powerful indications that she has outlived her usefulness. Even in the face of so many examples of where the sacred name was at one time the object of higher regard, clergymen today have banished the name from their formal services. They cavil about the form of the name, whether it should be Jehovah, Yahweh, Yahve, and so on, and in the end decide to forget about it and substitute the vague title “Lord.”

But this failure on the part of ecclesiastics is not allowed to pass unnoticed. Long ago the God of the Bible declared: “My name will be great among the nations.” (Mal. 1:11) He has raised up witnesses in this time of the end loudly to proclaim his name and fame to the ends of the earth. Those Christian witnesses of Jehovah are fully aware of their responsibility to follow faithfully in the steps of the chief Witness, Christ Jesus. They keep ever mindful of the fact that during his ministry on earth Christ Jesus ‘made his Father’s name known to his disciples.’ (John 17:26) They, too, as dedicated slaves of the Most High God, must make known the personal name of the true God as well as his grand purposes toward man and the earth.

Why God Decreed Extermination for the Canaanites

WHAT a grand liberation it was! Jehovah God freed the Israelite descendants of faithful Abraham from oppressive slavery in Egypt. Miraculously the Red Sea opened, the Israelites escaped through the passageway dry-shod, but their Egyptian pursuers perished when God brought the held back waters down upon them. (Ex. 14:1-31) He explained to the Israelites: “I am Jehovah your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt to give you the land of Canaan.”—Lev. 25:38.

In keeping with God’s decree, the Israelites under commander Joshua subjected Canaanite cities to complete destruction when they eventually came into the land. The instructions from God were: “You should without fail devote them to destruction. You must conclude no covenant with them nor show them any favor.” In obedience to this command, “Joshua proceeded to strike all the land of the mountainous region and the Negeb and the Shephelah and the slopes and all their kings. He did not let a survivor remain, and everything that breathed he devoted to destruction, just as Jehovah the God of Israel had commanded.”—Deut. 7:2; Josh. 10:40.

But was it not needlessly cruel to destroy all resisting Canaanites, including women and children? Why did God decree such a complete extermination? Many persons who have read the Bible have wondered about this. While not being critical of God, nevertheless, they have