Ok imagine you go back in time…….you wake up in a Kingdom Hall. Before you know it you are handed a Watchtower. Its dated the 1st of October 1969. You turn to the study article. It was well studied. The scriptures had been looked up and there are notes in the margins. It’s about the prophetic significance of the fall of Jericho. You read and listen with interest. The meeting is very lively. The brothers seem happy and animated.
*** w69 10/1 596-8 A Prophetic Pattern for Our Day ***You are convinced the end is near and that it is a good time for ‘horn blowing’ but alas the previous nights nocturnal pursuits take their effect and you drop off….this time waking in 1986. You notice that many of the faces of before are not there. You wonder why. Again someone gives you a Watchtower. You notice it is studied but someone has just underlined large sections of text. The brothers seem more agitated and less friendly. Nevertheless you settle down to the Watchtower study. It’s a familiar subject…the Prophetic significance of the fall of Jericho. Although you haven’t studied it you are confident you know the answers…..you notice you even have the Watchtower from 1969 with you.
THE CLIMAX OF THE MARCH
23 It is now the seventh day for marching. Could this be a day for “sleeping in,” or for taking things easy due to the length of the march? Far from it! There had been no sabbath of rest during the six days, nor was this seventh day to be a sabbath. This day “they proceeded to get up early, as soon as the dawn ascended.” Now they must march round the city seven times just on one day! Why, this final effort was to be more than that of all the previous days put together! (Josh. 6:15) And today, with less than seven years remaining to the end of six thousand years of human history, and with all the prophetic evidence that Christendom is about to be shaken from her proud foundations, are we not fired with zeal to get round our territory seven times and more? Time is short, and the message must be sounded! It is no time for drooping hands or wobbling knees. (Zeph. 3:16, 17; Isa. 35:3, 4) As we give our all in his service, we can be confident that Jehovah, the God who “does not tire out or grow weary,” will be in our very midst to strengthen us, just as the ark of Jehovah’s presence was in the midst of Joshua’s marching army. He will continue to infuse power into us as the final march intensifies.—Isa. 40:28.
24 Grand instruments for ‘horn-blowing’ in this final march are the magazines The Watchtower and Awake!, which now have a combined circulation of over 11,400,000 copies each issue, being published twice a month in all major languages of the earth. Can you intensify your share in distributing these magazines as the end draws close? And can you be just as diligent as was Rahab in expanding your study work, making good use of the book The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life and other study literature, together with the Bible as key textbook? Rahab was no doubt quick to observe the stepped-up marching of the Israelites on the seventh day, so that she would redouble her efforts to bring in all her family. As we today read the signs of false religion’s approaching destruction, we should likewise redouble efforts to gather in all our own family members, as well as others who may yet become part of God’s earthly family.—Eph. 3:14-16.
*** w86 12/15 19 How Majestic Is Jehovah's Name! ***It was good to hear of that increase!..you think to yourself. But what’s this in paragraph 21, …..……………
But on the seventh day they get up ‘early, as soon as the dawn ascends,’ and march around the city seven times. How those Jerichoites must shudder!—Joshua 6:2-15.
15 We find a remarkable parallel to this in what Jehovah’s Witnesses are doing today earth wide. Recently, there has been a notable expansion of our Kingdom activity. In the five years up to 1985, pioneer ranks increased 134 percent. The army of pioneers and other faithful Kingdom publishers get up “early,” often in a literal sense, and share zealously in proclaiming Jehovah’s judgments. To the leaders of Christendom’s religions, these Witnesses appear to be “a people numerous and mighty.” The clergy are in “severe pains” as they note how the proclamation of the truth is causing many honest ones to leave them and take their stand for Jehovah.—Joel 2:1-3, 6
21 The Watchtower of July 15, 1979, came out forthrightly in showing the Scriptural basis for our house-to-house ministry and the importance thereof. Loyal Witnesses moved forward vigorously into the 1980’s! Likely the presence of a small number of apostates had contributed to the slowing down of Jehovah’s work during the last half of the 1970’s—when the average yearly increase in the active ranks of Jehovah’s Witnesses fell to less than 1 percent.The preaching work was slowed down by apostates…..? You think to yourself…I was there I know what was said about those times. The question on the paragraph is then asked…..
*** w86 12/15 20 How Majestic Is Jehovah's Name! ***Before you know it the microphone is passed to you and you explain exactly why there was a ‘slowdown’ in the late seventies. You even quote from the 1969 article which seemed to be appropriate. However, the microphone is taken from you before you could complete what you are saying. A number of attendants descend on you and ask you politely to leave. You are told you are not welcome and they have known your sort. Still somewhat dazed you leave. It’s a cold day and the freshness hits you as walk into the street. They shut the door behind you. The noise startles you. You then wake up. You realize it’s the 6th of December 2001. Your loved one has just come home and has woken you up. ‘I must have just nodded off’ you say. Still you feel uneasy. Your clothes are drenched in sweat. Whats up with you …you are asked? And what are you doing with those old Watchtowers I thought we got rid of them years ago…….you been studying them?! You look and beside you are the two Watchtowers.
21. (a) What appears to have been one reason for a slowdown in the late 1970’s?
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