Conclusion of Jehovah Hates Hypocritical Worship

Modern-day Christendom has similarly practiced things in which Jehovah takes no delight. Idolatry flourishes in her churches, unscriptural philosophies and traditions are exalted from her pulpits, and the quest for political power has led her ever deeper into a spiritually adulterous relationship with the nations of the world.  (Mark 7:13; Revelation 18:4, 5, 9) As was the case with ancient Jerusalem, Christendom's just retribution -a  "frightful" thing-is coming inexorably upon her. Among the reasons for her certain punishment is the way she has treated God's people.

Isaiah continues:  "Hear the word of Jehovah, you men who are trembling at his word: 'Your brothers that are hating you, that are excluding you by reason of my name, said, 'May  Jehovah be glorified!"  He must also appear with rejoicing on your part, and they are the ones that will be put to shame.' " (Isaiah 66:5)  Isaiah's  "brothers," his own countrymen, bear the God-given responsibility of representing Jehovah God and submitting to his sovereignty.  Their sin in failing to do so is grave indeed.  But what adds  to their sin is that they  hate men who are faithful and humble, such as Isaiah. These apostates hate and exclude the faithful because these represent Jehovah God truthfully.  In that sense the exclusion  is made 'by reason of God's name.'  At the same time, these false servants of Jehovah claim to represent  him, piously using such religious-sounding phrases as "May Jehovah be glorified!"

The hatred that false religion has for adherents of pure worship is nothing new. It is a further fulfillment of the prophecy at Genesis 3:15, which foretold long-standing enmity between Satan's seed and the Seed of God's woman.  Jesus told his anointed  followers in the first century that they too would suffer at the hands of their fellow countrymen-exclusion from the synagogues and persecution even to the point of death.  (John 16:2)  And what of modern times?  At the beginning of "the last days,"  God's people saw that similar persecution lay ahead.  (2 Timothy 3:1)  Back in 10914, The Watch Tower quoted Isaiah 66:5, noting: "Nearly all the persecutions  that have come to God's people have come from professed Christians."  The same article also said:  "We do not know but that they may go to the extreme in our day -to kill socially, to kill ecclesiastically, perhaps  to kill physically."  How true those words turned out to be!  Not long after they were published, clergy-instigated persecution reached a fever pitch during World War I.  But Christendom  was put to shame, just as foretold. How?

Next time: A Swift and Sudden Restoration

From the Book Isaiah's Prophecy Light for all Mankind, Volume II, 2001