Jehovah describes people “from far away” streaming toward his organization. Directing himself to a “woman,” who today is represented by the anointed remnant on earth, he states: “You will see and become radiant, and your heart will throb and overflow, because the wealth of the sea will be directed to you; the resources of the nations will come to you.” (Isa. 60:1, 4, 5, 9) How true those words are! Today, longtime servants of Jehovah are indeed radiant with joy as they observe how the number of Kingdom publishers in their lands has increased from just a few to many thousands.

Why All Servants of Jehovah Have Reason to Rejoice

16, 17. What is one reason why ‘the sower and the reaper rejoice together’? (See also the box “How Two Tracts Touched Two Hearts in the Amazon.”)

¹⁶ You will recall that Jesus told his apostles: “The reaper is . . . gathering fruit for everlasting life, so that the sower and the reaper may rejoice together.” (John 4:36) How do we “rejoice together” in the global harvest? In several ways. Let us consider three.

¹⁷ First, we rejoice to see Jehovah’s role in the work. When we preach the Kingdom message, we sow seed. (Matt. 13:18, 19) When we help someone to become a disciple of Christ, we harvest fruitage. And all of us feel deep joy as we observe with awe how Jehovah causes Kingdom seed to “sprout and grow tall.” (Mark 4:27, 28) Some seed that we scatter sprouts later and is harvested by others. You may have had an experience similar to that of Joan, a Christian sister in Britain who was baptized 60 years ago. She said: “I have met individuals who told me that I planted a seed in their heart when I preached to them years ago. Unknown to me, other Witnesses later studied the Bible with them and helped them to become servants of Jehovah. I rejoice that the seed I planted grew and was harvested.”​—Read 1 Corinthians 3:6, 7.

18. What reason for joy is mentioned at 1 Corinthians 3:8?

¹⁸ Second, we remain joyful workers when we keep in mind that Paul stated: “Each person will receive his own reward according to his own work.” (1 Cor. 3:8) The reward is given according to the work, not according to the results of that work. How heartening that assurance is for those preaching in territories where there is little response! In God’s eyes, every Witness who wholeheartedly shares in the sowing work is “bearing much fruit” and therefore has reason to rejoice.​—John 15:8; Matt. 13:23.

19. (a) How does Jesus’ prophecy found at Matthew 24:14 relate to our joy? (b) What should we keep in mind even if we do not personally succeed in making a disciple?

¹⁹ Third, we rejoice that our work fulfills prophecy. Consider Jesus’ answer to his apostles when they asked: “What will be the sign of your presence and of the conclusion of the system of things?” He told them that one feature of that sign would be a global preaching work. Was he speaking of the disciple-making work? No. He said: “This good news of the Kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness.” (Matt. 24:3, 14) Thus, Kingdom preaching​—sowing seed—​is a feature of the sign. Hence, as we preach the good news of the Kingdom, we keep in mind that even if we do not succeed in making a disciple, we do succeed in giving “a witness.”d Yes, no matter how people respond, we share in fulfilling Jesus’ prophecy and have the honor to serve as “God’s fellow workers.” (1 Cor. 3:9) What good reason to rejoice!

²¹ As we look back today over some 100 years and see how a small group of God’s servants has grown into “a mighty nation,” our heart does indeed “throb and overflow” with joy. (Isa. 60:5, 22) May that joy and our love for Jehovah, “the Master of the harvest,” impel each one of us to keep on doing our share in completing the greatest harvest of all time!​—Luke 10:2.