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“Look! I Am With You All the Days”The Watchtower—2013 | July 15
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13. What does Revelation 18:7 reveal about the present attitude of the harlot, or Babylon the Great, including Christendom?
13 Third, weeping and gnashing. After the angels bundle the weeds, what happens? Speaking about the condition of the weed class, Jesus states: “There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be.” (Matt. 13:42) Is that happening right now? No. Today, Christendom, as part of the harlot, still says about herself: “I sit a queen, and I am no widow, and I shall never see mourning.” (Rev. 18:7) Indeed, Christendom feels very much in charge, even presuming to ‘sit as a queen’ atop the class of political leaders. Presently, those represented by the weeds are boasting, not weeping. But that is about to change.
14. (a) When and why will imitation Christians ‘gnash their teeth’? (b) How does our adjusted understanding of Matthew 13:42 harmonize with the thought expressed at Psalm 112:10? (See endnote.)
14 During the great tribulation, after all organized false religion has been destroyed, former adherents will run for cover but will find no secure place to hide. (Luke 23:30; Rev. 6:15-17) Then, realizing that there is no escape from destruction, they will weep in desperation and ‘gnash their teeth’ in anger. As Jesus foretells in his prophecy about the great tribulation, at that dark moment, they “will beat themselves in lamentation.”e—Matt. 24:30; Rev. 1:7.
15. What will happen to the weeds, and when will that event occur?
15 Fourth, pitched into the furnace. What will happen to the bundles of weeds? The angels “will pitch them into the fiery furnace.” (Matt. 13:42) That means complete destruction. Hence, those former adherents of false religious organizations will be destroyed during the final part of the great tribulation, Armageddon.—Mal. 4:1.
16, 17. (a) What is the final event that Jesus mentions in his illustration? (b) Why do we conclude that the fulfillment of that event still lies ahead?
16 Fifth, shining brightly. Jesus ends his prophecy by saying: “At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.” (Matt. 13:43) When and where will that be? The fulfillment of these words still lies ahead. Jesus foretold, not an activity currently taking place on earth, but a future event occurring in heaven.f Consider two reasons for this conclusion.
17 First, the “when” question. Jesus said: “At that time the righteous ones will shine.” The phrase “at that time” evidently refers to the event that Jesus had just mentioned, namely, the ‘pitching of the weeds into the fiery furnace.’ That occurs during the final part of the great tribulation. Thus, the ‘shining brightly’ of the anointed must occur at that future time as well. Second, the “where” question. Jesus said that the righteous ones will ‘shine in the kingdom.’ What does that mean? All faithful anointed ones who are still on earth after the initial part of the great tribulation has passed will already have received their final sealing. Then, as indicated in Jesus’ prophecy about the great tribulation, they will be gathered to heaven. (Matt. 24:31) There they will shine “in the kingdom of their Father,” and shortly after the battle of Armageddon, they will share as Jesus’ joyous bride in “the marriage of the Lamb.”—Rev. 19:6-9.
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“Look! I Am With You All the Days”The Watchtower—2013 | July 15
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e Paragraph 14: This is an adjustment to our understanding of Matthew 13:42. Previously, our publications stated that imitation Christians have been ‘weeping and gnashing their teeth’ for decades, bewailing that “the sons of the kingdom” expose them for what they are—“sons of the wicked one.” (Matt. 13:38) It should be noted, however, that the idea of the gnashing of teeth is connected to destruction.—Ps. 112:10.
f Paragraph 16: Daniel 12:3 states that “the ones having insight [anointed Christians] will shine like the brightness of the expanse.” While still on earth, they do this by sharing in the preaching work. However, Matthew 13:43 points to the time when they will shine brightly in the heavenly Kingdom. Previously, we thought that both scriptures referred to the same activity—the preaching work.
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