• “Put a Mark on the Foreheads”
    Pure Worship of Jehovah—Restored At Last!

    • 16. Do we as Jehovah’s people mark those who will survive? Explain.

      16 Jehovah’s people do not mark those who will survive. Recall that Ezekiel was not told to go through Jerusalem himself and mark others for survival. Similarly, Jehovah’s people today are not commissioned to mark worthy ones for survival. Rather, as domestics in Christ’s spiritual household, we are commissioned to preach. We show that we take this commission seriously by zealously sharing the good news of God’s Kingdom and by eagerly sounding the warning that this wicked world is rapidly nearing its end. (Matt. 24:14; 28:18-20) We thus have a share in helping honesthearted ones to embrace pure worship.​—1 Tim. 4:16.

      17. What do individuals need to do now in order to put themselves in line to be marked in the future?

      17 To survive the coming destruction, individuals need to prove their faith now. As we saw earlier, those who survived Jerusalem’s destruction in 607 B.C.E. demonstrated beforehand their heartfelt rejection of wickedness and their devotion to pure worship. It is similar today. Before the destruction comes, individuals need to be “sighing and groaning”​—deeply grieved at heart—​over the wickedness of this world. And rather than hide their feelings, they must demonstrate by words and actions their devotion to pure worship. How can they do so? They need to react favorably to the preaching work that is being done today, to continue putting on a Christlike personality, to get baptized in symbol of their dedication to Jehovah, and to support Christ’s brothers loyally. (Ezek. 9:4; Matt. 25:34-40; Eph. 4:22-24; 1 Pet. 3:21) Only those who pursue such a course now​—and who enter the great tribulation as pure worshippers—​will be in a position to be marked for survival.

      18. (a) How and when will Jesus Christ mark deserving ones? (b) Do faithful anointed ones need to be marked? Explain.

      18 The marking of deserving ones will take place in the heavenly realm. In Ezekiel’s day, angels had a role in marking faithful ones for survival. In the modern-day fulfillment, the man with the secretary’s inkhorn represents Jesus Christ when he “comes in his glory” as Judge of all the nations. (Matt. 25:31-33) That coming of Jesus will take place during the great tribulation, after the destruction of false religion.c At that crucial time, just before Armageddon begins, Jesus will judge people as sheep or goats. Those of the “great crowd” will be judged, or marked, as sheep, which thus indicates that they will “depart . . . into everlasting life.” (Rev. 7:9-14; Matt. 25:34-40, 46) What about faithful anointed ones? They do not need to be marked for survival through Armageddon. Rather, they will receive their final sealing either before they die or before the outbreak of the great tribulation. Then, at some point before Armageddon begins, they will be raised to heaven.​—Rev. 7:1-3.