, and their descendants with them.”​—Isaiah 65:17-23.

9. How does the spiritual estate on earth of Jehovah’s worshipers compare with the worldly nations as to peace and security today?

⁹ In these days, since the faithful remnant of spiritual Israel was restored to its God-given spiritual estate in the year 1919 C.E., what do we find? The political nations of the earth are putting on a show of trying to maintain world peace and security by means of the United Nations with now a membership of 132 member countries, but there is little security anywhere on earth. Also, the peace of all mankind is constantly under threat of nuclear warfare by the superpowers of the nations, democratic and communistic. However, within the spiritual estate of Jehovah’s worshipers there are to be found blessed peace and security. Even though the spiritual remnant has been joined, particularly since 1935 C.E., by a “great crowd” of dedicated, baptized disciples of Christ from “all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues,” yet there is no international rivalry or tension or conflict among them. Instead, brotherly love, the fruitage of God’s spirit, prevails among them.

10. How can we see a fulfillment of Jehovah’s promise in Zechariah 8:4, 5 in a physical sense and in a spiritual sense?

¹⁰ Since the end of World War I in 1918 till now it has been well over fifty years, and yet a number of the original remnant that survived the afflictions of that trialsome period have lived on, yes, even through World War II. By now they have literally grown old physically, yes, some even using a staff or cane when walking, because of the ‘abundance of their days.’ And many of these have raised up children, rearing them in the worship of the one living and true God. But, when we look for a spiritual fulfillment of this charming prophecy, we can see how the ‘old men and women sitting in the public squares of Jerusalem’ picture the members of the remnant of spiritual Israel who passed through the persecutions and disciplining of the first world war. The “boys and girls playing in her public squares” picture those members of that remnant whom Jehovah of armies added to the spiritual remnant from the postwar year of 1919 and onward. Together both old and young grow spiritually in faith, hope and love while enjoying together the peace and security of their spiritual estate.

11. Back there, what did it require to expect fulfillment of such a prophecy, and so what did Jehovah’s fourth declaration say?

¹¹ At first it took tremendous faith to believe that such things would take place, and accordingly it took faith to hold fast to the newly restored organization of Jehovah’s worshipers. God showed that he realized how his people felt about the matter, when he made his fourth statement of promise, saying to his repatriated remnant: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Although it should seem too difficult in the eyes of the remaining ones of this people in those days, should it seem too difficult also in my eyes?’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies.”​—Zechariah 8:6.

12. How did Jehovah aid the surviving remnant as to organization and discernment of issues, and according to today’s realities was fulfillment of the promise too hard for Jehovah?

¹² At the beginning of the work in 1919 C.E. to restore and to expand the pure and undefiled worship of Jehovah of armies, it was indeed difficult for the restored remnant to discern and appreciate all the marvelous things that Jehovah purposed to accomplish toward them and through them during this “conclusion of the system of things,” this “time of the end.” But patiently, little by little he corrected their understanding of the prophecies and their attitude toward theocratic organization. He directed them and protected them in the Christian work that was to be done in this most momentous time. He helped them to discern the issues that confronted a Christian worshiper of Jehovah amid the international struggle for domination of the world. More than that, he helped them to take the Biblical stand on such issues so as to abide in His favor. A half century ago what we now see accomplished within and by means of His theocratic organization seemed too difficult of realization in the eyes of the small remnant of spiritual Israel. But did it prove to be too difficult for Jehovah of armies? Today’s realities say No!

13. In contrast with loss of membership for Babylon the Great, what did Jehovah say in his fifth promise?

¹³ As we examine the facts of today when the multitudinous religious systems of Babylon the Great are losing members to the attractions of this modern world, we note that God has irresistibly carried out his fifth utterance of promise: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Here I am saving my people from the land of the sunrise and from the land of the setting of the sun. And I shall certainly bring them in, and they must reside in the midst of Jerusalem; and they must become my people, and I myself shall become their God in trueness and in righteousness.’”​—Zechariah 8:7, 8.

14. According to promise, to where has Jehovah gathered those of the spiritual remnant, and into what?

¹⁴ In obedience to the divine commands through Jesus Christ, the restored remnant of spiritual Israelites has proclaimed the good news of God’s Messianic kingdom in all the inhabited earth and for a witness to all the nations. They have endeavored to make disciples of Christ from people of all the nations, baptizing them in water according to Christ’s own example and teaching these disciples what Christ commanded as the one to whom Jehovah God had given all necessary power in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 24:14; 28:18-20) From the Far East and from the Far West the final members of the “holy nation” of spiritual Israel have been gathered, under angelic guidance. But not to the earthly Jerusalem that stands as the capital of the Republic of Israel. To where, then? To the God-given spiritual estate of the “Israel of God” on earth, and into a unity of theocratic organization and a unity of activity and of pure worship of Jehovah at His spiritual temple.​—Galatians 6:15, 16.

SPIRITUAL PROSPERITY TO BE NOTICED BY NATIONS

15, 16. (a) In proof that they have become his people and He their God, what does he do? (b) According to Jehovah’s sixth declaration, what had been the economic condition and social state of the restored remnant?

¹⁵ The real God proves just who are his accepted people by the way he favors them in the fulfillment of his prophetic promises. He proves that He, the Bible God, has become their God by showing trueness to his prophecies and to his covenant with them and by doing what is righteous for their sakes. Yes, he counts them as righteous in His sight, forgiving them through the ransom sacrifice of His High Priest, Jesus the Messiah. In harmony with this, He favors his restored remnant with spiritual prosperity to such an extent that peoples of the nations take notice of it and speak of it as a fine example of blessedness. So in God’s sixth statement of promise, he tells of a change of action on his part:

¹⁶ “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Let the hands of you people be strong, you who are hearing in these days these words from the mouth of the prophets, on the day on which the foundation of the house of Jehovah of armies was laid, for the temple to be built. For before those days there were no wages for mankind made to exist; and as for the wages of domestic animals, there was no such thing; and to the one going out and to the one coming in there was no peace because of the adversary, as I kept thrusting all mankind against one another.’

17. What change of conditions would now take place, and therefore how would the nations change their speech about the restored remnant?

¹⁷ “‘And now I shall not be as in the former days to the remaining ones of this people,’ is the utterance of Jehovah of armies. ‘For there will be the seed of peace; the vine itself will give its fruitage, and the earth itself will give its yield, and the heavens themselves will give their dew; and I shall certainly cause the remaining ones of this people to inherit all these things. And it must occur that just as you became a malediction among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so I shall save you, and you must become a blessing. Do not be afraid. May your hands be strong.’”​—Zechariah 8:9-13.

18. Why would it have been inconsistent for Jehovah to bless the restored remnant while they were letting the temple work go unfinished for fear of men?

¹⁸ These divine words remind us that the temple of Jerusalem was not yet finished at Jerusalem. About two years before this, work had been resumed at the foundation of the temple by the remnant from all the tribes of Israel, from the “house of Judah and house of Israel.” Such work had been taken up anew under the stimulation and encouragement of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah. (Haggai 2:10-19; Zechariah 1:1-7; Ezra 4:23 to 5:2) Up till that time the temple work had lain dormant for about sixteen years. If Jehovah had blessed them and prospered them materially during all those years of neglect of his temple, it would have appeared that it did not matter with him whether his house of worship was brought to completion and into use or not. He had prophesied that that second temple would be constructed at Jerusalem. He had liberated the remnant of Jewish exiles from Babylon that they might return to their homeland specifically to rebuild His temple. (Isaiah 44:26 to 45:6) How could he bless them when they feared men and ceased from building His house of worship and took up materialism?

19. Why was there no peace from outside nor peace inside, and what did the remnant need to do in behalf of a change?

¹⁹ During those years when the restored exiles were neglecting their commission from God and were not seeking to magnify Jehovah of armies by completing a temple to His name, conditions in Jerusalem and the province of Judah were bad, not only spiritually but also materially, economically. There was unemployment for man and domestic animal. Weather conditions hurt their growing crops and cut down on their harvests. Hostile neighbor nations interfered with their affairs religiously and otherwise. There was no peace among themselves as fellow Israelites because of their pursuing each one his own selfish, materialistic aims. Evidently God’s indignation was against them. In repentance they needed to return to Him that he might return to them with favor.

20. With what command did Jehovah open and close his sixth statement of promise, and why?

²⁰ Mercifully God called their shortcomings to their attention, by his prophets Haggai and Zechariah. Assured that Jehovah of armies was with them although all the Persian Empire might be against them, they took courage and, defiant of all likely human interference, they resumed God’s assigned work at the temple foundation, with a determination to push through to the end of the work. “From this day I shall bestow blessing,” said Jehovah of armies by his prophet Haggai (2:19). That was in the second year of the reign of King Darius I of Persia. Now, when Jehovah made his ten statements of promise through Zechariah, it was the fourth year of King Darius. The divine blessings upon the nation of temple builders had now begun. But there was yet much work to do in order to finish that house of worship despite the displeasure of those who hated Jehovah. The temple builders needed to work on. Appropriately he opened and closed his sixth statement of promise with the command that their working hands be strong. “Do not be afraid,” he said. Fear not men, but God.

21. When the surrounding nations would call down a malediction or a blessing upon others, whom would they use as an illustration, and why?

²¹ At the completing of the temple divine favor and blessing would be upon them to the full. During the many years of their indifference to building the temple, their condition had become so bad as regards peace, security and material well-being that the surrounding nations felt that the land of Judah and its restored exiles were under a curse. And so, when cursing others, those nations would call upon such ones to be cursed with a malediction such as rested upon those Israelites in the land of Judah. But no longer would this be true when Jehovah’s temple was finished. Then the astonished nations would observe that restored Israel had come into a blessed condition under the favor of their God. Accordingly, when calling down blessings upon others, those nations would use the blessedness of Israel as an example.

22. How has it been similar in this twentieth century, and, after five decades of work, how do Jehovah’s witnesses compare with Christendom in a spiritual sense?

²² So, too, in this twentieth century C.E., in this “conclusion of the system of things.” Until the restored remnant of spiritual Israel got down to sincere hard work at restoring and extending, first of all in their own lives, the pure, undefiled worship at Jehovah’s spiritual temple, there were difficulties from without and within. Religious opposers of Christendom cursed them, interfered with them, feverishly tried to stamp them out or suppress their temple work. But after five decades of undeviating attention to the worship of Jehovah and to the interests of his Messianic kingdom, how does the anointed remnant of the Christian witnesses of Jehovah compare with Christendom? Who is it that is prospering in a Christian spiritual sense? Who is it that has the divine blessing because of sticking strictly to the Holy Bible and doing God’s work as set out therein? Even the clergymen of Christendom express the wish that their church members had the zeal, faith, courage and knowledge of the Bible that Jehovah’s Christian witnesses had and prospered religiously as such witnesses did.

GOD’S CHANGE OF MIND TOWARD HIS PEOPLE

23. Because of what change of mind on God’s part did the remnant now not need to be afraid?

²³ Further strengthening encouragement comes to God’s obedient remnant as He makes his seventh statement of promise, saying: “For this is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘Just as I had in mind to do what was calamitous to you people because of your forefathers’ making me indignant,’ Jehovah of armies has said, ‘and I felt no regret, so I will again have in mind in these days to deal well with Jerusalem and with the house of Judah. Do not be afraid.’”​—Zechariah 8:14, 15.

24. Why was Jehovah’s having in mind to bring calamity upon their forefathers not a case of ill-temper on His part?

²⁴ Jehovah here admits that he had had in mind to do what was calamitous to the nation of Israel because the forefathers of the faithful remnant had made him indignant. But this did not mean any sort of ill-temper and fuming vexation on His part. The calamity that he had in mind to bring upon the nation or to let come upon the nation was strictly in harmony with the calmly stated set of warnings against the curses that they would suffer for breaking their part of their national covenant with Him. In all fairness he had warned them long previously through the prophet Moses:

“Jehovah will raise up against you a nation far away, from the end of the earth, just as an eagle pounces, a nation whose tongue you will not understand, a nation fierce in countenance, who will not be partial to an old man or show favor to a young man.

“And it must occur that just as Jehovah exulted over you to do you good and to multiply you, so Jehovah will exult over you to destroy you and to annihilate you; and you will simply be torn away from off the soil to which you are going to take possession of it.

“And Jehovah will certainly scatter you among all the peoples from the one end of the earth to the other end of the earth, and there you will have to serve other gods whom you have not known.”​—Deuteronomy 28:49, 50, 63, 64; see also Leviticus 26:27-43.

25. (a) Why was it no injustice when Jehovah let those curses take effect? (b) What divine change of mind was now in effect, and why?

²⁵ It was therefore only a just enforcement of His part of the national covenant with Jehovah, when he let the lawbreaking Israelites be “torn away from off the soil” by the Assyrians and by the Babylonians and then let the land of Judah lie utterly desolate for seventy years. But now, after he had disciplined the nation according to the terms of His covenant with them, he had the opposite things in mind to do to them in mercy. He started by bringing the repentant faithful remnant back to Jerusalem and the land of Judah. Their fear-induced holding back from building the temple could not and did not have His blessing. But now, “in these days,” in the days when they trustfully took up the temple work anew and courageously went ahead with it, Jehovah appreciatively had in mind “to deal well with Jerusalem and with the house of Judah.” So if Jehovah of armies was for them and with them for their wholehearted worship of Him, they should not fear men.

26. In this twentieth century, how has this seventh statement of promise been seen to apply equally as much to the spiritual remnant?

²⁶ In modern times Jehovah has been true to this promise which applies equally as much to the faithful remnant of spiritual Israel. For delinquencies, they were scattered from their God-given spiritual estate during World War I. But today they can look back over the many years since their restoration in 1919 C.E. and can see how marvelously well the God whose name they bear has dealt with them for their work at restoring his pure worship.

27. What did Jehovah now have in mind for the restored remnant to do, and in harmony with what two commandments was this in agreement?

²⁷ However, there are vital things for those who have mercifully been restored to divine favor to do. What Jehovah tells them to do is in agreement with the two greatest commandments of the Law, namely, to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves. We read: “‘These are the things that you people should do: Speak truthfully with one another. With truth and the judgment of peace do your judging in your gates. And calamity to one another do not you scheme up in your hearts, and do not love any false oath; for these are all things that I have hated,’ is the utterance of Jehovah.”​—Zechariah 8:16, 17.

28. Hence, how were truth and justice to be upheld in their “gates” or law courts, and what was the object of judging with the “judgment of peace”?

²⁸ The things that Jehovah of armies hates the restored remnant must not do, in order to remain in His favor. Justice must be executed in their gates or law courts. There no false oath should be resorted to in order to bring undeserved calamity upon one’s fellowman. One should be honest in what one says to a fellowman or swears to in court, always speaking the truth and not saying one thing with one’s mouth but having another thing in one’s deceptive heart. In settling any matter of dispute in a judicial way, the aim should be to bring about peace among those going to law; and this peace objective can be reached only if truth and justice are upheld in the court. We should love what God loves, not what he hates.

29. How did the apostle Paul show that Zechariah 8:16 applies to the Christian remnant, and how do they thus speak the truth?

²⁹ Does this apply to the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel? Most certainly it does. When writing to the believers in Ephesus, Asia Minor, in behalf of Christian unity, the apostle Paul said: “Speaking the truth, let us by love grow up in all things into him who is the head, Christ. Wherefore, now that you have put away falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, because we are members belonging to one another.” (Ephesians 4:15, 25) Evidently the apostle was here quoting part of Zechariah 8:16 and was properly applying it to Christians who were the “Israel of God.” (Galatians 6:15, 16) Speaking truthfully or speaking the truth with one another would also mean telling the Bible truths to one another, and not the religious falsehoods of Babylon the Great. In that way we promote pure worship of God at his spiritual temple.

FROM FASTING TO FEASTING

30. According to Jehovah’s eighth statement of promise, the hitherto times of fasting were to become what kind of occasions?

³⁰ Just because seven is a Scriptural number denoting perfection in a spiritual way, God does not stop with the above seventh statement of promise. He carries on to an eighth, just as we now read: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘The fast of the fourth month, and the fast of the fifth month, and the fast of the seventh month, and the fast of the tenth month will become for the house of Judah an exultation and a rejoicing and good festal seasons. So love truth and peace.’”​—Zechariah 8:19.

31. Whose question about fasting did that answer, and why was it now not proper to continue such fasts with mourning?

³¹ Here was a direct and positive answer to Sharezer and Regem-melech, who were sent from the city of Bethel to ask whether they should continue observing an abstinence from food, together with mourning, during the fifth month. (Zechariah 7:1-3) Now that the building of the second temple at Jerusalem was going on to grand completion, it was not the time to bemoan the past destruction of Jerusalem and its temple back there in 607 B.C.E., or more than eighty years ago. It was His will for them to rejoice in his present goodness to them and to exult in the undoing of all the destructive work that the Babylonians had done in Jerusalem and the land of Judah. Away with mournful fasts! Enjoy good festal seasons!

32. How has this divine promise been fulfilled in Christian spiritual Israel, and what one day each year does the remnant observe in obedience to Christ’s command?

³² How grandly this divine promise uttered to ancient Israel has been fulfilled in Christian spiritual Israel! The anointed remnant today do not observe any of the fasts and mournful seasons of ancient Israel. Not even the annual Yom Kippur or Day of Atonement on the tenth day of the seventh lunar month (Tishri). (Leviticus, chapter 16) They rejoice in the true Atonement Day as carried out by Jehovah’s High Priest, Jesus Christ, by means of his perfect atoning sacrifice, the merit of which Jesus Christ presented to Jehovah in heaven in 33 C.E. in behalf of all mankind. (1 John 1:7 to 2:2) The only day that the remnant of spiritual Israel observe each year is the day of Christ’s sacrificial death on Passover Day, Nisan 14, in obedience to Christ’s own command to his disciples. Thus, when the surviving remnant observed the Lord’s Supper after sundown of April 13, 1919, there were upward of 17,961 that came together world wide to observe his atoning death. But on Friday, April 9, 1971, after sundown, there were 3,453,542 who attended, 10,384 of these partaking of the emblematic unleavened bread and wine.​—Luke 22:7-20.

33. That large attendance at the Lord’s Supper in 1971 world wide is explained by what prophecy in Jehovah’s ninth statement of promise?

³³ From where did all those more than 3,400,000 observers come, in addition to the 10,384 partakers, on this latter observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal? This worldwide phenomenon of the year 1971 is explained by the fulfillment of Jehovah’s ninth statement of promise, as recorded in Zechariah 8:20-22: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘It will yet be that peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will come; and the inhabitants of one city will certainly go to those of another, saying: “Let us earnestly go to soften the face of Jehovah and to seek Jehovah of armies. I myself will go also.” And many peoples and mighty nations will actually come to seek Jehovah of armies in Jerusalem and to soften the face of Jehovah.’”

INTERNATIONAL GATHERING TO GOD’S CITY

34. (a) In what way do “peoples” and “nations” now come to Jehovah’s center of worship? (b) Does this gathering include individuals from “many peoples and mighty nations” and “many cities”?

³⁴ No whole “peoples” and whole “nations” were thus to come to Jehovah’s center of worship and to appease him to gain his favor. Individual persons from those peoples and nations were to do so. World conversion to Judaism was by no means meant here. So, when we examine the 1972 Yearbook of Jehovah’s Witnesses we learn that these Christian witnesses of Jehovah are found in 207 lands and islands. The list of these lands and islands includes “many peoples and mighty nations.” And as for the “inhabitants of many cities,” the 1972 Yearbook reveals that, by the time of August 31, 1971, there were 27,154 congregations of Jehovah’s Christian witnesses around the globe. New York city alone had 212 of those congregations in a number of languages. All together, the Bibles and Biblical literature of these Christians who worship Jehovah is printed in 165 languages. They worship Jehovah as Jesus Christ himself did.

35. Why is it that they do not go to the present-day earthly Jerusalem, and so where do they worship Jehovah?

³⁵ No, they do not go to the present-day earthly Jerusalem, where a Mohammedan mosque, the Dome of the Rock, sits on the location where the temple of Jerusalem used to stand. They recognize the existence of what Hebrews 12:22 calls “a Mount Zion and a city of the living God, heavenly Jerusalem.” They exult and rejoice in the fact that at the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E., God’s Messianic kingdom was established on that Mount Zion, and there Jesus Christ, “son of David, son of Abraham,” is enthroned. (Matthew 1:1) No longer therefore is the God-given right of the royal family of David to reign in God’s city being trampled upon by the Gentile nations. (Luke 21:20-24) They give their allegiance to this Messianic kingdom, which, shortly now, will destroy all Gentile governments on earth and will reign forever for the vindication of the universal sovereignty of Jehovah of armies. In the earthly courtyards of His spiritual temple they worship Him and enjoy his favor.​—Psalms 84:2, 10; 116:18, 19.

36. According to Jehovah’s culminating statement of promise, how many were to take hold of the skirt of a Jew, and what were they to say to him?

³⁶ Marvelous indeed is the modern-day fulfillment of that ninth statement of promise by the Sovereign Lord God. But there is yet a culminating utterance of promise, a tenth one, to this grand series of divine promises. So in the closing verse (23) of this eighth chapter of Zechariah’s prophecy we read: “This is what Jehovah of armies has said, ‘It will be in those days that ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold, yes, they will actually take hold of the skirt of a man who is a Jew, saying: “We will go with you people, for we have heard that God is with you people.”’”​—Zechariah 8:23.

37. To understand who is meant here by the term “Jew,” what guiding rule stated by a natural Jew do we need to consider?

³⁷ In order to understand aright this prophecy about the “skirt of a man who is a Jew,” we have to consider the guiding rule set forth by a man who was “circumcised the eighth day, out of the family stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born from Hebrews; as respects law, a Pharisee”; namely, the apostle Paul, who was aforetime, “as respects zeal, persecuting the congregation.” (Philippians 3:5, 6) When writing the Christian congregation of the first century in Rome, this natural-born Jew or Israelite said: “He is not a Jew who is one on the outside, nor is circumcision that which is on the outside upon the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one on the inside, and his circumcision is that of the heart by spirit, and not by a written code. The praise of that one comes, not from men, but from God.”​—Romans 2:28, 29.

38. (a) So, if racial extraction does not count in this matter, what does, even with natural Jews? (b) Till when was the Christian congregation made up exclusively of natural Jews and proselytes, and then what choice did Cornelius have to make?

³⁸ For this reason the fulfillment of Zechariah 8:23 does not rest upon any racial superiority according to the flesh. The “skirt of a man who is a Jew” is not taken hold of because he is a Jew according to natural birth. One’s fleshly connection does not count at all in this matter. What counts is, Whom does he worship? Or, if he is a professed worshiper of God, Is God really with him? It is true that, during the second half of the seventieth week of years of the prophecy of Daniel 9:24-27, namely, from Pentecost of 33 C.E. to the autumn of 36 C.E., the Christian congregation was made up exclusively of natural Jews and circumcised Jewish proselytes. But what distinguished such natural Jews comprising the Christian congregation? During that time there were natural Jews and natural Jews. God was definitely not with both kinds. God was not divided. Hence, at the end of the seventieth week of years in early fall of 36 C.E., with what kind of Jews did the Gentile, the Italian centurion Cornelius, go to join with them in worship? What does Acts 10:1-48 show?

39. With which group of natural Jews did Cornelius decide to go?

³⁹ This Cornelius of Italian language ceased to go along with the worship of the natural Jews and make “many gifts of mercy” to the natural Jews who had Jesus Christ put to a violent death as a blasphemer of God and as a false Christ. Cornelius and his fellow Gentile converts went with only those natural Jews who had become disciples of Jesus Christ and upon whom God poured out his holy spirit through Jesus Christ, thereby manifesting that He (God) was with the Christian congregation. (Acts 2:1-47; 11:1-18) That Christian congregation was made up of spiritual Jews, spiritual Israelites, in the new covenant with God through Christ as mediator. The Italian Cornelius was just as much a spiritual Jew or Israelite as those believing natural Jews. Cornelius saw that the Christian congregation was made up of spiritual Jews and that God was with those people. Hence he decided to go with spiritual Jews.

40. How can we determine whether, especially since Jerusalem’s destruction by the Romans, there is any basis for applying Zechariah 8:23 to non-Christian natural Jews?

⁴⁰ Could the destruction of Jerusalem and its material temple by Roman legions be interpreted as a proof that God was with the Jews caught in that awful calamity, just because they were Jews according to their circumcised flesh? How could any honest reasonable person accept such an interpretation? Today there is no Jewish temple in Jerusalem on Mount Moriah for any of the Gentiles to go up there and worship with the Jews. Nor are the Jewish religious leaders and political leaders imitating High Priest Joshua and Governor Zerubbabel and rebuilding the temple upon its historical location, even though the Jews took over the old walled city of Jerusalem in the six-day war of 1967. What basis, therefore, is there to apply Zechariah 8:23 to the non-Christian natural, circumcised Jews today or even in the foreseeable future? None whatsoever!

41. Is Zechariah 8:23 being fulfilled upon Christendom today?

⁴¹ Well, then, is the prophecy’s fulfillment being realized in religious Christendom today, which has long held to the idea of world conversion to her multi-sectarian religious organization? Are ten non-Christians of all peoples and nations taking hold of the skirt of a church member of Christendom and saying, “We will go with you people, for we have heard that God is with you people”? And by “God” the prophecy means “Jehovah of armies.” Certainly the pagan world is not being converted to the sects of Christendom at the rate of ten pagans to one church member. Christendom estimates her church membership today as being 924,274,000 and ten times that would mean more than twice the present world population.

42. To determine which ones of all the professed spiritual Jews of today Zechariah 8:23 applies to, on what questions must we get the facts?

⁴² Just as there were natural Jews and natural Jews in the days of Christ’s apostles, so today there are professed spiritual Jews and professed spiritual Jews. Christendom has more than 900 million such professed spiritual Jews who are supposed to be in the new covenant through Christ as mediator. But of all these two kinds of professed spiritual Jews, we ask: Which kind is really worshiping and serving Jehovah of armies at his true spiritual temple? To which kind are the peoples of all nations, big and small, saying that they will go with them because they have heard, not that some nameless “God” is with them, but that Jehovah God is with them? In this case only the facts should be relied upon. Let these speak for themselves.

43. What things today distinguish those spiritual Israelites to whom Zechariah 8:23 applies, and how many of them are there now?

⁴³ According to worldwide evidences, it is the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites whom Jehovah God began to liberate from Babylon the Great, that world empire of false Babylonish religion. These are engaged in spiritual work like that of building the second temple of Jehovah in the days of High Priest Joshua and Governor Zerubbabel. They are wholeheartedly promoting the worship of Jehovah of armies world wide, by persons of all nations, tribes, peoples and languages. Annually they meet on Passover Day to celebrate the sacrificial death of Jehovah’s Son, the Messiah Jesus, and on that occasion they eat the unleavened bread and drink the wine just as Jesus Christ commanded. From this eloquent testimony on their part, they seem to number today only around ten thousand anointed spiritual Israelites. Much less than the remnant in Zechariah’s day.

44. Who is it that join themselves to these true spiritual Israelites, and in what numbers, according to reports?

⁴⁴ Who, though, are joining themselves to these spiritual Jews in worship of the one living and true God at his spiritual temple? Just as was foretold in Revelation 7:9-17, it is a numberless “great crowd” “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues.” These also are becoming disciples of Jehovah’s Messiah. (Matthew 28:19, 20) Just in the year 1971 alone there were 149,808 of these baptized as dedicated disciples of Jehovah’s Messiah. During that same year there was an average of 1,510,245 who reported joining together in obeying the Messiah’s command to preach “this good news” of Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom everywhere down to the approaching end of this system of things. (Matthew 24:14) How remarkable already the fulfillment of Zechariah 8:23!

Chapter 16

Presentation of the King Brings Release to Prisoners

1. What kind of application does Zechariah’s prophecy, when speaking of lands and cities in the news today, have now, and what helps us to determine a fulfillment today?

TODAY the countries of Syria and Lebanon and the Gaza Strip figure prominently in the news. Cities that are associated with these lands are named in the ninth chapter of Zechariah’s prophecy. However, what the prophet Zechariah said away back there in the sixth century before our Common Era has no application to these lands today in their relations with the Republic of Israel. Aside from any initial fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy in the first century of our Common Era, and in a literal way, the prophecy has its final fulfillment today, in this twentieth century C.E., in only a spiritual or figurative way. By acquainting ourselves with the first fulfillment nineteen centuries ago, we can discern its spiritual fulfillment today.

2. At a map of what period of time do we look, and are the places mentioned in connection with the “land of Hadrach” Jewish?

² If we turn to our map of the Land of Palestine during the Reign of the Persian Kings, we note Damascus, the capital of Syria, also the city of Hamath about 120 miles (193 kilometers) to the north of Damascus; also the ancient Phoenician (now Lebanese) cities of Tyre and Sidon on the Mediterranean seacoast; also the Philistine cities of Gaza, Ashkelon, Ekron, Ashdod and Gath; also the cities of Jerusalem and Samaria. The “land of Hadrach” does not appear on all maps because its location and precise limits are not exactly known, but the prophecy associates this once mentioned land with Damascus. The Atlas of the Biblical World by Baly and Tushingham (copyrighted 1971), page 199, calls the “land of Hadrach” simply “a region in Syria near Damascus.” The Revised Edition (1956) of The Westminster Historical Atlas to the Bible, page 124, speaks of the Land of Hadrach as a “district of Syria north of Hamath,” hence north of Damascus. Whether the expression “the land of Hadrach” is a symbolic one to mean the collective territory in which all the above-mentioned Syrian, Phoenician, Philistine cities are located matters little. They were all non-Israelite, non-Jewish.

3. How do the closing verses of Zechariah, chapter eight, stand in contrast with the opening verses of chapter nine?

³ The closing verses (Zec 8:20-23) of the eighth chapter of Zechariah’s prophecy tell of how people of all the languages of the nations and from many cities will go up to Jerusalem to worship Jehovah, even taking hold of the skirt of a Jew to go along with him to worship his God. What happens to people who do not do so? Very nicely the opening eight verses of the succeeding chapter (nine) informs us of some of the consequences for not doing so. So let us now read that section, Zechariah 9:1-8:

4. According to Zechariah 9:1-8, who is it that takes a hand in the affairs of those mentioned, and in behalf of whom?

⁴ “A pronouncement: ‘The word of Jehovah is against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is where it rests; for Jehovah has an eye on earthling man and on all the tribes of Israel. And Hamath itself will also border upon her; Tyre and Sidon, for she is very wise. And Tyre proceeded to build a rampart for herself, and to pile up silver like dust and gold like the mire of the streets. Look! Jehovah himself will dispossess her, and into the sea he will certainly strike down her military force; and in the fire she herself will be devoured. Ashkelon will see and get afraid; and as for Gaza, she will also feel very severe pains; Ekron also, because her looked-for hope will have to experience shame. And a king will certainly perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon herself will not be inhabited. And an illegitimate son will actually seat himself in Ashdod, and I shall certainly cut off the pride of the Philistine. And I will remove his bloodstained things from his mouth and his disgusting things from between his teeth, and he himself also will certainly be left remaining for our God; and he must become like a sheik in Judah, and Ekron like the Jebusite. And I will encamp as an outpost for my house, so that there will be no one passing through and no one returning; and there will no more pass through them a taskmaster, for now I have seen it with my eyes.’”

5. Why did Jehovah’s disfavor rest upon Damascus, the “land of Hadrach” and Hamath?

⁵ Ancient Syria of the sixth century B.C.E. worshiped false gods and kept up its enmity toward the restored land of Judah. It refused to worship Jehovah at his rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. Good reason there was, then, for Jehovah’s word to be, not favorable, but against the “land of Hadrach” as a part of Syria. His unfavorable word would rest upon the capital of the whole country, namely, Damascus; and as the territory of Hamath bordered upon Damascus, Hamath would also have Jehovah’s unfavorable word pronounced against her. So all of Syria was under divine disfavor.

6. Why was Jehovah’s word against cities of Phoenicia?

⁶ The country of Phoenicia borders on Syria, and it too had turned against the land of Judah in its time of direst distress. Psalm 83:5-8 includes the Phoenician cities of Gebal and Tyre in the international conspiracy against Jehovah’s people, saying: “Against you they proceeded to conclude even a covenant, the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, Moab and the Hagrites, Gebal and Ammon and Amalek, Philistia together with the inhabitants of Tyre. Also, Assyria itself has become joined with them; they have become an arm to the sons of Lot [Moab and Ammon].” Tyre was really a colony of Sidon; and Zechariah 9:2-4 mentions them, saying:

7. With whom does Zechariah 9:2-4 link Tyre, and what is foretold to happen to Tyre?

⁷ “Tyre and Sidon, for she is very wise. And Tyre proceeded to build a rampart for herself, and to pile up silver like dust and gold like the mire of the streets. Look! Jehovah himself will dispossess her, and into the sea he will certainly strike down her military force; and in the fire she herself will be devoured.”

8. Which Tyre was the one mentioned by Zechariah, and why was this so?

⁸ From those words it is certain that the “word of Jehovah” was pronounced also against all of Phoenicia as represented by her world-famous cities of Tyre and Sidon. The city of Tyre here named is the island city, for King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon destroyed the mainland city in his Palestinian campaign. (Ezekiel 29:17-20) The Tyrian survivors fled to their offshore island and built up a powerful city thereon. According to Ezekiel 28:1-19, Tyre had devilishly turned traitor toward its former friend, Israel, and Sidon became associated with Tyre in this course. (Ezekiel 28:20-26) Following the restoration of the land of Judah in 537 B.C.E. after seventy years of lying desolate, Tyre and Sidon did not change their heart attitude toward Jerusalem with her second temple. How unwise!

9. How did Tyre enrich and fortify herself, but how did Jehovah’s prophecy concerning her work out?

⁹ Tyre, as well as Sidon, continued to follow the wisdom of this world, increasing her wisdom for the amassing of wealth, piling up gold and silver here on earth where marauders can despoil. The mighty rampart that Tyre built for her protection as a seafaring, commercial power did not withstand the strategy of the Grecian conqueror, Alexander the Great, in 332 B.C.E. Her land-based military forces as well as those aboard her many ships failed her then. Jehovah, by means of his earthly instrument of execution, struck down Tyre’s military force into the sea, where she had established her stronghold. Jehovah dispossessed her by turning over her possessions of tremendous wealth to the conqueror. Her then being devoured in the fire brought about her complete ruin.

10. What interest did people from Tyre and Sidon display in Jesus Christ, and what was reported as established in Tyre?

¹⁰ Years later Tyre was rebuilt, but neither she nor Sidon regained the strong commercial position that she had held before the “word of Jehovah” pronounced against her was fulfilled. In the first century of our Common Era many individuals came from Tyre and Sidon to hear and observe Jesus and get cured by him. (Mark 3:7, 8; Luke 6:17; Matthew 15:21-29) According to Jesus’ own words in Matthew 11:20-22 and Luke 10:13, 14, there should have been many persons in Tyre and Sidon disposed to listen to and act upon the message of God’s kingdom. There was a Christian congregation in Tyre at the time of the third missionary tour of the apostle Paul. (Acts 21:2-7) These Tyrians were not trusting in military forces, nor storing up treasures on earth, but storing them up in heaven.

PRIDE OF THE PAGAN ENEMY CUT OFF

11, 12. (a) What intercity alliance anciently dominated Philistia? (b) Whose pride would Jehovah cut off, and how?

¹¹ What, now, is the “word of Jehovah” as pronounced against Philistia? Anciently, the five-city league of Ashdod, Ashkelon, Ekron, Gath and Gaza dominated the land of Philistia. For some reason Gath fails to be mentioned in Jehovah’s word here against the Philistines. Zechariah 9:5-7 continues the prophecy and says:

¹² “Ashkelon will see and get afraid; and as for Gaza, she will also feel very severe pains; Ekron also, because her looked-for hope will have to experience shame. And a king will certainly perish from Gaza, and Ashkelon herself will not be inhabited. And an illegitimate son will actually seat himself in Ashdod, and I shall certainly cut off the pride of the Philistine. And I will remove his bloodstained things from his mouth and his disgusting things from between his teeth, and he himself also will certainly be left remaining for our God; and he must become like a sheik in Judah, and Ekron like the Jebusite.”

13. (a) How was Tyre’s destruction in 332 B.C.E. to affect Ashkelon, Gaza and Ekron? (b) What change was Ashdod to experience?

¹³ So the city of Ashkelon was to see the destruction of Tyre, and get afraid and then finally become uninhabited. As for Gaza, she felt very severe pains evidently for the same reason; and because of that painful event and its consequences, she experienced a change of rulership and her native king perished from her. The city of Ekron evidently looked to Tyre as her hope for protection and relief against an invading enemy. Hence, when Tyre was reduced to ruins after a seven-month siege by Alexander the Great in 332 B.C.E., Ekron also writhed with very severe pains, because her hope had been disappointed, shamed. But what about the fourth city mentioned, Ashdod? Apparently a change of population was to take place in her, for Jehovah said: “an illegitimate son will actually seat himself in Ashdod.” The legitimate native population was not to remain in it. Strangers, foreigners, were to take over the city, not only in the rulership but also in the population.

14. Of what attitude toward Israel had Philistia been guilty, and how would Jehovah cut this off?

¹⁴ Admittedly, then, the “word of Jehovah” was against Philistia. The Philistines had been very proud, arrogant, especially toward Jehovah’s people, even after the restoration of these to their homeland. However, their pride preceded their crash. By doing the above-stated things to the four leading cities of Philistia, Jehovah would “cut off the pride of the Philistine.” No Philistine could boast any longer when comparing himself with Jehovah’s people. Jehovah would also cut off their false religious worship.

15. (a) What will be done with the “bloodstained things” and the “disgusting things” of the Philistines? (b) What course will be taken by a remnant of the Philistines?

¹⁵ In their worship to their false gods, they ate sacrifices that were disgusting to Jehovah and to his people. Also, the animal victims from which they ate in their sacrificial meals were not drained of their blood. A halt was to be called to such loathsome worship of idolatrous gods, for the “word of Jehovah” went on to say: “And I will remove his [the Philistine’s] bloodstained things from his mouth and his disgusting things from between his teeth, and he himself also will certainly be left remaining for our God.” How such bloodstained and disgusting things will be removed from the mouth and teeth of the Philistine is not explained. But from among all those Philistines who will refuse to observe God’s commandment and break off from idolatry with its abominable sacrifices and rites, there will be left a remnant that will do so voluntarily, in obedience. That remnant will be “for our God,” for Jehovah of armies. What a lifesaving transformation this! But Zechariah 9:7 continues on further to say regarding this remnant: “And he must become like a sheik in Judah, and Ekron like the Jebusite.”

16. (a) How would the remnant of the Philistines become “like a sheik in Judah”? (b) Becoming “like the Jebusite” indicated what level of society for those of Ekron?

¹⁶ Of course, the Philistines in being Hamites could not become sheiks in the tribe of Judah, which was Shemite and Hebrew. (Genesis 10:6, 13, 14, 21-25) But the obedient remnant that were proselyted to the worship of “our God,” Jehovah, could become “like a sheik in Judah.” Thus the remnant would have a distinguished position in association with Jehovah’s chosen people and would not be considered as of little or no importance. Like a sheik of a clan, they would be given responsibilities. However, these responsibilities will be subservient to those of the Judeans themselves. This is indicated by the statement that Ekron will become “like the Jebusite.” Like the Philistines, the Jebusites were Hamites, not through Ham’s son Mizraim but through his son Canaan, and so were Canaanites. (Genesis 10:6, 15, 16) The Jebusites were early occupants of Jerusalem, which therefore used to be called Jebus.

17. Why in becoming “like the Jebusite” was a favored position indicated for those of Ekron?

¹⁷ In 1070 B.C.E. King David captured the city from the Jebusites and called it Jerusalem. (Judges 1:21; 2 Samuel 5:4-9) Later the subjugated Jebusites were used as slave labor by David’s son, King Solomon, in various public works of construction, including the magnificent temple at Jerusalem. (1 Kings 9:15-23; 2 Chronicles 8:1-10) What a privilege it was for those Jebusites to have a share in the building of Jehovah’s temple at Jerusalem and also building fine facilities for the typical Messianic kingdom of God in ancient Israel! So, in becoming “like the Jebusite,” Ekron and its inhabitants who turned to the worship of “our God,” Jehovah, were brought into a favored position, though subservient.

18. What experience with Christianity did the Philistines have in the first century C.E.?

¹⁸ In the first century of our Common Era the good news of God’s Messianic kingdom was preached to the Philistines. We recall how the evangelizer Philip preached to an Ethiopian eunuch as they were riding in his chariot on the “road that runs down from Jerusalem to Gaza” in Philistia. After baptizing this Ethiopian convert to Christianity, Philip left him and was found up at Ashdod (Greek, Azotos; modern Isdud), around thirty-four miles north of Gaza. Doubtless many Philistines responded to Philip’s evangelizing. (Acts 8:26-40) After the conversion of the Italian centurion Cornelius in 36 C.E., Philistines could be converted, and then could receive the holy spirit of God through Christ.

19. How is the prophetic picture of ‘an illegitimate son actually seating himself in Ashdod’ fulfilled in the case of modern antitypical Philistines?

¹⁹ In our own modern twentieth century many religionists have been like the ancient Philistines in worshiping false gods and in fighting against Jehovah’s people. As ancient Ashdod, the chief city in the five-city confederation of the Philistines, underwent a change of population as if by illegitimate sons, so these antitypical Philistines of today have undergone a change of personality. By dedicating themselves to God through Jesus Christ and getting baptized in water, they cease to be a part of this Philistine world and become ‘strangers,’ unnatural, to it and out of place. They do not go after selfish commercialism as ancient Tyre did, nor do they depend upon it and hope in it in the way that Ekron looked to Tyre; nor do they trust in a military force, as ancient Syria did. They abstain from the worship and service of the bloodlusting gods of this modern world. They devotedly take their stand for “our God,” Jehovah of armies.

20. These transformed Philistines of today are given what share with the remnant of spiritual Israelites?

²⁰ In consideration of this course, these transformed modern Philistines are given a share with the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites or Jews in promoting the worship of Jehovah at his spiritual temple. Just “like a sheik in Judah,” they are given assignments and responsibilities in connection with that temple activity. The crowd of these dedicated, baptized servants of Jehovah God has already grown “great,” and it is still increasing. This unnumbered “great crowd” who become associated with the spirit-anointed remnant was foretold in Revelation 7:9-17.

21, 22. (a) Of what benefit was it to his people for Jehovah to be an outpost for them, and why would no taskmaster pass through them? (b) How has Jehovah fulfilled this prophecy toward his remnant of spiritual Israel today?

²¹ Ancient Philistia, Phoenicia and Syria were violent enemies of the restored remnant of former Jewish exiles. To mark a contrast between his dealings with those enemies and his dealings with his chosen people, the house of Israel, Jehovah of armies continued on to say: “And I will encamp as an outpost for my house, so that there will be no one passing through and no one returning; and there will no more pass through them a taskmaster, for now I have seen it with my eyes.”​—Zechariah 9:8.

²² Encamping as an outpost, Jehovah of armies could prevent the attacking enemies from getting near His “house” and from invading them and then retiring. As an “outpost” he would prevent a slave-driving “taskmaster” from passing through their midst anymore and enslaving them. Similarly to this, the same Jehovah of armies has protected his “house” of spiritual Israelites in this “time of the end,” when the enemies have massed together as never before in opposition to Jehovah’s worship at his spiritual temple. Strengthened by his mighty spirit, Jehovah’s “house” of spiritual Israel successfully resist all efforts of worldly “taskmasters” to pass through their spiritual estate and become their religious taskmaster. In imitation of Christ’s apostles, they obey God as ruler rather than men.​—Acts 5:29.

23. (a) What does Jehovah’s expression, “Now I have seen it with my eyes,” mean as regards the situation of his people amid all mankind? (b) How is this true today with respect to the spiritual remnant and the “great crowd” of fellow worshipers?

²³ Jehovah of armies is aware of the threats and efforts of the enemies against his worshipers at his temple. As he says, “Now I have seen it with my eyes.” This corresponds with what he said earlier in his “pronouncement,” in these words: “The word of Jehovah is against the land of Hadrach, and Damascus is where it rests; for Jehovah has an eye on earthling man and on all the tribes of Israel.” (Zechariah 9:1) He has his observing eye not only on “all the tribes of Israel” but also on earthling man. That is to say, on all humankind aside from his chosen people. That is why he made his pronouncement against the traditional enemies like Syria, Phoenicia and Philistia who had abused the twelve tribes of Israel. This “pronouncement” is prophetic and has its spiritual application today to the enemies of Jehovah’s spiritual Israel and the “great crowd” of fellow worshipers. The difference between how Jehovah of armies treats all these worshipers of His and how he treats the modern-day counterparts of Syria, Phoenicia and Philistia can already be seen. The full difference will be observable during the approaching time of “great tribulation” when he frees his loyal worshipers completely of all their ungodly enemies.​—Matthew 24:21, 22; Revelation 7:14, 15; 19:11-21.

“LOOK! YOUR KING HIMSELF COMES”

24. (a) In view of Gaza’s experience, what questions are asked about the object of her hostility, Jerusalem? (b) Why will Jerusalem’s crying out differ from that of Gaza?

²⁴ A king was to perish from the Philistine city of Gaza, but what was to take place with regard to the object of Philistine hostility, Jerusalem, poetically called Zion? Is she, like Gaza, to “feel very severe pains” because of seeing the overthrow of the stronghold of greedy commercialism and untheocratic military force? Is she to cry out in extreme pain and terrifying fear? Cry out she will, but not in harmony with Gaza! For, after making his pronouncement against Syria, Phoenicia and Philistia, Jehovah proceeds to say: “Be very joyful, O daughter of Zion. Shout in triumph,a O daughter of Jerusalem. Look! Your king himself comes to you. He is righteous, yes, saved; humble, and riding upon an ass, even upon a full-grown animal the son of a she-ass. And I shall certainly cut off the war chariot from Ephraim and the horse from Jerusalem. And the battle bow must be cut off. And he will actually speak peace to the nations; and his rulership will be from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”​—Zechariah 9:9, 10.

25. Why has the “daughter of Jerusalem” every reason to shout in triumph and be very joyful at the approach of the king?

²⁵ At the fulfillment of that glorious promise, why would not Jerusalem have all good reason in the world to be very joyful and to “shout in triumph”? For at the time that this divine promise was given through the prophet Zechariah, Jerusalem was without a king of her own. She merely had a provincial governor whom the emperor of Persia, Darius I, had appointed, namely, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel of the royal family line of David. The kingdom of David had been overturned by the Babylonians about ninety years earlier, in 607 B.C.E., at the total destruction of Jerusalem and the deportation of her king Zedekiah to Babylon. Although Jerusalem’s seventy years of lying utterly desolate had now passed, yet the Gentile Times of 2,520 years for the non-Jewish nations to trample upon Jerusalem’s right to a Davidic kingship had to continue on until the year 1914 C.E. So in Zechariah’s day the “daughter of Jerusalem” was longingly looking forward to the coming of the true Messiah King in the line of David, a Messiah prefigured by Governor Zerubbabel.​—Haggai 2:23.

26. Why do we not have to guess uncertainly as to the initial fulfillment of this prophecy of Zechariah?

²⁶ We today, who are interested in the true Messiah, not in a false Christ, do not have to guess uncertainly as to the initial fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. It is recorded and described for us by at least three eyewitnesses thereof, namely, Matthew Levi a tax collector, John Mark an inhabitant of Jerusalem, and John the son of Zebedee, besides a first-century historian who investigated the facts of the case, the physician Luke of Asia Minor. It occurred on Sunday, Nisan 9, 33 C.E. Matthew Levi tells us:

Well, when they got close to Jerusalem and arrived at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent forth two disciples, saying to them: “Be on your way into the village that is within sight of you, and you will at once find an ass tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. And if someone says anything to you, you must say, ‘The Lord needs them.’ At that he will immediately send them forth.”

This actually took place that there might be fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet, saying: “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Look! Your King is coming to you, mild-tempered, and mounted upon an ass, yes, upon a colt, the offspring of a beast of burden.’”

So the disciples got on their way and did just as Jesus ordered them. And they brought the ass and its colt, and they put upon these their outer garments, and he seated himself upon them. Most of the crowd spread their outer garments on the road, while others began cutting down branches from the trees and spreading them on the road. As for the crowds, those going ahead of him and those following kept crying out: “Save, we pray, the Son of David! Blessed is he that comes in Jehovah’s name! Save him, we pray, in the heights above!”

Now when he entered into Jerusalem, the whole city was set in commotion, saying: “Who is this?” The crowds kept telling: “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee!”

And Jesus entered into the temple and threw out all those selling and buying in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. And he said to them: “It is written, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a cave of robbers.” Also, blind and lame persons came up to him in the temple, and he cured them.

When the chief priests and the scribes saw the marvelous things he did and the boys that were crying out in the temple and saying: “Save, we pray, the Son of David!” they became indignant and said to him: “Do you hear what these are saying?” Jesus said to them: “Yes. Did you never read this, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings you have furnished praise’?”​—Matthew 21:1-16.

27. If the disciples had not cried out, how would the prophecy have been fulfilled?

²⁷ And the Jewish physician Luke adds this detail:

However, some of the Pharisees from the crowd said to him: “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” But in reply he said: “I tell you, If these remained silent, the stones would cry out.”​—Luke 19:39, 40; see also Mark 11:1-18; John 12:12-19.

28. How, on his triumphal ride into Jerusalem, was Jesus peaceful, “humble,” “righteous,” and “saved”?

²⁸ Thus, instead of on a war-horse, Jesus Christ peacefully rode an ass into Jerusalem, unlike Herod the Great, who, after three months of besieging Jerusalem in the year 37 B.C.E., took Jerusalem by storm and dethroned Hasmonaean (Maccabean) king, Antigonus of the tribe of Levi. Jesus was indeed “humble,” as Zechariah 9:9 had foretold. He was no false Christ or false Messiah, but was “righteous,” the Messiah vindicated by his heavenly Father Jehovah. He was in fact “righteous” by being perfect in the flesh, sinless, unblemished, and therefore able to offer himself as a perfect human sacrifice for taking away the sin of the whole unrighteous world of mankind. (Acts 7:52; Hebrews 7:26; 1 John 2:1) He was indeed “saved,” just as his ancient ancestor King David was saved by being given the victory over his enemies. (2 Samuel 22:1-4; 8:6, 14) Not in vain did the great crowd cry out as Jesus rode triumphantly into Jerusalem: “Hosanna to the Son of David,” or, “Save, we pray, the Son of David!” Seven days later Almighty God saved Jesus out of death by resurrecting him to immortal life in heaven.​—Hebrews 5:7-10.

29. (a) As regards his spiritual disciples, how did Jesus Christ “speak peace to the nations”? (b) How does he destroy all war equipment inside and outside of Christendom, and what will be the result of his speaking peace to the “great crowd” of today?

²⁹ He is the one who was to be called “Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6, 7) The Jewish disciples of him came from all the tribes of Israel, including Ephraim and Judah, and he united them in peaceful Christian brotherhood; among his disciples he even broke down the enmity between those who were natural circumcised Jews and those who were Gentiles. (Ephesians 2:11-20) In this way he has already spoken “peace to the nations.” But Christendom has refused to listen to his speech and continues warring within herself to this day. In the oncoming “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon, Jehovah God will use his Messianic King to destroy war chariots and bows and all violent war equipment found today inside and outside of Christendom. (Revelation 16:14-16; 19:11-21) He will destroy all promoters of violent warfare among mankind, in all nations. But to the “great crowd” of peace-loving worshipers at Jehovah’s spiritual temple, who have come out of all nations, the victorious King Jesus Christ will speak peace and in peace, and they will be preserved.​—Revelation 7:14.

30. How, after the end of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E., was Jesus Christ formally presented to antitypical Jerusalem as King, but what question arises as to his reception?

³⁰ When in 1914 C.E. the 2,520 years of the Gentile Times ended for the Gentile nations to trample on Jerusalem’s right to a Messianic kingship in the royal line of David, the Most High God Jehovah installed the Messiah Jesus on the heavenly throne in order to reign and go subduing among his enemies. (Psalm 110:1-6; Acts 2:34-36; Hebrews 10:12, 13) During World War I (1914-1918 C.E.) the dedicated, baptized remnant of spiritual Israelites publicly proclaimed that the Gentile Times had ended and that the Most High God had made his Son Jesus Christ reigning King in the heavens. Thus Jehovah’s Messianic King was being presented especially to Christendom, which was prefigured by Jerusalem of the first century C.E. But did Christendom, who professed to be made up of disciples of Christ, receive him as King, whose “rulership” was to be “from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth”?

31. Down to December of 1918, what proves whether Christendom received Jehovah’s Messiah as her King?

³¹ Not according to what Christendom did to the anointed remnant of his spiritual “brothers,” which was the same as doing it to Jesus the Messiah himself. (Matthew 25:40, 45; Mark 9:37) Three and a half years after the end of the Gentile Times, war-embattled Christendom brought her persecution and suppression of the remnant of Christ’s spiritual brothers to a grand climax, in the spring of 1918 C.E. (Revelation 11:2-10) First after doing that did Christendom bring her first world war to an end, on November 11, 1918. In imitation of Jerusalem of the first century C.E. Christendom refused to receive Jehovah’s Messianic King. In the following month (December, 1918), Christendom went on public record as favoring the proposed League of Nations as being “the political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth.”

32. In view of Christendom’s course, were there none to receive Jehovah’s Messianic King, and what would they have to do, according to prophecy?

³² Were there, however, none to receive the Messianic King whom Jehovah of armies presented? Yes, there were! Just as on Sunday, Nisan 9 of 33 C.E. there was a remnant of the Jews, namely, the disciples of Jesus Christ, that hailed him and welcomed him on his kingly ride into Jerusalem, so there was a remnant of spiritual Israelites that did likewise after the close of the Gentile Times in 1914 C.E. By the persecution and repressive measures of Gentile governments of Christendom, these were scattered and broken up, just as Jesus’ disciples were after his betrayal and arrest, on the fifth day after his triumphant ride into Jerusalem. But in the first postwar year of 1919 C.E. when they were revived by God’s life-giving spirit and reinstated actively in his service, they rejected the League of Nations, which was adopted and put into effect that year. Instead of accepting such a counterfeit Christ’s kingdom, they caught up the spirit of Zechariah 9:9 and became “very joyful” and began to “shout in triumph,” because their King, the true Messiah-Christ, had come to them.

33. (a) How, since 1919 C.E., have these receivers of the King let their joy be known and their shouting be heard? (b) When and how will the Messiah-Christ cease to ride the peaceful ass and on his ride whereto?

³³ They let their joy be known world wide. They let their shouting be heard world wide. How? By initiating in 1919 C.E. the greatest campaign for proclaiming God’s Messianic kingdom that the world of mankind has ever known. (Matthew 24:14; Revelation 14:6) They have let the proclamation of the good news of God’s Messianic kingdom be heard as far as Messiah’s “rulership” is foretold to extend: “from sea to sea and from the River [Euphrates] to the ends of the earth.” (Zechariah 9:10; Psalm 72:8) Already 207 countries and island groups have heard, and this in 165 languages. In God’s unchangeable due time​—soon now—​all Christendom and all other elements of this worldly system of things must be cleared off all this territory in the fast-nearing “great tribulation” such as the world of mankind has never before known. In Revelation 19:11-21 the Messiah-Christ is pictured, no longer as riding on a peaceful ass, but on a white war-horse, charging into battle to clear off all opposers who have been squatting on his earthly domain since 1914 C.E.

THE TURNING OF PRISONERS TO THE STRONGHOLD

34. (a) Did Jesus the Messiah merely proclaim liberation for the prisoners? (b) Jehovah’s announcement to the “woman” in Zechariah 9:11, 12 raises what questions?

³⁴ Jesus the Messiah, when on earth as a perfect human being, was sent to “proclaim liberty to those taken captive.” (Isaiah 61:1; Luke 4:16-21) He not only proclaims this, but after his proclamation thereof he bestows it upon the captive ones. Jehovah’s pronouncement through Zechariah foretells this, as it goes on to say: “Also, you, O woman, by the blood of your covenant I will send your prisoners out of the pit in which there is no water. Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of the hope.” (Zechariah 9:11, 12) Who is the one here addressed as a woman, who are the “prisoners” and what is the “stronghold”?

35. The “woman” here addressed is in a covenant the blood of which was shed on what occasion?

³⁵ The one addressed as if a woman is the organization that is in a covenant with Jehovah God by the precious blood of life. No, it is not earthly Jerusalem nor the earthly nation of natural circumcised Israel. True, the ancient nation of Israel was in a national covenant with Jehovah through the blood of the animal victims sacrificed by the mediator Moses at Mount Sinai in Arabia. (Exodus, chapter 24) According to that national compact validated with such animal blood, the remnant of Israelites had been released from their prison of exile in Babylon in 537 B.C.E. But what Jehovah was now speaking of through Zechariah was a liberation in the distant future, long after that release from Babylonian exile. It is a freeing from the waterless pit that follows the presentation of Jehovah’s Messianic King. It follows Jesus’ triumphant ride into Jerusalem five days before the Jewish Passover of 33 C.E. On that Passover Day sacrificial blood was shed.

36. Whose blood is here meant, and with whom is the covenant by blood made, and who is the one addressed as “woman” in Zechariah 9:11?

³⁶ Whose blood? Messiah’s blood, whose blood had been typified by the blood of all the Passover lambs sacrificed annually by the Jews since that first Passover down in Egypt in 1513 B.C.E. (1 Corinthians 5:7; John 1:29, 36; 1 Peter 1:18, 19) By virtue of Messiah’s blood, more precious than that of all the animal victims sacrificed by Israel, a new covenant was put into force. With whom? Not with earthly Jerusalem or with natural Israel, who rejected the Messianic King and brought about his death. But with spiritual Israel, circumcised in heart, Jewish in an inward sense. (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:7 to 9:15) The Mediator of this new covenant between Jehovah and spiritual Israel is the Messiah Jesus. So it is spiritual Israel that is addressed as a woman in a covenant by blood at Zechariah 9:11.

37, 38. (a) Who are the woman’s “prisoners,” and what is the waterless pit in this twentieth century? (b) What larger meaning might be given to the waterless pit, and what covenant does the blood put in force?

³⁷ Where, then, were those “prisoners” of this symbolic woman? Down here in this twentieth century and in this “conclusion of the system of things” these “prisoners” are the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites. The history of this century records that during World War I these did come into the bondage of religious Babylon the Great and her political and military patronizers. In that condition they were as in a “pit in which there is no water.” No spiritual refreshment therein, no hope of their getting out! But by the shed blood of Christ as a ransom sacrifice their sins in this condition were forgiven them and they were restored to Jehovah’s favor and to their rightful spiritual estate on earth, as no longer exiles from Him. But the waterless pit may also picture that larger unfavorable condition of being under the general condemnation of sin and under its penalty of death, as inherited from our sinful first human parents, Adam and Eve. It did really require Christ’s redemptive blood to get those who make up this spiritual remnant out of that condition. His blood was that which was applied to put the new covenant into effect. Jesus said:

³⁸ “This means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26:28) “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.”​—Luke 22:20; Hebrews 13:20.

39. Only hope from what source could those “prisoners” in the waterless pit entertain, and what call did Jehovah issue to them in 1919 C.E.?

³⁹ Thus by the application of the blood of the new covenant made with spiritual Israel Jehovah of armies sent forth the imprisoned remnant out of the waterless “pit” of the condemnation of sin and death. (Hebrews 12:24) Religious Babylon the Great did not offer these “prisoners” any hope; they could entertain “hope” only as they trusted in the loving promises of Jehovah God and his Messiah. To these in spiritual exile under Babylon the Great, Jehovah of armies issued the call in 1919 C.E.: “Return to the stronghold, you prisoners of the hope.”​—Zechariah 9:12.

40. (a) What did that divine call mean for the “prisoners” to do? (b) What is the “stronghold” to which the prisoners must return?

⁴⁰ That divine call meant for those “prisoners of the hope” to get out of Babylon the Great! (Revelation 18:1-4) The word “stronghold” reminds us of the words of 2 Samuel 5:7-9: “David proceeded to capture the stronghold of Zion, that is, the city of David. . . . And David took up dwelling in the stronghold, and it came to be called the city of David.” But King David’s capital became enlarged to include more than Mount Zion, and it came to be called Jerusalem. So Jerusalem is the “stronghold,” not so much in itself as a strongly fortified city, but in what it represented. What did it represent? The Messianic kingdom of God, for its human king was anointed with holy oil to be ruler and this anointed ruler sat on “Jehovah’s throne.”​—2 Samuel 5:1-3; 1 Chronicles 29:23.

41. (a) This return of the “prisoners” was typified by what in 537 B.C.E.? (b) Why was it to the kingdom that the “prisoners” were able to return in 1919 C.E.?

⁴¹ In 537 B.C.E. the remnant of exiles in Babylon returned to the land of Judah and rebuilt the city of Jerusalem, thus returning to the earthly stronghold. Their course of action was typical of the course of the modern remnant of spiritual Israel. In obedience to Jehovah’s call, the anointed remnant got out of Babylon the Great in 1919 C.E. and returned to the spiritual “stronghold.” What could be a more impregnable stronghold than the unshakable Messianic kingdom of God? As the earthly stronghold of Jerusalem stood for Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom, likewise the spiritual stronghold pictures what ancient Jerusalem had the divine right to, namely, Jehovah’s kingdom of the true Messiah seated at the right hand of God in heaven. The Gentile Times for the nations to trample on that divine right to Kingdom ended in 1914 C.E., and immediately the Messianic kingdom was born in the heavens. (Revelation 12:1-9) So the anointed remnant, on being released in 1919 C.E., could “return” to that stronghold-like Kingdom, which they had been proclaiming since 1914 C.E. They showed that they did so by renewing their Kingdom preaching as never before.

42. What can the remnant of spiritual Israel say today as to fulfillment of Jehovah’s promise to the “woman”: “Today I am telling you, ‘I shall repay to you, O woman, a double portion’”?

⁴² There was excellent reason for the anointed remnant to “return to the stronghold,” for Jehovah of armies went on to say to spiritual Israel as to a woman: “Also, today I am telling you, ‘I shall repay to you, O woman, a double portion.’” (Zechariah 9:12) And has not Jehovah of armies done so? Yes. As the anointed remnant of liberated spiritual Israelites today look back, they are obliged to admit that what they had to endure during World War I at the hands of Babylon the Great and her world paramours was nothing in comparison with the spiritual blessings that they are enjoying now in their rightful spiritual estate. Especially so since the end of World War II! It has been more than they expected at the hands of their Liberator, Jehovah of armies. It has been like a “double portion.” What blessings they enjoy!

SPIRITUAL WAR AGAINST THE SEVENTH WORLD POWER

43. In Zechariah 9:13-15, how did Jehovah say he would use his people in a spiritual offensive warfare?

⁴³ Jehovah of armies foresaw the future assailants against his people, his worshipers. What action would he take? Both offensive and defensive. As to his offensive action, he said: “‘For I will tread as my bow Judah. The bow I will fill with Ephraim, and I will awaken your sons, O Zion, against your sons, O Greece, and I will make you [that is to say, Zion] as the sword of a mighty man.’ And over them Jehovah himself will be seen, and his arrow will certainly go forth just like lightning. And on the horn the Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself will blow, and he will certainly go with the windstorms of the south. Jehovah of armies himself will defend them, and they will actually devour and subdue the slingstones. And they will certainly drink​—be boisterous—​as if there were wine; and they will actually become filled like the bowl, like the corners of the altar.”​—Zechariah 9:13-15.

44. The joy of God’s victorious people was to be as joy occasioned by what means, and so what coming world power did they not need to fear?

⁴⁴ In that figurative warfare, Jehovah’s worshipers are to be victorious, for they will be boisterous with joy, just as if their hearts had been made to rejoice with wine. (Psalm 104:15) So, in Zechariah’s day, the restored Israelites had nothing to fear from the ‘sons of Greece,’ when Alexander the Great led these to the position of world domination as the Fifth World Power. Babylon the destroyer of Jerusalem had now fallen as the Third World Power. Medo-Persia was then dominating the earth as the Fourth World Power. And in 332 B.C.E. Greece was to take her place as the Fifth World Power and to govern the land of Judah.

45. (a) With what indirect outgrowth of the Grecian World Power has the anointed remnant had to carry on spiritual warfare, and over what issue? (b) How have the ‘sons of Zion’ prevailed?

⁴⁵ However, according to Daniel 8:8-25, there was to be an outgrowth from the Grecian Empire into the Roman Empire as the Sixth World Power and then on into the symbolic ‘small horn,’ the Anglo-American dual world power as the Seventh World Power. With this reputedly Christian Seventh World Power the anointed remnant of spiritual Israel has had to contend, especially during World Wars I and II. It is a spiritual warfare that they have had to wage in an effort to keep neutral toward the controversies of the worldly political powers and to obey God as ruler rather than nationalistic men. (Acts 5:29-32) The spiritual ‘sons of Zion’ have prevailed by faith in God’s Word and by their faithfulness to Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom. This has not been true of the Zionist Movement of the natural, circumcised Jews up till now.

46. How does Jehovah use his anointed remnant on earth like bow and arrow, how speedily does his arrow go, how does he blow his symbolic “horn,” and what does he use as the “sword of a mighty man”?

⁴⁶ When the Seventh World Power proposed and worked for the League of Nations in 1918-1919 as the “political expression of the Kingdom of God on earth,” Jehovah’s Messianic kingdom as established in the heavens in 1914 C.E. and as pictured by ancient Zion stood in opposition to the man-made counterfeit. Jehovah will use his kingdom as the “sword of a mighty man.” The “sons of the kingdom” (Zion’s spiritual sons) proclaim world wide the Kingdom message, which also is as a spiritual sword. (Matthew 13:38, 43; Ephesians 6:17) Like ancient Judah (the bow) and like Ephraim (the arrow), Jehovah uses the older surviving part of the anointed remnant to propel the newer part like an arrow in declaring the judgment message of the Sovereign Lord God against the enemies of the Messianic kingdom. Jehovah’s symbolic “arrow” speeds “just like lightning” to the Kingdom proclamation, the declaring of the “day of vengeance on the part of our God.” (Isaiah 61:1, 2) Through the present-day explanations of his Holy Word the Bible, Jehovah sounds the spiritual “horn” to call his anointed remnant to the spiritual warfare.

47. (a) Especially since when has Jehovah been seen over his people, and in what respects has he defended them? (b) How have they subdued the figurative “slingstones,” and at what are they filled with joy as with wine?

⁴⁷ He himself is seen over them, for since 1931 C.E. they have specifically been called by his name, Jehovah’s Christian witnesses. Against the enemies of his Messianic kingdom he will go as “with the windstorms of the south,” which are notably violent in the Middle East. But his faithful remnant of spiritual Israelites he will defend, preserving their faith and spirituality and their God-given spiritual estate. The enemies hurl many stunning deterrents against the restored remnant, but such symbolic “slingstones” the remnant show a capacity to receive without being stunned out of action and they really subdue such “slingstones,” nullifying their effect. Just as the temple bowls were filled with the blood of animal victims and splashed against the side of the copper altar of sacrifice, drenching its corners, so Jehovah’s pouring out of the lifeblood of his enemies in destruction will fill the defended remnant with joy, as if the blood of the enemies were wine that was lawful to drink, to make their hearts rejoice.

48. With what kind of tenderness did Jehovah promise to treat his dedicated people, and like what kind of stones have they glittered?

⁴⁸ Instead of being like an assailing warrior against his remnant of spiritual Israelites, Jehovah will be tender toward them like a peaceful shepherd. So he brings his “pronouncement” to a high point, saying: “And Jehovah their God will certainly save them in that day like the flock of his people; for they will be as the stones of a diadem glittering over his soil. For O how great his goodness is, and how great his handsomeness is! Grain is what will make the young men thrive, and new wine the virgins.”​—Zechariah 9:16, 17.

49, 50. (a) Since when did Jehovah honor those honoring his name? (b) How does Jehovah act as a Savior of his flock, and how precious are these to Him?

⁴⁹ In the days of Zechariah, that was a heart-strengthening prophecy. Today, this late in the “time of the end” of the Seventh World Power and all the rest of this militarized system of things, the prophecy has become an experience that now nears a grand climax.

⁵⁰ Since the publication of the leading article, “Who Will Honor Jehovah?” in the January 1, 1926, issue of The Watch Tower, Jehovah has outstandingly been declared world wide to be the God of the anointed remnant of spiritual Israelites. Just as He had long ago said by a prophetic “man of God,” “Those honoring me I shall honor,” he did honor that Jehovah-honoring remnant. (1 Samuel 2:30) He saved them through the persecutions and perils of the worst war of all human history, World War II (1939-1945 C.E.), because these honorable spiritual Israelites were dear to him, just as a flock of sheep is to its Middle Eastern shepherd. How precious the stones of a royal diadem are to its wearer, whose appearance is made awesome by their glitter! Just as precious as those glittering stones in a royal headdress are the faithful ones of the spiritual “flock of his people.” He will yet save them from the enemy’s final assault.

51. How has the mental picture of Jehovah become to the remnant, and as with what provisions has he caused them to thrive spiritually?

⁵¹ How great Jehovah’s goodness to them has proved to be! How handsome their mental picture of Him has become to them! As with abundant harvests of grain he has fed them with spiritual food from his revealed Holy Word. As with new wine, their hearts have been gladdened. All this has caused them to thrive spiritually.

[Footnotes]