Feast of Conspirators (Part 1)
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Jehova has forewarned the remnat that the 'seed of the Serpent' would form a conspiraey and carry it out to the limit of his ability, the purpose of wich conspiracy is to destory Jehovah's anointed. To the witnesses of Jehovah now on earth is committed the testimony of Jesus Christ, and because they try to fulfil their commision they are hated by the Devil and all of his offspring. (Rev. 12:17; Ps 83:2-5) Those in the conspiraey are attempting to cut off Jehovah's anointed from being a nation; and this wieked erowd of conspirations is composed of Gog and a host of wieked spirit creatures who joined Satan in his rebellion at Eden and who continue to fight against the anointed; and of those on earth, the relinious, political; and comercial elements that operate, performing their respective parts all of wich is under the direction of Satan the Devil; henee all of these conspirators are the 'seed of the Serpent'. Satan is proud, haughty, arrogant and austere. All of his offspring are likewise disposed. It is the divine rule that pride goes before destruetio, and a haughty spirit before a fall. (Prov. 16:18) In keeping with this rule Belshazzar the king of Babylon held a great feast, at which he and his assembled guests became very drunk. The feast was an occasion for much swaggering and boasting and great hilarity and carousal. The proverbal fall of the king of Babylon and his followerts quickly came theraufter.
EPITOME
2 Let the anointed remnant now on earth take comfort in this fact: that the divine record of Belshazzar's feast was kept and perserved until this day for their learuing and that, the fulfilment of this prophetie pieture having now began, the understanding thereof gives strenght to their hope of ultimate triumph through Christ Jesus, who leads the army of Jehovah against the enemy.In this prophetie pieture Belshazzar represented the earthly offspring of the Devil, that is to say, the visibile part of the 'seed of the Serpent ', and he and his allies are in the conspiraey under the leadership of God; the lords pieture all who are in the League of Nations or like com-
bines, the golden vessels used at the feast, out of which the wine was drunk, pictured the remnant, Jehovat's witnesses, who are wholly devoted to him, which Satan's crowd epert to completely discredit and then to destory, the fingers of the hand that wrote upon the wall pictured Christ Jesus, to whom Jehovah has comitted the testimony which must be delivered before the fall of Satan's organization. The fullfilment of this prophetie picture begins a short time before Armageddon and is concluded at Armageddon. The fulfilment has now begun, and heree it appeans to be the will of God that his anointed remnant should have an understanding of the propheey.
BELSHAZZAR AND HIS FEAST
2 Belshazzar was a son (or grandson) of Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon. (Dan.5:2,18) Satan's organization is named Babylon; heree Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon would picture Satan himself, while Belshazzar, being his son, would represent the earthly seed of Satan, particulary the rulers of Cristendom, wich are made up of the religious, political and commercial elements, the latter being the principal ones of the religious flock. Belshazzarmeans princee of Bel or whom Bel favors, and heree pictures Christendom, which is now drunk on Babylon's wine, and under the leadership of Gog the invisibile feld marshal of Satan who is assigured to lend the army of Satan at Armageddon. Bel was the chief god of Babylon, and hence means Satan himself. And I will punish Bed in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that wich he bathswallowed up; and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him ; yea, the wall of Bbaylon shall fall. (Jer. 51:44) In the first year of Belshazzar's regin Daniel had a dream in which dream or vision he beheld four beasts, picturing the earthly ruling powers of Satan. (Dan. 7:1-3; see The Watchtower, 1933 page 180) In the third year of Belshazzar's regin Daniel had a vidion of the defiling of God's santenuary
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and its later vindication. Daniel 8; see The Watchtower, 1933, pages 179-186, 195-202, 211-219.
The time of the fulfilment of the prophetie picture of the feast of Belshazzar seems to be shortly preceding Armageddon. The record thereor as set forth in the fifth ehapter of Daniel begins in tgis manner: Belshazzar the king mae a great feast to a thousand of his lords, and drank wine before the thousand.(Dan. 5:1) This feast was held in the king's place, and on the very night that Babylon was overthrown by the Medes and Persians, and hence must picture a time after Christ begins his reign and is sent forth to oust the enemy and shortly preceding the battle of the great day of God Almighty. That derinitely fixes the time of the fulfilment of the prophetie picture after 1914 and shortly before the battle of Armageddon; hence both the scripture and the physical facts show that the prophecy is now in course of fulfilment.
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are brought forth and exposed to the view and exhibited before the drunken revelers of "Christendom". The purpose of this part of the conspiracy is to make Jehovah's witnesses the center of ridicule and reproach by centering attention upon them while the revelers attempt to make them appear ridiculous. The king, and his princes, wives and concubines, drank wine out of the golden vessels; showing that the entire crowd of modern times indulge in overt acts in furtherance of their wicked conspiracy. The revelers, both ancient and modern , being drunk with the wine of Babylon, they get cheer and hilarity out of mis-using Jehovah's witnesses. In this manner those of "Christendom" show themselves as being on the side of God's vilifiers; and thus they don the garments of Baal and mark themselves for the slaughter that must shortly follow at Armageddon. (2 Ki. 10: 18-27; Jer. 25: 33-36) All nations of "Christendom" now are engaged in a conspiracy and are doing what they can to bring reproach upon Jehovah's name by ill-using such witnesses.
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The wicked one Satan, who commercialized the human race and debauched the whole world, has poured the potion for his earthly representatives who are doing his will by persecuting Jehovah's witnesses. "They drank wine, and praised the gods of gold, and of silver, of brass, of iron, of wood, and of stone." (Dan. 5: 4) It is the wine of Babylon that is being drunk out of the golden vessels from Jehovah's temple, and this adds to the hilarity of the rulers, and they get a great thrill out of it, and this induces them to praise everything except Jehovah and those who are on his side. The language of this part of the prophecy further identifies the revelers as the 'seed of the Serpent' alia the worshipers of the Devil and his organization. In the divine record concerning the dream of Nebuchadnezzar recorded and interpreted by Daniel (see Daniel, chapter two) the organization of Satan was pictured by a great metallic image, the gold thereof picturing the Devil himself, while the other metals, in their order, pictured other portions of Satan's organization; hence these revelers at Belshazzar's feast give praise, while drinking, 'to the gods of gold, silver, brass, iron, wood, and stone,' and thus they identify themselves as a part of Satan's organization that is fighting against Jehovah and his kingdom. The modern "Chaldeans", that is to say, "Christendom," revere and worship the strong ones of the world organizations, and with trembling voice and hypocritical hands uplifted they cry out concerning the League of Nations, 'It is the only light that there is'; and thus they' change the truth of God into a lie, and worship and serve the creature more than the Creator', even though outwardly, hypocritically and fraudulently they claim to represent the kingdom of Christ.-Rom_ 1: 25.
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It was in 1928 that the seventh "plague" was poured out, and in the year following the great commercial
crash began; and yet the Babylonians, that is, those of "Christendom", have not changed their worship nor repented of their wicked works. "And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues, yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts." (Rev. 9: 20, 21) Now, with the ever increasing proclamation of the truth, the rulers in "Christendom" have an opportunity to see what is right, but they continue the persecution of those faithful and true witnesses of Jehovah. Those composing "Christendom's" organization like to pose as the law-abiding, peace-making and prosperity-making crowd, and to this end they seek and use the law-making and law-enforcement powers to bring the anointed ones of God into disrepute and to subject them to great humiliation. They take this course of action upon the false pretext and false claim that Jehovah's witnesses are a menace to the peace of the existing governments. The truth of God's Word when told reflects very unfavorably upon the iniquitous doctrines and work of those who rule in "Christendom", and in their auger and in furtherance of their conspiracy they enact laws to prevent the telling of such Scriptural truths to the people, and take whatever course they can to cause the truth to be suppressed. They conspire together to destroy freedom of speech, freedom of press, and the free expression of one's understanding of God's Word; and all of this they do upon the wrongful claim that such is necessary in order to maintain the peace of the state. They wrongfully use Jehovah's anointed vessels of gold, that is to say, his witnesses, and they would prevent the delivering of the testimony of Jesus Christ which God has commanded now must be delivered. They are foolish in believing that they can defeat Jehovah and put him to greater shame. Jehovah now has the entire drunken crowd in derision. (Ps. 2: 4) It is time for the handwriting concerning the wicked crowd of "Christendom" and their end to appear upon the wall. It does appear!
HANDWRITING
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Men sometimes make themselves drunk to drive away distress and perplexity; and for some years last past there have been great distress and perplexity among the ruling elements of the world. But a dreadful shock will bring even a drunken man to his senses to some degree. That was the effect upon Belshazzar, and the picture will be fulfilled. Belshazzar and his lords were in distress concerning the approach of the Medes and Persians, and they were drunk, and continued to drink out of the golden vessels in order to bolster themselves up. Likewise the rulers of modern "Christendom", which is Satan's organization, mis-use God's anointed in their attempt to give themselves
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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
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able to ignore the notice of warning that Jehovah has caused his witnesses to proclaim before them. They have been compelled to give the matter some thought; and the facts show that they have thought, and some of them have thought seriously. They have been sobered for a time, but this has served only to harden their hearts. "Then the king's countenance [brightness, R.V., margin] was changed, and his thoughts troubled him, so that the joints of his loins were loosed, and his knees smote one against another." (Dan. 5:6) It was in 1928 that the Lord caused his remnant to make a declaration of Jehovah's judgement which is written against Satan and all of his organization, and to give warning that all who would live must take the side of Jehovah. That message of notice and warning was proclaimed throughout "Christendom", and as to the ruler thereof it somewhat loosened their joints and caused their knees to knock together. That would sober them for a time. Shortly thereafter the great commercial crash came and Babylon to sober up a little more, and the chief ones thereof showed a dull countenance instead of a bright one. By his prophet Jehovah tells them now to howl, because their howling day are short. "Howl ye; for the day of the Lord is at hand; it shall come as a destruction from the Almighty. Therefore shall all hands be faint, and every man's heart shall melt: and they shall be afraid: pangs and sorrows shall take hold of them; they shall be in pain as a woman that travaileth; they shall be amazed one at another; their faces shall be as flames." (Isa. 13:6-8) While they are howling evidently Jehovah laughs at them. -Ps. 2:4.
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This corresponds to the prophecy uttered by Jesus, to wit: "And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring; men's hearts failing them to fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken." (Luke 21:25,26) Although "Christendom's" mighty men bring forth the League of Nations compact, peace treaties, disarmament conferences, "holy year," national recovery acts, yet their howling continues. In that period the pope regains his temporal power and the other parts of "Christendom" receive his delegates or ambassadors. He declares 1933 a "holy year"; and when he sees that has failed he continues to howl with his other allies and asks them all to pray that Armageddon may be prevented. Within this same hour, with increased zeal and activity Jehovah's remnant places the message of the Lord God high up on the wall, and God has compelled the rulers in "Christendom" to read the message although they do not understand it.
19
For many years the clergy have held the position of spiritual advisers to the other ruling elements of Babylon, or "Christendom". True, some of these clergy are Catholics, some are Protestants, and some are Jews; but all are engaged in the same business for
hire. Naturally they are now being called upon to give advice and counsel and consolation to the other rulers in "Christendom". "The king cried aloud to bring in the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers. And the king spake, and said to the wise men of Babylon, Whosoever shall read this writing, and shew me the interpretation thereof , shall be clothed with scarlet, and have a chain of gold about his neck, and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom." (Dan. 5:7) This description of the king's advisers given in the prophecy shows that these advisers include not only the clergy or the various religious organizations, but also the professional economists, historians, philosophers and such like in the present time, and which are designated by Babylon's publicity agents as "the brain trust", meaning of course, those that have great "wisdom". The seventh "trumpet" for Jehovah and against Satan and his organization was sounded in 1928, and shortly thereafter, as it should be expected, the ruling powers of "Christendom" pictured by Belshazzar would begin to cry out; and that is exactly what did come to pass. In 1928 a world conference was held in Paris, and another in London the next year, for the evident purpose of ascertaining the meaning of the threatening condition and of the signs, notices or declarations that had been given. That was after the "sign in heaven, great and marvelous", had appeared. (Rev. 15:1) The time having arrived to vindicate Jehovah's name, his witnesses would cause the trumpet to sound and to give notice, and discomfort came to the earthly rulers as a partial result thereof. King Belshazzar appealed to his own advisers for help, and even so the rulers in "Christendom" in modern times have assembled its "wise men" that wisdom might result from such multitude of counsel and that they might determine what to do. Of course, none of Jehovah's witnesses would be called to such a conference; for such conference is anti-God and anti-kingdom, and Jehovah's witnesses would not be wanted there, neither would they want to be there.
20
The handwriting on the wall at Belshazzar's feast was in a foreign language, a language not known to Belshazzar, and, even if he could read it, he was not learned therein and was not able to interpret the same. Likewise the 'seven angels having the seven last plagues' were messengers not of a human organization, and consequently the message was not of human interpretation. The rulers of "Christendom" saw the activities of Jehovah's witnesses and heard what they were declaring, but the force and significance of their message needed some explanation or interpretation. Belshazzar wanted an explanation of what he saw on the wall, and in modern times "Christendom's" rulers want to know the meaning of the present events, including what Jehovah's witnesses declare, and to find out they ask their own clergymen and "wise men". No doubt the activities of these faithful witnesses have been frequently discussed in the secret conferences of the "wise men" of the modern day.
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The "Monday Morning Ministerial Conferences" have often been occupied with a consideration of these matters without reaching any satisfactory conclusion. When it appears that the public press, which is the advertising part of Satan's visible organization, begins to give attention to what Jehovah's witnesses are doing, then it must be known for a certainty that the "wise men" of "Christendom" have been discussing the matter.
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Belshazzar sobered up for a brief season and had his counselors brought in. "Then came in all the king's wise men: but they could not read the writing, nor make known to the king the interpretation thereof." (Dan. 5:8) They must have been a sorry lot when they, composing the "brain trust" of his administration, appeared before the king, and not one of them able even to read the handwriting, much less to make known the interpretation thereof. The same thing is true today. The wise counselors of "Christendom" are unable to read the signs or interpret the same because they ignore God's Word. Especially since 1929 the ruling powers of "Christendom" have appealed to the "wise men" of their own organization to place a construction upon or explain what is the meaning of the 'signs and wonders in heaven', that is to say, the declarations made by Jehovah's witnesses and their continuous work in bearing witness to the people, and what relation the same has to the distress and perplexity upon the earth. But none of the wise men of Babylon can read or interpret the same, because it is all foreign to them. Their Bibles do not read that way. One is reminded of the words of Jehovah's prophet applying to the same crowd, to wit: "And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men deliver to one that is learned, saying, Read this, I pray thee: and he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed." (Isa. 29:11) The advisers of Belshazzar undoubtedly attempted to advise him, but, being careful to make no guess that would worry the king, they were anxious to tell the king, and did tell him, that "everything will be all right; behold the strength of our walls". They, being in the service of the Devil, of course, would be unable to have any knowledge of the secrets of Jehovah. (Ps. 25:14) Likewise in modern times, the "wise men" if "Christendom" are careful to predict nothing that would be offensive to the political and financial ruling element; hence they say: "Give no heed to these foolish Jehovah's witnesses, because every day and in every way the world is getting better. Everything will be all right. Behold the strength of our great institutions. We must stand for ever."
22 The declarations of Belshazzar's wise men did not please him; and it is just the same today. The wise men of "Christendom" cannot give any answer that is pleasing and satisfactory to their allies. "Then was king Belshazzar greatly troubled, and his countenance was changed in him, and his lords were astonied." (Dan. 5:9) As Belshazzar was troubled and his
countenance was dark, and his lords sate about with long and astonished faces, even so it is today. The modern "brain trust", including the clergy, and particularly the Catholic hierarchy, make an effort and try to give advice to the political and financial ruling element, but the latter have little or no confidence in such advice. They become more perplexed every day, and they know not which way to turn. That perplexity has continued to increase since 1929, some evidence of which is here mentioned. In June 1931 the president of the United States issued a statement strongly advocating a moratorium of indebtedness of the various governments to the United States. In July 1931 the United States and France signed an agreement concerning foreign indebtedness and the moratorium went into effect. Then followed conference after conference looking to the recovery of the common interests of the nations and an effort to prevent the disastrous effects of war. Nations of "Christendom" agreed to scrap many of the battleships and otherwise limit war preparations, and then their perplexity and fear increased, and again they feverishly rushed out to construct even more war vessels and greater war equipment than ever before. Then came the NRA scheme, and it was thought this would pull the world, and especially the United States, out of the hole. This, together with other schemes, has been launched and pushed for the purpose of staving off the disaster. Each nation in "Christendom" promulgates its own ideas of what should be done and how it should be done. The pope puts on his "holy garments" and tries his hand in an effort to bring about peace and prosperity in his "holy year", and finally gives that up in disgust because it brings forth neither peace nor prosperity except to the pope and the Catholic hierarchy. No other institution would be able to provide gold bricks to stop a hole in the wall, which gold bricks came to them without effort on their part, except it might be said it was some effort to don their sparkling garments and lay the bricks. These things are here mentioned to show the perplexity of the rulers of the world an that the advice given them by their "wise men" or "brain trust" fails to bring forth any satisfactory results.
23 There must have been confusion among the rulers at Belshazzar's feast, and much talk, when the wise men failed to interpret the sign-words written on the wall of the banquet room. Belshazzar had spoken his words of disappointment, and those words had been taken up and repeated by the lords, and then by the smaller fry and then by those who were serving the wine. At any rate, the fact got out to the queen. It is quite evident that the queen did not attend the banquet, because she heard what was going on and then she appeared at the feast to advise the king. "Now the queen, by reason of the words of the king and his lords, came into the banquet house; an the queen spake and said, O king, live for ever; let not thy thoughts trouble thee, nor let thy countenance
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be changed." (Dan. 5:10) When the queen arrived at the banquet hall and beheld the troubled face of Belshazzar she greeted him in the customary and friendly way and bade him to be of good cheer, since she had something to suggest that might be of aid to him. Evidently she was not the wife of the king, but the mother queen, because the account of the prophecy says that the wives were there drinking wine. The mother queen seems to picture some men of the world friendly to the ruling element and subject to them but who are entirely separate and apart form the religious frauds who pose as the spiritual advisers of the rulers. There are some men in public office who are friendly to the ruling powers but who have no confidence in or partnership with the hypocritical religious advisers. The queen appeared before Belshazzar but offered no explanation or interpretation of the handwriting. Having heard of the disturbed condition of the king and his lords, she had come to suggest on who might be able to give the needed information. this indicates that she pictured some who are in the world who are familiar with the conditions that exists and are somewhat familiar with Jehovah's dealings with his faithful people, especially his dealings with them and their work at the time of the World War, form 1914 to 1918. It seems the mother queen was used to bring Daniel to the favorable attention of Belshazzar, thus indicating that she represents someone that brings the attention of the ruling powers to Jehovah's witnesses. At the time Daniel was approximately 100 years of age, and had previously served Nebuchadnezzar, and seems to have withdrawn from public service and was not on familiar or intimate terms of acquaintance with Belshazzar. The queen mother, knowing about this, came to bring to the attention of the king the man Daniel, and what he had done in previous years; and this shows that no one of the wise men of Babylon had recommended Daniel to the ruler. Likewise it shows that today not one of the "wise men" of "Christendom", that is to say, the clergy and their allies, would recommend anyone of Jehovah's witnesses to be called in and their advice asked as to the meaning of present conditions, not even so much as to suggest that they be asked as to whether the present-day events have any relationship to Jehovah and his prophecies long ago written. But today there are some men and women who during the World War took notice of the treatment of those who were then faithful to God; and they also observed that such faithful followers of Christ Jesus were the only ones on earth that were then or are now qualified by the Lord to give a proper interpretation of and concerning that which now threatens the world destruction. Some of such men and women are in public office and hold positions under the ruling powers. They have a kindly feeling towards Jehovah's witnesses and believe that such witnesses represent the Lord. Therefore they make an
honest endeavor to draw the attention of the high ruling element to such witnesses and to recommend that such witnesses are trustworthy and that it is advisable that they be heard. Such friendly ones may be called persons of good will who have faith in God and believe that he has some representatives on earth, and for this reason they favorably commend Jehovah's witnesses, even as the queen mother recommended Daniel to the king. In this connection we are reminded of the words of the prophet: "And kings shall be thy nursing father [margin, nourishers], and their queens thy nursing mothers; they shall bow down to thee with their face toward the earth, and lick up the dust of thy feet; and thou shalt know that I am the Lord; for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me." (Isa. 49:23) Among the ruling element there is now a division. Those of less power or importance in the world have a kindly feeling towards Jehovah's witnesses and have exercised their influence in behalf of Jehovah's witnesses that they may have opportunity to be heard and to present their testimony concerning Jehovah and his kingdom. An example of this may be found in the fact that members of Congress in 1934 saw to it that Jehovah's witnesses had opportunity to appear in person and give their testimony before the Congressional committee and to state the reason why they should be permitted to worship God in his appointed way without interference from others. The Lord will not forget such men who have shown their fairness in their desire that the truth might be heard.
24 The mother queen entered the banquet hall and greeted the potentate with the words, "O king, live for ever"; which seems to say that those of the preset day whom the queen foreshadowed do not claim to be hostile to the earthly governments. They are now in position to furnish the facilities to open the way for Jehovah's witnesses to tell God's message before the rulers. These officers of good will are not seeking to overthrow the present governments of earth, but they use formal words in greeting the ruling powers of earth and ask that the powers give opportunity for the testimony of Jehovah's witnesses to be heard. As the queen mother said to Belshazzar, so these men in official positions say to the rulers of higher rank: "Let not your thoughts trouble you," but give ear to these witnesses of Jehovah and they may be able to find a solution of your difficulties.
25 Daniel's past record was known to the queen; hence, addressing the king, she said: "There is a man in thy kingdom, in whom is the spirit of the holy gods: and , in the days of thy father [Nebuchadnezzar], light, and understanding, and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, was found in him; whom the king Nebuchadnezzar thy father, the king, I say, thy father, made master of the magicians, astrologers, Chaldeans, and soothsayers." (Dan. 5:11) And so today the past record of the Lord's "faithful servant" class is known by some who recommended them to the favorable con-
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sideration of "Christendom's" ruling powers. These kindly and considerate men of the official family of the present rulers recall that Jehovah's witnesses used the Bible testimony to point out the World War and other difficulties that then and now beset the world, and that all their efforts are put forth in the spirit of kindness, and that they exhibit the wisdom that comes from above, and not the wisdom of man. They seeing that what these witnesses of the Lord have said and are saying finds support in the Bible, the recommendation is that they be publicly heard. Before 1918 there were some in the official element who observed closely what the Lord's devoted people were saying and doing, and it was easy to be seen that such witnesses were much more sincere and possessed much more faith than the clergymen. Many honest men have seen that the clergymen, out of cruel hatred, cause the faithful followers of Christ Jesus to be greatly persecuted and that they did so during the World War merely because such faithful ones were preaching the truth of God's Word. These honest men in official positions took notice then, and now they well know, that the clergy are hypocrites and practice hypocrisy while they falsely charge Jehovah's witnesses with wrongdoing and persecute them because they are doing the work of the Lord.
26 Daniel had exhibited the spirit of God in the day of Nebuchadnezzar; and he queen, knowing this, said: "Forasmuch as an excellent spirit, and knowledge, and understanding, interpreting of dreams, and shewing of hard sentences, and dissolving of doubts, were found in the same Daniel, whom the king name Belteshazzar: now let Daniel be called, and he will shew the interpretation." (Dan. 5:12) This exactly describes the spirit and the work exhibited and done in the Elijah period of the church by those who were made members of the "faithful and wise servant" class upon the coming of the Lords to the temple. The governing powers were taking notice of these faithful men and women and of what they were telling about God's kingdom during the World War, and were really afraid that there was much truth in what they said, and hence gave ear to the appeals made by the clergy that something should be done against these witnesses. On the other hand, the class of men whom the mother queen foreshadowed, and who are of less importance in governmental affairs, and are therefore called the "weaker vessels", take notice that the true followers of Christ Jesus, who were and are the faithful witnesses of Jehovah, had a real message from God. Still holding to that belief these men, like the queen, recommended Daniel, that is, Jehovah's witnesses, to the greater ruling element, saying, "Let them be called and heard." Those who are willing to give Jehovah's witnesses, the faithful remnant, opportunity to talk believe that if these cannot give a true interpretation of the present distressing world conditions and what the Bible has to say about the same , then no
one else can, and certainly the hypocritical clergy have made such a miserable failure in giving explanation that it is time to give opportunity for those to talk who give evidence that they are really sincere and have the spirit of the Lord and know what they are talking about. Jehovah had arranged this matter and was now causing a picture to be made and a record thereof to be kept for the aid and comfort of the faithful remnant now on the earth. This fact gives much consolation to Jehovah's witnesses, and with eagerness they continue to seek a better understanding of the prophecy, particularly with reference to the meaning of the calling of Daniel before the king and what relation that has to the activity of Jehovah's witnesses in the present day.
(To be continued)
QUESTIONS FOR STUDY
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