Questions From Readers

● Is it proper to refer to the New World society as the modern-day city of refuge?—A. P., United States.

If you review The Watchtower, December 1, 1955, you will find that it does not use the expression New World society as synonymous with city of refuge. It states that the city of refuge is to be identified as Jehovah’s provision for protecting us from death for violating the divine covenant concerning the sacredness of blood by our coming under and remaining under the benefits of the active service of Jehovah’s High Priest, Christ Jesus. It is to be found with Jehovah’s theocratic organization inside the New World society and it is identified specifically as the atonement covering of Christ’s sacrifice. Please see the above-mentioned Watchtower, page 719 paragraph 10, page 722 paragraph 18 and page 724 paragraph 3.

● On page 64 You May Survive Armageddon into God’s New World says: “Jehovah will hide and save them, not only through the first part of the universal conflict, Christendom’s destruction, but clear through it into his new world.” What marks the start of Armageddon?—W. T., United States.

Such pictures of Armageddon as the destruction of unfaithful Jerusalem in 607 B.C. and also A.D. 70 indicate that unfaithful Christendom, which was pictured by unfaithful Jerusalem, along with all other devil religion, will be the first element of Satan’s system to go down at the battle of Armageddon. Other parts of Satan’s system will be maneuvered by Jehovah to bring about the downfall of this unfaithful religious element, just as Babylon was used to topple unfaithful Jerusalem in 607 B.C. and the Roman Empire was maneuvered to fell apostate Jerusalem A.D. 70.

We also have the picture of Gog’s attack on the New World society and how this calls forth Jehovah’s decisive counterattack against Gog or Satan the Devil, which is also involved in the beginning of the battle of Armageddon. Harmonizing these, it appears that along with Gog’s attack on the true religion will go attacks by elements of his worldly system on religion in general, including false brands, and at such time Jehovah’s anger at the assault on his true people will precipitate the battle of Armageddon. Jehovah’s organization of true religion will not, of course, fall to its destruction under these attacks but unfaithful religions of Christendom and heathendom will, and so the fall of unfaithful Christendom and other false religions can properly be spoken of as the opening feature of Armageddon, or as the first victims of that war.

For further information on this please see The Watchtower, issues of September 15, 1953 (page 564), October 1, 1953 (page 604) and July 15, 1954 (page 444).