His body members are also anointed with Jehovah’s spirit at the time of their being begotten by Jehovah to be sons of God. They become members of the body of Christ, the Anointed One.—2 Cor. 1:21, 22.

The “great crowd” of “other sheep” mentioned and described at John 10:16 and Revelation 7:9 are not anointed by Jehovah’s spirit even though they do have a measure of his spirit, and hence Isaiah 61:1, 2 does not constitute their ordination to preach. However, they are ordained of Jehovah God to be his ministers and certainly they are not ordained to do something different now from what the spiritual remnant are anointed to do. So they could properly quote Isaiah 61:1, 2 as setting out the work in which they are commissioned to share as ordained ministers.

Jehovah God’s command to all those dedicating themselves to him to preach the “good news of the kingdom” constitutes the terms of the ordination of the “great crowd” of “other sheep.” (Matt. 24:14) The command of God regarding the responsibility to preach is in the Bible for anyone to read, but this commission does not constitute anyone’s ordination until after one has studied God’s Word, gained accurate knowledge, dedicated himself to God, for the doing of his divine will, and then symbolized that dedication by water baptism. Thus the “great crowd” of “other sheep” have their ordination from God by virtue of his command to dedicated Christians to preach the Kingdom good news, and Jehovah also backs them up with his holy spirit, just as his spirit was upon the pre-Christian prophets and witnesses.

● What apparently was the reason for the angel with whom Jacob wrestled to touch “the socket of Jacob’s thigh joint by the sinew of the thigh nerve” so that he limped upon his thigh?—J. K., U.S.A.

The angel’s touching Jacob’s thigh may have been for the reason that Jacob would not be overly exalted over having actually grappled successfully with an angel, wresting a blessing from him. So the angel touched Jacob’s thigh and his “thigh joint got out of place,” causing Jacob to limp ever afterward. (Gen. 32:24, 25, 32) That was something to keep him lowly, to show that this victory was not in his own strength and that the angel had superior power. It would be similar to the “thorn in the flesh” that God did not remove from afflicting Paul, the apostle of Jesus Christ, that he “might not be overly exalted” because of the supernatural visions and revelations and other spiritual blessings he received from the Lord.—2 Cor. 12:1-7.

Announcements

FIELD MINISTRY

Men of faith turn to God for guidance. Regularly they talk to God in prayer, and they walk with God by ordering their lives in harmony with his Word. During August, Jehovah’s witnesses will continue to help others to appreciate the wisdom of walking and talking with God by presenting to them the 704-page Bible-study aid “Babylon the Great Has Fallen!” God’s Kingdom Rules!, along with a booklet, on a contribution of 75c.

A BOOK OF BIBLE REFERENCES

Have you ever wished you could collect together the most pointed Bible texts on some particular subject? Well, “Make Sure of All Things” does just that on seventy selected main topics or themes and hundreds of different subtopics. This is not a Bible commentary. It is a compilation of direct quotations from the Bible on vital topics. It will provide you with many hours of enjoyable and profitable reading and serve continuously as a handy reference work. Send for your copy today. Sent postpaid for only 75c.

“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS

August 30: Loyalty to Jehovah’s Organization. Page 464.

September 6: Proving Faithful in Small Matters. Page 470.