1. Describe the events that occurred at the destruction of Jerusalem.

IN 607 B.C.E., a massive Babylonian army under the command of King Nebuchadnezzar II invaded the city of Jerusalem. Regarding the bloodbath that followed, the Bible says: “[Nebuchadnezzar] killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary; he felt no compassion for young man or virgin, old or infirm. . . . He burned down the house of the true God, tore down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its fortified towers with fire, and destroyed everything of value.”​—2 Chron. 36:17, 19.

 2. What warning of Jerusalem’s impending destruction did Jehovah give, and what would happen to the Jews?

² The destruction of Jerusalem should have come as no surprise to its inhabitants. For years, God’s prophets had warned the Jews that if they continued to disregard God’s Law, they would be delivered into the hands of the Babylonians. Many Jews would die by the edge of the sword; any who escaped death would likely have to spend the rest of their lives in exile in Babylon. (Jer. 15:2) What was life like for exiles there? Does the Babylonian captivity find a parallel in Christian times? If so, when?

 3. How did exile in Babylon differ from the slavery the Israelites had experienced in Egypt?

³ What the prophets had foretold came to pass. Through Jeremiah, Jehovah advised the future exiles to accept their new situation and make the most of it. He said: “Build houses [in Babylon] and live in them. Plant gardens and eat their fruit. And seek the peace of the city to which I have exiled you, and pray in its behalf to Jehovah, for in its peace you will have peace.” (Jer. 29:5, 7) Those who submitted to the will of God lived a relatively normal life in Babylon. Their captors allowed them to administer their own affairs to some extent. The exiles even had freedom to move about the country. Babylon was a center of trade and commerce in the ancient world, and documents that have been unearthed indicate that many Jews learned the art of buying and selling there, while others became skilled craftsmen. Some Jews even became prosperous. Exile in Babylon was nothing like the slavery in Egypt that the Israelites had experienced centuries before.​—Read Exodus 2:23-25.

 4. Besides rebellious Israelites, who were affected by captivity in Babylon, and what limitations were placed on their ability to worship God acceptably?

⁴ Although the material needs of the exiled Jews were being met, what of their spiritual needs? Jehovah’s temple with its altar had been destroyed, and the priesthood was no longer functioning in an organized manner. Among the exiles were faithful servants of God who had done nothing deserving of punishment, but they had to suffer along with the rest of the nation. Nevertheless, they did what they could to observe God’s Law. For example, in Babylon, Daniel and three of his companions​—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—​abstained from foods that were forbidden to Jews. And we know that Daniel maintained regular communication with God in prayer. (Dan. 1:8; 6:10) Still, under a pagan administration, it was impossible for a God-fearing Jew to do everything the Law required.

 5. What hope did Jehovah give his people, and why was this promise remarkable?

⁵ Would the Israelites ever again be able to worship God in a completely acceptable way? At the time, it seemed most unlikely that they would. Babylon never released its captives. That policy, however, did not take Jehovah God into account. He had promised that his people would be liberated, and so they were. God’s word of promise never fails.​—Isa. 55:11.

6, 7. Why is it appropriate for us to clarify our understanding of the modern-day Babylonian captivity?

⁶ Have Christians ever experienced anything comparable to the Babylonian captivity? For many years, this journal suggested that God’s modern-day servants entered into Babylonian captivity in 1918 and that they were released from Babylon in 1919. However, for the reasons that we shall outline in this article and in the one following, a reexamination of the subject was necessary.

⁷ Consider: Babylon the Great is the world empire of false religion. Thus, in order to be subject to Babylonian captivity in 1918, God’s people would have had to become enslaved to false religion in some way at that time. The facts show, however, that in the decades leading up to World War I, God’s anointed servants were actually breaking free from Babylon the Great, not becoming enslaved to it. While it is true that the anointed were persecuted during the first world war, the tribulation they experienced was caused mainly by the secular authorities, not by Babylon the Great. So it does not really seem that Jehovah’s people entered into captivity to Babylon the Great in 1918.

 8. Explain how genuine Christianity came to be corrupted. (See opening picture.)

⁸ At Pentecost 33 C.E., thousands of Jews and proselytes were anointed with holy spirit. These new Christians became “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession.” (Read 1 Peter 2:9, 10.) The apostles kept careful watch over the congregations of God’s people as long as they lived. However, especially after the death of the apostles, men arose who spoke “twisted things” in order to “draw away the disciples after themselves.” (Acts 20:30; 2 Thess. 2:6-8) Many of these men had responsible positions in the congregations, serving as overseers and later as “bishops.” A clergy class was taking shape, although Jesus had said to his followers: “All of you are brothers.” (Matt. 23:8) Prominent men who were enamored of the philosophies of Aristotle and Plato introduced false religious ideas, gradually replacing the pure teachings of God’s Word.

 9. Describe how apostate Christianity received the backing of the Roman State and what resulted.

⁹ In 313 C.E., this apostate form of Christianity was granted legal recognition by the pagan Roman Emperor Constantine. From that time on, Church and State began working hand in hand. For example, after the Council of Nicaea, Constantine, who was present at the council, ordered Arius, a dissenting priest, into exile because Arius refused to acknowledge Jesus as God. Later, under Emperor Theodosius I (379-395 C.E.), the Catholic Church, as the contaminated form of Christianity came to be known, became the official religion of the Roman Empire. Historians refer to pagan Rome as having been “Christianized” in the fourth century. The truth is that by that time an apostate form of Christianity had joined the pagan religious organizations of the Roman Empire as members of Babylon the Great. Even so, a small number of anointed wheatlike Christians were doing their best to worship God, but their voices were being drowned out. (Read Matthew 13:24, 25, 37-39.) They truly were in Babylonian captivity!

10. On what basis could sincere people question church teachings during the first few centuries of our Common Era?

¹⁰ Still, for the first few centuries of our Common Era, many people could read the Bible in either Greek or Latin. They were thus in a position to compare the teachings of God’s Word with the dogmas of the church. On the basis of what they read in the Bible, some among them rejected the unscriptural creeds of the church, but it was dangerous​—even fatal—​to express such opinions openly.

11. How did the Bible come to be under the control of the clergy?

¹¹ In time, Bible languages fell into disuse by the masses, and the church opposed efforts to translate God’s Word into the common tongues. As a result, only the clergy and some other educated people could read the Bible for themselves, although not all of the clergy could read and write well. Any dissent from what the church taught was severely punished. Faithful anointed servants of God had to meet together in discreet groups​—if they could meet at all. As was the case in the earlier Babylonian exile, the anointed “royal priesthood” could not function in an organized way. Babylon the Great held the people in a viselike grip!

12, 13. What two factors contributed to a slight loosening of the grip of Babylon the Great on the people? Explain.

¹² Would true Christians ever be free to worship God openly and acceptably? Yes! Glimmers of spiritual light began to penetrate the darkness, thanks to two important factors. The first was the invention in the mid-15th century of a printing press that used movable type. Before printing was brought to the Western world, the Bible was painstakingly copied by hand. Copies of the Bible were rare and expensive. It has been said that it would take ten months for a skilled copyist to produce just one handwritten copy of the Bible! In addition, the materials on which the copyists wrote (vellum or parchment) were costly. In contrast, using a press and paper​—a more practical alternative—​a skilled printer could produce 1,300 pages per day!

¹³ The second notable factor was the decision by a few courageous men at the dawn of the 16th century to translate God’s Word into the languages spoken by the common people. Many translators undertook this work at the risk of their lives. The church was horrified. A Bible in the hands of a God-fearing man or woman could be a dangerous weapon​—or so the church leaders feared! And as the Bible became available, people did read it. As they read, they asked questions: ‘Where in God’s Word is there mention of purgatory? of paid masses for the dead? of popes and cardinals?’ From the point of view of the church, this was an outrage. How dare the multitudes question church leaders! The church fought back. Men and women were condemned for heresy because they rejected teachings of the church, some of which were based on the pagan philosophies of Aristotle and Plato​—men who lived before Jesus Christ was born. The church handed down the death sentence; the State carried it out. The goal was to discourage people from reading the Bible and questioning the church. For the most part, the scheme worked. Nevertheless, a few brave souls refused to be cowed by Babylon the Great. They had now had a taste of God’s Word​—and they wanted more! The stage was being set for a future deliverance from false religion.

14. (a) What conditions contributed to a greater understanding of Bible truth in the late 1800’s? (b) Describe Brother Russell’s quest for the truth.

¹⁴ Many who thirsted for Bible truth fled to countries where the influence of the church was less pervasive. They wanted to read and study and converse with one another without being told what to think. It was in one such country, the United States, that Charles Taze Russell and a few associates began their systematic study of the Bible in the late 1800’s. Initially, Brother Russell’s goal was to ascertain which of the prevailing religions was teaching the truth. He had carefully compared the teachings of many different religions, even non-Christian religions, with what the Bible says. He soon realized that not one of those religions completely adhered to God’s Word. At one point, he met with a number of local clergymen in hopes that these men would accept the truths that Russell and his associates had discovered from the Bible and teach them to members of their congregations. The clergymen were not interested. The Bible Students would have to face the facts: There could be no partnership with those determined to hold on to false religion.​—Read 2 Corinthians 6:14.

15. (a) When did Christians come under the yoke of Babylon the Great? (b) What questions remain for the next article to answer?

¹⁵ Thus far we have seen that true Christians came into Babylonian captivity soon after the death of the last of the apostles. However, a number of questions arise: What additional evidence is there that in the decades leading up to 1914, the anointed were actually breaking free from Babylon the Great, no longer being enslaved by her? Is it true that Jehovah was displeased with his servants because they had slowed down in their preaching activity during World War I? And did some of our brothers during that period compromise their Christian neutrality and thereby incur Jehovah’s displeasure? Finally, if Christians went into bondage to false religion from the second century C.E. onward, when did they get freed? Excellent questions these. They will be answered in the next article.

 1. On what basis could God’s people hope to be liberated from Babylon the Great, and what questions will we examine?

IN THE preceding article, we learned how faithful Christians found themselves in a form of Babylonian captivity. The good news, though, is that they would not remain in that condition indefinitely. God’s command “Get out of her, my people” would be meaningless if no one could ever escape the influence of the world empire of false religion. (Read Revelation 18:4.) We are eager to learn when God’s people were completely freed from Babylon’s clutches! But first, we must answer the following questions: What stand regarding Babylon the Great did the Bible Students take prior to 1914? How active were our brothers in the preaching work during World War I? Is there a connection between their need for correction and discipline during that time and their being held in Babylonian captivity?

 2. What position did the early Bible Students take regarding false religion as they understood it?

² In the decades leading up to World War I, Charles Taze Russell and his associates realized that the organizations of Christendom were not teaching Bible truth. Accordingly, they resolved to have nothing to do with false religion as they understood it. As early as November of 1879, Zion’s Watch Tower straightforwardly set out their Scriptural position by stating: “Every church claiming to be a chaste virgin espoused to Christ, but in reality united to and supported by the world (beast) we must condemn as being in scripture language a harlot church,” a reference to Babylon the Great.​—Read Revelation 17:1, 2.

 3. What decisive action did the Bible Students take, showing that they understood the need to separate themselves from false religion? (See opening picture.)

³ God-fearing men and women knew what they must do. They could not expect to receive God’s blessing if they continued to support false religious organizations. Consequently, many Bible Students prepared letters of withdrawal from their churches. In some cases, they read the letters publicly at church meetings. Where a public reading was forbidden, some sent copies to every member of the church. They wanted no further dealings with false religion! In another era, such a bold move would have cost them dearly. But in many countries in the late 1800’s, the church was beginning to lose the backing of the State. Without fear of reprisals in such countries, citizens were free to discuss religious matters and to disagree openly with the established churches.

 4. During World War I, what was the relationship between God’s people and Babylon the Great?

⁴ The Bible Students understood that it was not enough for them to inform relatives, close friends, and church members of their stand on false religion. The whole world needed to see Babylon the Great for what it is​—a religious prostitute! Accordingly, between December 1917 and early 1918, the few thousand Bible Students zealously distributed 10,000,000 copies of a tract featuring the subject “The Fall of Babylon”​—a hard-hitting indictment of Christendom. As you can imagine, the clergy were furious; but undeterred, the Bible Students kept right on with this important work. They were determined to obey “God as ruler rather than men.” (Acts 5:29) What can we conclude? That far from becoming enslaved to Babylon the Great during the war, these Christian men and women were breaking free from its influence and were helping others to do so.

 5. What testimony is there that the brothers were very zealous during World War I?

⁵ In years gone by, we believed that Jehovah became displeased with his people because they did not have a zealous share in the preaching work during World War I. We concluded that for this reason, Jehovah allowed Babylon the Great to take them captive for a short time. However, faithful brothers and sisters who served God during the 1914-1918 period later made it clear that as a whole the Lord’s people did everything they could to keep the preaching work going. There is strong evidence to support this testimony. A more accurate understanding of our theocratic history has led to a clearer comprehension of certain events recorded in the Bible.

6, 7. (a) What challenges did the Bible Students need to overcome during World War I? (b) Give examples illustrating the zeal of the Bible Students.

⁶ In actual fact, the Bible Students who were on hand during World War I (1914-1918) gave a tremendous witness during that time. It was not easy for them to do so, for several reasons. We will consider two of them. First of all, the main work being done in those days involved the distribution of Bible literature. When the book The Finished Mystery was banned by the secular authorities in early 1918, preaching became difficult for many of the brothers. They had not yet learned to preach using the Bible alone, and they had been counting on The Finished Mystery to “do the talking” for them. A second factor involved the devastating outbreak of the Spanish Influenza in 1918. The pervasiveness of that dreadful plague made it difficult for publishers to move about freely. In spite of these and other challenges, however, the Bible Students as a whole did their best to keep the work going.

⁷ In 1914 alone, the small number of Bible Students presented the “Photo-Drama of Creation” to more than 9,000,000 people. The Drama, as it was called, combined pictures and slides synchronized with sound and traced man’s history from the time of creation to the end of the Millennium. It was an outstanding achievement at the time. Think of it. The number of people who saw that presentation in 1914 alone was greater than the total number of Kingdom publishers active in the world today! Reports further indicate that in 1916 a total of 809,393 attended public meetings in the United States, and in 1918 the number rose to 949,444. Those Bible Students were zealous!

 8. How were the spiritual needs of the brothers met during the first world war?

⁸ During the first world war, no effort was spared to keep providing spiritual food and encouragement to the scattered Bible Students. These provisions gave the brothers the strength to carry on the preaching work. Richard H. Barber, who was active during that time, recalled: “We succeeded in keeping a few traveling overseers going and in keeping The Watch Tower in circulation and having it sent into Canada where it was banned. I had the privilege of mailing pocket-size copies of The Finished Mystery to a number of friends who had lost their copy due to confiscation. Brother Rutherford requested that we arrange conventions in several cities in the western United States and send speakers to try to encourage the friends as much as possible.”

 9. (a) Why did God’s people need correction and discipline between 1914 and 1919? (b) Of what was the need for discipline not an indication?

⁹ Not everything the Bible Students did during the period between 1914 and 1919 was in harmony with Scriptural principles. Although they were sincere, the brothers did not always have a proper view of subjection to the secular governments. (Rom. 13:1) Therefore, as a group, they were not always neutral with regard to the war effort. For example, when the president of the United States decreed that May 30, 1918, would be set aside as a day of prayer for peace, The Watch Tower urged the Bible Students to join in the observance. Some brothers purchased bonds to provide financial assistance to the war effort, and a few even went into the trenches with guns and bayonets. However, it would be a mistake to conclude that the Bible Students were first taken into captivity to Babylon the Great because they needed correction and discipline. On the contrary, they understood their obligation to separate themselves from false religion, and during World War I, the break with that world empire was almost complete.​—Read Luke 12:47, 48.

10. What firm stand did the Bible Students take with regard to the sacredness of life?

¹⁰ While they did not understand every aspect of Christian neutrality as clearly as we do today, the Bible Students did know one thing: The Bible forbids the taking of human life. So even those few brothers who took up arms and entered the trenches during World War I resolutely refused to use those arms to kill another human. Some who refused to kill were sent to the front lines, with the expectation that they would lose their life.

11. How did the secular authorities react to the Bible Students’ Scriptural stand on armed conflict?

¹¹ The Devil was clearly angry about the stand the brothers were taking with regard to the war, as imperfect as that stand was. As a result, he framed “trouble in the name of the law.” (Ps. 94:20) Major-General James Franklin Bell of the U.S. Army revealed in a conversation with Brothers J. F. Rutherford and W. E. Van Amburgh that the U.S. Department of Justice had tried to introduce a bill in Congress that would allow the death sentence to be imposed on individuals who refused to take up arms in the war. He meant the Bible Students in particular. In the heat of anger, General Bell said to Brother Rutherford: “That bill did not pass because [U.S. President] Wilson prevented it; but we know how to get you, and we are going to do it!”

12, 13. (a) Why were eight responsible brothers sentenced to long prison terms? (b) Did incarceration break the brothers’ determination to obey Jehovah? Explain.

¹² The authorities made good on that threat. As representatives of the Watch Tower Society, Brothers Rutherford, Van Amburgh, and six others were arrested. When passing sentence, the judge in the case declared: “The religious propaganda in which these men are engaged is more harmful than a division of German soldiers . . . They have not only called in question the law officers of the Government and the army intelligence bureau but have denounced all the ministers of all the churches. Their punishment should be severe.” (Faith on the March, by A. H. Macmillan, p. 99) It was. The eight Bible Students were sentenced to long terms of imprisonment in the federal penitentiary in Atlanta, Georgia. When the war ended, however, they were released and the charges against them were dropped.

¹³ Even while in prison, the eight men held steadfastly to the Scriptures as they understood them. In a petition for clemency addressed to the president of the United States, they wrote: “The Lord’s will is as announced in the Scriptures, ‘Thou shalt not kill,’ and therefore any member of the [International Bible Students] Association so consecrated unto the Lord who would willingly violate his covenant of consecration would forfeit for himself God’s favor, even to his complete destruction. Hence such members could not willingly and conscientiously engage in the taking of the life of human beings.” Bold words those! Clearly, the brothers had no intention of compromising!

14. Describe from the Scriptures what took place from 1914 to 1919.

¹⁴ Malachi 3:1-3 describes the time​—from 1914 to early 1919—​when the anointed “sons of Levi” would undergo a period of refinement. (Read.) During that time, Jehovah God, “the true Lord,” accompanied by Jesus Christ, “the messenger of the covenant,” came to the spiritual temple to inspect those serving there. After receiving needed discipline, Jehovah’s cleansed people were ready to take up a further assignment of service. In 1919, a “faithful and discreet slave” was appointed to provide spiritual food to the household of faith. (Matt. 24:45) God’s people were now free of the influence of Babylon the Great. Since that time, by Jehovah’s undeserved kindness, his people have constantly been growing in knowledge of God’s will and in love for their heavenly Father. How grateful they are for his blessing!^[1]

15. How should our release from Babylon the Great affect us?

¹⁵ How exhilarating it is to have been released from captivity to Babylon the Great! Satan’s effort to eradicate true Christianity from the earth has failed miserably. However, we must not miss the purpose for which Jehovah has granted us this freedom. (2 Cor. 6:1) Multitudes of sincere individuals are still being held captive by false religion. They need to be shown the way out. We can guide them. By all means, then, in imitation of our brothers in the past century, let us do all we can to help them get free!