Thanks to Gary and Velta!
"What the future holds for us"
Ciro Aulicino
Representative of the Watch Tower Bible & Tract Society
Late 2001, NYC
(Note: the speaker reads passages from the New World Version of the Holy Scriptures. Book and chapter are listed in the following text without quoting the passage)
. . . horrific tragedy struck the United States. An attack from a religious enemy. Changed the lives of everyone in this country, including members of the Bethel family, who had to see that [and] were traumatized.
And it created a great, great change in people's attitudes. And, we have been very, very concerned about what this all means. Well, what we're going to do today, because God's people have been tipped off by Jehovah as to what the future holds, they are not fearful but they are very concerned but awake as to what this possibly could mean. Now we have been studying the Bible for years and been preaching the good news of the kingdom and we have also been aware of developments that God's people have been notified through the pages of the Watchtower and the Awake! magazine. There are five developments, friends, that we're going to talk about, but I'd like to talk about the first one that we should expect to see.
This one really is electrifying in the sense that it seems to tie with what's
happened in NYC a few weeks ago.
1Th5:3
Now up to this time we have been hearing calls for peace and security, we've had it during the Desert Storm War, the Gulf war. We've heard it when the United Nations have said it.
But notice, friends, that this time in this situation that what happened there in NY, has changed things. No longer is the world secure. It's the truth here. These terrorists can do a lot of damage.
The whole world is now united for the first time. They are looking for not only peace, but they want security. The Eiffel Tower, House of Commons, all the major places are now under threat. So now people want security.
So the cry is "peace and security." People are concerned. And this is the first time that we have such a situation which has galvanized the entire world.
You think of the Vietnam War, the Korean war, even the attack on Pearl Harbor. Those were between nations. But now you have a whole world coalition, including the United Nations, whom the Secretary General said on television, "We must root out terrorism off the face of this earth." Now that changes things, friends.
That should alert us. That should make us very concerned. Are we near the end? Well we're not saying that.
We should look at this as, it's time to stay awake. It's time to draw very close to God's people.
It's time not to miss meetings. But to get out and preach, comfort the people. We have a great opportunity. We're going to talk about that later.
But this development that's happening now is going to happen so fast.
Brother Franz, I shall never forget, said that it will go like this, he slapped his hand that morning and he said it will be a trap. And once it starts there's no turning back. Now we have all the springs of this trap ready to begin. But let's see now what's going to happen, that will be in this trap.
But first of all, we have to deal with a second development. Now this first development is already on the scene of the earth, there's now doubt about it. Even the brothers at Bethel are very concerned and are watching about this peace and security movement. But there's a development that has been going on.
The rivalry between the radical king of the North and the Democratic King of the South.
There have been two great powers. How they're going to run into this I don't know, and I'm not predicting, and none of us should. But let's see what is going to happen.
Dan11:44
Now who are the many here that he is going to devote to destruction and annihilate? It is not the King of the South, the Anglo-American world power because the Bible tells us in Dan 7:26 and 8:25
He will be totally destroyed without human hand, by the heavenly armies under Michael or Jesus Christ.
So That leaves him out. So who are the many. Well let God answer.
And We're going to get a clue, and when you read that you're going to go, "My!"
Rev17:16
Yes, we're talking about the populous realm of false religion, you see. Now who is the identity of this scarlet colored wild beast? We have to look at that. Whom God destines to devastate BtG.
Well and Who helps us to see the King of the North's role in this attack, it's the United Nations The seven-headed ten-horned monstrosity that she's riding today. which she has been stroking and cooing sweet names ever since its establishment in 1945.
Now the King of the North is a prominent member of this political beast. this shocking event we are talking about, This attack will not be triggered by political human factors. Although what has happened in NY seems to indicate that it may. But what is going to happen to the destruction is that in
Rev17:17 it says Jehovah God makes it happen.
Now why does he want to destroy false religion? Well, he has a right to. It's a divine retribution from the supreme judge. Let's list the reasons.
She must pay for all her disgusting things, and they are disgusting in what she's been teaching and practicing.
She has to pay for inebriating mankind with the wine of her political fornication,
and for shedding the blood of Gods prophets and holy ones,
and the blood of all those who have been slaughtered on the earth.
Now God's implanting in the hearts of the political leaders the determination to annihilate Babylon the Great could very well be those reports out of the sun rising that disturb the King of the North against false religion.
Now, it's incredible people might feel how could the United Nations to do that, but we have the scene ready, the situation is already there on the scene today. Our lives are never going to be the same. We better accept that now.
The United Nations is suddenly going to, and she is already working with the US to empower and to go against this false religion. Now, we should not think that United Nations is a helpless organization.
It will someday with the backing of the coalition gain great power and do this attacking. Now when that happens, friends, and by the way I'd like to mention something, too.
If you open up your books called Mankind's Search for God book - inside cover.
Look at the map and see how big the Islamic empire is. I was told that it has more than Christendom.
So maybe we have been looking at the wrong part of Babylon the Great. It is the most aggressive.
It is the one that is irritating the King of the North and the Wild Beast, isn't it? So we have to stay alert, friends.
We do not know everything, but Jehovah is giving us enough clues to keep us aware. Stay awake.
Now when the nations begin devastating Babylon the Great including all these religions, including the aggressive terroristic ones, it's going to signal the beginning of the great tribulation. Now there's no turning back. This is the beginning of the end for all of Jehovah's enemies.
But, friends, like we said yesterday at our kingdom hall, it is the beginning of a new beginning for all of us who are his friends. Isn't that beautiful. And it means that the fourth development foretold by Jehovah God is about to begin. A development that is going to test our faith and trust in Jehovah to its very foundation. Now, friends, if we hope to survive it we must take God's prediction of this particular aspect as a very personal warning. we must be prepared for its coming. We must keep ourselves in expectation of it. All the more so since Jehovah has not revealed many things about it but just given us what we need to know.
What is that development?
It's a vicious attack that the nations will launch against us, Jehovah's people.
EZ 38 39
describes this assault, the motive behind it, and the final outcome.
Jehovah names Gog as the protagonist in this prophecy.
And from what he does, this Gog is really Satan the Devil, the ruler of the world, whom God has given the glory and the authority of all the kingdoms of the inhabited earth.
As the God of this system of things, only he has the superhuman power to direct such a massive maneuvering of nations depicted in this prophecy.
And it's in keeping with his character. He's the original serpent, the great enemy of God. He wants to wipe us out.
So let's not minimize him, you see.
And ever since he was cast down from heaven in 1914, er between 1914 an 1918, this dragon, this fiery colored Satan the devil, has been trying to destroy everyone and every thing devoted to God and he wages war against all who observe God's commandments and who bear witness that now Jesus is ruling as king in heaven.
Now we can well imagine, friends, and this now begins to fit.
How infuriated he is going to be when he sees us dwelling quietly in God's peace and security
and his Babylonish prostitute screeching in pain as the wild beast chews up her blubbery fleshy parts.
His frustration will explode into a paroxysm of rage that can be appeased by only one thing, he must completely eradicate Jehovah's pure worship from the face of the earth. That's what his aim is.
So as Ex 38:10 forewarns, Satan is going to think up an injurious scheme.
A scheme to whip up the nations' hatred of false religion which is now probably building as you can see it. But in it to wipe out true religion at the same time.
He is going to exacerbate the greed of these governments and their anger in their desire for peace and security.
Their economy's in threat. Look at what is happening to the US, its stock market. That's going to happen to the whole world. The whole economy is dependent. It's not one stock market and the rest can go on. No, the whole thing is like a domino. So they're going to all unite. And it suggests in Dan 11:45 that the King of the North will be the leading force in this Gogian attack
It tells us, now watch this, that this King of the North is going to audaciously plant his palatial tents between the grand sea and the holy mountain of decoration. Now what does that mean?
It means he is going to plop himself in an area very precious to Jehovah God, yes, and according to Ez38:12
Gog gets the King of the North and all the nations to storm against us in order to get a big spoil and to do much plundering, he says.
Now you're going to imagine what's happening here in EZ38:13
Now here these onlookers or observers they ask this question of Gog. We're going to take the third line
EZ38:13 "They will say to you," their talking about Gog.
It's a sarcastic question. Here you are mustering the entire world to go after this small organization of maybe 6-10 million people. You re mobilizing everybody? What is it, you see? They still don't understand it. We know what it's about, don't we friends? God has tipped us off, right?
Oh, the Devil wants to destroy our spiritual paradise, you see. That's something he's been trying to do since 1922, and now he thinks he has a chance, Now, it's very obvious why wants to do this. Do you realize that we in this spiritual garden are wielding an influence for Jehovah's messianic kingdom?
Why, our very presence in this park right here this morning is evidence and showing that God's government is now ruling in heaven, and it means that Satan's short period of time is ending.
That's what you is doing, you don't realize that?
And you are declaring gods great glory worldwide, and your very presence shows that you authenticate God's claim to his sovereignty over the earth. You are devoted to him. You want him to be the king. You want him to take over this earth. You prove one other thing, friends, that Satan can't turn all of mankind away from God, as he boasted. But he wants to suppress these things. He doesn't want anybody to know that.
But here we are in a spiritual paradise and we're not only in this park friends, our brothers all over the world meeting today, in NY, in Brazil all over, just think. And we are flourishing at the very figurative center of the earth. That is where he can se us. Publicly exhibiting these truths.
And look at this park, how beautiful it is. We have big trees of righteousness, faithful men who lead exemplary lives, who humbly feed and care for God's people. And look at all of you. The park is not only made up of trees. It is made up all kinds of vegetation. Yes. In the form of all kinds of men
who are bearing the sweet fruitage of the holy spirit. Little children that are like flowers. Devoted little children, huh? Garden is made up of a lot of pretty little flowers. Not big flowers.
Sometimes little violets, you see. Lilies of the valley. All of you are there, friends. Everyone makingtaining and expanding our spiritually beautiful paradisaic state.
Now imagine how it fills him with rage to see us in this exclusive garden growing luxuriously
in this spiritually poisonous environment that he has purposely set up in this system of things.
An environment of hedonism, rampant materialism. He thinks he has set everything up so he can make every man unconscious of their spiritual need. But we're a miracle that he can't hide. Our ongoing spiritual prosperity is proof that Jehovah God, the supreme sovereign of the universe, must be the one who is blessing us, that we could be growing in such an atmosphere. Oh, how this frustrates Gog, ha ha.
So, like his prime minister Haman, an amalichite crony back there, he seeks to kill off Jehovah's people scattered and separated and who do not love his world or the things in his world. People that he cannot enslave with the desire of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the showy display of one means of life. And, you know, in spite of everything that he has done to stifle our spirituality,
here we are, and millions of our brothers around the world, who keep on seeking first God's kingdom and his righteousness. Oh ho ho, how this galls Gog. He is so mad. He is going to defoliate and denude God's spiritual paradise if it's the last thing he does. And it will be the last thing he'll do friends, ha ha ha ha.
Now we can se why Jehovah calls Gog's scheme an injurious scheme. It's designed to injure Jehovah's interests on this earth. Ohhh, how brilliant it seems. It's so sure of its success. After all, look at us, we're the target.
Are we armed? No. We are an unarmed organization, just like the Bible says, we're like an open city without walls or bars or doors of protection. All our goods are there just for the taking.
So the great dragon is going to unite all the nations to form a coalition against us. Remember that.
And through that coalition disgorge water like a river of persecution to inundate Jehovah's entire worldwide spiritual garden right out of existence.
Now that tactic almost worked during World War II it just might work again so he thinks.
Now what's he going to do. Well, this is just a possibility, friends don't think that this be the way it happens, it could happen another way. But he is going to make our Christian neutrality, our allegiance to Jehovah's kingdom, yes, even our innocent Christian way of life appear to be a threat to the public welfare. And already we are beginning to hear rumblings of this among many world leaders.
There is no neutrality. There is . . .
In fact there was an article. A brother came into my office the other day, uh Friday, and showed me an article about why there can be no pacifism in this time. You may not think much of that but that's what the call is going.
And so Gog is going to do these and he is going to dangle our earthly belongings.
We have some beautiful property all over the world. And the governments are going to be coveting that, you see. And he is going to convince them that it is imperative that we be eliminated.
As in the trial of Jesus Christ he's going to have them use the age-old pretexts to justify their wicked attack.
And what are they? Well, let's look at maybe perhaps a meeting of these world leaders. And we can just see minister states saying, "Well our political needs demand that we take this action against Jehovah's Witnesses."
And you can just see this general with all these medals saying, "Well they're a dangerous sect. They exert a bad influence. They refuse to line up with our national sovereignty. They want to be pacifists. We can't have them around here."
And then you have the minister of finance. Ooooh, look at him. "Oooh, if we confiscate all their possessions it could help us to meet our financial budget. That would be good for the country.
We should stamp them out, you see." And that's all possibilities, my friends.
And Satan can use the political powers to attack and carry out his injurious scheme.
What's the point? Brothers, we should expect them to despoil us of our human rights.
We should expect them to confiscate all of Jehovah's belongings and close down and take possession of all our branches, factories, depots, kingdom halls, assembly halls, everything. Don't make any mistake about it. We are all in this together. We have a common enemy.
Now Jehovah god does not tell us how far he's going to let Gog's hoards penetrate his land of pure worship before he responds. We're going to have to trust Jehovah as we said last night and we're going to wait on him. But when they start pouring across the frontiers of his paradise, the spiritual paradise, we will know then, that the fifth and final element is at hand. The outbreak of the war of the great day of God the Almighty, Armageddon.
Well now, let's see what it says here in Ez 38:16.
It warns us that Gog's armies as they pour in, will come up against us like a cloud, covering the land, you see. The whole world of mankind will be supporting this act of aggression.
We will have no recourse to the legal systems. We will not be able to go down to the courthouses and "They have no right to do this," and "Huh, you have no rights. You are a banned sect. You're out you see." Expect that. So we're not going to have to look to them for any help. It's only going to through Jehovah God.
When they come up upon us like a cloud to govern the land, that means there will no gaps in their ranks. One solid international front closing in upon us. Now Isa8:8 tells us, uh huh, gives us a clue, just about how long we may have to wait on Jehovah to react to Gog's aggression.
Speaking of the Assyrian invasion in Isa8:8, He speaks of Israel, uh, being actually flooded over and passing over, and notice what God says. Jehovah says up to the neck he will reach. In other words God may come up to here with us. You know it's only about an inch before we start drowning. So it may be really right back to the wall. Our backs will be to the wall, friends.
But we cannot let him cause us to give way to fear. Even if he has his jaws and his claws clamped around us, and his seven mouths ready to devour God's people. The pressure to give way will be intense. But we must remember what Elisha said in 2Kings 6:16.
What did he say? You should know this by heart. "Do not be afraid. For there are more who are with us than those who are with them."
Open your eyes of faith, brothers, at that time and see that the region around us is full of Jehovah's horses and war chariots of fire.
Let's open some Psalms here
56:11 We just want to go a few of them. There's so many of them, we could read, oh, practically 100 of them.
56:11
Lets go to Ps18:6
Ps16:8 There are many others you can find, too.
Right, friends, now remember this will give us confidence. This will help us and keep the anointed's words at Romans 8:31 in mind. We can also take them as our part of our words, because we are the offspring of the anointed. We are their children. We too can come off completely victorious through him that loves us. What are those words?
"If God is for us, who can be against us?"
Remember that friends.
Now these are inspiring scriptures. Very encouraging. Will we remember them when Gog attacks us? When he starts going after us? It will be a moment of truth, friends. If we do stand still, and we do like king Jehoshaphat ordered, take our position, stand still, and see the salvation of Jehovah.
We will put our faith in Jehovah God. Now this is the beautiful part, that we may prove ourselves of long duration. What is our hope? Living forever. We want to be of long duration. So we have to take our stand. And as we do, this is very beautiful passage. I love this. I want you to write this down and read it.
Is30:15
Please make this part of your memory. In fact you can memorize it.
No matter how violent they get. How loud they yell. How mean they get. Be like our brothers in the German concentration camps and in the Russian gulag. Undisturbed, happy, trustful in Jehovah. You will actually drive them crazy. Because they cannot figure out why you are not panicking. Because you have Jehovah on your side. He is with you. So have no fear, brothers. Just when it seems like everything is lost, Jehovah will react.
He tell us at Ez38:18,19
What's he going to say?
Yes, he is going to order and speak to his Messianic king, Jesus Christ. And all the of angels and the anointed who are already resurrected, to repay tribulation to them who are making tribulation for us, my people. Go after them.
Relief friends. A sudden revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ from heaven, with his powerful angels, comes galloping in a flaming fire as he brings Jehovah's vengeance upon all of Gog's forces and allies.
This breaks open the battle of Armageddon, the final part of the great tribulation.
Now this is something were going to have to be very faithful, to trust Jehovah. Jesus Christ will now resume his attack that he began when he kicked Satan out. And he will now complete his conquest.
He stopped them at Gog in the land of Magog remember. That debased condition, now he invades this area and cleans it all out, you see. And he the foreordained armistice so the good news could be preached is over. Gog of Magog will be put out of the picture.
Now friends, when this happens our love for Jehovah will be even greater. For just in the nick of time, this invasion of Michael will rescue us from Satan's clutches. What a thrilling time that will be.
But something else is going to happen at this critical moment. A more wonderful something else that Jehovah foretold for all of us who faithfully stand for Jehovah and endure the attack of Gog of Magog.
What is that? We talked about it yesterday at the kingdom hall. Receiving evidence that Jesus has judged and separated us as his sheep, and has put us on the right hand of approval. Think of what that means. We who are blessed by his father are now going to inherit the kingdom prepared for us from the founding of the world.
Ho, what a supremely happy moment that will be. I cannot describe it. But how will we feel when we come under the direct loving protection of Jehovah God and his son?
Well let's give you an example. How do you think Noah and his family felt when they saw Jehovah shut the ark's door behind them. We will feel the same warm sense of security and safety that they felt when the flood waters gently began, woo, carrying the ark and they started floating safely over the waters. Friends, as they sat in that ark they knew they were going to survive the deluge and no human, nephilim, demon, or devil could stop them. So with us, no matter where we will be on the earth, no matter where we are going to be, Jehovah's protective wings will be spread over us. And we know that we are going to survive the Armageddon tribulation.
We're going to come through it alive, friends. No King of the North, King of the South, UN, demon, or devil can stop us. Jehovah is bringing us home to paradise under his paternal son's care.
Now let the hope of that moment burn brightly in our hearts. Let it comfort our hearts. Make us firm for every good work. Jehovah is faithful, friends. He will make you firm. He will keep you from the wicked one today and during the final attack.
Yes, he will not forget the love you showed for his name. Now, I'm not going to be able to describe the great battle of Armageddon that will the greatest war ever fought on this earth. But it's going to settle the greatest issue of the universe, Jehovah's rightful sovereignty over all creation. Now, I don't think we can appreciate how big this thing is, but it's an issue that Jehovah has allowed Satan to challenge for over 6000 years.
This is what makes God's universal war when he finally aims the missuel of our earth. By destroying this system. Such a thrilling moment for us. Now, when Jehovah goes to war against Satan, he's going to do something a little different. He' not going to capture his chief opponent as a general usually tries to do. Get the king. Get him first. And then the whole army will fall apart. No, Jehovah God with his supreme power will take Gog and hold him and his demons at bay. And they will give them a ringside seat, so to speak, and let them watch Jesus and all his angels systematically destroy the entire wicked earthly organizations.
How frustrating to see the whole thing going down before their eyes. Governmental, military, commercial, criminal. An abrupt end and a violent end to everyone and everything that mocks Jehovah's righteous standards of justice and morality. Yes, everything is going to pass away with a hissing noise. The economic, social, and cultural element. aAnd Jehovah pours upon them his denunciation and his burning anger that they dissolve and melt out of operation
It will be a day of fury, a day of distress, and of anguish. A day of storm and desolation.
And even though we be will under divine protection, friends, there are going to be inconveniences and we're going to have to endure, and trust Jehovah. He's bringing us home. We can't worry about what our house is like, or what we own. Say "Goodbye" to those things, friends.
And Jehovah God will first attack the military hoards that are besieging his earthly representatives. Let's turn to
Zech14:12,13
Notice how he disarms these forces here.
Imagine that, friends.
Now just think. All these great armies with all their weapons.
If you lose your eyesight, you cannot press any buttons to send a rocket anywhere. Right?
And if you lose your tongue, how you gonna tell the fellow what to do. Quah quah quah quah.
And if you lose your arms, I mean if you lose your, uh, what are those three things? The eyesight, the arms, and the tongue. If you lose all of that there is no communication. Complete dismantling, you see. Yes, each man's hand will go against his brother. The sword will come.
Now notice what Ez38:22 says.
This is really horrifying and we're going to see this.
So Jehovah God is going to attack these for daring to come against his anointed and his people. These military warriors, so sure of victory, will be shocked out of their wits. They will see something they have never seen before. They will experience what the Ninevites experienced in Nahum 2:10.
Yes an excitement of deep anxiety. Because they are going to see that none of their weapons, their rockets, their destructive nuclear warheads, can stop the sweltering heat waves, the snow blizzards, the hailstones, the hurricanes, the typhoons, the twisting tornados, as it knocks them all out of existence. How can an airplane fly in a tornado? Even those jets? None of them.
The Bible indicates that Jehovah God, now this is very important, friends, is going to set off some very spectacular displays of his great power. Jesus foretold in Luke 21:25 that there will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars. Matt24:29 mentions the sun darkening. The moon not giving its light. As well as falling stars.
Now these celestial supernatural events are going to show God's enemies that what's happening to them is not a natural disaster. It's not a fluke. It's a divinely controlled occurrence or occurrences coming from the true and living God.
It will not take them, of course, long to realize when they see who is being destroyed and who is not being destroyed. You see, freaks of nature don't select who they are going to destroy, right? Obviously.
Jesus also spoke of the sign of the son of man appearing in heaven. That all his enemies would see him coming on the clouds with great power and great glory. Now whatever this manifestation is, friends, and it's going to be one, it's going to tell all the tribes of the earth that Christ has arrived in his glory with all his angels and that now he is calling all wicked mankind to account for their stubborn refusal to know and obey the good news about his kingdom.
They're going to see, friends, that they are going to undergo, now notice this, the judicial punishment of everlasting destruction from before him and from the glory of his strength. There is no resurrection. Everlasting destruction.
Zeph1:17,18
But understand that. Well now we don't have to describe what's going to happen as their world falls apart. I can never forget the horrible feeling I had when i looked out that day on Sept 11, on Tuesday and I looked at the Brooklyn bridge filled with people rushing over friends. Oh. panic confusion it was a horrible thing I felt like leaving my office and going out and trying to comfort them because they were so lost
But when the world comes to an end great panic and fear will sweep around the world. A demoralizing sense of hopelessness and helplessness will grip all of condemned mankind. As the wicked sees that there's no place of escape. No connection to call. No buddy to say "Hey you gotta get me out of this" No, I'm gettin out of it myself. I can't even get out of it myself. Don't even bother me. Everyone will be running for their own life, and they will vent their frustration and rage. Think of the collapse of government. The breakdown of telephone and computer communications. Horrendous traffic jams like that bridge. Riots in the streets. TV and radio stations out of communication. Oh, friends.
This is where were going to have rely on Jehovah. The day of reckoning. The day of divine retribution.
Jehovah's permission patience of wickedness on this earth is over. He is finally intervening in man's affairs to bring to ruin all those ruining the earth. And when it's over, those slain by Jehovah will come to be from one end of the earth clear to the other. They will not be bewailed nor gathered up nor buried. As manure on the surface of the ground they will become. (Jer25:33)
All that remains of Satan's world will be a rubble of fertilizer, friends.
His godship over mankind is over. Now now Jehovah turns his attention to the wicked one.
Now its time for his ignominious dethronement and to take away his freedom of action by forcible captivity in prison. Now this is going to be the most momentous step in universal history. The angels will just thrill to see it. It climaxes the great tribulation. Christ now comes, seizes Gog the dragon the original serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and all his demons. He hurls him into the abyss, Shuts it, and seals it over him for a thousand years, that he and his demons might not mislead the nations anymore.
Now, we're not going to see this thrilling event. Because its going to happen in the invisible spirit realm. But we can visualize Satan and his slithering hoards of savage demons snarling with rage desperately struggling to resist being abyssed into activity.
But, we're going to feel the physical effects of it. Oh, yes, friends. Just as surely as the world felt the effects of when the heavenly struggle hurled Satan down to the earth. Woe to the earth and to the sea. Remember that? Well that is going to be reversed. Rejoice, oh earth, ahhh. The wicked one is gone. At long last a beautiful spirit of peace which will envelop the whole earth. A rest will come upon us. The devil is gone. God's kingdom is now directly ruling our earth. His will is going to be done on our earth as it is in heaven.
Well friends, as I said yesterday are we ready to go into that new world? Are you packed? Are you spiritually rich with your nice bank account in heaven? Are you ready to clear away the ruins of destruction? To roll up you sleeves and start cultivating this earth into a paradise and gardens? I am. I want to put my book bag away and start taking out some hoes and working maybe a tractor or something.
Of course, those of us who lost our homes may have to live temporarily in those that have survived Armageddon. But in time God's organization through the kingdom will arrange for us to have a place to live and then we will work happily under Jehovah's direction. Our health is now be getting getting better and better. Ee will be de-aging. You know what that means? We're going to start going the other way. Yeah. And the joyful prospect for us is here today.
Where are we in the stream of time? We are very deep deep in the time of the end. Sept 11 of 2001 could be the start of a turning point. The paradise . . . . because we don't know. Who knows? This may be the last time we will have to get together. Little did I know when I said that in early part of June what was going to happen on September 11. It's just human nature. You go into denial to see thousands of people killed within a second.
Well this is what the devil is doing and he is using false religion and their fanaticism to bring things to a head. Well fine. You know the devil has been trying very hard to try to do what God has prophesied in the Bible. That's interesting isn't it? But everything he does, end up doing exactly what the Bible says he's going to do. So he's a frustrated god. Ha ha. He's going nowhere. So we can rest assured so what Jehovah says is what is going to happen.
First of all we have to realize the King of the South, the Anglo-American world power, is not going to break or bust. The Bible shows that it will be standing at Armageddon. So matter they may upset the economy. It's a power that will stand. So that's one thing that we should be aware of. Everything God says is what will happen. He does not lie. He cannot lie. He knows exactly what the devil is going to do.
But now we're in a position here where even the country is going through these five steps. And we had meeting at Bethel and they were telling us, that this is an opportunity where people are still mourning
and so we have an opportunity to comfort. We want to go out and comfort the people. And in our case in New York we are not going out with book bags so much. Just with a Bible and some brochures. Sometimes in some places they see the book bag they don't want to hear it.
But if you go up and just talk to them and ask them. Let them talk, friends. Ask them how they feel.
Now I don't know how severe you are meeting with neighbors here. But I know in New York it's been very traumatic. I went out in service the day, the wee, that Saturday after, and I just stood on the street. And as people walked by, all I said is, "You know, I'm hurting. I'm crying." And they turned and they looked and they says, "Well we are too." I said, "I lost 14 of my friends in that attack." "Oh, really?" Immediately they get on your side, see. So, when you talk to people and they start telling you about this, say, "Well we we lost 14, too. We lost dear friends. Devoted brothers."
Now one is known dead. Thirteen are missing. So we assume they're all gone. And, uh, some of them were elders in the Bronx I know. And its been painful, you know. So try to get on the people's side. Let them see. Let them talk.
And remember Jesus said, uh, in his, uh, when he talked to the, uh, Nazareth synagogue. You well know the scripture in Luke 1, uh, in Juke 4, he quoted Isa61. I'd like to read that because that was read to us in Bethel that morning. And it was a very beautiful thought. And this is what is on us, too.
Remember that what these words are, apply to us. "The spirit of the Lord Jehovah is upon us." It is what? For the reason that Jehovah has anointed us to tell the good news. He's commissioned us, hasn't he?
And what does it say to the meek ones, and here's what is beautiful, "He has sent us to bind up the broken hearted." And that's part of our job. We want to bind up these people's hearts. To proclaim liberty. To declare that those taken captive. But go down to the verse where it says, "To comfort all the mourning ones."
So we have a good position, friends. Who knows how many people will listen to us. We know we're getting some fantastic response. People are talking to us. They just want to talk .
I'll never forget the day Kennedy got shot, uh, that weekend I went out, and, uh, we just went from the door to door with our book bags, and all I did was I said, we knocked on the door, and I said, "We've come to comfort you. It's a horrible thing, you see, what happened. A leader shot down like a dog on the street. Wasn't that awful?" And, "Come in." I placed every piece of literature in my bag, I been, bag with my Bible. That was the first time in my entire pioneering and working at bethel where I placed everything. Because we talked about what the people had on their minds. So that's what you want to do.
Now you may meet in, uh, uh opposition. People may accuse you of things. They may ask you what you are doing. They may ask why you are not wearing uh something on your lapel. Say, "Well, we don't have to wear something like that to show what we're doing. And we do a lot of good. And we just follow what the Bible says. We don't let our right hand know what our left hand does in connection with the good."
Now, I'm going to read this report and this you may be able to use this. You might want to take notes on it. This was said at, uh . . . "We were very happy to hear the news this morning that elders that have assigned to bring comfort to people in different areas of Manhattan, such as the Jacob Jacob Javitts center, hospitals, and ground zero."
Here's an experience shared from a sister I worked with in graphics.
Seven elders were selected from her circuit in Brooklyn to go to ground zero. An elder gave this report of their experiences. He and another elder paired up to work together but were a little apprehensive not knowing what to expect. As soon as they started talking all apprehension went away. The brother said, "It just seemed just natural to truly get to comfort these firemen and policemen."
Now they've been suffering a lot. They've lost their buddies, friends. You have to understand that.
Just shows how Jehovah's spirit can help us at the right time. We started on the perimeters and went up to two policemen and showed them the scriptures of comfort,and we talked about Gods' new system. They mentioned they would like to get closer to ground zero. The policemen hugged them. Imagine that.
The policemen hugged these brothers, and thanked them for coming by, and said how much men, uh, the men closer in would need to hear what they said. So he says go in. Isn't that beautiful? So they kept getting closer and were able to talk to different policemen and firemen as they met.
The next perimeter was the National Guard and who said they needed special permission to go any further. So they directed them to the Marines' office to get permission. When they went into the office,
the brother said it was the biggest Marine he ever saw. Very intimidating. They didn't ask for permission. They just started to witness to him. Now listen to this. This big Marine. Tears came in his eyes. He was unbelievably kind and happy to hear, and gave us permission to enter. Isn't that beautiful, how Jehovah is opening the way? Comforting, friends. Who is going to turn away from comfort, huh? The brothers went back and the National Guard said they needed something in writing.
At the same time a group of clergymen arrived. They had previous authorization to go in.
So the brothers returned to the Marine. He wrote them a letter saying that they could go anywhere they wanted, and then he stamped it to make it official. The brothers returned to the National Guard.
At that time the clergymen were already back. They had not brought any comfort to anyone. They were just there taking a tour. You see how Babylon the Great fails the people, friends? The clergy asked the brothers what scriptures they were planning to use. The brothers asked them what they were sharing. He said well we're giving the people bottled water. They need spiritual water. Huh.
Then the National Guard told the brothers even though they had authorization no one else could go in that day. So the next morning, bright and early, the brothers arrived. The National Guard told them they were not letting any clergy in that day. The brothers showed them the letters. They said, "Oh you can go anywhere you want." So the letters worked, didn't they?
The brothers said it was 100 times worse than anything they had seen on TV. Ground zero. 100 times worse. The destruction was worse than a war zone. Rescue workers looked like they were zombies working. They talked with steelworkers. All big men that usually intimidate you. The men had tears in their eyes as they shared the scriptures. And they told the brothers there was a place where they really needed to go. It was boat set up at the marina for rescue workers that were just burned out.
And the Red Cross was providing meals there. They found it said it would just make you cry to see these people. Men looking so so lost. Their heads down. Just not able to cope all that they were seeing.
So the brothers sat down with them and they talked, sharing scriptures with them. There was not a dry eye in the place. The men thanked them for coming, saying saying they really needed this. The brothers spent a few hours with them. They also met a man who drives a little cart taking away body and body parts to the morgue. He just leaned over his steering wheel. They asked if he was OK. He just started to cry. They hugged him, and cried unbelievably for about ten minutes. They hugged him, brothers. Sometimes they need that sometimes.
I did that to a, a, a Moslem, who was so scared, what happened. I could see he was so frightened, and he was a person I returned giving magazines. So I hugged him and I says, "Just be careful what you say. Careful what you say. Be very tactful." He says, "I had nothing to do with this. I'm an American." I said, "I know."
Well, so, friends, be be warm about them. And after he pulled himself together we shared some scriptures. And he told him how much he appreciated it. And how much people need to hear this.
Now how long this is going to stay open we don't know. But you see what's going to happen in that brochure we have about death. The thing will now turn to anger and that's where possibly what we talked about this morning may come. The attack of Gog of Magog, see.
So we can comfort the people. We can go out and talk to them. Be good listeners. Let them talk. Even if they say something that's, you know, you say well, understand how you feel. Don't contradict them, or fight these. And then tactfully work with them.
One more experience. We had a brother who was a, uh, a, you know, worked in a, uh, a, uh, part-time pioneer who was a part-time worker in a restaurant. And he was a pioneer and there were 60 people in the restaurant. And they were supposed to have a vigil that night. So the woman asked all the customers to go into the courtyard with their candles. She turned to the brother and asked him to pray for the group. Well he did. He prayed and asked that Jehovah would give them comfort and they would endure this time and would trust him to carry them through, and would turn to God's kingdom and learn what the Bible says. It was a beautiful prayer. After he was through, the owner who asked him to pray came up and kissed him and hugged him. And every one of the customers thanked him so much.
So there are opportunities working and opening up for us. So we should take advantage of them.
There are so many other things that we are dealing with, friends. But if you meet somebody who is a little regressive, just say, "We are doing everything we can." You can also tell the brothers, these people, say, "Look, we have provided support for the workers. We gave water. We sent tools. We had, uh, food when they came across the bridge. We provided something for them. And we even housed 50 of the victims in our home in New York." Let them know that. See, that they think we are not interested in the community. Of course we take an interest in the community. You are people we want to help, see. So if they know that, then that can be useful. And sometimes that will stop them in their track.
"Well, how come you didn't print that?" "Well, like we said before, we don't let our right hand know what our left hand does. We just do, well, God sees our good works and we expect him to reward us."
And somehow you can defuse a situation like that.
But remember, friends, right now it's going to be a time where we can do our good. There may be a time we may not be able to do much preaching. Who knows? But, uh, they may close in on us. It's going to be difficult. We have to stay very faithful, as we mentioned before. It is time to be very soberly assessing what God's organization has revealed to us.
We're glad to see that so many have suddenly started coming to the meetings again. You know our attendance is up. Well that's too bad, that people have to have a tragedy to move them. They should be coming to meetings anyway. But we're glad to have them back. And we find that some disfellowshipped persons are now wanting to make their way back. Fine. We hope they can get back in time to get strong because it's going to take a lot of strength. And those of you who have been coming to the meetings and who have been attending, you are having the strength. You're going to be thankful that you've been there to the meetings.
And we're going to have to stick very close to the organization. Now God's organization is going to send instructions through the pages of the kKingdom Kinistry and the Watch Wower and the Awake!
Heed it. Follow it. Whatever counsel we get. We may get letters to help us. Then do what it says, friends, follow along. Obey the organization. And Jehovah is running this organization. And, uh, if some fall by the wayside. We can try to help them. But we're not going to stop walking to the new world. Say, "We can only help you, but you've got to get up." And you can maybe help them.
But if they don't want to be helped, friends, what can we do?
And some may drop away. Some may not want to do this. Some may even turn traitor. Remember what Paul said, "There were false brothers." So we have to be ready for this. rRemember one thing - it's your devotion your personal relationship and your dedication to Jehovah. That is the most important thing. No matter what people do. No matter who they are. If they turn against God's organization, do not penalize Jehovah for their badness.
Stay with Jehovah. He is innocent of all badness. So whatever charges they're going to make, people, don't don't worry about that. Postates are working very hard to make problems. Give them no heed.
Remember what Judas, if Judas wrote a book, he would have called it The Dirty Dozen, right? And pointed out all the faults of Peter, well he was a big mouth, he always . . . Well, of course he had faults. He'd step on your toes and you . . . John was ready to blow everybody out of the water. He said fire from heaven, you know. I mean he could have wrote something there, dentist. These apostates can point out to my faults and to faults of the members of the governing body. Of course they have faults. They're not human. But as a body, Jehovah's sprit is upon them. So we're not going to read that garbage. We're not going to listen to them. Because they're only going to do one thing - tear you down. Whereas God's people have only one aim - comfort and build up. That should tell you alone who has the right aim, right?
So, friends, let's keep, stay very faithful to Jehovah. Let's continue so that one day can be living happily in this new world.
I'd like to just share one thing, so, to let you know how much God loves you. Did you know he made over 250,000 flowers? How, you say, well, what does flowers have to do with this? Well, let me finish. That means there are 250,000 different kinds of flowers. Now, when you get in the new world and you want to have a flower on your windowsill in that beautiful little home of yours, and get one for every day, do you know how many days its going to take for you to have a different flower? 250,000 days, which is 685 years. Now if we were designed to live for 70 years, why not make 70 years of flowers?
No, He made eternity. Why? Because when you start combining the flowers you go into what the Hebrew says, the lo lab - time indefinite.
So think of what God has in store for us. This is just one of the little things that we can meditate.
Keep your eyes on the prize. And those of us who were at the meeting yesterday. Remember some of the things. Share those beautiful points on paradise. And, uh, I hope someday that all of us can be together, and we can live forever in happiness, and never again will there ever be a September 11th.
Thank you, and let us now rise and be dismissed with prayer.
Jehovah, our Father in heaven, we thank you so much for giving us your Holy Word, the Bible. We thank you so much that within those those pages you have given us information.
And, of course, we could not get it on our own unless you had the faithful and discreet slave here.
So we thank you for this class that has been so lovingly feeding us, lovingly training us, and warning us, and, uh, uh admonishing us, and urging us to do what is right.
We thank you for all the counsel you give us. May we always be very careful how we dress. That we dress like Christians. That we do not wear anything that possibly could identify us with, uh, either group that can cause trouble for us. Let us do what you say, Father.
We thank you, above all, for the hope of paradise. We are so close. We are so exited, Father. We know you are going to bring us home there to that beautiful new world.
So please bless our efforts to talk and comfort the people. To be with them. To go to their homes.
To take time. And to comfort one another. We pray that you help us to love one another more and more.
And we thank you, above all, for your beloved son, our king. How we rejoice that he reigns now. And has got his armor on, and is ready to charge. We await his attack. And we await our deliverance.
May your name be blessed for ever and ever. Yes, as the psalmist said in Hebrew, ** ** **,
how excellent you name is in all the earth, and it will be that way for ever and ever.
The whole earth will be filled with the knowledge of Jehovah under the leadership and priesthood of our, of your son, Jesus Christ.
We pray these things in his name and ask that you forgive our sinfulness.
And it's in Jesus' name we say this. Amen.