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.

{{{2}}}

• 4

25 THE WATCHER 6 Tucifer, when appointed to the high office of over- lordship, was a part of Jehovah’s organization, and hence formed a part of the ‘‘higher powers’’. Luci- fer was made God’s watcher over the interests of the things of the earth, but he became unfaithful, rebel- lious and unholy and no longer was a watcher. On the contrary, he opposed the interests of Jchovah and the interests of man and has attempted to turn every- thing 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 mv bed, and, behold, a watcher and an holy one came down from heaven.” $ie WATCHTOWER. Brooxuyy, N. Y. (Vs.13) This one Watcher was watching the tree, and hence he was higher than Lucifer. That one watch- er was and ever has been ‘‘an holy one’’ and is the Logos or the Word of God, the only begotten and be- loved Son of Jehovah God. This holy Watcher has ever remained fully a d completely devoted to Jcho- vah God and has always maintained his integrity to- ward him. ;The yision 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 per- tain 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 eried aloud, and said thus, Hew down the tree, and eut 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, deeree. means that the RIGITT to the overlord- ship was then and there taken away from Lucifer, now Satan, and that he (Satan) and his spirit subor- dinates were cut off from Jehovah’s organization and were henceforth outlaws and that no carthly creature was required to remain under Satan’s oryanization, 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 allegianee and devotion to Jchovah God and his holy Watcher. This divine judgment or deeree did not mean that at the time of Adam’s sin and the fall of Lucifer, now Satan, the judement was to be executed imme- diately 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 coneerning the same. It is the final judgment then and there made and written against Satan and his organization, which judenient 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 exe- cution of that deerce, therefore, began in 1914 and shall be fully and completely executed at Armageddon. The destruction of the tree as deseribed by the proph- et 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 exercised that regal pow- er without divine authority and has rebelled against Jehovah God. Jehovah’s purpose was announeed in the deeree, but that decree he did not execute imme- diately and completely destroy Sutan and his organi- zation but has permitted him to go on in his wieked efforts to prove his side of the challenge fiung into the face of Jehovah God. The wisdom and supremacy of Jchovah are here exhibited by proving that he bides his own due time to vindicate his name. Peter refers