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A Prophetic Riddle FulfilledThe Watchtower—1977 | August 1
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one and I will myself transplant it upon a high and lofty mountain . . . and it will certainly bear boughs and produce fruit and become a majestic cedar.’”—Ezek. 17:22, 23.
This pointed to the time when an heir of the royal house of David, the Messiah or Christ, Jesus, would rule as king. This one would become like a lofty cedar, exercising worldwide rulership. With prophetic reference to his rule, Psalm 72:7, 8 states: “In his days the righteous one will sprout, and the abundance of peace until the moon is no more. And he will have subjects from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth.”
We can choose Christ’s rulership even now by heeding his invitation to become his disciples: “Come to me, all you who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh you. Take my yoke upon you and become my disciples, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart.” (Matt. 11:28, 29) Have you acted on that invitation? Doing so is the only way to avoid courting disaster as did King Zedekiah of old.
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A Modest Judge Who Wanted to Be SureThe Watchtower—1977 | August 1
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A Modest Judge Who Wanted to Be Sure
IT HAPPENED during the thirteenth century B.C.E., about 200 years after the death of Moses’ successor, Joshua. The location was the valley of Jezreel in the northern portion of the land that God had promised to the Israelites.
What occurred back there that is of interest to us today? One of Israel’s judges with an army of only 300 men routed an enemy force that amounted to about 135,000.
How could such a thing take place? An important factor was the determination of this judge to be sure that God was backing him up.
The Biblical record of this amazing event is found in the book of Judges, chapters 6 through 8, which begins: “Then the sons of Israel began to do what was bad in the eyes of Jehovah. So Jehovah gave them into the hand of Midian for seven years. And the hand of Midian came to prevail over Israel.” (Judg. 6:1, 2) If Israel
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