HAPPINESS FOR THE HOLY ONES

Jehovah's angel concludes his prophecy regarding the holy ones with these words:  "Happy is the one who is keeping in expectation and who arrives at the one thousand three hundred and thirty-five days!" (Daniel 12:12)  The angel gives no clues as to when this period begins or ends. History suggests that it simply follows on the heels of the preceding period.  In that case it would run from the autumn of 1922 to the late spring of `926 (Northern Hemisphere). Did the holy ones come to a state of happiness by the end of that period?  Yes, in important spiritual ways.

Even after the convention in 1922, some of God's holy ones were still looking longingly to the past.  The basic  study material for their meetings was still the  Bible and the volumes of Studies in the Scriptures, by C.T.Russell.  At that  time, there was a widely held view that pointed  to 1925 as the year for the  resurrection to begin and for Paradise to be restored to the earth.  Thus, many were serving with a fixed date in mind. Some proudly refused to share in the work of preaching to the public.  This was not a happy state of affairs.

As the 1,335  days progressed, however, all of this began to change. Preaching came to the fore, as regular arrangements for everyone to participate in the field ministry were established. Meetings scheduled to  study the Watchtower each week. The issue of March 1, 1925, carried the historic article "Birth of the Nation," giving God's people a full understanding of what had happened in the 1914-19 period. After 1925 passed, the holy ones no longer served God with an immediate, explicit deadline in view. Rather, the sanctification of Jehovah's name was paramount. This vital truth was highlighted, as never before, in  the January 1, 1926, Watchtower articles "Who Will Honor Jehovah?" At the convention in May 1926, the book Deliverance was released.  This was one of a series of new books designed to replace Studies in the Scriptures.  No longer were the holy ones looking to the past.  They were looking confidently to the future and the work ahead. As prophesied, the  1,335  days therefore ended with the holy ones in a happy state. 

Next time: Conclusion of HAPPINESS FOR THE HOLY ONES

From the book: PAY ATTENTION TO DANIEL'S PROPHECY! 1999