Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - A Flying Eagle

These first four trumpet blasts truly resulted in uncovering the desolate and death-dealing condition of Christendom.   Her part of "the earth" was exposed as deserving of Jehovah's judgment. Revolutionary governments springing up i her lands and elsewhere were shown to be inimical  to spiritual life.  The fallen condition of her clergy was laid bare, and the general darkness of her spiritual condition was exposed for all to see.  Christendom is truly the most reprehensible part of Satan's system of things. 

What more is there to reveal?  Before we dind the answer to this question, there is a bried pause in the series of trumpet blasts.  John describes what he next ses:  "And I saw, and I heard an eagle flying in midheaven say with a loud voice:  'Woe, woe, woe to those dwelling on the earth because of the rest of the trumpet blasts of the three angels who are about to blow their trumpets!"' - REVELATION 8:13.

An eagle flies high in the sky, so that people in a wide area can see it. It has exceptionallty keen sight and can see a long way ahead of itself. (Job 39:29) One of the four cherubic living creatures around God's throne was pictured as a flying eagle.  (Revelation 4:6, 7)    Whether it is this cherub or another farsighted servant of God, it loudly proclaims  a dynamic message:  "Woe, woe, woe"!  Let the earth's inhabitants  take note,  as the three remaining trumpet blasts are heard, each of them linked to one of these woes.

Next time: The First Woe-Locusts

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Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Darkness!

"And the fourth angel blew his trumpet. And a third of the sun was smitten and a third of the moon and a third of the stars,  in order that a third of them might be darkened and the day might not have illumination for a third of it, and the night likewise." (Revelation 8:12)   The ninth plague on Egypt was a plague of literal darkness.  (Exodus 10:21-29)   But what is this symbolic darkness that comes to plague men?

The apostl Pau told fellow believers that they had been in darkness, spiritually speaking, before thay became Christians.  (1 Peter 2:9)  Paul too used the word  "darkness" to describe the spiritual state of those outside the Christian congregation.  (Ephesians 5:8; 6:12; Colossians 1:13; 1 Thessalonians 5:4, 5)  But what about those in Christendom who claim to believe in God and who say they accept Jesus as their Savior? 

Jesus said that true Christians would be recognized by their fruits and that many claiming  to be his followers would be "workers of lawlessness."  (Matthew 7:15-23)  No one looking at the fruits of the third of the word occupied by Christendom can deny that she is groping in gross spiritual darkness.  (2 Corinthians 4:4) She is the most blameworthy, for she claims to be Christian.   Hence it is only proper that the fourth angel should trumpet the fact that Christendom's "light" is, in fact, darkness, and her sources of "light" are Babylonish-non-Christian. - MARK 13:22, 23; 2 TIMOTHY 4:3, 4. 

In line with that heavenly proclamation, a capacity crowd of God's people assembled in convention in Indianapolis, Indiannna, U.S.A. , on August 29m 1925, and adopted for publication  a forthright resolution entitled "Message of Hope."  Again, some 50 million copies were distributed in a number of languages.  It described the false light held out by the combine of commercial profiteers, political leaders,, and the religious clergy, as   result of which  "the people have fallen into darkness."  And it pointed to God's Kingdom as the real hop;e for recieving  "the bessings of peace, prosperity, health, life, liberty and eternal happiness."  It  took courage  for the small band  of anointed Christians to proclaim such messages against the giant organization of Christendom.  But consistently, from the early 1920's  until now, they have done so.  In more recent times, in  1955,  a further expose of the clergy class was made by the worldwide distribution in many languages of a  booklet entitiled Christendom or Christianity-Which One is "the light of the world'?   Today, Christendom's hypocrisy has become so evident that many of the world can see it for themselves.  But Jehovah's people have not let up in exposing her for what she is; a kingdom of darkness.

Next time:  Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - A Flying Eagle

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Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - A Star Fell From Heaven -Conclusion

This fall from the spiritual heavens  became apparent in the year 1919 when, rather than Christendom's clergy, the small remnant of anointed Christians was appointed over the Kingdom interests.  (Matthew 24:45-47)  And from 1922 that fall was dramatized  when this groups of Christians renewed their campaign  of frankly exposing the failing of the clergy of Christendom.

Outstanding in this connection was the proclamation made at what The Golden Age magazine described as "the greatest convention of Bible Students held during the ages."  This convention assembled in Columbus, Ohio, July 20-27, 1924.  No doubt  at the direction of the angel that sounded the third trumnpet, a forceful resolution was there adopted and later 50 million copies were distributed as a tract. It was published under the title Ecclesiastes Indicted.  A subheading presented  the issue:  "The Seed of Promise Versus the Seed of the Serpent."  The Indictment  itself  roundly exposed Christendom's clergy on matters such as their taking on of high-sounding religious  titles, their making commercial giants of professional politicians the principal ones of their flocks, their desireing  to shine forth before men, and their refusing to preach to the people the message of the Messiah's Kingdom. It emphasized  that every dedicated Christian is commissioned by God to proclai  "the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn." - ISAIAH 61:2, KJ. 

Since the third angels started to blow his trumpet, the clergy's position of dominance among makind has been slipping until, in this day and age, very few of them retain the godlike powers they enjoyed whyile in former centuries.  Because of the preaching of Jehovah's  Witnesses, great numbers of people have  come to realize that many doctrines taught by te clery are spiritual poison.-"wormwood."  Furthermore, the clergy's power  in northern Europe  is almost spent, while in some other lands, the government strictluy curtails their influence.  In political, and moral affairs has sullied their reputation. From now on, their position can only get worse. since soon they will suffer the same fate as all other religionists. - REVELATION 18:21; 19:2. 

Jehovah's plaguing of Christendom is not yet finished.  Consider what happens after the fourth trumpet blast.

Next time: Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Darkness! 

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Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - A Star Falls From Heaven

"And the third angel blew his trumpet.  And a great star burning as  a lamp fell from heavewn, it it fell upon a third of the rivers and upon the fountains of waters. And the name of the star is called wormwood. And third of the waters turned into wormwood, and many of the men died from the waters, because these had been made bitter. " (Revelation 8:10, 11)   Once again, other parts of the Bible help us to see how this scripture applies in the Lord's day.

We have already met the symbolism of a star in Jesus' messages to the seven congregations, in which the seven stars symbolize the elders in the congregations.  (Revelation 1:20)  Anointed "stars," along with all others of the anointed, inhabit heavenly places in a spiritual sense from the time that they are sealed with the holy spirit as  a token of their heavenly inheritance.  (Ephesians 2:6, 7)  However,  the apostle Paul warned that from among such starlike ones would come apostates, sectarians, who would mislead the flock.  (Acts 20:29, 30)  Such unfaithfulness would result  in a great apostasy, and these fallen elders would come up to make a composite man of lawlessness that would elevate himself to a godlike position among mankind.  (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 4)  Paul's warning were fulfilled when the clergy of Christendom appeared on the world scene.  This group is well represented by the symbol of "a great star burning as a lamp." 

John sees this particular star falling from heaven. How?  The experiences of an ancient king helps us to understand. Speaking to the king of Babylon, Isaiah said:  "O how you have fallen from heaven, you shining one, son of the dawn!  How you have been cut down to earth, you were disabling the nations!" (Isaiah 14:12)  This prophecy was fulfilled when Babylon was overthrown by the armies of Cyrus, and its king made an abrupt descent from the world rulership to shameful defeat. Thus, a fall from heaven can refer to losing a high position and falling into ignominy.

When the clergy of Christendom apostatized from true Christianity, they fell from the lofty "heavenly position described by Paul at Ephesians 2:6, 7.  Instead of offering fresh waters of truth, they served up "wormwood,"  butter lies such as hell fire, purgatory, the Trinity, and predestination; also, they led the nations into war, failing to build them up as moral servants of God.  The result?  Spiritul poisoning  of those who believed the lies.  Their case was similar to that of the unfaithful Isralites of Jeremiah's day, to whom Jehovah said:  "Here I am making them eat wormwood, and I will give them poisoned water  to drink. For from the prophet of Jerusalem apostasy has gone forth to all the land. -  Jeremiah 9:15; 23:15. 

Next time: Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - A Star Falls From Heaven -Conclusion

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Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Like a Burning Mountain -Conclusion

 The Fascist and Nazi experiments were snuffed out by the second world warm but government continued to be a fiery issue, and the human sea continued to churn and throwe up new revolutionary governments.  In the decades following  1945, these were installed in many places, such as China, Vietnam, Cuba, and Nicaragua.  In Greece and experiment in military dictatorship failed. In Kampuchea (Cambodia) and excursion into fundamentalist Communism resulted in a reported two million and more deaths.

That "mountain burning with foire"  continued to  make waves in the sea of mankind.  Struggles over government have been reported in Africam the Americas, Asia, and the Pacific islands.  Many of these struggles have taken place in the lands of Christendom or where Christendom's missionaries have become activists.  Roman Catholic priests even joined up and fought as members of the Communist guerrilla bands. At the same time, Protestant evangelical groups  worked in Central America to counter what they called the Communists'  "vicious and relentless thirst for power."  But none of these  convulsions in the sea of mankind have brought peace and security.  -Compare ISAIAH 25:10-12; 1 THESSALONIANS 5:3. 

The second trumpet blast reveals that those of mankind who got involved in revolutionary conflicts over governement rather than submit to God's Kingdom are bloodguilty. Particularly Christendom's "third of the sea" has become as blood.  All living things therein are dead in God's eyes.   None of the radical organizations floating like boats in that third of the sea can avoid ultimate shipwreck.  How we are that millions of sheeplike people hav enow  heeded the trumpetlike call to separat from those who are still wallowing in the narrow nationalism and bloodguilt of that sea. 

Next time: Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - A Star Falls From Heaven

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Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Like a Burning Mountain

"And the second angel blew his trumpet, and  something like a great mountain burning with fire was hurled into the sea.  And  a third of the sea became blood; and third of the creatures that are in the sea which have souls died, and thired of the boats were wrecked." (Revelation 8:8, 9) What does this frightfull scene picture? 

We may best understand it against the background of the convention of Jehovah's people held in Los Angeles, California, U.S. A.,  on August 18-26, 1923.  The featured Saturdat afternoon talk by J.F. Rutherford was on the topic "Sheep and Goats."  The "sheep" were clearly idendified as those righteously disposed persons who would inherit the earthly realm of God's Kingdom.  A resolution that followed drew attention to the hypocrisy of "apostate clergymen and 'the principal of their flocks," who are worldly men of strong financial and political influence."  It called on the "multitude  of the peace and order loving ones in the denominational churches . . . to withdraw themselves from the unrighteous ecclesiastical systems designated by teh Lord as 'Babylon"' and to ready themselves "to recieve the blessings of God's Kingdom.

Doubtless, this resolution came as a result of the sounding of the second trumpet.  Those  who would in due course respond to that messge would separate from those described by Isaiah in these words:  "But the wicked are like the sea that is being tossed , when it is unable to calm down, the waters of which keep tossing up seaweed and mire."  (Isaiah 57:20; 17:12, 13)   Thus, "the sea" well pictures restless, unsettled, and rebellious humanity that churns up unrest and revelution.  (Compare Revelation 13:1) The time will  come when that  "sea" will be no more.  (Revelation 21:1) Meantime, with the blast of the second trunpet, Jehovah pronounces judgment against a third of it-the unruly part that is in the realm of Christendom herself.

A great mountainlike mass burning with fire is hurled into this "sea."  In the Bible, mountains very often symbolize governments.  For example, God's Kingdom is portrayed as a mountain.  (Daniel 2:35, 44) Ruinous Babylon became a "burnt-out mountain."  (Jeremiah 51:25)  But the mountainous mass that John sees is still burning. It is being hurled into the sea well represents how, during and after the first  world war, the question  of government became a burning issue among mankind, especially in the lands of Christendom.  In Italy, Mussolini introduced Fascism.  Germany embraced Hitler's  Nazism, while other countries tried different forms of socialism.  A radical change occurred in Russi, where the Bolshevik revolution produced the first Communist state, with ther result of the religious leaders  of Christendom lost power and influence  in what was formerly one of their strongholds. 

Next time: Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Like a Burning Mountain

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Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - A Third of the Earth Burned Up

 Reporting on the angels, John writes: "And the first one blew his trumpet.  And there occurred  a hail and fire mingled with blood, and it was hurled to the earth; and a third of the earth was burned up, and a third of the trees was burned up, and all the green vegetation was burned up."  (Revelation 8:7) This is similar to the seventh plague on Egypt, but does it mean for our time? - EXODUS 9:24.

In the Bible, the word "earth"  often refers to mankind." (Genesis 11:1; Psalm 96:1) Since  the second plague is on the sea, which also has to do with mankind, "the earth" must refer to the seemingly stable human society that Satan has built up  and that is due to be destroyed.   (2 Peter 3:7; Revelation 21:1) The plague scenario reveals that Christendom's third of the earth is scorched by the searing of Jehovah's disapprovall.  Her prominent ones-standing  like trees in the midst of her-are burned up by proclaiming of Jehovah's adverse judgment.  All her hundreds of millions of church members , if they continue to support Christendom's religion, become like scorched blades of grass, spiritually wilted in God's eyes. - Compare  37:1, 2. 

How is the judgment message delivered?  Generally, not by the world's news media, which are part of the world and often reproachful of God's "slave." (Matthew 24:45) It was proclaimed in a notable way at the second gathering of God's people at Cedar Point, Ohio, September 10, 1922.  These unanimously and enthusiastically adopted a resolution entitled "A Challenge to World Leaders."  In outspoken  terms, it put the modern-day symbolic  earth on notice, as follows:  "We therefore call upon the nations of earth, their rulers and leaders, and upon all the clergymen of all the denominational churches of earth, their  followers and allies, big business and big politicians, to bring forth their proof in justification of the position taken by them  that they can establishy peace and prosperity on earth and bring happiness to all the people; and their failing on this , we call upon them to give eart to the testimony that we offer as witnesses to our Lord, and then let them say whether or now our testimony is true." 

What testimony did these Christians offer?  This:  "We hold and declare that the Messiah's kingdom is the complete panacea  for all the ills of humankind and will bring peace on earth and good will to men, the desire of all the nations; that those who yield themselves willingly t hos righteous reign  now begun will be blessed with lasting peace, life, libertuy and endless happiness."  In these corrupt times, when man-made governments, especially those in Christendom. are failing utterly to solver the world's problems, that trumpeting challenge rings out with even great force than  in 1922.  How true that God's Kingdom in the hands of his conquering Christ is mankind's one and only hope! 

Through resolutions, tracts, booklets, books, magazines, and discourses, this and later proclamations were trumpeted forth by means of the congregation of anointed Christians.  The trumpet blast resulted in Christendom's being beaten as  with the hardend water of a pounding hail. Her bloodguilt, due her share in the wars of the 20th century, has been laid bare.  And she has been shown  to be deserving  of the fiery expression of Jehovah's wrath.  The John class, with later support from the great crowd, has continued to echo the first trumpet blas, drawing attention to Jehovah's view of Christendom, as being fit for destruction. - REVELATON 7:9, 15. 

Next time: Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Like a Burning Mountain

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Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom- Identifying the "Third"

As we shall see, when the first four trumpets are blown, plagues are inflicted on "a third" of the earth, of the sea, of the rivers and fountains of waters, and of the earth's sources of light. (Revelation 8:7-12)  A third is a considerable part of something but the whole.  (Compare  Isaiah 19:24; Ezekiel5:1; Zechariah 13:8, 9.)   so which "third" would be most deserving of these plagues ?  The majority of mankind has been blinded  and corrupted by Satan and his seed.  (Genesis 3:15); 2 Corinthians 4:4)  The situation is as described by David:"  "They have all turned aside, there are alike corrupt; there is no one doing good, not even one." (Psalm 14:3) Yes, the whole of mankind is in danger of receiving an adverse judgment. But one section thereof  is particularly guilty.  One part-"a third"-should have known better!  What is is that "third"? 

It is Christendom!   In the 1920's, her realm embraced about one third of mankind.  Her religion is the fruit of the great apostasy  from true Christianity-the apostasy that Jesus and his disciples foretold.  (Matthew 13:24-30; Acts 20:29, 30; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 2 Peter 2:1-3)  The clergy of Christendom claim to be in God's temple and have represented themselves as teachers of Christianity. But their doctines  are far removed from Bible truth, and they continually bring God's name into disrepute.  Aptly represented by the symoblic thire, Christendom recieve potent, plaguing messages from Jehovah. That third of mankind merits no divine favor whatsoever!

In line with there being a sequence of trumpet blasts, special resolutions were featured at seven conventions from 1922 to 1928.  But the trumpeting has been confined to those years. The powerful exposing of Christendom's wicked ways has been continous , ongoing, as the Lord's day progresses.  Jehovah's judgments   must proclaim universally, to all nations, despite interational hatred and persecutions. Only then does the end of Satan's system come.  (Mark13:10, 13)  Happily, the great crowd  has not added its voice to that of the John class in making those thunderous pronouncements of worldwide importance.

Next time: Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - A Third of the Earth Burned Up

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Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Preparing for teh Blasts of the Trumpets

John goes on to say: "And the seven angels with the seven trumpets prepared to blow them." (Revelation 8:6)  What does the blowing of those trumpets mean?  In the days of Israel, trumpet blasts were used to signal important days or noteworthy events.  (Leviticus 23:24; 2 Kings 11:14)  Similarly, the blasts of the trumpets that John is to hear will call attention to matters of life-and-death importance.

As the angels got ready to blow those trumpets, no doubt they were also giving direction to a preparatory work on earth.  From  1919 to 1922, the revitalized John class was busy in reorganizing te public ministry and building up publishing facilities.  In 1919 the magazine The Golden Age, known today as Awake!, had been brouggt forth as  "A Journal of Fact, Hope and Conviction"-a trumpetlike instrument that would play a key role in exposing false religion's politiecal involvements. 

As we shall see now, each of the trumpet blasts hearalds  a dramatic scence in which terrible  plagues affect portions of the earth.  Some of these remind us of the plagues that Jehovah sent to punish the Egyptians in Mose' day.   (Exodus 7:9-12:32)   These were expressions of Jehovah's judgment on that nation, and they opened the way for God's people to escape from slavery.  The plagues seen by John accomplish something similar.  However, they are not literal plagues.  They are signs that sybolize Jehovah's righteous judgments. - REVELATION 1:1.

Next time: Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Identifying the "Third"

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Jehovah's Plagues on Christendom - Hurling Fire to the Earth

John tells us:"But right away the angel took the incense vessel, and he filled it with  some of the fire of the altar and  hurled it to the earth.  And thunders occurred and voices  and lightnings and an earthquake." (Revelation 8:5) After the silence that is sudden dramatic activity!  This is evidently in response  to the prayers of the holy ones, since it is triggered by fire taken from the incense altar.  Back in  1513 B.C.E., at Mount Sinai, thunders and lightnings, a loud noise, fire and a quaking of the mountain signaled Jehovah's turning his attention to his people.  (Exodus 19:16-20)  The similar manifestations reported by John likewise indicate Jehovah's giving attention to his servants on earth. But John observes is presented in signs.  (Revelation 1:1)  So how are the symbolic  fire,  thuders, voices and lightnings, and earthquake to be intrepreted  today?

On one occasion, Jesus told his disciples:  "I came to start a fire on the earth." (Luke 12:49) Truly, he did ignite a fire.  by his zealous preaching, Jesus made God's Kingdom the parmount  issue before the Jewish people and this sparked heated controversy throughout that nation.  (Matthew 4:17, 25; 10:5-7, 17, 18)  In 1919 Jesus' spiritual brothers  on earth the small band of anointed Christians who survived the trialsome  days of Word War I, set light to a similar fie in Christendom.  In September of that year, Jehovah's spirit was remarkably in evdence as his loyal Witnesses assembled from near and far at Cedar Point, Ohio,  U.S.A. Joseph F. Rutherford, recently released from prison and soon to see all charges against him dropped, boldly addressed that convention, saying:  "Obedient to the command of our Master, and recognizing our privilege and duty to make war   against the strongholds of error which have so long held the people in bondage, our vocation was and is to announce the incoming glorious Kingdom of the Messiah." That is  the primary issue- God's Kingdom! 

Referring to the recent hard experiences of God's people, the speaker said:  "So pitiless was sthe onslaught of the enemy that  many of the Lord's dear flock were stunned and stood still in momentary discouragement, there was a burning  desire to proclaim the message of the kingdom." See  the September  15,1919, issue of the Watch Tower, page 280.

In 1919 that desire was satisfied.  This small but active group  of Christians were set on fire, spiritually speaking, to begin a worldwide peaching campaign.  (Compare 1 Thessalonians 5:19.) Fire was hurled to the earth in that God's Kingdom was made the burning issue, and so it continues to be!  Strong voices replaced silence, sounding out the Kingdom message with clarity.  Thunderous storm warnings from the Bible pealed forth. Like flashes of lighning, brilliant beams of truth shone from Jehovah's prophetic Word, and, as if  by a mighty earthquake, the religious realm  was shaken to its foundations.  The John class  saw that there was  work to be done.  And to this day, that work contineus to expand gloriously throughout the entire inhabited earth! - ROMANS 10:18. 

Next time: Jehovah's Plagues of Christendom - Preparing for the Blasts of the Trumpets

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