Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret- It's Glorious Climax - Behold the Ark of His Covenant! -Continue

 Those first ones who have been resurrected to heaven see this symbolic ark at close range, for they have taken their place as part of the 24 elders around Jehovah's throne.  And the John class one earth have been enlightened by Jehovah's spirit to discern His presence in His spiritual temple. There have also been signs to alert mankind in general to this wonderful development. John's vision speaks of lightnings, voices, and thunders, an earthquake, and hail. (Compare Revelation 8:5) What do these symbolize?

Since 1914 there has been a tremendous upheaval in the realm of religion. Happily, though, this "earthquake" has been accompanied by dedicated voices giving a clear message about God's established Kingdom. Thunderous 'storm warnings' from the Bible have been sounded. Like lightning, flashes of insight as to God's prophetic Word have been seen and publicized. A hard pounding "hail" of divine judgments have been unleashed against Christendom and false religion in general. All of this should have caught people's attention. Sadly, though, the majority-like the people of Jerusalem in Jesus' time-have failed to discern the fulfillment of these Revelation signs. -LUKE19:41-44. 

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Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret -It's Glorious Climax! -Behold the Ark of the Covenant - Continue

 Now, after more than 2,500 years, the Ark is seen once more. But in John's vision the Ark in not in an earthly temple. It appears in the heavenly sanctuary of God. Once again, Jehovah rules by means of a king in the royal line of David. This time, however, the King, Christ Jesus, is enthroned in heavenly Jerusalem-the exalted vantage point from which he executes Jehovah's judgments. (Hebrews 12:22) The following chapters of Revelation will unveil these to us. 

In ancient earthly Jerusalem, the Ark was not seen by the Israelites in general, nor even the priests serving in the temple, for it was within the Most Holy which was screened off from the Holy Place by a curtain.  (Numbers 4:20; Hebrews 9:2, 3) Only the high priest got to see it when he entered the Most Holy on the annual day of Atonement. Nevertheless, when the temple sanctuary in the heavens   is opened, the symbolic ark is visible not only to Jehovah's High Priest, Jesus Christ, but also to his underpriests, the 144,000, including John. 

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Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret-It's Glorious Climax! - Behold the Ark of His Covenant!

 Jehovah rules! Through his Messianic Kingdom, he is exercising his sovereignty toward mankind in a marvelous way. This is confirmed by what John sees next: "And the temple sanctuary of God that is in heaven was opened, and the ark of his covenant was seen in his temple sanctuary. And there occurred lightnings and voices and thunders and an earthquake and a great hail." (Revelation 11:19) This is the only mention in Revelation of the ark of God's covenant. The Ark had been the visible symbol of Jehovah's presence with his people Israe. In the tabernacle and later in the temple built by Solomon, it was kept in the Most Holy. But when Israel went into captivity in Babylon in B.C.E., Jerusalem was desolated and the ark of the covenant disappeared. That was when representatives of the house of David ceased to sit upon Jehovah's throne king. -1 CHRONICLES  29:23. 

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Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret/It's Glorious Climax! - Woe to the Ruinous Ones! -- Conclusion

 The third woe is accompanied by an ongoing series of happy events that will proceed progressively through the Lord's day. It is the time for the dead to be judged, and for God to give their reward to his slaves the prophets and to his holy ones and to those fearing his name. That means a resurrection from the dead! For the anointed holy ones who already fallen asleep in death, this takes place early in the Lord's day. (1 Thessalonians 4:15-17) In due course the remaining holy ones join these by an instantaneous resurrection. Others too are to be rewarded including God's slaves the prophets of ancient times and all others if mankind who have come to fear Jehovah's name, whether  they are of the great crowd who survive the great tribulation or of "the dead, the great and the small," who are being raised to life during Christ's Millennial Reign. Since God's Messianic Kingdom has the keys of death and of Hades, his Kingdom rule opens the way for him to dispense everlasting life to all who reach out for precious provision. (Revelation 1:18; 7:9, 14; 20:12. 13; Romans 6:22; John 5:28, 29) Whether it is immortal life in the heavens or eternal life on earth, this gift of life is an undeserved kindness from Jehovah, for which each recipient may be forever thankful. - HEBREWS 2:9.

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Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret - It's Glorious Climax! -Woe to the Ruinous Ones!

 Here, then, is the third woe. It comes quickly! It is Jehovah's means of bringing ruination to those who desecrate his "footstool," this lovely earth on which we live. (Isaiah 66:1) It is set in motion by the Messianic Kingdom-the sacred secret of God. God's enemies, and Christendom's leaders in particular, have been tormented by the first two woes-resulting principally from the locust plague and the armies of cavalry; but the third woe, which Jehovah's Kingdom itself administers, brings more than torment. (Revelation 9:3-19) It provides the death stroke in ousting a ruinous human society and its rulers. This will come as the climax of Jehovah's Judging at Armageddon. It is just as Daniel had prophesied: "And in the days of those kings [rulers who ruining the earth] the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite." Like an imposing mountain, God's Kingdom will rule over an earth made glorious, vindicating Jehovah's sovereignty and bringing eternal joy to mankind. -DANIEL2:35, 44; ISAIAH 11:9; 60:13. 

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Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret/It's Glorious Climax! - Jehovah Takes Power - Conclusion

 Throughout history nations have been ruining the earth by their incessant warfare and bad management.  Since 1914, however, this ruination has escalated to an alarming degree. Greed and corruption have resulted in expanding deserts ad tremendous loss of productive land. Acid rain and radioactive clouds have damaged large areas. Food sources have been polluted. The air we breathe and the water we drink are contaminated. Industrial wastes threaten life on land and in the sea. And the superpowers threaten complete ruination by way of nuclear annihilation of all humankind. Happily, Jehovah will "bring to those ruining the earth; he will execute judgment on those proud godless humans who are responsible for earth's sorry state. (Deuteronomy32:5, 6; Psalm 14:1-3) Therefore, Jehovah arranges for the third woe, to bring these wrongdoers to account. - REVELATION 11:14.

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 On the other hand, the blowing of the seventh trumpet brings no joy to the nations. The time has come for them to experience Jehovah's wrath.  As John relates: "But the nations became wrathful, and your own wrath came, and the appointed time for the dead to b judged, and to give their reward to your slaves the prophets and to the holy ones and to those fearing your name, the small and the great, and to bring to ruin those ruining the earth." (Revelation 11:18) From 1914 onward the nations of the world have fiercely expressed the wrath against one another, against God's Kingdom and especially against Jehovah's two witnesses. - REVELATION 11:3. 

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Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret -It's Glorious Climax - Jehovah Takes Power

 Christ enthroned in God's Kingdom -what joy this announcement calls forth! John reports:" And the twenty-four elders who were seated before God upon their thrones fell upon their faces and worshiped God, the Almighty, the One who is and who was, because you have taken your great power and begun ruling as king.' " - REVELATIONS 11:16, 17. 

The ones that offer these thanks to Jehovah God are the 24 elders, symbolizing the anointed brothers of Christ in their heavenly positions. From 1922 onward a remnant on earth of those 144,000 anointed ones got busy in the work that was set in motion by the trumpet blasts. They came to realize the full import of the sign at Matthew 24:3-25:46. Even earlier in the Lord's day, however, their fellow witnesses who had already 'proved faithful even to death' had been resurrected to take their positions in heaven, so that they could now represent the entire group of 144,000 in falling upon their faces to render homage to Jehovah. (Revelation 1:10; 2:10) How thankful of all these that are their Sovereign Lord has not delayed in bringing his sacred secret to a climatic finish!

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Chapter Twenty-Six/The Sacred Secret -It's Glorious Climax

 The trumpet blast of the seventh angel was reflected in highlights of the Bible Students' convention in Detroit, Michigan, July 30-August 6, 1928. At that time 107 broadcasting stations were tied in to what The New York Times described as the most extensive and expensive radio hook-up in history.' The convention enthusiastically adopted a powerful "Declaration against Satan and for Jehovah," pointing to the overthrow, at Armageddon, of Satan and his evil organization and the emancipation of all who love righteousness. Loyal subjects of God's Kingdom were delighted to receive a convention release, the 368-page book Government. This supplied the clearest proofs "that God set his Anointed King upon his throne in 1914. 

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 When the sounding of the seven trumpets got underway in 1922, the Bible Students' convention at Cedar Point, Ohio, featured a talk by the president of the Watch Tower Society, J.F. Rutherford, based on the scripture "The kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 4:17, King James Version) He concluded with these words: "Then back to the field, O ye sons of the high God! Gird on your armor! Be sober, be vigilant, be active, be brave, Be faithful true witnesses for the Lord. Go forward in the fight until every vestige of Babylon likes desolate. Herald the message far and wide. The world must know that Jehovah is God and that Jesus Christ is King and Lord of lords. This is he day of all days. Behold the King reigns! You are his publicity agents. Therefore, advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom." God's King by Christ Jesus was brought to the fore, and that set off the great surge of Kingdom preaching that has included the judgments heralded by the sounding of all seven of the angelic trumpets.

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