1, 2. What great work did Jesus foretell, and what important question arises?

POLITICAL RULERS often make promises that go unfulfilled. Even those with the best of intentions may be unable to carry out their promises. In refreshing contrast, the Messianic King, Jesus Christ, always proves true to his word.

² After he became King in 1914, Jesus was ready to fulfill a prophecy he had made some 1,900 years earlier. Shortly before he died, Jesus foretold: “This good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth.” (Matt. 24:14) The fulfillment of those words would be part of the sign of his presence in Kingdom power. However, an important question arises: How would the King be able to raise up an army of willing preachers in the last days​—a time period that would be marked by a selfish, loveless, and irreligious spirit? (Matt. 24:12; 2 Tim. 3:1-5) We need to know, for the answer to that question involves all true Christians.

3. What confidence did Jesus express, and where did he get such confidence?

³ Look again at Jesus’ prophetic words. Do the words “will be preached” express confidence? Indeed, they do! Jesus was sure that he would have willing supporters in the last days. Where did he get such confidence? He learned it from his Father. (John 12:45; 14:9) In his prehuman existence, Jesus observed firsthand that Jehovah has confidence in the willing spirit of His worshippers. Let us see how Jehovah expressed that confidence.

“Your People Will Offer Themselves Willingly”

4. What work did Jehovah invite the Israelites to support, and how did they respond?

⁴ Recall what happened when Jehovah directed Moses to construct the tabernacle, or tent, that was to be the center of worship for the nation of Israel. Jehovah, through Moses, invited all the people to support the work. Moses told them: “Let everyone with a willing heart bring a contribution for Jehovah.” The result? The people “continued to bring . . . voluntary offerings, morning after morning.” They brought so much that they had to be “restrained from bringing in anything else”! (Ex. 35:5; 36:3, 6) The Israelites lived up to the confidence that Jehovah had placed in them.

5, 6. According to Psalm 110:1-3, what spirit did Jehovah and thus Jesus expect to find among true worshippers in the time of the end?

⁵ Did Jehovah expect to find such a willing spirit among his worshippers in the last days? Yes! More than 1,000 years before Jesus was born on earth, Jehovah inspired David to write about the time when the Messiah would begin to rule. (Read Psalm 110:1-3.) Jesus, the newly installed King, would have enemies who would oppose him. Yet, he would also have an army of supporters. They would not have to be forced into serving the King. Even the young among them would offer themselves freely, becoming a multitude so great that they could aptly be compared to the countless dewdrops that blanket the ground in the morning sun.a

⁶ Jesus knew that the prophecy recorded in Psalm 110 applied to him. (Matt. 22:42-45) Hence, he had every reason to be confident that he would have loyal supporters who would offer themselves willingly to preach the good news in all the earth. What do the historical facts show? Has the King, in fact, raised up an army of willing preachers in these last days?

“My Privilege and Duty Is to Announce That Message”

7. After he was installed as King, what steps did Jesus take to prepare his supporters for the work ahead?

⁷ Shortly after he was installed as King, Jesus took steps to prepare his followers for the vast work to be done. As we saw in Chapter 2, he did an inspection and a cleansing work from 1914 to early 1919. (Mal. 3:1-4) Then, in 1919, he appointed the faithful slave to take the lead among his followers. (Matt. 24:45) Especially from that time onward, that slave began dispensing spiritual food​—by means of convention discourses and printed publications—​that repeatedly emphasized the responsibility of all Christians to have a personal share in preaching.

8-10. How did conventions give impetus to the preaching work? Give an example. (See also the box “Early Conventions That Gave Impetus to the Preaching Work.”)

⁸ Convention discourses. Eager for direction, the Bible Students gathered at Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A., from September 1 to 8, 1919, for their first major convention following World War I. On the second day, Brother Rutherford gave a discourse in which he pointedly told the delegates: “A Christian’s mission on earth . . . is to proclaim the message of the Lord’s kingdom.”

⁹ The climax of that convention came three days later when Brother Rutherford delivered the talk entitled “Address to Co-laborers,” which was published in The Watch Tower under the title “Announcing the Kingdom.” He stated: “In sober moments a Christian naturally asks himself, Why am I on the earth? And the answer of necessity must be, The Lord has graciously made me his ambassador to bear the divine message of reconciliation to the world, and my privilege and duty is to announce that message.”

¹⁰ In that historic discourse, Brother Rutherford announced that a new magazine, The Golden Age (now called Awake!), would be published for use in directing people to the Kingdom as mankind’s only hope. He then asked how many of those in the audience wanted to have a share in distributing this journal. A report on the convention explained: “The response was an inspiring scene. Six thousand people, as one person, arose.”b Clearly, the King had willing supporters who were eager to proclaim his Kingdom!

11, 12. What did The Watch Tower in 1920 say as to when the work that Jesus foretold would be done?

¹¹ Printed publications. Through the pages of The Watch Tower, the significance of the work Jesus foretold​—namely, the preaching of the good news of the Kingdom—​became clearer and clearer. Consider some examples from the early 1920’s.

¹² What message would be proclaimed in fulfillment of Matthew 24:14? When would that work be done? The July 1, 1920, issue of The Watch Tower, in the article entitled “Gospel of the Kingdom,” explained the message, stating: “The good news here is concerning the end of the old order of things and the establishment of Messiah’s kingdom.” The article clearly showed when this message would be preached, saying: “This message must be delivered between the time of the great world war [World War I] and the time of the ‘great tribulation.’” Hence, the article noted: “Now is the time . . . to proclaim far and wide in Christendom this good news.”

13. How did The Watch Tower in 1921 appeal to the willing spirit of anointed Christians?

¹³ Would God’s people be pressured into doing the work that Jesus foretold? No. The article “Be of Good Courage,” in the March 15, 1921, issue of The Watch Tower, appealed to the willing spirit of anointed Christians. Each one was encouraged to ask himself: “Is it not my greatest privilege, as well as my duty, to participate in this work?” The article went on to say: “We feel assured that when you do see it [as a privilege to share in the work] you will be like Jeremiah, in whose heart the word of the Lord was ‘as a burning fire shut up in [his] bones,’ urging him on so that he could not refrain from speaking.” (Jer. 20:9) That warm encouragement reflected the confidence that Jehovah and Jesus have in loyal Kingdom supporters.

14, 15. In 1922, The Watch Tower urged anointed Christians to reach others in what way?

¹⁴ How should true Christians reach others with the Kingdom message? The short but powerful article entitled “Service Essential,” in the August 15, 1922, issue of The Watch Tower, urged anointed Christians to take part in “actively carrying the printed message to the people and talking to them at their doors, giving the witness that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

¹⁵ Clearly, from 1919 on, Christ has used his faithful and discreet slave to emphasize repeatedly that a Christian’s privilege and duty on earth is to proclaim the Kingdom message. How, though, did the early Bible Students respond to the encouragement to share in the work of Kingdom proclamation?

“The Faithful Will Be Volunteers”

16. How did some of the elected elders react to the idea that all should share in the ministry?

¹⁶ In the 1920’s and 1930’s, some resisted the idea that all anointed Christians should share in the ministry. The November 1, 1927, Watch Tower explained what was happening: “There are those today in the church [congregation] occupying the responsible position of elder . . . who refuse to encourage their brethren to have part in the service, and who refuse to participate in the service themselves. . . . They scoff at the suggestion of going from door to door to carry the message of God, his King and his kingdom, to the people.” The article pointedly said: “The time has come for the faithful to mark such and to avoid them, and to say to them that no longer will we entrust such men with the office of eldership.”c

17, 18. How did most in the congregations respond to the direction from headquarters, and how have millions responded over the past 100 years?

¹⁷ Happily, most in the congregations responded enthusiastically to the direction from headquarters. They counted it a privilege to share the Kingdom message. The Watch Tower of March 15, 1926, put it this way: “The faithful will be volunteers . . . to tell this message to the people.” Such faithful ones lived up to the prophetic words found at Psalm 110:3 and proved themselves to be willing supporters of the Messianic King.

¹⁸ Over the past 100 years, millions have offered themselves willingly to carry out the work of Kingdom proclamation. In the next few chapters, we will discuss how they have preached​—the methods and the tools they have used—​and what the results have been. First, though, let us discuss why millions have shared in this Kingdom-preaching work voluntarily, despite living in a me-first world. As we consider why, we do well to ask ourselves, ‘Why do I share the good news with others?’

“Keep . . . Seeking First the Kingdom”

19. Why do we heed Jesus’ counsel to “keep . . . seeking first the Kingdom”?

¹⁹ Jesus counseled his followers to “keep . . . seeking first the Kingdom.” (Matt. 6:33) Why do we heed that counsel? Basically, because we recognize the importance of the Kingdom, that it is central to God’s purpose. As we saw in the preceding chapter, the holy spirit has gradually revealed thrilling truths about the Kingdom. When precious Kingdom truth touches our heart, we feel impelled to seek first that Kingdom.

20. How does Jesus’ illustration of the hidden treasure show how his followers would respond to the counsel to keep seeking first the Kingdom?

²⁰ Jesus knew how his followers would respond to the counsel to keep seeking first the Kingdom. Consider his illustration of the hidden treasure. (Read Matthew 13:44.) In the course of his daily work, the field laborer in the illustration happens to find a hidden treasure and immediately recognizes its value. What does he do? “Because of his joy, he goes and sells everything he has and buys that field.” What is the lesson for us? When we find Kingdom truth and recognize its value, we will joyfully make whatever sacrifices are needed so that we may keep Kingdom interests where they belong​—first in our life.d

21, 22. How do loyal Kingdom supporters show that they are seeking first the Kingdom? Give an example.

²¹ Loyal Kingdom supporters show by deeds, not mere words, that they are seeking first the Kingdom. They devote their lives, their abilities, and their resources to the Kingdom-preaching work. Many have made great sacrifices in order to pursue the full-time ministry. All such willing preachers have seen firsthand that Jehovah blesses those who put the Kingdom first. Consider an example from the early days.

²² Avery and Lovenia Bristow served together as colporteurs (pioneers) in the southern United States starting in the late 1920’s. Years later, Lovenia recalled: “Avery and I have had many happy years together in the pioneer work since then. There have been many times when we did not know where the money for gasoline or groceries would come from. But one way or another, Jehovah always provided. We just kept on keeping on. We always had what we actually needed.” Lovenia remembered one occasion when they were serving in Pensacola, Florida, and were low on money and groceries. They came home to their trailer and found two large bags of groceries along with a note that read, “With love from the Pensacola Company.”e Reflecting on her decades in the full-time ministry, Lovenia said: “Jehovah never forsakes us. He never betrays the trust we put in him.”

23. How do you feel about the Kingdom truth that you have found, and what are you determined to do?

²³ We cannot all do the same amount of preaching. Our circumstances vary. However, all of us can count it a privilege to declare the good news whole-souled. (Col. 3:23) Because we prize the precious Kingdom truth we have found, we are willing​—yes, eager—​to make whatever sacrifices we can in order to serve to the fullest extent possible. Is that not your determination?

24. What is one of the Kingdom’s greatest accomplishments in the last days?

²⁴ Over the past century, the King has indeed been fulfilling his prophetic words recorded at Matthew 24:14. And he has done so without using coercion. After coming out of this self-centered world, his followers have willingly offered themselves to preach. Their earth-wide preaching of the good news is part of the sign of Jesus’ presence in Kingdom power​—and one of the Kingdom’s greatest accomplishments in the last days.

1, 2. (a) What technique did Jesus use in order to speak to a large audience? (b) How have faithful disciples of Christ followed his example, and why?

CROWDS gather around Jesus on the shore of a lake, but he boards a boat and pulls away a short distance. Why? He knows that the surface of the water will amplify his voice and that the large audience will be able to hear his message more clearly.​—Read Mark 4:1, 2.

² In the decades surrounding the Kingdom’s birth, faithful disciples of Christ followed his example, using novel techniques to spread the good news of the Kingdom to large audiences. Under the direction of the King, God’s people continue to innovate and adapt as circumstances change and new technologies become available. We want to reach as many as possible before the end comes. (Matt. 24:14) Consider just some of the methods we have used to reach people, no matter where they live. Think, too, of ways that you can imitate the faith of those who spread the good news in the early days.

Reaching Large Audiences

3. How were enemies of the truth frustrated by our use of newspapers?

³ Newspapers. Brother Russell and his associates had been publishing the Watch Tower since 1879, bringing the Kingdom message to many people. In the decade prior to 1914, however, Christ seems to have maneuvered matters so that the good news would reach an even wider audience. The chain of events began in 1903. In that year, Dr. E. L. Eaton, a spokesman for a group of Protestant ministers in Pennsylvania, challenged Charles Taze Russell to a series of debates on Bible doctrine. In a letter to Russell, Eaton wrote: “I have thought that a public debate of some of those questions about which you and I differ . . . would be of immense interest to the public.” Russell and his associates also thought the public would be interested, so they arranged to have the debates published in a leading newspaper, The Pittsburgh Gazette. The newspaper articles were so popular and Russell’s clear explanation of Bible truth so compelling that the paper offered to publish Russell’s lectures every week. How that development must have frustrated enemies of the truth!

4, 5. What quality did Russell display, and how can those with positions of responsibility imitate his example?

⁴ More newspapers soon wanted to carry Russell’s lectures. By 1908, the Watch Tower could report that the sermons were published in “eleven newspapers regularly.” However, brothers familiar with newspaper work advised Russell that if he moved the Society’s offices from Pittsburgh to a city that was better known, more newspapers would carry the Bible-based articles. After weighing that advice and other factors, Russell moved the offices to Brooklyn, New York, in 1909. The result? Just months after that move, some 400 newspapers were publishing the lectures, with more constantly being added to the list. By the time the Kingdom was established in 1914, over 2,000 newspapers in four languages were publishing Russell’s sermons and articles!

⁵ What important lesson does that development provide? Those who have a measure of authority in God’s organization today do well to imitate Russell’s humility. In what way? When making important decisions, consider the advice of others.​—Read Proverbs 15:22.

6. How did the truths published in newspaper articles affect one person?

⁶ The Kingdom truths published in those newspaper articles changed people’s lives. (Heb. 4:12) For example, Ora Hetzel, who was baptized in 1917, was one of many who first learned the truth through such articles. “After I was married,” said Ora, “I went to visit my mother in Rochester, Minnesota. When I arrived, I found her cutting out articles from a newspaper. They were sermons by Russell. Mother explained the things she had learned from them.” Ora accepted the truths she learned and for some six decades was a faithful proclaimer of God’s Kingdom.

7. Why did those taking the lead reassess the use of newspapers?

⁷ In 1916, two key events caused those taking the lead to reassess the use of newspapers in spreading the good news. First, the Great War that was raging at the time made printing supplies difficult to obtain. In 1916, a report from our newspaper department in Britain highlighted the challenge, saying: “There are just over 30 papers publishing the Sermons at the present time. It is quite likely that this number will be greatly reduced shortly owing to the increasingly high price of paper.” The second event was the death of Brother Russell on October 31, 1916. Thus, The Watch Tower of December 15, 1916, announced: “Now that Brother Russell has passed beyond, the sermon feature [in the newspapers] will be discontinued entirely.” Although this avenue of preaching came to an end, other methods, such as the “Photo-Drama of Creation,” continued to have great success.

8. What was involved in producing the “Photo-Drama of Creation”?

⁸ Picture presentations. Russell and his associates worked for some three years to produce the “Photo-Drama of Creation,” which was released in 1914. (Prov. 21:5) The Drama, as it was called, was an innovative combination of moving pictures, sound recordings, and colored glass slides. Hundreds of people took part in reenacting Bible scenes that were captured on film, and even animals were involved. “The largest part of the population of one of the large zoological gardens,” says a report from 1913, “was brought into use in order to reproduce in Motion talking pictures Noah’s part in the big show.” As for the hundreds of different glass slides used in the production, artists in London, New York, Paris, and Philadelphia colored each one by hand.

9. Why was so much time and expense poured into making the “Photo-Drama”?

⁹ Why was so much time and expense poured into making the “Photo-Drama”? A resolution adopted at the 1913 series of conventions explains: “The unprecedented success of the American newspapers in moulding public opinion by the aid of cartoons and illustrations in their news and magazine sections, together with the wonderful popularity and adaptability of moving pictures, has fully demonstrated their worth and, we believe, fully justifies us, as progressive preachers and Bible class teachers, in giving our unqualified endorsement of moving pictures and stereopticon slides as an effective and desirable method for evangelists and teachers.”

10. How widely was the “Photo-Drama” shown?

¹⁰ During 1914, the “Photo-Drama” was shown in 80 cities each day. Almost eight million people in the United States and Canada saw the presentation. That same year, the “Photo-Drama” was shown in Australia, Britain, Denmark, Finland, Germany, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, and Switzerland. A simplified version of the production, one that did not include the motion pictures, was assembled for use in smaller towns. That version​—the “Eureka Drama”—​was cheaper to produce and easier to transport. By 1916, either the “Photo-Drama” or the “Eureka Drama” had been translated into Armenian, Dano-Norwegian, French, German, Greek, Italian, Polish, Spanish, and Swedish.

11, 12. What impact did the “Photo-Drama” have on one young man, and what example did he set?

¹¹ The French translation of the “Photo-Drama” had a great impact on an 18-year-old named Charles Rohner. “It was presented in my town​—Colmar, Alsace, France,” says Charles. “From the very outset, I was impressed by the clear presentation of Bible truth.”

¹² As a result, Charles was baptized and in 1922 entered full-time service. One of his first assignments was to help present the “Photo-Drama” to audiences in France. Describing this work, Charles says: “I was assigned several jobs​—to play the violin, to be the accounts servant, and to be the literature servant. I was also asked to quiet the audience before the program began. During intermission, we presented literature. We assigned each brother or sister a section of the hall. Each one had an armful of literature and approached every person in the section. In addition, at the entrance to the hall, we had tables full of literature.” In 1925, Charles was invited to serve at Bethel in Brooklyn, New York. There he was assigned to conduct an orchestra for the newly established radio station WBBR. After considering the example of Brother Rohner, we could ask ourselves, ‘Am I willing to accept whatever assignments I am given to help spread the Kingdom message?’​—Read Isaiah 6:8.

13, 14. How was radio used to spread the good news? (See also the boxes “Programs on WBBR” and “A Momentous Convention.”)

¹³ Radio. In the 1920’s, the work with the “Photo-Drama” began to wind down, but radio emerged as a significant way to spread the good news of the Kingdom. On April 16, 1922, Brother Rutherford gave a historic radio broadcast from the Metropolitan Opera House in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. An estimated 50,000 people heard the talk “Millions Now Living Will Never Die.” Then, in 1923, came the first broadcast of a convention session. In addition to using commercial stations, those taking the lead decided that it would be wise for us to build our own station, which was built on Staten Island, New York, and registered as WBBR. The initial broadcast was aired on February 24, 1924.

¹⁴ Explaining the purpose of WBBR, The Watch Tower of December 1, 1924, said: “We believe that the radio is the most economical and effective way of spreading the message of the truth that has yet been used.” It then added: “If the Lord sees fit to build other radio stations for the spreading of the truth, he will provide the money in his own good way.” (Ps. 127:1) By 1926, Jehovah’s people owned six radio stations. Two were located in the United States​—WBBR in New York and WORD near Chicago. The other four were in Canada, located in Alberta, British Columbia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.

15, 16. (a) How did the clergy in Canada react to our broadcasts? (b) How did radio lectures and the house-to-house work complement each other?

¹⁵ This wide broadcasting of Bible truth did not go unnoticed by the clergy of Christendom. Albert Hoffman, who was familiar with the work done at the radio station in Saskatchewan, Canada, said: “More and more people began to know of the Bible Students [as Jehovah’s Witnesses were then called]. A wonderful witness was given until 1928, when the clergy put pressure on officials and all the stations in Canada run by the Bible Students lost their licenses.”

¹⁶ Despite the closure of our radio stations in Canada, Bible lectures continued to be transmitted on commercial stations. (Matt. 10:23) To boost the effectiveness of those programs, The Watch Tower and The Golden Age (now called Awake!) carried a list of commercial stations that broadcast Bible truth so that publishers calling from door to door could encourage people to listen to the lectures on their local stations. With what impact? The Bulletin of January 1931 says: “The radio work has been a real stimulus to the friends in their canvassing from door to door. Many reports have come to the office telling us that persons have listened in and, because of hearing the lectures given by Brother Rutherford, were very ready to take the books offered to them.” The Bulletin described the radio broadcasts and the house-to-house work as “the two great publicity branches of the Lord’s organization.”

17, 18. Although circumstances changed, how did radio continue to play a role?

¹⁷ During the 1930’s, opposition mounted against our use of commercial radio stations. So in late 1937, Jehovah’s people adapted to the changing circumstances. They withdrew from commercial broadcasting and focused even more on the house-to-house ministry.a Nevertheless, radio continued to play an important role in spreading the Kingdom message in some remote or politically isolated parts of the world. For example, from 1951 to 1991, a station in West Berlin, Germany, regularly broadcast Bible discourses so that those living in parts of what was then East Germany could hear the Kingdom message. Starting in 1961 and for more than three decades afterward, a national radio station in Suriname, South America, broadcast a weekly 15-minute program that spread Bible truths. From 1969 to 1977, the organization produced more than 350 recorded radio programs in the series “All Scripture Is Beneficial.” In the United States, 291 radio stations, in 48 states, carried the programs. In 1996, a radio station in Apia, the capital city of the South Pacific nation of Samoa, transmitted a weekly program entitled “Answers to Your Bible Questions.”

¹⁸ As the 20th century drew to a close, radio no longer played a primary role in spreading the good news. However, another technology emerged that made it possible to reach an audience of unprecedented size.

19, 20. Why have Jehovah’s people produced jw.org, and how effective has it been? (See also the box “JW.ORG.”)

¹⁹ The Internet. As of 2013, more than 2.7 billion people, almost 40 percent of the world’s population, were connected to the Internet. According to certain estimates, some two billion access it on mobile devices, such as smartphones and tablets. That figure continues to climb globally, but the fastest growth in mobile Internet connection is currently occurring in Africa, where there are more than 90 million mobile Internet subscriptions. Those developments have fundamentally changed the way many people receive information.

²⁰ Starting in 1997, Jehovah’s people adopted this method of mass communication. In 2013, the jw.org Web site became available in some 300 languages, and Bible-based information was made available for download in over 520 languages. Each day the site receives more than 750,000 individual visits. Each month, in addition to viewing videos, people download over 3 million complete books, 4 million complete magazines, and 22 million audio tracks.

21. What have you learned from the experience involving Sina?

²¹ The Web site has become a powerful method of spreading the good news of God’s Kingdom, even in lands where our preaching work is restricted. For example, early in 2013, a man named Sina found the jw.org site and called world headquarters, which is located in the United States, asking for more information about the Bible. What made this call unusual? Sina comes from a Muslim background and lives in a remote village in a country where the work of Jehovah’s Witnesses is severely restricted. As a result of this call, arrangements were made for Sina to study the Bible twice a week with a Witness in the United States. The study was conducted using an Internet video service.

Teaching Individuals

22, 23. (a) Have the methods of reaching large audiences replaced the door-to-door ministry? (b) How has the King blessed our efforts?

²² None of the methods we have used to reach large audiences, such as newspapers, the “Photo-Drama,” radio programs, and the Web site, were meant to replace the door-to-door ministry. Why not? Because Jehovah’s people learned from the pattern set by Jesus. He did more than preach to large crowds; he focused on helping individuals. (Luke 19:1-5) Jesus also trained his disciples to do the same, and he gave them a message to deliver. (Read Luke 10:1, 8-11.) As discussed in Chapter 6, those taking the lead have always encouraged each servant of Jehovah to speak to people face-to-face.​—Acts 5:42; 20:20.

²³ One hundred years after the Kingdom’s birth, more than 7.9 million publishers actively share in teaching others about God’s purposes. Without question, the King has blessed the methods we have used to advertise the Kingdom. As the following chapter will show, he has also provided us with the tools we need to spread the good news to every nation, tribe, and tongue.​—Rev. 14:6.

1, 2. (a) In the first century, what helped to spread the good news throughout the Roman Empire? (b) What evidence do we have of Jehovah’s backing in our time? (See the box “Good News in More Than 670 Tongues.”)

VISITORS to Jerusalem could hardly believe what they were hearing. Galileans were speaking foreign languages fluently, and the message they were conveying captivated their listeners. It was Pentecost 33 C.E., and the disciples had miraculously received the gift of speaking in various languages​—proof that they had God’s backing. (Read Acts 2:1-8, 12, 15-17.) The good news they preached that day reached people of diverse backgrounds and thereafter spread throughout the Roman Empire.​—Col. 1:23.

² Today, God’s servants do not miraculously speak in various languages. Even so, covering far more languages than in the first century, they translate the Kingdom message into over 670 languages. (Acts 2:9-11) God’s people have produced literature in such vast quantities and in so many languages that the Kingdom message has penetrated every corner of the globe.a This too is unmistakable evidence that Jehovah is using the King Jesus Christ to direct our preaching work. (Matt. 28:19, 20) As we review just some of the tools we have used to accomplish this work over the past 100 years, note how the King has progressively trained us to be interested in individuals and has encouraged us to be teachers of God’s Word.​—2 Tim. 2:2.

The King Equips His Servants to Plant Seeds of Truth

3. Why do we use a variety of tools in our preaching work?

³ Jesus likened the “word of the Kingdom” to seeds and a person’s heart to soil. (Matt. 13:18, 19) Just as a gardener may use a variety of tools to soften the soil and prepare it to receive seed, Jehovah’s people have used a variety of tools that have helped them prepare the hearts of millions to receive the Kingdom message. Some of those tools were useful for a limited time. Others, such as books and magazines, continue to do valuable work. Unlike most of the methods of mass communication mentioned in the preceding chapter, all the tools discussed here have helped Kingdom publishers contact people face-to-face.​—Acts 5:42; 17:2, 3.

4, 5. How were phonograph records used, but what did they lack?

⁴ Recorded talks. In the 1930’s and into the 1940’s, publishers used recorded Bible lectures played on portable phonographs. Each recording lasted less than five minutes. Sometimes the records had short titles, such as “Trinity,” “Purgatory,” and “Kingdom.” How were those records used? Brother Clayton Woodworth, Jr., who was baptized in 1930 in the United States, said: “I carried a little suitcase-type phonograph, spring wound, with a portable arm that I had to set in just the right position at the edge of the record if it was to play properly. I would approach a door, open the case, set the arm in place, and push the doorbell. When the householder opened the door, I would say, ‘I have an important message I would like you to hear.’” What was the response? “Many times,” says Brother Woodworth, “the person responded favorably. At other times, people just shut the door. Occasionally, they thought that I was selling phonographs.”

⁵ By 1940, over 90 different recorded talks were available and over a million records had been made. John E. Barr, who was pioneering in Britain at that time and who later served on the Governing Body, said: “During the years 1936 to 1945, a phonograph was my constant companion. In fact, in those days I felt lost without one. To hear Brother Rutherford’s voice at the doorstep was ever so encouraging; it felt as though he were there in person. Of course, phonograph work still lacked the teaching aspect of the ministry, the ability to touch the hearts of people.”

6, 7. (a) What were the benefits and the limitations of using testimony cards? (b) In what sense has Jehovah ‘put words in our mouths’?

⁶ Testimony cards. Beginning in 1933, publishers were encouraged to use testimony cards in their door-to-door ministry. A testimony card was about three by five inches (7.6 by 12.7 cm) in size. It contained a brief Bible message and a description of Bible-based literature that the householder could obtain. A publisher would simply hand the card to the householder and ask him to read it. “I welcomed the testimony card work,” said Lilian Kammerud, who eventually served as a missionary in Puerto Rico and Argentina. Why was that? “Not all of us could give a good presentation,” she said. “So it helped me get accustomed to approaching people.”

⁷ Brother David Reusch, who was baptized in 1918, observed, “Testimony cards helped the brothers, for very few felt that they were able to say the right thing.” This tool had its limits, though. “Sometimes,” said Brother Reusch, “we met people who thought we could not speak. In a sense, many of us were not able to speak. But Jehovah was preparing us to meet the public as his ministers. Soon he would put words in our mouth by teaching us to use the Scriptures at the door. This was accomplished through the Theocratic Ministry School that began in the 1940’s.”​—Read Jeremiah 1:6-9.

8. How can you allow Christ to train you?

⁸ Books. Since 1914, Jehovah’s people have produced over 100 different books that discuss Bible topics. Some of those books were specifically designed to train publishers to be effective ministers. Anna Larsen, in Denmark, who has been a publisher for some 70 years, says: “Jehovah helped us to be more effective publishers by means of the Theocratic Ministry School and the associated books we received. I remember that the first of those books was the Theocratic Aid to Kingdom Publishers, released in 1945. It was followed by “Equipped for Every Good Work,” published in 1946. Now we have Benefit From Theocratic Ministry School Education, published in 2001.” Certainly, the Theocratic Ministry School and related books have played a key role as Jehovah has “adequately qualified us to be ministers.” (2 Cor. 3:5, 6) Are you enrolled in the Theocratic Ministry School? Do you bring the Ministry School book to the meeting each week and follow along as the school overseer refers to it? If you do, you will be allowing Christ to train you to be a better teacher.​—2 Cor. 9:6; 2 Tim. 2:15.

9, 10. What role have books played in planting and watering seeds of truth?

⁹ Jehovah has also assisted us by having his organization provide books that help publishers to explain basic Bible teachings. The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life was a particularly effective book. It was first published in 1968 and had an immediate impact. “Demand for the Truth book has been so heavy,” stated the November 1968 Kingdom Ministry, “that in September the Society’s Brooklyn factory added a special night shift.” The article went on to explain: “At one time during August the demand for Truth books exceeded the supply by over one and a half million copies!” By 1982, over 100 million copies of the book had been published in 116 languages. In the 14 years from 1968 to 1982, the Truth book helped to add over one million Kingdom publishers to our ranks.b

¹⁰ In 2005, another outstanding Bible study aid, What Does the Bible Really Teach?, was released. Some 200 million copies have already been published in 256 languages! With what effect? In just seven years, from 2005 to 2012, about 1.2 million people became publishers of the good news. During that same period, the number of people studying the Bible with us climbed from about 6 million to more than 8.7 million. Without a doubt, Jehovah is blessing our efforts to plant and water seeds of Kingdom truth.​—Read 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7.

11, 12. In harmony with the cited scriptures, what audiences were our magazines designed to reach?

¹¹ Magazines. Originally, the target audience for The Watch Tower was primarily the “little flock,” those with “the heavenly calling.” (Luke 12:32; Heb. 3:1) On October 1, 1919, Jehovah’s organization released another magazine, which was designed to appeal to a different audience, the public. That magazine became so popular with the Bible Students and the public that for many years its circulation was far greater than that of The Watch Tower. That magazine was first named The Golden Age. In 1937, the name was changed to Consolation. Then, in 1946, it became known as Awake!

¹² Over the decades, the style and format of The Watchtower and the Awake! have changed, but the purpose has remained the same​—to advertise God’s Kingdom and build faith in the Bible. Today, The Watchtower is produced in a study edition and a public edition. The “domestics” are the intended audience for the study edition​—that is, both the “little flock” and the “other sheep.”c (Matt. 24:45; John 10:16) The public edition is prepared especially for those who do not yet know the truth but who have a respect for the Bible and for God. (Acts 13:16) Awake! focuses on those who know little about the Bible and the true God, Jehovah.​—Acts 17:22, 23.

13. What do you find remarkable about our magazines? (Discuss the chart “World Records for Publications.”)

¹³ By the beginning of 2014, each month more than 44 million copies of Awake! and some 46 million copies of The Watchtower were published. Awake! was translated into some 100 languages, and The Watchtower, into over 200, which made them the most widely translated and distributed magazines on earth! As remarkable as those achievements are, they should not surprise us. These magazines contain the message that Jesus said would be preached in all the inhabited earth.​—Matt. 24:14.

14. What have we zealously promoted, and why?

¹⁴ The Bible. In 1896, Brother Russell and his associates changed the name of the corporation they used to publish literature so that it included the word Bible; it became known as the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. That change was appropriate because the Bible has always been the primary tool for spreading the good news about the Kingdom. (Luke 24:27) In harmony with the legal corporation’s name, God’s servants have zealously promoted the distribution and reading of the Bible. For example, in 1926, we printed on our own presses The Emphatic Diaglott, a translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures produced by Benjamin Wilson. Beginning in 1942, we printed and distributed some 700,000 copies of the entire King James Version. Just two years later, we began printing the American Standard Version, which uses Jehovah’s name in 6,823 places. By 1950, we had distributed over 250,000 copies.

15, 16. (a) What do you appreciate about the New World Translation? (Discuss the box “Speeding Up Bible Translation.”) (b) How can you allow Jehovah to touch your heart?

¹⁵ The year 1950 saw the release of the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures. The complete New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures was released in one volume in 1961. This translation honors Jehovah by restoring his name to the locations where it appeared in the original Hebrew text. The divine name also appears 237 times in the main text of the Christian Greek Scriptures. To ensure that it is as accurate and readable as possible, the New World Translation has been revised several times, most recently in 2013. As of 2013, more than 201 million copies of the New World Translation have been published in whole or in part in 121 languages.

¹⁶ How have some responded to reading the New World Translation in their own language? A Nepali man said: “For many, the old Nepalese translation that we had was difficult to understand, since it used classical language. But now we can understand the Bible so much better, as it uses the language of everyday life.” When a woman in the Central African Republic began reading the Sango translation, she started to cry and said, “This is the language of my heart.” Like that woman, each of us can allow Jehovah to touch our heart by reading his Word every day.​—Ps. 1:2; Matt. 22:36, 37.

Grateful for the Tools and Training

17. How can you show that you appreciate the tools and training that you receive, and what will be the result if you do so?

¹⁷ Do you appreciate the tools and progressive training that the King Jesus Christ has given us? Do you make time to read the literature God’s organization produces, and do you use it to help others? If so, you will relate to the comments of Sister Opal Betler, who was baptized on October 4, 1914. Opal said: “Through the years, my husband [Edward] and I used the phonograph and the testimony cards. We witnessed from house to house with books, booklets, and magazines. We went on campaigns and marches and distributed printed proclamations. Later we were trained to make back-calls [now referred to as return visits] and hold Bible studies in the homes of interested persons. It has been a busy and happy life.” Jesus promised that his subjects would be busy sowing, reaping, and rejoicing together. Millions like Opal can testify to the truthfulness of that promise.​—Read John 4:35, 36.

18. What privilege do we have?

¹⁸ Many who are not yet servants of the King might consider God’s people to be “uneducated and ordinary.” (Acts 4:13) But just think! The King has caused his ordinary people to become a publishing powerhouse, producing some of the most widely translated and distributed publications in history! More important, he has trained and motivated us to use these tools to spread the good news to people of all nations. What a privilege we have to work with Christ in planting seeds of truth and harvesting disciples!

1, 2. (a) Why are the disciples puzzled? (b) Jesus speaks about what type of harvest?

THE disciples are puzzled. Jesus has told them: “Lift up your eyes and view the fields, that they are white for harvesting.” They gaze in the direction to which Jesus gestures, but all they see are fields that are, not white, but green​—the color of recently sprouted barley. ‘What harvest?’ they likely reason. ‘It will take months before the harvest takes place.’​—John 4:35.

² Jesus, though, is not speaking about a literal harvest. Instead, he is using this occasion to teach his disciples two important lessons concerning a spiritual harvest​—a harvest of people. What are those lessons? To find out, let us consider the account in more detail.

A Call to Action and a Promise of Joy

3. (a) What possibly prompted Jesus to say: “The fields . . . are white for harvesting”? (See footnote.) (b) How did Jesus clarify his statement?

³ Jesus’ conversation with his disciples occurred at the end of 30 C.E., near the Samaritan town of Sychar. While his disciples entered the town, Jesus stayed behind at a well where he shared spiritual truths with a woman who quickly grasped the importance of his teachings. When the disciples returned to Jesus, the woman hurried off to Sychar to tell her neighbors the amazing things she had learned. Her report aroused great interest, and many of her neighbors rushed toward the well to meet Jesus. Possibly at that moment​—as Jesus gazed beyond the fields into the distance and saw a crowd of Samaritans approaching—​he stated: “View the fields, that they are white for harvesting.”a Then, to clarify that he meant, not a literal harvest, but a spiritual one, Jesus added: “The reaper is . . . gathering fruit for everlasting life.”​—John 4:5-30, 36.

4. (a) What two lessons about the harvest did Jesus teach? (b) What questions will we consider?

⁴ What two important lessons about the spiritual harvest did Jesus teach? First, the work is urgent. His declaration that “the fields . . . are white for harvesting” was a call to action for his followers. To impress upon his disciples the degree of urgency, Jesus added: “Already the reaper is receiving wages.” Yes, the harvest had already begun​—there was no time for delay! Second, the workers are joyful. Sowers and reapers will “rejoice together,” said Jesus. (John 4:35b, 36) Just as Jesus himself must have rejoiced on seeing that “many of the Samaritans . . . put faith in him,” so his disciples would experience deep joy as they worked whole-souled in the harvest. (John 4:39-42) This first-century account has special meaning for us because it illustrates what is happening today during the greatest spiritual harvest of all time. When did this modern-day harvest begin? Who have a share in it? What have been the results?

Our King Takes the Lead in the Greatest Harvest of All Time

5. Who takes the lead in the global harvest, and how does John’s vision indicate that the work is urgent?

⁵ In a vision given to the apostle John, Jehovah reveals that he assigned Jesus to take the lead in a global harvest of people. (Read Revelation 14:14-16.) In this vision, Jesus is described as having a crown and a sickle. The “golden crown on [Jesus’] head” confirms his position as ruling King. The “sharp sickle in his hand” confirms his role as Harvester. By stating through an angel that “the harvest of the earth is fully ripe,” Jehovah emphasizes that the work is urgent. Indeed, “the hour has come to reap”​—there is no time for delay! In response to God’s command “put your sickle in,” Jesus thrusts in his sickle, and the earth is reaped​—that is, people of the earth are reaped. This exciting vision reminds us that again “the fields . . . are white for harvesting.” Does this vision help us to determine when this global harvest began? Yes!

6. (a) When did “the harvest season” begin? (b) When did the actual “harvest of the earth” begin? Explain.

⁶ Since John’s vision in Revelation chapter 14 shows Jesus, the Harvester, wearing a crown (verse 14), his appointment as King in 1914 had already taken place. (Dan. 7:13, 14) Sometime after that, Jesus is commanded to start the harvest (verse 15). The same order of events is seen in Jesus’ parable about the harvest of the wheat, where he states: “The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things.” Thus, the harvest season and the conclusion of this system of things began at the same time​—in 1914. Later “in the harvest season,” the actual harvesting began. (Matt. 13:30, 39) Looking back from our vantage point in time, we can see that the harvest began some years after Jesus started ruling as King. First, from 1914 until the early part of 1919, Jesus carried out a cleansing work among his anointed followers. (Mal. 3:1-3; 1 Pet. 4:17) Then, in 1919, “the harvest of the earth” began. Without delay, Jesus used the newly appointed faithful slave to help our brothers see the urgency of the preaching work. Consider what happened.

7. (a) What examination helped our brothers to see the urgency of the preaching work? (b) What were our brothers encouraged to do?

⁷ In July 1920, The Watch Tower stated: “It seems evident from an examination of the Scriptures that a great privilege is granted unto the church in delivering a message concerning the kingdom.” For instance, Isaiah’s prophetic words helped the brothers to see that the Kingdom news had to be announced worldwide. (Isa. 49:6; 52:7; 61:1-3) How such a work could be accomplished they did not know, but they trusted that Jehovah would open the way for them. (Read Isaiah 59:1.) As a result of this clearer view about the urgency of the preaching work, our brothers were encouraged to step up their activities. How did the brothers respond?

8. In 1921, what two facts about the preaching work did our brothers grasp?

⁸ In December 1921, The Watch Tower announced: “It has been the best year of all; and greater numbers of people have heard the message of truth during 1921 than in any previous year.” The magazine added: “There is much yet to be done. . . . Let us do it with a joyful heart.” Note how the brothers grasped the same two important facts about the preaching work that Jesus had impressed upon his apostles: The work is urgent, and the workers are joyful.

9. (a) In 1954, what did The Watchtower state about the harvest work, and why? (b) What worldwide increase in publishers has taken place during the past 50 years? (See the chart “Worldwide Increase.”)

⁹ During the 1930’s, after the brothers understood that a great crowd of other sheep would respond to the Kingdom message, the preaching work intensified further. (Isa. 55:5; John 10:16; Rev. 7:9) The result? The number of those preaching the Kingdom message rose from 41,000 in 1934 to 500,000 in 1953! The Watchtower of December 1, 1954, rightly concluded: “It is Jehovah’s spirit and the power of his Word that have accomplished this great world-wide harvest.”b​—Zech. 4:6.

The Result of the Harvest​—Foretold in Vivid Word Pictures

10, 11. In the parable of the mustard grain, what aspects of the seed’s growth are highlighted?

¹⁰ In his Kingdom parables, Jesus foretold in vivid language the result of the harvest work. Let us consider the parable about the mustard grain and the one about the leaven. We will focus particularly on how they have been fulfilled in the time of the end.

¹¹ The parable of the mustard grain. A man plants a mustard grain. It then grows into a tree in which birds find shelter. (Read Matthew 13:31, 32.) What aspects of the growth of the seed are highlighted in this parable? (1) The extent of the growth is amazing. “The tiniest of all the seeds” becomes a tree with “great branches.” (Mark 4:31, 32) (2) Growth is assured. “When [the seed] has been sown, it grows.” Jesus does not say, “It may grow.” No, he states: “It grows.” Its growth is unstoppable. (3) The growing tree attracts visitors and provides lodging. “The birds of heaven come” and “find lodging under its shadow.” How do these three aspects apply to the modern-day spiritual harvest?

12. How does the parable of the mustard grain apply to today’s harvest? (See also the chart “Growing Number of Bible Studies.”)

¹² (1) Extent of growth: The parable highlights the growth of the Kingdom message and the Christian congregation. Since 1919, zealous harvest workers have been gathered into the restored Christian congregation. At that time, the number of workers was small, but it grew rapidly. In fact, its growth from the early 1900’s to today has been phenomenal. (Isa. 60:22) (2) Assurance: The growth of the Christian congregation has been unstoppable. No matter how many layers of rocklike opposition God’s enemies placed upon the tiny seed, it kept growing​—pushing aside all obstacles. (Isa. 54:17) (3) Lodging: “The birds of heaven” that find lodging in the tree represent many millions of righthearted individuals from some 240 lands who have responded to the Kingdom message by becoming part of the Christian congregation. (Ezek. 17:23) There they receive spiritual food, refreshment, and protection.​—Isa. 32:1, 2; 54:13.

13. The parable of the leaven highlights what aspects of growth?

¹³ The parable of the leaven. After a woman adds some leaven to a mass of flour, the leaven ferments the whole mass. (Read Matthew 13:33.) What aspects of growth are highlighted in this parable? Let us consider two. (1) Growth causes transformation. The leaven spread “until the whole mass was fermented.” (2) Growth is pervasive. The leaven ferments all “three large measures of flour”​—the entire mass. How do these two aspects apply to the modern-day spiritual harvest?

14. How does the parable of the leaven apply to today’s harvest?

¹⁴ (1) Transformation: The leaven stands for the Kingdom message, and the mass of flour represents mankind. As leaven causes a change in flour after the two are mixed together, so the Kingdom message causes a transformation in the hearts of individuals after they accept that message. (Rom. 12:2) (2) Pervasive: The spreading of the leaven stands for the spreading of the Kingdom message. Leaven works its way through the dough until it has spread throughout the entire mass. Similarly, the Kingdom message has spread “to the most distant part of the earth.” (Acts 1:8) This aspect of the parable also indicates that even in lands where our work is under ban, the Kingdom message will spread, though our preaching activities in those parts of the earth may largely go unnoticed.

15. How have the words found at Isaiah 60:5, 22 been fulfilled? (See also the boxes “Jehovah Made It Possible” and “How ‘the Small One’ Has Become ‘a Mighty Nation.’”)

¹⁵ Some 800 years before Jesus spoke those parables, Jehovah, by means of Isaiah, foretold in memorable language the scope of the modern-day spiritual harvest and the joy this harvest would cause.c Jehovah describes people “from far away” streaming toward his organization. Directing himself to a “woman,” who today is represented by the anointed remnant on earth, he states: “You will see and become radiant, and your heart will throb and overflow, because the wealth of the sea will be directed to you; the resources of the nations will come to you.” (Isa. 60:1, 4, 5, 9) How true those words are! Today, longtime servants of Jehovah are indeed radiant with joy as they observe how the number of Kingdom publishers in their lands has increased from just a few to many thousands.

Why All Servants of Jehovah Have Reason to Rejoice

16, 17. What is one reason why ‘the sower and the reaper rejoice together’? (See also the box “How Two Tracts Touched Two Hearts in the Amazon.”)

¹⁶ You will recall that Jesus told his apostles: “The reaper is . . . gathering fruit for everlasting life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.” (John 4:36) How do we “rejoice together” in the global harvest? In several ways. Let us consider three.

¹⁷ First, we rejoice to see Jehovah’s role in the work. When we preach the Kingdom message, we sow seed. (Matt. 13:18, 19) When we help someone to become a disciple of Christ, we harvest fruitage. And all of us feel deep joy as we observe with awe how Jehovah causes Kingdom seed to “sprout and grow tall.” (Mark 4:27, 28) Some seed that we scatter sprouts later and is harvested by others. You may have had an experience similar to that of Joan, a Christian sister in Britain who was baptized 60 years ago. She said: “I have met individuals who told me that I planted a seed in their heart when I preached to them years ago. Unknown to me, other Witnesses later studied the Bible with them and helped them to become servants of Jehovah. I rejoice that the seed I planted grew and was harvested.”​—Read 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7.

18. What reason for joy is mentioned at 1 Corinthians 3:8?

¹⁸ Second, we remain joyful workers when we keep in mind that Paul stated: “Each person will receive his own reward according to his own work.” (1 Cor. 3:8) The reward is given according to the work, not according to the results of that work. How heartening that assurance is for those preaching in territories where there is little response! In God’s eyes, every Witness who wholeheartedly shares in the sowing work is “bearing much fruit” and therefore has reason to rejoice.​—John 15:8; Matt. 13:23.

19. (a) How does Jesus’ prophecy found at Matthew 24:14 relate to our joy? (b) What should we keep in mind even if we do not personally succeed in making a disciple?

¹⁹ Third, we rejoice that our work fulfills prophecy. Consider Jesus’ answer to his apostles when they asked: “What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” He told them that one feature of that sign would be a global preaching work. Was he speaking of the disciple-making work? No. He said: “This good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness.” (Matt. 24:3, 14) Thus, Kingdom preaching​—sowing seed—​is a feature of the sign. Hence, as we preach the good news of the Kingdom, we keep in mind that even if we do not succeed in making a disciple, we do succeed in giving “a witness.”d Yes, no matter how people respond, we share in fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy and have the honor to serve as “God’s fellow workers.” (1 Cor. 3:9) What good reason to rejoice!

“From the Rising of the Sun to Its Setting”

20, 21. (a) How are the words of Malachi 1:11 being fulfilled? (b) As to the harvest work, what are you determined to do, and why?

²⁰ In the first century, Jesus helped his apostles to see that the harvest work was urgent. From 1919 onward, Jesus has helped his modern-day disciples to grasp the same truth. In response, God’s people have intensified their activities. In fact, the harvest work has proved to be unstoppable. As foretold by the prophet Malachi, the preaching work is being carried out today “from the rising of the sun to its setting.” (Mal. 1:11) Yes, from sunrise to sunset​—from east to west, no matter where they are on earth—​sowers and reapers work and rejoice together. And from sunrise to sunset​—from morning till evening, or all day long—​we work with a sense of urgency.

²¹ As we look back today over some 100 years and see how a small group of God’s servants has grown into “a mighty nation,” our heart does indeed “throb and overflow” with joy. (Isa. 60:5, 22) May that joy and our love for Jehovah, “the Master of the harvest,” impel each one of us to keep on doing our share in completing the greatest harvest of all time!​—Luke 10:2.

YOU prepare for the ministry early on your day off from secular work. You hesitate for a moment, feeling a bit tired. A morning of rest seems so appealing! But you pray about it and resolve to go. You work with a faithful elderly sister, and her endurance and kindness touch your heart. And as you share the message of the truth from house to house, it occurs to you that your brothers and sisters around the world are sharing this same message, using the same literature, all benefiting from the same training. By the time you get home, you feel energized. You are so glad you did not stay home!

At present, the Christian ministry is the chief work of God’s Kingdom. Jesus foretold that the preaching work would have an astounding scope during the last days. (Matt. 24:14) How has his prophecy been fulfilled? In this section, we will examine the people, the methods, and the tools that have been so important to the Christian ministry, which is helping millions the world over to see God’s Kingdom as real.