An intriguing question therefore arises: Were the Bible Students in the years that led up to 1914 the appointed channel through which Christ would feed his sheep? No. They were still in the growing season, and the arrangement for a channel to provide spiritual food was still taking shape. The time had not yet come for the weedlike imitation Christians to be separated from the true Christian wheat.

17. What important developments began to unfold in 1914?

¹⁷ As we learned in the preceding article, the harvest season began in 1914. In that year, a number of important developments began to unfold. Jesus was enthroned as King, and the last days began. (Rev. 11:15) From 1914 to the early part of 1919, Jesus accompanied his Father to the spiritual temple to do a much-needed inspection and cleansing work.f (Mal. 3:1-4) Then, starting in 1919, it was time to begin gathering the wheat. Was it finally the time for Christ to appoint one organized channel to dispense spiritual food? Yes, indeed!

18. Jesus foretold that he would make what appointment, and what was the critical question as the last days got under way?

¹⁸ In his prophecy about the time of the end, Jesus foretold that he would appoint a channel to give out spiritual “food at the proper time.” (Matt. 24:45-47) Which channel would he use? True to the pattern he set in the first century, Jesus would once again feed many through the hands of a few. But as the last days were just getting under way, the critical question was, Who will be the few? That and other questions about Jesus’ prophecy will be discussed in the next article.

² The timely spiritual food we receive is proof that Jesus, the Head of the congregation, is keeping his promise to feed us. Through whom is he doing so? When giving the sign of his presence, Jesus said that he would use “the faithful and discreet slave” to give “food at the proper time” to his domestics.a (Read Matthew 24:45-47.) That faithful slave is the channel through which Jesus is feeding his true followers in this time of the end. It is vital that we recognize the faithful slave. Our spiritual health and our relationship with God depend on this channel.​—Matt. 4:4; John 17:3.