Hello everyone,
Just as a reminder …enjoy the trip beginning in the year 1950 and ending in
the year 2001.
*** w50 4/15 p. 119 Servants Feed the Flock ***
REGATHERING SCATTERED FLOCK
21 The facts that have come to pass in “the cloudy and dark day” of this twentieth century show beyond all doubt that the complete fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy has taken place in our day. Jehovah has gathered the “remnant” of his people out of the far countries of Christendom where they were scattered. Over them God has set up “my servant” Christ Jesus the Greater David, and this “one shepherd”, the Chief Shepherd, is feeding them . For some time prior to A.D. 1918 the preparing of the Lord’s way was going on and then suddenly the Lord came to his temple, there to take account with his servants rewarding those that had been faithful and punishing the unfaithful. This is described for us by Jesus in his great prophecy on “the end of the world” in Matthew 24:42-51. As Malachi foretold, it would be a time of fiery judgment and one that would last for some time, until all the evil servants were purged and cleaned out from among the Lord’s remnant.—Mal. 3:1-3.
*** w51 4/1 p. 215 Commissioning of Witnesses in the Time of the End ***
This glory the Son shows forth when Jehovah sends him as His “messenger of the covenant” to the temple for judgment work. As it is written: “The Lord, whom ye seek, will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant, whom ye desire, behold, he cometh, saith Jehovah of hosts. And he will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi, and refine them as gold and silver; and they shall offer unto Jehovah offerings in righteousness.” (Mal. 3:1, 3, AS) At his glorious coming to the temple in 1918 he took up the work of judging and cleansing his devoted remnant upon the earth, that these might go for him and for Jehovah with the “pure language”.
*** w60 7/15 p. 436 The Awake “Faithful and Discreet Slave” ***
20 As we now know, this watchman class of the “faithful and discreet slave” was being cleansed for still greater watchman service in the turbulent years to follow their restoration in 1919. Previously , in the spring of 1918, Jehovah came to his temple of earthly Christian servants for inspection and cleansing . (Mal. 3:1-3) The many bad ones were disfellowshiped by Him and sent away. A loyal remnant were permitted to go through the fiery test where Jehovah and his Messenger, Christ Jesus, (1) tested them by organization arrangements on their loyalty to Jehovah’s organization rather than to human leaders, (2) tested them by service instructions and provisions as to their zeal and devotion to Jehovah’s worship and witness work, and (3) tested them by revealed truth as to their love of it. What a fiery time it was!—See You May Survive Armageddon into God’s New World, pp. 303 to 305.
*** w72 2/1 79 Fully Accepting the Challenge of Jehovah's Service
JEHOVAH IS DISPLEASED WITH HIS WOMAN
The Naomi remnant came into a condition like that, particularly in the year 1918, when they were, in a sense, exiled from Jehovah God’s favor. In that year Jehovah God came to his temple suddenly, accompanied by the messenger of the covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ.
He examined the remnant here upon earth ; he was displeased with them. (Mal. 3:1, 2)
For a time they were not fully accepting the challenge of Jehovah’s Kingdom service that had opened up to them.
They were holding back, through fear of man and were not properly keeping themselves “unspotted from the world.” (Jas. 1:27, Authorized Version)
Therefore Jehovah let them go into bondage to Babylon the Great and her political associates.”
°°°°(ka “God’s Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached “ )
published by the WTBS Inc. New York in 1973
*** ka chap. 12 pp. 231-232 Increasing the King’s Belongings ***
45 The parable of the “talents” pictured that when the traveler returned from abroad he would settle accounts with them. This meant an inspection of them . Quite logically, with that turn of events in the spring of 1919, it would be the due time for the heavenly “master of those slaves ” to inspect them. But what account could they render with respect to his “talents” that had been committed to the slave class? Any increase that they may have gained prior to the climax of wartime persecution in 1918 seemed to have been wiped out. They were as if they had no figurative “talents” in their possession at all. If, now, they were to show any increase in their Master’s “talents,” they must produce this increase in the postwar period and render such increase of his belongings to him in the future. They must be given a new and further opportunity to ‘do business’ with his precious “talents.” This is just how it worked out historically, due to the merciful considerateness of their heavenly Master.
*** ka chap. 17 pp. 349-351 The “Slave” Who Lived to See the “Sign” ***
TIME OF INSPECTION BY THE SLAVE’S MASTER
38 Without a question of doubt, it was a real time for inspection of the Master’s “slave” class. All the facts of the case argue that the Master came for the work of inspection at the time. Such a thing was to be expected according to the prophecy of Malachi 3:1-5. Of course, the sectarian churches of Christendom had made a wartime record for themselves, an open record that had a heavy bearing on their claim to be disciples and slaves of Jesus Christ. Could they, by even their latest record down till 1919, prove that they themselves were the composite “faithful and discreet slave” class of the heavenly Lord and Master, Jesus Christ? He as Judge would indicate what his findings were by the way he thereafter dealt with the hundreds of religious sects of Christendom. Appropriately, now, our attention focuses upon those sincere, Bible-studying Christians who, during World War I, were persecuted for their obedience to Christ and who became “objects of hatred by all the nations” on account of Christ’s name. Since they also came under divine inspection, what did the Master show to be his decision on them?
39 According to Jesus’ illustration, how did the master who appointed the slave return to his house? Was it in great rage in order to destroy the house? Or was it to enjoy his homecoming and to see how things had been going on during his absence? His return to his house was a peaceful one. He did not come to engage in the “war of the great day of God the Almighty” at Har–Magedon. (Revelation 16:13-16) Rather, he wanted to make sure that his domestic affairs were in the right condition. Had his appointed slave done as he was assigned to do, namely, give to the “domestics” their “food at the proper time”? The master needed to make an inspection.
40 The serving of food, the right sort of food, at the proper time was the issue. It had to be according to this that a decision must be rendered by the returned master. Well, then, what about that body of Christians internationally hated and persecuted? (Matthew 24:9) Down to 1919 C.E. they had endeavored to give “food at the proper time” to the “household of faith” or the “domestics” of the heavenly Master. They did this despite interference by persecutors and the warring nations. Not only was the regularity in serving the spiritual food a problem, but the quality of the food itself was to be considered. In this respect the body of hated, persecuted Christians, who always sought to be faithful slaves of Jesus Christ, met the test. During the years of the world conflict they had not joined Christendom or pagandom in preaching the war propaganda submitted by the political governments. They persisted in preaching the Bible message for the time and in advocating a Christian adherence to Bible principles for everybody.
41 What, then, did the heavenly Master decide regarding these obedient slaves of his? He was not influenced by their unpopular, persecuted position in the war-mad world, for he had foretold such a hard experience for them during his invisible parousia or “ presence.” Did he find that body of Christian slaves disregarding the unpopularity of the world and seeking to be pleasing to their Master by doing what he had appointed to be done during his absence? He must have found them so, according to the way the inspection, begun in 1919, has affected his decision since. His actions, his dealings with his Christian slaves, speak louder than words.
*** w74 9/15 pp. 557-558 Is Christianity Dying? ***
Nevertheless, after the war , by 1919, there was still a faithful group that saw the need to proclaim the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ for the purpose of inspection and judgment. These the Lord raised up and infused with zeal and energy never to be stifled again by their enemies! By 1922 they had made preparations to announce that the King Jesus Christ had taken his power in the heavens and would soon free mankind of all oppressors. It was to be a worldwide work!
*** w75 2/1 pp. 78-79 A Fine Reward for Faithfulness ***
Well, shortly after his resurrection, Jesus had gone to a “distant country,” into heaven itself and into the presence of his Father, Jehovah God. After a time of sitting at His right hand awaiting God’s appointed time, Jesus received kingly power over the world in 1914. (Heb. 10:12, 13) Then, in 1919, after a period of inspection, came the time for the Master to reward his faithful “slave.” Finding this servant class indeed thoroughly faithful in feeding the household of faith, Jesus gave the “slave” a new status. The “slave” had been feeding the “domestics,” but now had a greatly enlarged position over “all [Christ’s] belongings.” This included much more than previously.
*** w83 9/15 pp. 19-20 “One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism” ***
19 “One body” is the Christian congregation, of which Jesus is the “head.” (Ephesians 1:22, 23) The individual anointed members of this united congregation would all receive the same spiritual food. To that end, their “master” appointed a collective “faithful steward” class, the body of anointed Christians on the earth since Pentecost 33 C.E. Since the “master” found the remaining ones of this body faithfully and discreetly giving out “food supplies ” when he arrived for inspection in 1919, he appointed them “over all his belongings. ” (Luke 12:42-44) The facts show that since 1919 this “steward” has faithfully cared for these “belongings.”
*** w89 6/1 p. 19 Be Clean in Mind and Body ***
16 The prophecy of Malachi shows that anointed Christians on earth in the time of the end would be refined, or purified, for temple service. History shows that this refining began in 1918. Since 1919 the anointed remnant have “certainly become to Jehovah people presenting a gift offering in righteousness,” and their gift offering is “gratifying to Jehovah.” (Malachi 3:3, 4
*** w90 3/15 14 'The Faithful Slave' and Its Governing Body
§21
In 1918, when Jesus Christ inspected those claiming to be his slaves, he found an international group of Christians publishing Bible truths for use both inside the congregation and outside in the preaching work.
In 1919 it truly turned out to be as Christ had foretold: “Happy is that slave if his master on arriving finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings.” (Matthew 24:46, 47)
*** w93 5/1 17 Expanded Activities During Christ's Presence
6 From the time Christ’s presence began and down to 1918, the slave class, despite unpopularity, persecution, and even some confusion, had been seeking to give timely food to the domestics.
This is what the Master found when his inspection began.
The Lord Jesus was pleased, and in 1919 he pronounced that faithful approved slave class happy.
What was the slave’s delightful reward for doing what his Master had appointed him to do? A promotion! “
*** w98 5/15 p. 15 Christian Faith Will Be Tested ***
21 As World War I drew to a close, some of the Bible Students faced another test of faith—whether they would maintain strict neutrality as to worldly military affairs. (John 17:16; 18:36) Some did not. So in 1918, Jehovah sent “the messenger of the covenant,” Christ Jesus, to His spiritual temple arrangement to cleanse the small group of His worshipers from worldly blemishes. Those who were committed to displaying true faith learned from the experience and moved forward, zealously continuing to preach.”
(°) Isaiah’s Prophecy –Light for all Mankind Vol.II (pub. 2001)
*** ip-2 chap. 27 p. 397 Jehovah Blesses Pure Worship ***
Ezekiel’s vision depicts Jehovah as entering the temple and demanding that all traces of immorality and idolatry be removed. In the modern-day fulfillment of these prophecies, there was an important spiritual development in 1918 in connection with Jehovah’s worship. Jehovah and Jesus evidently made an inspection of all of those claiming to represent pure worship. That inspection led to the final casting off of corrupt Christendom. For Christ’s anointed followers, the inspection meant a brief period of refinement followed by a swift spiritual restoration in 1919.—1 Peter 4:17.
Well, that’s all for now. Greetings, J.C.MacHislopp