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You Do Not Know Where It Will Have Success!The Watchtower—2008 | July 15
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a The following explanations are an adjustment to what was previously explained in the June 15, 1992, issue of The Watchtower, pages 17-22, and the October 1, 1975, issue, pages 589-608.
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You Do Not Know Where It Will Have Success!The Watchtower—2008 | July 15
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4 Here we find portrayed the growth of “the kingdom of God” as evidenced by the spread of the Kingdom message and the growth of the Christian congregation from Pentecost 33 C.E. onward.
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You Do Not Know Where It Will Have Success!The Watchtower—2008 | July 15
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6, 7. (a) What expansion has taken place since 1914? (b) What further growth will take place?
6 Since the establishment of God’s Kingdom in heaven in 1914, the branches of the mustard “tree” have expanded beyond expectations. God’s people have seen the literal fulfillment of the prophecy recorded by Isaiah: “The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation.” (Isa. 60:22) The small group of anointed ones associated with the Kingdom work early in the 20th century had no way of knowing that by the year 2008, about seven million Witnesses would be engaging in this work in over 230 lands. Truly amazing growth, comparable to that of the mustard grain in Jesus’ illustration!
7 But does the growth stop there? No. The subjects of God’s Kingdom will eventually encompass the entire earth. All opposers will have been removed. This will not occur as a result of human efforts but because of the intervention of the Sovereign Lord Jehovah in earth’s affairs. (Read Daniel 2:34, 35.) We will then see the final fulfillment of another prophecy recorded by Isaiah: “The earth will certainly be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah as the waters are covering the very sea.”—Isa. 11:9.
8. (a) Whom do the birds in Jesus’ illustration represent? (b) From what are we protected even now?
8 Jesus says that the birds of the heaven are able to find lodging under the shadow of this Kingdom. These birds do not represent enemies of the Kingdom who try to eat up the good seeds, as was true of the birds in the illustration of the man who scattered seed on different kinds of soil. (Mark 4:4) Rather, in this illustration the birds represent righthearted ones who seek protection within the confines of the Christian congregation. Even now, these ones are protected from the spiritually defiling habits and unclean practices of this wicked world. (Compare Isaiah 32:1, 2.) Jehovah similarly likened the Messianic Kingdom to a tree and stated prophetically: “On the mountain of the height of Israel I shall transplant it, and it will certainly bear boughs and produce fruit and become a majestic cedar. And under it there will actually reside all the birds of every wing; in the shadow of its foliage they will reside.”—Ezek. 17:23.
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