“‘I will whistle for them and collect them together; for I shall certainly redeem them, and they must become many, just like those who have become many.

Zechariah 10:8-12.

29. (a) When did Jehovah humble the pride of Assyria, as foretold? (b) When did He whistle for his people who were scattered like seed, and what response was there to this?

²⁹ In this divine utterance the term Assyria would take in the territories to which the Assyrians deported the survivors of the ten-tribe kingdom of Israel in 740 B.C.E. But the “pride” of Assyria was humbled by Babylon under King Nebuchadnezzar. In turn, the “pride” of this conqueror and dispossessor of Assyria was brought down by Jehovah’s earthly instrument, Cyrus the Great of Persia, in 539 B.C.E. Thereafter Jehovah could “whistle” to the scattered exiles of his people in the northern lands of the Babylonian Empire. Where he scattered them they multiplied like seed sown. In the lands of their exile, no matter how distant, they would hear his “whistle” and remember him. This would have a reviving effect upon them and upon their sons whom they had brought forth in exile. Alive and responsive to his inviting “whistle,” they would return to their desolated homeland.

31. (a) How would Jehovah take care of any tendency toward overpopulating the land, and still allow for growth? (b) In what sense would they walk about in His name?

³¹ There was no fear of overpopulating the land. The Owner of all the earth would merely enlarge the borders of the land for his restored exiles. Their borders would take in the “land of Gilead” to the east of the Jordan River. Yes, also the land of Lebanon to the west along the Mediterranean Sea. In this enlarged area of occupancy they must “become many, just like those who have become many.” Their rate of population growth will not be behind that of any other populous land. They will be just as many as ever.

32. When did Jehovah begin to “whistle” to his exiles, and how?

³² In the year 537 B.C.E. Jehovah began to “whistle” to his exiled people by the decree of liberation issued by Babylon’s conqueror, the Persian Cyrus the Great. (Ezra 1:1 to 3:2) That decree did not apply to Egypt, but later the way was opened for the exiles in Egypt to return to their God-given land.

33. When did Jehovah begin to “whistle” to the exiles of spiritual Israel, and by what means?

³³ Likewise in the year 1919 C.E. Babylon the Great experienced a great fall at the hands of the Greater Cyrus, the triumphant enthroned King Jesus Christ. Did Jehovah then begin to “whistle” to his exiled remnant? Evidently, Yes! How? Notably by means of that semimonthly magazine that today is known world wide as The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom and that bears the front-cover subscription “‘You are my witnesses,’ says Jehovah.” (Isaiah 43:12) It conveyed to the members of the anointed remnant throughout the earth the call to reunite and gather to the support of God’s Messianic kingdom. As a step in that direction, it announced the arrangements for the holding of a general convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, U.S.A., for September 1-8, 1919, and invited all readers to attend.

34. (a) How many attended that general gathering in 1919 C.E., and what did they learn about enlarging Kingdom preaching? (b) How has that enlarging of Kingdom publicity resulted today?

³⁴ About six thousand found it possible or convenient to share in this significant regathering and spiritual feast. They rejoiced at being restored to their rightful spiritual estate on earth. They learned of the arrangements to enlarge the means of publicizing God’s Messianic kingdom by starting a companion magazine, then called The Golden Age but now Awake! The first issue of this was dated October 1, 1919. It has since served as a powerful vehicle for proclaiming the Messianic kingdom and the age of life, peace, happiness and prosperity that this kingdom will shortly usher in. It was in the year 1940 C.E. that this magazine began to be offered publicly on the streets to the general public. Today more than seven million copies of each semimonthly issue are printed in more than twenty-five languages, and the number of recipients and readers of it goes on increasing.

35. (a) How was Jehovah’s “whistle” sounded out more and more widely, and with what effect? (b) How were obstacles to responding to the “whistle” overcome?

³⁵ From that start in the liberation year of 1919 C.E. the regathering of the remnant went forward. As the faithful surviving remnant courageously took up the Kingdom message with great joy and enthusiasm and spread it farther and farther, the “whistle” of Jehovah sounded out more widely. Many seekers of the true God, both inside and outside of Christendom, heard that “whistle” inviting them to the pure worship of the one living and true God at his spiritual temple. They put forth their best efforts to respond. Were there obstacles in their way, things like the Nile River or the Red Sea or political powers of oppression like Assyria and ancient Egypt? The God whom they sought to worship at the true spiritual temple opened his written Word to them and pointed out to them how to overcome and surmount those imposing obstacles. Obedience to God’s “whistle” must come first!