Jehovah’s Wrath Against “the Earth”

2. What results from the first angel’s pouring out his bowl into the earth, and what is symbolized by “the earth”?

² The first angel goes into action! “And the first one went off and poured out his bowl into the earth. And a hurtful and malignant ulcer came to be upon the men that had the mark of the wild beast and that were worshiping its image.” (Revelation 16:2) As in the case of the first trumpet blast, “the earth” here symbolizes the stable-looking political system that Satan began to build here on earth back in Nimrod’s time, over 4,000 years ago.​—Revelation 8:7.

3. (a) How have many governments demanded what amounts to worship from their subjects? (b) What have the nations produced as a substitute for God’s Kingdom, and what is the effect on those who worship it?

³ In these last days, many governments have demanded what amounts to worship from their subjects, insisting that the State must be exalted above God or any other loyalty. (2 Timothy 3:1; compare Luke 20:25; John 19:15.) Since 1914 it has become common for nations to conscript their youth in order for them to fight, or be ready to fight, the kind of total warfare that has so bloodied the pages of modern history. During the Lord’s day, the nations have also produced, as a substitute for God’s Kingdom, the image of the beast​—the League of Nations and its successor, the United Nations. What blasphemy to proclaim, as recent popes have done, that this man-made body is the nations’ sole hope for peace! It staunchly opposes God’s Kingdom. Those who worship it become spiritually unclean, ulcerated, just as the Egyptians who opposed Jehovah in Moses’ day were plagued by literal sores and ulcers.​—Exodus 9:10, 11.

4. (a) What do the contents of the first bowl of the anger of God strongly emphasize? (b) How does Jehovah regard those who accept the mark of the wild beast?

⁴ The contents of this bowl strongly emphasize the choice that lies before humans. They must suffer either the world’s disapproval or Jehovah’s indignation. Mankind has been put under compulsion to accept the mark of the wild beast, with the intent that “nobody might be able to buy or sell except a person having the mark, the name of the wild beast or the number of its name.” (Revelation 13:16, 17) But there is a price to pay for this! Jehovah regards those who accept the mark as being stricken with “a hurtful and malignant ulcer.” Since 1922 they have been marked in public as having rejected the living God. Their political schemes have no success, and they suffer anguish. Spiritually, they are unclean. Unless they repent, this “hurtful” illness will be terminal, for it is now Jehovah’s day of judgment. There is no neutral ground between being a part of the world’s system of things and serving Jehovah on the side of his Christ.​—Luke 11:23; compare James 4:4.

[Box on page 221]

“Into the Earth”

The John class has publicized Jehovah’s wrath against “the earth” with statements such as the following:

“After centuries of effort, political parties have proved their inadequacy to meet the present conditions and to solve the distressing problems. Economists and statesmen, studying the question diligently, find that they are able to do nothing.”​—Millions Now Living Will Never Die, 1920, page 61.

“There is not a government on earth today that satisfies any reasonable proportion of the world. Many of the nations are ruled by dictators. The whole world is practically bankrupt.”​—A Desirable Government, 1924, page 5.

“Bringing an end to this system of things . . . is the only way to rid the world of evil and make room for peace and righteousness to flourish.”​—“This Good News of the Kingdom,” 1954, page 25.

“The present world arrangement has distinguished itself by increasing sin, unrighteousness and rebellion against God and his will. . . . It is unreformable. Therefore, it must go!”​—The Watchtower, November 15, 1981, page 6.