BE HAPPY READERS OF THE BOOK OF REVELATION

Happy Submission to Jehovah's Sovereignty

The vision of Jehovah's throne and of his heavenly court given in chapters 4 and 5 of Revelation should fill us with awe. We should be impressed by the heartfelt expression of praise uttered by the powerful heavenly creatures as they joyfully submit to Jehovah's righteous sovereignty. (Revelation 4:8-11) Our voices should be heard among those that say: "To the One sitting on the throne and to the Lamb be the blessing and the honor and the glory and the might forever and ever." -Revelation 5:13.

In a practical way, this means our being joyfully submissive to Jehovah's will in all things. The apostle Paul wrote: "Whatever it is that you do in word or in work do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, thanking God the Father through him." (Colossians 3:17) Our reading of Revelation will make us truly happy if we in the innermost recesses of our minds and hearts recognize Jehovah's sovereignty and take his will into account in every aspect of our lives.

Joyful submission to Jehovah's sovereignty is the basis for happiness on a personal level and on a universal level. Soon a symbolic great earthquake will shake Satan's world system to its very foundations and destroy it. There will be no place of refuge for humans who refuse to submit to Christ's heavenly Kingdom government, representing God's legitimate domination. The prophecy states: "The kings of the earth and the top-ranking ones and the military commanders and the rich and the strong ones and every slave and every free person hid themselves in the caves and in the rock-masses: 'Fall over us and hide us from the face of the One seated on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb, because great is the day of their wrath has come, and who is able to stand?' " -Revelation 6:12, 15-17.

With regard to that question, in the next chapter, the apostle John describes those making up the great crowd, who come out of the great tribulation, as "standing before the throne and before the Lamb." (Revelation 7:9, 14, 15) Their standing before the throne of God shows that they recognize that throne and fully submit to Jehovah's sovereignty. They therefore stand approved.

On the other hand, chapter 13 depicts the rest of earth's inhabitants as worshiping Satan's political system, symbolized by a wild beast. They receive a mark on their "forehead" or on their "hand," showing their mental and physical support for that system. (Revelation 13:1-8. 16, 17) Then, chapter 14 adds: "If anyone worships the wild beast and its image, and receives a mark on his forehead or upon his hand, he will also drink of the wine of the anger of God that is poured out undiluted into the cup of his wrath . . .Here is where it means endurance for the holy ones, those who observe the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus." (Revelation14:9, 10, 12) As time goes on, the question will increasingly be: Whom do you support? Jehovah and his sovereignty or the ungodly political system symbolized by the wild beast? Happy will those be who avoid receiving the mark of the beast and who endure faithfully in submission to Jehovah's sovereignty.

The rulers of "the entire inhabited earth" are on a collision course, heading for a confrontation with Jehovah over the issue of sovereignty. The showdown will be Armageddon, "the war of the great day of God the Almighty." (Revelation 16:14, 16) An intriguing parenthesis appears right in the midst of the description of the gathering of earth's rulers for war with Jehovah. Jesus himself breaks into the vision to say: "Look! I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one that stays awake and keeps his outer garments, that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness." (Revelation 16:15) This may allude to Levite temple guards who were stripped of their garment and publicly disgraced if they were found sleeping during their guard duty.

The message is clear: If we want to survive Armageddon, we must remain spiritually alert and keep the symbolic garments that identify us as faithful Witnesses of Jehovah God. Happy we will be if we avoid spiritual lethargy and continue without letup, sharing zealously in spreading the "everlasting good news" of God's established Kingdom. -Revelation 14:6.

Next time: 'Happy Is Anyone Observing These Words'

Watchtower, 1999