The Ingathering Continues

16, 17. Who are “the offspring of you people” after World War I?

¹⁶ The full number of that “royal priesthood” is 144,000, and in time, the gathering of them was completed. (Revelation 7:1-8; 14:1) Was that the end of the ingathering work? No. Isaiah’s prophecy continues: “‘Just as the new heavens and the new earth that I am making are standing before me,’ is the utterance of Jehovah, ‘so the offspring of you people and the name of you people will keep standing.’” (Isaiah 66:22)

However, the prophecy has had a most remarkable fulfillment in our day.

¹⁷ “The offspring” that the nation of spiritual brothers produces are the “great crowd,” who have the hope of everlasting life on earth. They come “out of all nations and tribes and peoples and tongues,” and they stand “before the throne and before the Lamb.” These ones “have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:9-14; 22:17) Today the “great crowd” are turning from spiritual darkness to the light that Jehovah provides. They exercise faith in Jesus Christ, and like their anointed brothers and sisters, they strive to remain spiritually and morally clean. As a group they continue serving under Christ’s direction and will “keep standing” forever!​—Psalm 37:11, 29.