Page:Hope-of-a-tree-1934.djvu/5

Fepruary 1, 1934

• Christ Jesus, the great Prophet and King, address-

es his proclamation to ‘‘all peoples’’, which means primarily to those peoples on the earth who as his followers are maintaining their integrity towards Je hovah, and secondarily to the Jonadab class, meaning all those of good will who desire to know and to do the will of the Almighty God. This includes partie- ularly the ‘‘sheep’’ class who are pleased to do goad unto others because they believe and understand that such others are servants of the Almighty God and his beloved Son. Here then are shown also the faithful followers of Christ Jesus as Jchovah’s witnesses bring- ing the message of the proclamation to all others whe have a hearing ear. These are messengers of peace and, quoting the language of their Lord, say: ‘‘Peace be multiplied unto you.’’ So said the proclamation of Nebuchadnezzar the king. 10The entire world is now in turmoil and distress and has nothing in which it can hope so far as the world’s schemes are concerned; but to those who de sire to know God and his King the information is now given that ‘‘in his name shall the nations hope”. As Jonadab was brought into close contact with Jehu, so now the ‘‘shcep’’ class is brought into close contaet with the bearers of this divine message of peace. Con- cerning this message and its messengers it is writtea: ‘‘How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace; that bringcth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!”" (Isa. 52:7) In order for the Jonadab class to hear, someone must tell them of the King’s proclamation; and this privilege is assigned to the faithful remnant. —Rom. 10: 14, 15. 117t is certain that the Lord God gives an under- standing of this propheey and other prophecies at this time for the very purpose of giving assurance to his remnant, that they may have a strong hope of entering into eternal glory and secure the prize, the crown of life. Without such assurance the remnant would be- come discouraged by reason of the constant perseeu- tion suffered by them; but now they sce that such opposition brings upon them suffering and contradie- tion aud this is essential for them that they may hate opportunity to prove their integrity towards Jehovah and to have a part in the vindication of his name. This assurance increases their faith and hope, aud henee onward they march, holding high the standard of the Lord God, proclaiming his message to the peo- ple and informing them that they will find peace only in the name of the Lord God and his King and king- dom. 12 Further manifesting the goodness and loving- kindness of himself and his Father the King (Jesus) says: ‘‘I thought it good to shew the signs and won- ders that the high God [Most High] hath wrought toward me.”’ (Dan. 4:2) Christ Jesus the King is elated that the time has come for the vindication of She WATCHTOWER. 37 Jehovah’s name before all creation, and hence he deems it good to make known to his faithful followers the manner of Jehovah’s dealing with creation, and particularly with Christ Jesus himself, since the day of the rebellion in Eden unto the bringing of Christ Jesus to the throne as the Head of Jehovah’s holy organization of Zion. This is further and conclusive proof that Jchovah is the Most High. In 1914 the great wonders or signs began to be made manifest when the mighty organization of Satan met in con- flict the still mightier organization under Christ Jesus in the war in heaven that resulted in ousting Satan and his wicked crowd from heaven. Then thereafter it was that the great Vindicator at the temple of Je- hovah began to make known to the remnant the ‘two great wonders or signs’ of the twelfth chapter of Revelation and these faithful ones began to discern and appreciate for the first time of and conecrning Satan’s organization that is pitted against Jchovah’s organization, and that the final conflict will be had at Armaeddon. It was early in the year 1925 that The Watchtower, hy the grace of the Lord, published the meaning of these two grcat wonders of Revelation. (See The Watchtower, March 1, 1925.) 43 Prior to the coming of the Lord Jesus to the temple the faithful ones on earth saw Jesus Christ only as the Redeemer and Savior of man, but now they see him as the Vindicator of Jchovah’s name, who has gained that exalted place and has proved his qualifications for that place by reason of the things which he suf- fered and which things were necessary for him to suffer in order to maintain his integrity and to prove Jehovah’s side of the great question at issue. (EEeb. 5:8,9) Now he would have his faithful followers to know the ‘ereat wonders that the Most High God hath wrovght toward me’, that is, toward the Lord Jesus Christ, the beloved Son of God. Then Christ Jesus, in admiration of and giving expression to his bound- less love for his Father, further says: ‘How great are his sions! and how mighty are his wonders! his kinedom is an everlasting kinedom, and his dominion is from gencration to generation.’”? (Dan. 4:3) Like as he has always been, he takes not the eredit to him- self but gives the honor and glory to Jehovah. Among the great and mighty wonders here mentioned are the manifestation of Jehovah’s foreknowledge, his suprem- acy, and his never-failing purpose. The display of his perfect wisdom and unlimited power causes all pure-hearted ereatures to stand in amazement, fear, astonishment and consternation, so mighty are his wondrous works. Those who love God begin to appre- ciate the words of his prophet that all nations before him are as nothing and are accounted to him as less than nothing, and vanity. (Isa. 40:17) ‘‘None can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?” —Dan, 4:35. 44 The time has come now to settle the issue before all creation that Jehovah is supreme, that he is the