Marking People for Survival
10 The importance of the house-to-house ministry can be seen from a vision given to the prophet Ezekiel. In that vision, Ezekiel sees six men with weapons in their hands as well as a seventh man clothed in linen with a secretary’s inkhorn at his side. The seventh man is told to “pass through the midst of the city” and “put a mark on the foreheads of the men that are sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done in the midst of it.” Following that marking work, the six men with the slaughtering weapons are commanded to execute all those who do not have the mark.—Read Ezekiel 9:1-6.
11 We understand that in the fulfillment of this prophecy, the man “clothed in linen” represents the remnant of spirit-anointed Christians. By means of the preaching and disciple-making work, the anointed class puts a symbolic mark on those who become part of Christ’s “other sheep.” (John 10:16) What is the mark? It is the evidence, as if displayed on their uncovered foreheads, that such sheep are dedicated, baptized disciples of Jesus Christ and that they have put on the Christlike new personality. (Eph. 4:20-24) These sheeplike ones become one flock with anointed Christians and assist them in their vital work of marking still others.—Rev. 22:17.
12 Ezekiel’s vision highlights one reason why our ongoing search for people who are “sighing and groaning” is so urgent. It involves lives. Soon, Jehovah’s heavenly executional forces, represented by the six men with weapons, will destroy those who do not have the symbolic mark. Concerning that coming judgment, the apostle Paul wrote that the Lord Jesus, accompanied by “his powerful angels,” will bring “vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thess. 1:7, 8) Notice that people will be judged on the basis of their response to the good news. Hence, the proclamation of God’s message must continue unabated right to the end. (Rev. 14:6, 7) This places a heavy responsibility on all of Jehovah’s dedicated servants.—Read Ezekiel 3:17-19.
13 The apostle Paul felt a personal responsibility to share the good news with others. He wrote: “Both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to wise and to senseless ones I am a debtor: so there is eagerness on my part to declare the good news also to you there in Rome.” (Rom. 1:14, 15) Out of gratitude for the mercy he had been shown, Paul felt compelled to try to help others to benefit from the undeserved kindness of God just as he had benefited from it. (1 Tim. 1:12-16) It was as if he owed a debt to each person he met, a debt that could be repaid only by sharing the good news with that person. Do you feel such a debt to the people in your territory?—Read Acts 20:26, 27.
14 As important as the preservation of human life is, there is a far greater reason for preaching from house to house. In the prophecy recorded at Malachi 1:11, Jehovah declares: “From the sun’s rising even to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and . . . a presentation will be made to my name, even a clean gift; because my name will be great among the nations.” In fulfillment of this prophecy, Jehovah’s dedicated servants are publicly praising his name in all the earth as they humbly carry out their ministry. (Ps. 109:30; Matt. 24:14) Rendering “a sacrifice of praise” to Jehovah is our foremost reason for preaching publicly and from house to house.—Heb. 13:15.
w08 7/15 pp. 5-6 The House-to-House Ministry—Why Important Now?
w07 7/1 p. 13 Highlights From the Book of Ezekiel — Vol. I
A PROPHETIC PATTERN
Corroborating the foregoing is the prophecy found at Ezekiel chapter 9, which foreshadowed the house-to-house activity of Jehovah’s Witnesses today. It tells of a vision that the prophet Ezekiel had some 2,500 years ago.
In the previous chapter the prophet tells of having been given a vision showing various kinds of idolatries and apostasies carried on by the Jews at their temple in Jerusalem. Then, in chapter 9, Ezekiel records a vision of six men armed with slaughtering weapons and a seventh man clothed not in armor but in linen with a secretary’s inkhorn at his side. This man was told to go through the city of Jerusalem and “put a mark on the foreheads of the men that are sighing and groaning over all the detestable things that are being done in the midst of it.” (Verse 4) The six men with slaughtering weapons were commanded to follow after him and to execute all those who did not have that mark, yes, all those who did not groan and sigh because of all the wickedness being practiced in the city.
How was this man in linen to locate all those who were sighing and groaning? The Watchtower of January 15, 1972, explained: “Not just by going to the public square or to the marketplace, but to the homes of the people, going from house to house. In that way he would be able to hear their heartfelt expressions and decide whether they should be marked on the forehead or not. This was no speedy operation, by any means, but called for patiently and conscientiously going from house to house or from door to door and making an honest inspection, showing no partiality but marking only those who sincerely grieved at all the detestable things that others were doing inside the royal city. . . . he put the distinguishing mark upon their foreheads where it could be publicly seen by friend or foe.”
Even as it required house-to-house visitation for the man clothed in linen to discharge fully his obligation of marking those deserving to be spared from execution, so today it takes house-to-house activity on the part of Jehovah’s Witnesses to find all those who love truth and righteousness and give them the opportunity to flee to God’s kingdom.
What today would correspond to the mark that the man in linen put upon the foreheads of those deserving to be spared? Being marked in the forehead appears to represent the cultivating of a Christlike personality. Only by possessing such a personality would one merit being spared by Jehovah’s executioners at the coming “great tribulation.” (Matt. 24:21) A Christlike personality would be something for all to see, even as a mark on the forehead could be seen by all. Cultivating such a Christlike personality is repeatedly urged in the Scriptures. Of course, to mark a person in such a way takes much time, energy and means, but Jehovah’s Witnesses are glad to make such sacrifices. Thereby also they are showing lifesaving neighbor love.—Eph. 4:20-24; Col. 3:9-11.
Yes, important as is the first step of going from house to house to find those lovers of truth and righteousness who are sighing and groaning because of the wicked conditions prevailing, it is but the first step. Showing lifesaving neighbor love requires the servant of Jehovah to follow through by making return visits and conducting Bible studies. Such Bible students also need to learn how to pray, they need to associate with the Christian congregation and they need to apply Bible principles in their lives. In turn, they themselves need to share in letting still others know about the things they are learning. All of this should lead to their dedicating themselves to Jehovah God to do his will and to their being baptized. Such a course, it should be added, is essential to being ‘marked,’ to putting on the Christlike personality. And by carrying on this activity the witnesses of Jehovah are truly showing lifesaving neighbor love.
w81 5/15 pp. 11-12 Showing Lifesaving Neighbor Love
