Effectively Using the Symbolic “Horses”
1 “The heads of the horses were as heads of lions, and out of their mouths fire and smoke and sulphur issued forth . . . the authority of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails are like serpents and have heads, and with these they do harm.” (Rev. 9:17, 19) Have you seen such horses? Have you worked with them? Yes you have, if you have helped publicize Jehovah’s judgment message against false religion, the most reprehensible part of Satan’s visible system.
2 These symbolic horses of Revelation chapter 9 represent the hundreds of millions of printed publications distributed by Jehovah’s Witnesses during these last days under the direction of the anointed remnant. On pages 246 and 247, the book “Then Is Finished the Mystery of God” states: “The charging of these symbolic ‘horses’ increased greatly when the Watch Tower’s magazines began to be offered on the streets, from house to house, from store to store.” During this one month of May 1982, more than 35 million of these symbolic horses, copies of The Watchtower and Awake!, will roll off the Society’s presses around the world. Will you help distribute them?
WHAT THE “HORSES” ACCOMPLISH
3 This is the 44th consecutive year that the Society has emphasized the importance of having people subscribe to The Watchtower. Why? So the horses can do their work! Two great things are accomplished by these unusual ‘steeds.’ One is that deadly plagues result from the fire, smoke and sulphur issuing from their mouths. In God’s Word, horses symbolize war; so we must effectively use these provisions in our spiritual warfare. This takes courage, but we can muster that courage from the “horses” themselves as this is what is represented by their having “heads of lions.” The plague is on Christendom and all enemies of God’s Messianic kingdom. Let us all be zealously involved in this spiritual warfare in May by offering subscriptions to The Watchtower.
4 Secondly, there are those whose heart is in full agreement with what the fearsome “horses” are accomplishing. The lion also pictures justice, and many sheeplike ones see the justice of the strong judgment messages printed in The Watchtower. Such ones need to receive it on a regular basis by subscribing. In time, it can also make them courageous enough to take their stand on the side of “the Lion that is of the tribe of Judah,” Jesus Christ. (Rev. 5:5) The Watchtower has helped you to do so. Is that not so? You are therefore in a fine position to recommend it to others.
BE SKILLFUL IN WARFARE
5 You can appreciate that it would take skill to ride a spirited war steed such as the “horses” described in Revelation chapter 9. What does that symbolic language mean to us during this Watchtower subscription campaign? It means being thoroughly familiar with the contents of the magazines we offer and having given some advance thought to how best to present them. By so doing we can acquire skill in placing the magazines and obtaining subscriptions. We can become skillful in reaching the heart and motivating people to investigate the truth.
6 The information appearing in the May 1 and May 15 issues of The Watchtower is striking and designed to accomplish the two things mentioned above. Information in the series of articles on God’s kingdom in the May 1 issue and then some of the powerful information presented at last year’s “Kingdom Loyalty” District Conventions appearing in the May 15 issue is like fire, smoke and sulphur to Satan’s system. Those with an honest heart cannot help but recognize it as the truth. As you read such articles as “The Signs of the Times—What Do They Mean to You?” “The Critical Hour Nears!” and “How You Must Act!” why not take note of field points that would help you to be effective in offering the subscription during May?
A POSITIVE ATTITUDE
7 Some have held back from offering subscriptions to The Watchtower and Awake! because of the increased subscription rate. Should we feel that way? Well, look at it this way, when the subscription was offered for one dollar per year that represented about one-tenth of the subscription rate of popular magazines. The present subscription rate of $3.50 per year reflects about the same ratio. But when you contrast the value of the life-saving message of our journals with the hopeless panorama of world conditions depicted in others, the subscription rate becomes insignificant.
8 “The authority of the horses is in their mouths,” Revelation says. Will you let the courageous, lion-like mouths of the symbolic horses speak during May by your having an active part in offering subscriptions and individual magazines? Although magazine placements increased during the past year, they are still considerably lower than they were a few years ago. As skilled warriors we never want to say ‘retreat.’ Rather, let the symbolic horses charge into the fight, confident that the prophetic words of Revelation 9 will be fulfilled. Let us all effectively use The Watchtower and Awake! during May!