Son Jesus Christ reigns. He primarily is the Seed of God’s woman that was promised in the garden of Eden about six thousand years ago. He, then, is the particular One that will bruise the symbolic serpent, Satan the Devil, in the head. (Gen. 3:15; Rom. 16:20) That symbolic Serpent was the One that promoted and maneuvered man’s rule in the earth ever since man rebelled in Eden.

44. (a) What parallel of survival forty-three centuries ago does a “great crowd” of earthly lovers of God’s rule look forward to today? (b) What will be their attitude under God’s rule in the new order on earth?

⁴⁴ Forty-three centuries ago Noah and his family in the ark survived the end of the “world of ungodly people” through the flood. (2 Pet. 2:5; 3:5, 6) In a parallel fashion, in this generation a relatively “great crowd” of earthly lovers of God’s rule, who pray for his kingdom to come, will survive the violent end of man’s rule in the earth. Under God’s protection they will realize their hope of being preserved through the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Armageddon and of entering into God’s new order on earth. There they will wholeheartedly submit to God’s rule. They will not be like the faithless people of the prophet Samuel’s day and demand to have a visible, earthly, human king over them. They will rejoice in the invisible heavenly King whom Jehovah God has installed in royal power and will lovingly and faithfully obey him. Their blessings under God’s rule through this heavenly King, Jesus Christ, will be far greater than those enjoyed by the people under the reign of wise King Solomon.

45. In addition to preserving a “great crowd” through Armageddon, what else will God’s rule through his Messianic kingdom do?

⁴⁵ Man’s rule today, reinforced by stockpiles of nuclear bombs, threatens to annihilate the whole human race. God’s rule through his Messianic kingdom will do more than preserve the lives of those who survive the war of Armageddon. It will restore to life on earth the unnumbered thousands of millions who died during the thousands of years of man’s rule. When a man on earth, Jesus Christ promised that there would be a resurrection of the dead for whom he laid down his perfect human life as a sacrifice. (John 5:25, 28, 29; 11:25, 26) As heavenly King he will see to it that such resurrection takes place. The wonderfulness of it all is beyond our powers to comprehend.

46. What opportunity will be offered mankind in God’s Messianic kingdom, and so in what should we now rejoice?

⁴⁶ To all those granted the gracious favor of living in the paradise earth under God’s rule as enforced by his Messianic kingdom the opportunity will be offered of gaining endless life in human perfection and godliness, with perfect peace and security. Man’s rule could never bring this about. God’s rule will do so. How glad, then, we can be that man’s rule is now about to give way to God’s rule forevermore!

Wise Use of Bible Tracts

● In the United States a woman benefited from the wise use of Bible tracts. One of her workmates in her place of employment in Maryland was a witness of Jehovah. One day she asked the Witness questions about the various religions. Could they all be right? Since time was limited at her place of employment, the Witness gave her the Bible tracts Which Is the Right Religion? and What Do Jehovah’s Witnesses Believe?, encouraging her to read them. After reading them, she wanted more information; and a home Bible study was started. Four months after first receiving the Bible tracts, this woman was attending meetings at the Kingdom Hall and sharing in the Kingdom ministry.