Page:Hope-of-a-tree-1934.djvu/8

40, 1934

The WATCHTOWER

Brooklyn, N. Y.

represented the invisible part of Satan’s organization. (Dan. 2:35; Light, Book Two, page 292-319) The office of overlord, like the lofty top of the cedar tree, dominated everything on earth and was visible from all parts of the earth. That does not mean that Satan was visible, but his power or overlordship was discernible throughout the earth. The overlord supervised all the earth and must be looked up to and recognized by all the earth. In this manner Satan exalted himself over all the earth and made men look up to him.

²⁴ The leaves of a tree are for the benefit of the creatures that come in contact therewith. (Rev. 22:2) Describing the tree in the vision the prophecy reads: "The leaves thereof were fair, and the fruit thereof much, and in it was meat for all: the beasts of the field had shadow under it, and the fowls of the heaven dwelt in the boughs thereof, and all flesh was fed of it." (Vs. 12) The base or root stock of the tree was in the earth, and thus pictured man, and shows that it is the man whom God created and concerning whom he commanded: "Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth." (Gen. 1:26) The dominion of man was and is limited to the earth, but above man was the invisible organization, headed or topped by Lucifer, who afterwards became Satan, and to whom the words of Jehovah apply: "Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory." (Dan. 2:37) This is proof that Nebuchadnezzar represented or illustrated regal power that was granted to Lucifer and which power he abused and turned to wickedness.

²⁵ The prophetic vision states that the fruit of the tree was much, and that in it was meat for all and all flesh was fed of it. Even after iniquity was found in Lucifer and he became Satan, and since, all the earth has been compelled to feed from that tree. This is corroborated by the Scriptural statement that the whole world lieth in the wicked one. (1 John 5:19, Diag.) The creation of earth has been under the shadow of that wicked organization.

THE WATCHER

²⁶ Lucifer, when appointed to the high office of overlordship, was a part of Jehovah’s organization, and hence formed a part of the "higher powers". Lucifer was made God’s watcher over the interests of the things of the earth, but he became unfaithful, rebellious and unholy and no longer was a watcher. On the contrary, he opposed the interests of Jehovah and the interests of man and has attempted to turn everything to his own wicked use. There was another watcher over and above Lucifer, and this is the one whom Nebuchadnezzar saw in vision. "I saw in the visions of my head upon my bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven."

(Vs.13) This one Watcher was watching the tree, and hence he was higher than Lucifer. That one watcher was and ever has been "an holy one" and is the Logos or the Word of God, the only begotten and beloved Son of Jehovah God. This holy Watcher has ever remained fully and completely devoted to Jehovah God and has always maintained his integrity toward him. The vision discloses this watcher coming down from heaven, which manifestly means that the Logos, Jesus, the beloved One and faithful One of Jehovah, turned his attention to the things which pertain to and affect the earth, and particularly man.

THE DECREE

²⁷ This holy one, the Watcher, being the spokesman of Jehovah God, makes known the decree of the Most High, "He cried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and cut off his branches, shake off his leaves,

and scatter his fruit: let the beasts get away from under it, and the fowls from his branches." (Vs. 14) That, decree means that the RIGHT to the overlordship was then and there taken away from Lucifer, now Satan, and that he (Satan) and his spirit subordinates were cut off from Jehovah’s organization and were henceforth outlaws and that no earthly creature was required to remain under Satan’s organization, for the reason that he was no longer any part of the 'higher powers' and no more furnishes protection and nourishment and help for mankind. All those who would have the blessings of life must give their allegiance and devotion to Jehovah God and his holy Watcher. This divine judgment or decree did not mean that at the time of Adam's sin and the fall of Lucifer, now Satan, the judgment was to be executed immediately and that Satan and his invisible organization were then east out of heaven and down to the earth; but that decree declares God’s purpose concerning the same. It is the final judgment then and there made and written against Satan and his organization, which judgment began to be executed at the time when Christ Jesus was sent forth to rule and to cast

Satan and his wicked angels out of heaven. The execution of that decree, therefore, began in 1914 and shall be fully and completely executed at Armageddon. The destruction of the tree as described by the prophet Ezekiel, in the thirty-first chapter, shows what will come to pass at Armageddon.

²⁸ Satan has exercised overlordship in his wicked organization, which includes the human race, even to the present time; but he has xercised that regal power without divine authority and has rebelled against Jehovah God. Jehovah’s purpose was announced in the decree, but that decree he did not execute immediately and completely destroy Satan and his organization but has permitted him to go on in his wicked efforts to prove his side of the challenge flung into the face of Jehovah God. The wisdom and supremacy of Jehovah are here exhibited by proving that he bides his own due time to vindicate his name. Peter refers