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November 1, 1934
The Watchtower
327
courage; and while they are doing it they get a jolt. "In the same hour came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace; and the king saw the part of the hand that wrote." -Dan. 5:5.
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The modern application of the words "the same hour" manifestly is to the short period of time in which Satan prepares his organization for the final battle. (Rev. 12:12) "And then ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings [foreshadowed by Belshazzar and his lords], which ... receive power as kings one hour with the beast [that is, the image of the 'sea beast', which is the combine of nations]." (Rev. 17:12) These all act together against Jehovah's anointed ones in the short time when Satan is preparing for the battle of Armageddon. "Babylon" is the name of Satan's crowd, and stands for or represents his organization both invisible and visible, and concerning which it is written: "That great city Babylon, ... in one hour is thy judgment come." (Rev. 18: 10, 19) This is the time of the handwriting's appearing on the wall in fulfilment of the prophetic picture; and the facts show that this time began with the London convention in 1926, at which a testimony was issued TO THE RULERS OF THE WORLD.
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The "fingers of a man's hand", which did the writing on the wall, pictured Jehovah's power exercised and by his "right hand", Christ Jesus. (Matt. 12:28) The Lord Jesus at the temple uses the faithful remnant in connection with his work in serving notice upon the visible part of Satan's organization, and of this fact the invisible part of the enemy organization no doubt takes notice. (2 Cor. 3:2,3) Of himself Jesus said: "If I with the finger of God [the power of Jehovah] cast out devils, no doubt the kingdom of God is come upon you." (Luke 11:20) Concerning the third plague of Egypt the magicians said to Pharaoh: "this is the finger of God." (Ex. 8:19) The law written on the tables of stone was "written with the finger". that is, the invisible power or spirit, of Jehovah. (Ex. 31:18) Thus God causes Christ Jesus to bring forcibly to the attention of the enemy notice and warning of the enemy's early downfall. The fingers of the man's hand "wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall", hence in the well lighted surface of the wall, thus forcing the revelers to see it. This illustrates how Jehovah does nothing in the dark, but that he acts against the enemy only after full warning, and he causes his witnesses to openly and aboveboard declare his judgments against the enemy. The enemy will never be able to say that they did not hear and that they unintentionally overlooked what Jehovah said to them. He illustrates this by compelling Belshazzar and his lords to take notice of the writing on the wall. It was Belshazzar's candles that lighted the wall of his palace, and likewise today the truth of God's Word is forced into the light which the rules of modern Babylon, or "Christendom", cause to burn, and they
are compelled to take notice of the message of truth whether they want to do it or not. Today the rules exhibit perplexity and distress, and at the same time they are drinking the wine of Babylon in their efforts to hide their perplexity while they go on feverishly preparing for war. While they are thus doing Jehovah causes the message of truth to be put before them under the light, and which message in substance says to them: "Soon you will have a fight, and a losing fight."
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In London, England, the "seat of the beast", a warning was sounded openly and aboveboard in May 1926, which message was heard by the ruling powers of "Christendom", but at which they scoffed and which they have spurned, and that message marked the beginning of their "transgression of desolation". The handwriting, the message on the wall, was notice and warning to Belshazzar and his revelers, and corresponds with the plagues upon Egypt, which also served as notice and warning to the rulers in Satan's visible organization. "The king saw the part of the hand that wrote," but he did not see the power that moved the hand. Today "Christendom's" rulers have seen Jehovah's human agents used in serving to give the warning, but they have not seen or discerned Jehovah's spirit which moves such agents or servants to bring that notice of warning to them. The handwriting on the wall was by the power of God, and for that reason could not picture the present-day depression or bad economic conditions that affect the world. That handwriting on the wall foretold disaster to Belshazzar the king of Babylon and his army; and in modern times the fulfilment thereof foretells the doom of Satan's organization, which is Babylon including "Christendom". The judgment, notice and warning must be delivered before the execution of the judgement, and that is why Jehovah's witnesses engage in declaring the day of the vengeance of our God. Such notice must be served before the giving of the message described by the prophet: "One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon [Belshazzar and the modern rulers of "Christendom"] that his city is taken at one end [on every quarter, R. V.], and that the passages are stopped [surprised, R.V.: seized, A.R.V.], and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted." (Jer. 51:31,32) From 1926 to 1933 Jehovah's message of warning heralded by his faithful witnesses was boldly delivered and raised high by wide publication, and thus "Christendom" as compelled to take notice of that message of warning, and which message of warning must be delivered before the fall of Babylon is complete.
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Belshazzar and his revelers in wine were compelled to take notice of the sign or handwriting appearing on the wall, and the sight thereof somewhat sobered them; especially was that the effect upon the king. The rulers of "Christendom" have not been
