Triumphing Over Enemies by Kingdom Preaching

JESUS foretold: “This good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth.” (Matt. 24:14, NW) This good news, however, is not that preached by the various missionaries for the past nineteen centuries. How could it be when such have had no proper conception of what God’s kingdom is? Besides, Jesus said that this preaching would be a feature of the sign marking his second presence.a

This particular good news of the Kingdom therefore relates to the kingdom of God as established in this time of the end. Bible chronology pinpoints its having been set up in 1914. This kingdom will wipe out all wickedness and cause God’s will to be done on earth as in heaven, ushering in paradise.

Though this preaching is good news it has many enemies. As foretold, the rulers of the world, and especially communistic rulers, have taken counsel against God and his King Jesus Christ. They oppose all who preach God’s kingdom, because it is to rule all nations with a rod of iron and dash them to pieces like a potter’s vessel. It follows then that when Dean Pike, prominent New York city clergyman, says that “being a Christian is such a safe thing,” he is not referring to those who genuinely follow Christ by preaching his established kingdom. They do not find it a safe thing anywhere on earth. Throughout the entire world their religious foes level any old charge to incite persecution.

But in spite of all this opposition Jehovah’s witnesses continue to preach the good news of the Kingdom. They are triumphing over their enemies in doing so. In New York city alone the number of their congregations has increased from one in 1935 to 57 in 1956. And even in Communist Russia their numbers are increasing amazingly and that even though they refuse to compromise one iota and have to carry on their work entirely underground. If, as Dean Pike also said, communism is a religion and it takes a better religion to defeat it, Jehovah’s witnesses have that better religion.

What accounts for their triumphing over their enemies or theirs being a better religion? For one thing, the manner in which they carry on their work. Not only do they have ordained ministers preaching from the public platform, but each one of them is an ordained minister and preaches. Where? At the doorsteps of the people, in the market places, in the homes and as opportunity affords no matter where they may be. Whether worldly courts recognize them as ministers or not, they know they have dedicated themselves to Jehovah God to do his will, they know he has commanded them, through his Son, to preach the Kingdom and they are preaching.

And, chief of all, their triumphing is owing to their having the courage that only God can supply. They have what it requires to conquer the world, namely, faith. (1 John 5:4) They refuse to become part of the world, to live like it and for it. They are doing Jehovah’s work, and if Jehovah is for them none can be against them and triumph. Having the truth they have the zeal that Jesus showed, a consuming zeal. And their triumphing is also due to Jehovah’s spirit: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith Jehovah of hosts.” Yes, in 1914 the Kingdom proceeded to conquer its enemies in the heavens; at the present time it is triumphing over its enemies by Kingdom preaching and at Armageddon the triumph will be completed.—Zech. 4:6, AS.

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