-
Day of DecisionThe Watchtower—1959 | March 1
-
-
and serve God’s interests as his “sheep” or stand with this corrupt world and serve its selfish interests and be classed with the “goats.” It is a serious decision that cannot be avoided.
EXECUTION OF JUDGMENT
Christ foretold that “this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for the purpose of a witness to all the nations, and then the accomplished end will come.” (Matt. 24:14) As long as that preaching is being done earth’s inhabitants will continue under the King’s judgment, but when it ends his decision will be final. His judgment will then be executed. Regarding those who end up on the King’s left, in the goat class, God said through his prophet Isaiah: “I will destine you men to the sword, and you will all of you bow down to being slaughtered, for the reason that I called, but you did not answer; I spoke, but you did not listen; and you kept doing what was bad in my eyes, and the thing in which I took no delight you chose.”—Isa. 65:12.
This execution of divine judgment through the King, Christ Jesus, will take place at the coming battle of Armageddon. At that time God’s King will destroy this wicked system of things and all who are clinging to it. The words of Enoch will then be fulfilled: “Look! Jehovah came with his holy myriads, to execute judgment against all and to convict all the ungodly concerning all their ungodly deeds that they did in an ungodly way and concerning all the shocking things that ungodly sinners spoke against him.”—Jude 14, 15.
But what about those on the King’s right hand, those he judges as his sheep? Christ tells us in his illustration: “Then the king will say to those on his right: ‘Come, you who have my Father’s blessing, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the world’s foundation.’” (Matt. 25:34) They receive this favorable judgment because they made the right decision.
The period in which we live is critical not only because of an atomic-war threat but because all people are on trial before God’s enthroned King. They are under judgment with their lives at stake. That is why this day of decision is of vital concern to everyone.
-
-
Questions From ReadersThe Watchtower—1959 | March 1
-
-
Questions From Readers
● What did Jesus mean when he said, as recorded at John 3:13, that “no man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man”? Since he was at that time still on earth, is he referring to occasions in his prehuman existence when as the Word of God he may have appeared as God’s angelic spokesman and then ascended to heaven?—F. B., United States.
No, the scripture at John 3:13 is not referring to his prehuman activity as the Word of God. We must take into consideration the context of the statement. At the time Jesus spoke these words he had descended from heaven, being born as a human, but he had not yet ascended, and this did not occur until forty days after his resurrection from the dead.
Observe, please, that John 3:13 begins with the word “and” in the King James Version and “moreover” in the New World Translation, so tying this statement in with the one that precedes it. Jesus is here speaking to Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews who came to him by night, and he has just explained the requirements for entering the kingdom of God. Although Nicodemus was a teacher of the people, he found it difficult to grasp how one could be born again to enter the heavenly kingdom. So Jesus answered him: “Are you a teacher of Israel and yet do not know these things? Most truly I say to you, What we know we speak and what we have seen we bear witness of, but you people do not receive the witness we give. If I have told you earthly things and yet you do not believe, how will you believe if I tell you heavenly things? Moreover, no man has ascended into heaven but he that descended from heaven, the Son of man.” (John 3:10-13) In other words, Jesus was telling Nicodemus that he, whose dwelling had been in heaven with his Father from the beginning of creation, had descended from heaven and was in position to instruct him about heavenly matters; but if Nicodemus was not going to accept his instruction, then there was no other way he could gain the knowledge he wanted, because no man had at any time ascended to heaven in order to get such knowledge and come back down here with it. Jesus was not discussing any previous ascension on his own part.
The King James Version adds at the end of the verse the words “which is in heaven.” But Jesus was not in heaven when he made this statement; he was on earth conversing with Nicodemus. In harmony with this, in a footnote in his translation Ferrar Fenton points out that these words “are omitted by the best and oldest authorities.” For that reason they are omitted from such translations as the New World Translation, The Emphatic Diaglott, An American Translation, The Twentieth Century New Testament, and the translation by J. B. Rotherham.
-
-
Way of the WorldThe Watchtower—1959 | March 1
-
-
Way of the World
“The way of the world,” once said American clergyman Nathaniel Howe, “is, to praise dead saints, and persecute living ones.”
-
-
AnnouncementsThe Watchtower—1959 | March 1
-
-
Announcements
FIELD MINISTRY
March is the third month of the Watchtower campaign. Jehovah’s witnesses everywhere will continue to offer this vital magazine to persons of good will at $1 for a year’s subscription, giving three free Bible booklets to each new subscriber. Encourage your friends and neighbors to subscribe for The Watchtower; it will help them to learn how to gain life in God’s new world. For further instructions on how you may share, go to the nearest Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s witnesses
TRUTH BENEFITS THOSE WHO SHARE IT
Truth is little thought of in these days of exaggerated advertising, misleading political promises and deceptive international relationships. Yet there are still many persons who appreciate its worth. That is one reason for the astounding growth in circulation of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Are you availing yourself regularly of the benefits to be had from their dedication to this outstanding virtue? You can be! Send only $2 and you will receive both magazines for one year. Send at once and receive as well free six stimulating booklets on the Bible.
“WATCHTOWER” STUDIES FOR THE WEEKS
April 5: The Ancient Pattern of Jehovah’s Unusual Work, and Warnings of Jehovah’s Unusual Work, ¶1-13. Page 132.
April 12: Warnings of Jehovah’s Unusual Work, ¶14-33. Page 138.
April 19: Warnings of Jehovah’s Unusual Work, ¶34-37, and When Jehovah Rises Up to His Unusual Work. Page 144.
-