This was the old teaching from the W 51 5/15
During the years of the first world war, 1914 to 1918, the remnant of spiritual Israel came under Jehovah’s displeasure. His kingdom by his Christ had been born in the heavens in 1914, at the end of the “appointed times of the nations” that year; but, under the great stress of persecution, oppression and international opposition during those war years reaching a climax in 1918, God’s anointed witnesses failed and their organization experienced a breakup and they came under captivity to the world system of modern Babylon. But from 1919 on they came to a realization of their spiritual condition. They appealed for some divine restorative remedy. Their appeal was well worded by Jeremiah who foretold the captivity of spiritual Israel: “Heal me, O Jehovah, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved: for thou art my praise. Behold, they say unto me, Where is the word of Jehovah? let it come now. As for me, I have not hastened from being a shepherd after thee.” (Jer. 17:14-16, AS) The hearts of the remnant were broken because of God’s apparent disfavor and because, through fear and improper understanding, they had been forced out of his service.
12 God heard the prayer of his repentant, brokenhearted remnant. He regathered them, repaired the breaches of their organization and reorganized them for more effective service than ever. He built them up on earth as the visible theocratic organization to represent his heavenly Jerusalem which was now radiant with Kingdom glory. Here, not physical cure of fleshly organisms, but spiritual cure of the remnant of his witnesses was needed, to recover them from unclean fear and from religious foolishness. “He sendeth his word, and healeth them, and delivereth them from their destructions.” (Ps. 107:17-20, AS) He opened their eyes and ears more fully to get Scriptural understanding. For a time they had been lying as dead under the world’s repressive laws and measures, but now they were revived by God’s spirit. Up they stood and engaged in free and fearless activity as his witnesses to tell all the nations the good news of His kingdom. A spiritual resurrection indeed! (Rev. 11:7-12) So they were delivered from their captivity and were assembled into an unbreakable unity of faith and action. By all this Scriptural understanding and these joyful service privileges they were greatly comforted. Their tongues were loosed to sing: “Praise ye Jehovah; for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant, and praise is comely. Jehovah doth build up Jerusalem; he gathereth together the outcasts of Israel. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”—Ps. 147:1-3, AS.
13 In this way, by means of this restorative work of mercy to his anointed remnant, the great heavenly Physician performed a modern miracle of spiritual healing. It has astounded Christendom, but has also chagrined her. The restored organization of Jehovah’s people abounds with the peace, truth and spiritual prosperity with which he has filled it. By activating them in his witness work in all quarters of the earth He has made their organization become a praise and glory for him before all the nations, and the name of “Jehovah’s witnesses” has become a joy to numberless multitudes. For his visible theocratic organization this is a day of brightness amid the thickening gloom and darkness of the worldly nations. They have heavenly light day and night; and the light increases to the illumination of perfect day, the brightness of a week of days all concentrated into one. As it was predicted: “Moreover the light of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold, as the light of seven days, in the day that Jehovah bindeth up the hurt of his people, and healeth the stroke of their wound.”—Isa. 30:26, AS.
14 God’s restoration of his witnesses to his theocratic organization, his entrusting them with the ambassadorship of his kingdom to the people of all nations, fulfills Bible prophecy. It is a convincing evidence to his witnesses that the promised kingdom has been established in the heavens. Jehovah now reigns over the earth by his Christ whom he has enthroned as King of the new world. Just as long ago Job was restored from his captivity in Satan’s power and was healed of his deadly disease and was vindicated, so God’s faithful remnant have experienced restoration, pardon from sins, and spiritual healing. And just as the beggar Lazarus died to his diseased, hungry state at the rich man’s gate where the despised curs licked his ulcers, so the remnant of Jehovah’s witnesses have experienced a change of condition since 1918. Like Lazarus, they now find themselves in the bosom of favor of the greater Abraham, Jehovah God. (Luke 16:19-25) They no longer feel sick spiritually. They are in His theocratic organization, a city of radiant spiritual health. Once lamed by the enemy world, now they seize the prey from this world, the people of good will. Why is this so now? The prophetic answer comes: “For Jehovah is our judge, Jehovah, our lawgiver, Jehovah, our king: he will save us. . . . then is the prey of a great spoil divided; the lame take the prey. And the inhabitant shall not say, I am sick: the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity.”—Isa. 33:22-24, Da.