“But the earth came to the woman’s help, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed up the river that the dragon disgorged from its mouth.

Revelation 12:16,

“The earth”​—elements within Satan’s own system of things—​began to swallow up “the river,” or “flood.” During the 1940’s the Witnesses gained a series of favorable decisions in the United States Supreme Court, and from ruling powers in some other lands, that upheld freedom of worship. Finally, the Allied nations swallowed up the Nazi-Fascist juggernaut, to the relief of the Witnesses who had suffered under cruel dictatorships. Persecutions did not stop altogether, for the wrath of the dragon has continued until today, and he keeps up the war against those who “have the work of bearing witness to Jesus.” In many lands, loyal Witnesses are still in prison, and some still die because of their integrity. But in some of these lands, the authorities from time to time relax their pressure, and the Witnesses enjoy a greater measure of freedom.c Thus, in fulfillment of the prophecy, the earth continues to swallow up the river of persecution.

30. (a) The earth has provided sufficient relief for what to take place? (b) The integrity of God’s people results in what?

³⁰ In this way, the earth has provided sufficient relief to allow God’s work to spread to some 235 lands and produce over six million faithful preachers of the good news.

[Box on page 185]

“The Earth Opened Its Mouth”

Satan’s flash flood of persecution has been unleashed in many lands against anointed Christians and their companions. Often, though, developments within Satan’s own system of things have resulted in that flood’s being swallowed up.

The flood of mobbings and imprisonments in the United States was largely swallowed up by favorable Supreme Court decisions during the 1940’s.

1945: Vicious persecution in lands controlled by Germany and Japan was halted by Allied victories in World War II.

When a ban was imposed on Jehovah’s Witnesses in the Dominican Republic, the Witnesses were imprisoned, lashed, and beaten with rifle butts. In 1960 a falling-out between dictator Rafael Trujillo and the Roman Catholic Church led to the lifting of the ban on Jehovah’s Witnesses.

The shooting, burning, rape, beating, torture, and killing of Witnesses during a civil war in Nigeria came to a halt in 1970 when government forces conquered the breakaway province where these things were happening.

In Spain homes were invaded and Christians fined and imprisoned for the “crime” of talking about God and holding Christian meetings. This persecution finally ended in 1970, when, as a result of the government’s change of policy toward non-Catholic religions, Jehovah’s Witnesses were allowed to become legally registered.

In Portugal hundreds of homes were searched without warrant. Witnesses were physically injured and thrown into prison, and their Bibles were confiscated. This terrorism was ‘swallowed up’ when, in 1974, a military revolution resulted in a change in government and a law was passed granting freedom of assembly.

In Argentina, under a military government, children of Jehovah’s Witnesses were expelled from school, and Witnesses around the country were arrested for preaching the good news. This persecution finally ended in 1984 when the then ruling government legally recognized the Association of Jehovah’s Witnesses.