Heads Up—Because of Our Nearing Deliverance!

What proves that the great prophecy of Jesus Christ concerning the “conclusion of the system of things” was not completely fulfilled with Jerusalem’s destruction in 70 C.E.?

Jesus foretold that there would be a time of trouble such as had not occurred since the world’s beginning and would never be again. Certainly worse disasters took place before Jerusalem’s destruction, and there have been much worse ones since, such as World Wars I and II. Further, Jesus said that at that time all the tribes of earth would be beating themselves in lamentation at what they would see coming. They certainly did not do this in 70 C.E. And that Jesus also had a far distant event in mind can be seen from his foretelling that Jerusalem would be trodden underfoot until the “appointed times of the nations” were fulfilled.a

How do we know that our deliverance is getting near?

By the physical facts seen in fulfillment of Jesus’ great prophecy. For the past fifty-five years we have witnessed wars, earthquakes, pestilences, food shortages, and increase of lawlessness. In particular have Jesus’ words about the preaching of the good news of God’s kingdom world wide seen fulfillment. And we have also been made aware of “signs in sun and moon and stars.” (Luke 21:25) Great flares of nuclear energy from the sun are known to bombard the earth with cosmic rays. Tremendous quasars are being discovered, and men have actually been on the moon.

There has also been fulfillment of Jesus’ words about the “roaring of the sea and its agitation.” (Luke 21:25) We have heard of underwater earthquakes. And there is ever more effective use of the sea for warfare with fleets of submarines, some carrying missiles with nuclear warheads.

More than that, we see as never before “men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth.” (Luke 21:26) Political, financial, social and religious elements are becoming more and more perplexed because of the mounting unrest and increase in crime and lawlessness. Appeals also are being made to the United Nations Organization to prevent the spread of atomic and nuclear weapons into the hands of nations outside of the Big Five, because of the harm these could bring. There is also the threat that modern scientific developments are posing to the balance of man’s natural environment, causing some to wonder, “Can the World Be Saved?”—New York Times, March 31, 1968.

What warning do all Christians now do well to heed?

The warning that all Christians now do well to heed is that recorded at Luke 21:34-36: “Pay attention to yourselves that your hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon you as a snare. . . . Keep awake, then, all the time making supplication.”

Yes, now of all times we should avoid becoming bowed down and letting our heads drop and nod in slumber or drowsiness because of our overindulging ourselves with the world in their efforts to forget the things taking place since 1914. Because it is so late, it is the time of all times for us to keep alert to what is taking place in the world’s speedy approach to the unavoidable climax, the destruction of Babylon the Great and the war of Armageddon, and at all times to act as observant, understanding Christian witnesses of Jehovah God. A snare is triggered to snap on its victim before he can escape. If we want to avoid being caught beyond all chance to work ourselves loose we must ‘pay attention to ourselves.’ And since we cannot do this in our own strength, we must continually do as Jesus also counseled, ‘making supplication so that we may escape all the things that are destined to occur and that we may stand approved before the Son of man,’ Jesus Christ.

To ‘lift our heads up’ means to do what?

It means to keep our full powers and faculties awake, active in God’s service, seeking first Jehovah’s kingdom and his righteousness. It includes our standing erect in the full dignity of our service as free, dedicated servants of the Most High God, obediently, joyfully and fearlessly proclaiming the kingdom of Jehovah and serving its interests.

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