Kingdom News No. 18

Government by God, Are You for It—Or Against It?

What difference does it make?

What shows where you really stand?

 World Conditions Do Not Represent Rule by God

The earth could be a splendid home. But people now suffer because of soaring prices and dwindling supplies of food, clothing, shelter, fuel—the most basic things of life. Cities fester with crime and poverty. Everywhere, people see corruption and mismanagement. Pollution is making the earth a global garbage dump.

Do you honestly believe that this present mess is the result of God’s rule of earth’s affairs? Some people do. But the Bible says: “As for the true God, perfect is his way.” (2 Samuel 22:31) The conditions that surround us all do not reflect such perfection.

Whose Rulership Do These Conditions Reflect?

You will agree: “Man has dominated man to his injury.” That is what the Bible says. (Ecclesiastes 8:9) You are seeing the result of human rule that ignores God’s laws and counsel. But there is more to it than that.

World conditions also reflect rulership from an invisible source. Why so? Because, in spite of all efforts of sincere men to solve human problems, conditions go from bad to worse.

It is as if an evil mastermind behind the scenes is manipulating human affairs, drawing all mankind irresistibly toward disaster. Is that the case?

The Bible answers, Yes. It describes all the nations of earth and their rulers as being led into a war against God. Led by whom? By God’s chief adversary, the one whom Jesus Christ called “the ruler of this world.”—John 12:31.

The Bible says that the one called Satan the Devil is the evil mastermind who is “misleading the entire inhabited earth.” That inspired Word of God also says that Satan is gathering ’the political rulers of all the earth to the war of the great day of God the Almighty.’—Revelation 12:9; 16:13, 14.

No efforts by human rulers or their subjects can prevent the coming of that universal conflict, now near.

 YOUR CHOICE—The Present Corrupt System or God’s Righteous New Order

For nearly 6,000 years men, under the influence of Satan, have been allowed to go to the limit in their efforts to rule the earth their way. Today we see the results.

God has declared his purpose to put an end to the mismanagement and ruining of the earth. His Word foretells:

“The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. . . . It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.”—Daniel 2:44.

In that coming collision only those who have taken their stand firmly for God’s kingdom can hope to survive. This kingdom is a real government, ruling from heaven, under the direction of God’s own Son, Jesus Christ. What will that government do for surviving mankind? It will accomplish what men never could.

Mankind ‘will beat their spears into pruning shears, and they will learn war no more.’—Isaiah 2:4.

“Death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore.”—Revelation 21:4.

Each one will sit ‘under his own vine and fig tree, and no one will make them afraid.’—Micah 4:4.

These are amazing promises, but would you expect any less from a government by God?

God’s kingdom will accomplish these things because it alone has the power and the means to root out sin and to free mankind from the domination of Satan.

 How Can You Prove You Are for Government by God?

Really, it is not just a matter of saying that you are, is it? What counts is what you actually do. In what government do you really trust?

You may be religious. But this does not prove you are for government by God. Many people belong to some religion, yet they practice sexual immorality, lie, evade taxes and commit other lawless acts. When they do what the Bible condemns, would you say that they are for God’s rulership? Of course not!

Others may not do these things. Yet if they continue to be members of religions that meddle in politics and hypocritically pray for God’s blessing on the bloodguilty old order, they surely are not on God’s side. Nor are those persons who violently try to overthrow the governments of men, instead of waiting for God’s kingdom to bring the needed change. Bible evidence shows that God’s government is now at hand.

Begin Now to Take Positive Action

For you to give full support to God’s government, you need to learn its laws and purposes.

Many persons recognize the failure of human rulership and yet hold back from giving their support to God’s kingdom. Why? Because there are questions about God and his purposes to which they need answers.

Satisfying Answers to These Questions Are Needed

◆ Why has God tolerated wicked conditions for so long?

◆ When is he going to take action to bring the present corrupt system to its end?

◆ If God is really interested in mankind, why do so many prayers go unanswered?

◆ What assurance is there that life on earth under God’s kingdom will be truly satisfying?

The answers are available. Jehovah’s witnesses will be pleased to call at your home, free of charge, to show you what the Bible itself says on these matters. Also, you may obtain literature that discusses these very questions. Why wait? Send in the coupon now, or get in touch with Jehovah’s witnesses in your vicinity.

[ ] Please send me, postpaid, the recently published 416-page hardbound book “God’s Kingdom of a Thousand Years Has Approached,” also the 192-page book “The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life.” For the two books I enclose 75 cents as full payment.

[ ] I would appreciate it if a qualified person would visit me free of charge, to aid me to get better acquainted with the Bible.

[Picture on page 2]

HUMAN GOVERNMENT

CRIME

WAR