BETTERMENT of the people's health is something all forward-looking governments are seeking. Many former plagues have practically been wiped out. But with all the strides made in the healing sciences, the people ceaselessly die and the mental health of more people suffers a breakdown. Whole nations too are sick, and the way international developments are going they stand faced with early death by a man-made, world-wide catastrophe. At a time like this we rejoice to bring forth this booklet with a healing message that can guide the reader into the way that conducts one to endless life in perfect health and happiness, in a world rid of all disease, suffering and death, safeguarded by the greatest Healer and Physician of them all.
1957
PUBLISHERSWatchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc.International Bible Students AssociationBrooklyn, New York, U.S.A.
Abbreviations of Bible translations quoted or cited herein
AS - American Standard Version, by American Committee of Revision
NW - New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures
RS - Revised Standard Version, by the Division of Christian Education in the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America
Any quotation not followed by any specific abbreviation is from the Authorized or King James Version of the Bible.
Made in the United States of America
Healing of the Nations Has Drawn Near
HEALING of the nations is very much needed in these days of trouble within nations and between nations. World physicians all realize this fact. The whole world is in a very sick condition. When saying this we do not think of just the human bodies of mankind, but especially of the moral, religious and political conditions everywhere. What will happen if healing of the political nations does not come soon, in our own lifetime? We all have reason to care.
2 Outstanding politicians of the world are disturbed. They are trying to act as healers, physicians, of the world. Recently President Achmed Sukarno of Indonesia said a pointed thing. Himself a devout Mohammedan, he is the leader of a nation of eighty-two million, of whom nine out of every ten are Mohammedans. Yet President Sukarno flew 900 miles from the nation's capital into Sumatra to speak to a gathering of people of a different religion. It was called the Eastern Asia Christian Conference, and the 120 delegates there came from twenty-four nations. They represented the World Council Of Churches, the headquarters of which are in Geneva, Switzerland. President Sukarno heard a Protestant minister on the plat-
1. In what way do the nations have much need of healing today?2. How did President Sukarno of Indonesia show that the nations of the world need healing?
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form say to the crowd of about a thousand persons of many languages: "We will all read the Lord's prayer - each in his own tongue." Later that March 17, 1957, President Sukarno addressed the outdoor meeting and he also spoke at his hotel. He explained that one of the five philosophical principles on which Indonesia is based is "belief in God." This world is in a "troubled situation," he said, and he added that "man spoke with his mouth of world peace but that man was also making weapons of self-destruction." Like a physician at the bedside of someone dangerously ill, he said: "We are living in the crisis of man." (New York Times, March 20, 1957) Certainly a clear-headed physician would say that if people said one thing but did just the opposite they would be morally sick and mentally ill, not to speak of being religiously disordered - split personalities.
3 Another president has put himself forward as a world healer. The Far East took note of the remedy that he offered. On January 22,1957, the China Post of Taipei, Taiwan (or, Formosa), came out with a front-page headline: "Ike Pledges US Might, Wealth To Help Heal World Division In 2nd Inaugural Address." Then with reference to the second inauguration of Dwight D. Eisenhower as president of the United States of America, this only English-language newspaper of Free China published this CNA-UP news dispatch of January 21, from Washington, D.C.: "President Eisenhower today pledged Americans might and wealth to help 'heal this divided world' and bring it peace with justice under law. To achieve this goal 'will be hard' and 'we must be ... ready to pay its full price,' the President said. 'High will be its cost,' he said, 'in toil patiently sustained, in help honorably given, in sacrifice calmly borne.' Eisenhower
3. As noted in the Far East, what did President Eisenhower pledge to the healing of this divided world?
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proclaimed America's 'deep involvement in the destiny of men everywhere.' "
4 Few men will realize that President Eisenhower's talk about healing of this divided world had its roots in the Holy Bible, the book sacred to both Jews and Christians. But note these facts: When Eisenhower was sworn into office the second time he had his hand on the open copy of the American Standard Version of the Bible, given him by his mother when he was about to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1915. His hand rested on the scripture at Psalm 33:12, which reads:
"Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah, the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." This was as if to suggest that the United States of America should be that blessed "nation whose God is Jehovah," and that, to become blessed, all nations of the earth must each be a nation having Jehovah as its God.
5 But Eisenhower's mention of "healing" for this divided world throws us back to the days of his first inauguration, as president four years before this, in 1953. When being sworn in then he had his left hand on two copies of the Bible. The one copy, the so-called George Washington Bible, was opened at Psalm 127:1, which reads: "Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:-except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." The other copy, General
4. (a) In what book did Eisenhower's talk about healing this world have its roots? (b) At what scripture in this book did his hand rest when he was being sworn in as president?5. When Eisenhower was sworn in for the first time as president at what scripture did his left hand rest?
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Eisenhower's gift Bible, with his full name inscribed in gold letters on the black leather binding, was opened at 2 Chronicles 7:14, which reads: "If my people who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear' from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." - New York Times,, January 20 and 21, 1953.
6 Likely General Eisenhower felt that the land of America needed to be healed after the administration of the previous president; but did not the other nations of the world need healing also? Less than two months after General Eisenhower first became president the mighty Russian Communist dictator, Joseph Stalin, died, but has the condition of the nations of the world got better? In President Eisenhower's second term of office, more than four years after he swore solemnly with his hand at 2 Chronicles 7:14, has the land of America been healed by him and other American politicians, and* by business leaders and religious clergymen? Is the divided world being healed, thanks to the might and wealth of the United States of America that were pledged to this?
7 The explosion of the first hydrogen bombs by democratic and Communist powers since January 20, 1953; the failure of disarmament conference after disarmament conference; the continued aim of the Communist giant to expand his present domination of one third of the earth to full world domination, together with the grim determination of the noncommunist nations to resist him; the working away by scientists on both sides to bring
6. Therefore what question do we ask concerning the healing of this world, including America?7. What world events and conditions since January 20, 1953, testify that the remedy of America 'cannot but fail to heal this divided world? And why cannot America itself alone be healed?
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into existence long-range missiles able to fly with atomic warheads for thousands of miles, even from one continent to another, to reach the far-off enemy with roaring, widespread destruction; the hatreds, jealousies, suspicions and rivalries between nations large and small; the numberless religious differences between peoples and communities; and the spirit of lovelessness, and, seemingly, some unseen, irresistible, superhuman demonic force that steadily drives the nations on in a mad course nearer and nearer to ruin and destruction - all of this eloquently testifies that the remedy of even the richest and most powerful nation on the earth cannot but fail, to heal this divided world. Failure to heal means nothing less than the death of this world with all the consequences of that to earth's population of two billion five hundred million. If the United States of America is to be heated, the rest of the world must also be healed. For today no nation lives to itself. No nation can stand alone. No nation can keep from catching the infectious disease that is bringing the sick nations to their grave.
8 How, then, can anyone announce as good news that the healing of the nations has drawn near? We can announce so when we look in the right direction for the healing and when we look into the cases of the hundreds of thousands of all nations that have already received the healing remedy and that are on their way to complete recovery and perfect health. When, with his hand on the open Bible, General Eisenhower swore to be faithful in the presidency he felt he was swearing before God. When he had his hand at 2 Chronicles 7:14 in that sacred Book he had his hand at God's word to another ruler, who long ago ruled in the Near East
8. (a) How can anyone announce as good news that the healing of the nations has drawn near? (b) Who was the one that spoke the words of healing at 2 Chronicles 7:14, to whom did he speak such words, and why?
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all the way from the river of Egypt on the south to the Euphrates River-on the north, a territory with many different people in it. God spoke those words to the wisest ruler of ancient times, King Solomon, the son of David, who reigned in the holy city of Jerusalem centuries before the eras of Buddhism and of Confucianism began. King Solomon's land was then in a healthy condition, for it had the one thing necessary for real health, namely, the true religion, and it was living in harmony with that religion; King Solomon had just built a temple and dedicated it to God, and now God made an appearance to him and spoke these words. God looked forward to the time when .King Solomon's nation would fall away from this healthy condition and when the land would suffer the punishment of plagues. So God told him how the land might be brought back to health.
9 But who was this God with the power to heal a nation? Was it Jesus Christ? No; for this Jesus was yet to be a fleshly descendant of King Solomon more than a thousand years later. No, but Bible history itself says at 2 Chronicles 7:12-14 (AS): "And Jehovah appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice. If I shut, up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my peoples; if my people who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." With inspired authority the Bible says that the one that made such a comforting promise to King Solomon was the God who alone has the name Jehovah.
9. How do we know that the God who spoke those words was not Jesus Christ?
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10 He spoke of King Solomon's people as "my people who are called by my name." They were the people to whom the president's inauguration verse at Psalm 33:12 (AS) referred, saying: "Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah, the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." And if this people bearing God's name tried to build a house or guard a city without his help and oversight, it would be just as it was said in the president's other inauguration verse, at Psalm 127:1 (AS): "Except Jehovah build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except Jehovah keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." Long before, in the Sinai Peninsula and near what is now the Gulf of Suez, he had said to this same people these words of meaning for all peoples: "I am Jehovah that healeth thee." - Exodus 15:26, AS.
WHY ALL NATIONS ARE AILING
11 From their very beginning all the nations of this old world have been ailing, and that includes the young nation of modern Israel. Their sickly condition is now coming to a grand climax. Why has this serious condition arisen? What is the root of the trouble, that we may know what is the only remedy to be applied for us to be healed? The answer to this vital question is given us in a national example. No, not in the modern-day Israel, whose very existence the Arab world hates, but in the twelve-tribe nation of Israel of more than two thousand five hundred years ago, the nation that produced the lawgiver, Moses, and
10. How do the two scriptures used at Eisenhower's inauguration apply to those people who were called by Jehovah's name?11. In what other nation do we see illustrated the root of the trouble and the remedy thereof?
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King David and King Solomon. In the Sinai Peninsula, at Mount Sinai, Moses acted as a go-between between Jehovah God and men and brought these Into a national agreement with God. Through Moses, God gave that ancient nation of Israel his special laws.
12 Back there Moses told Israel that Jehovah God had not chosen the nation because of what they were in themselves. To the contrary, it was because their great-grandfather was the Hebrew named Abraham, and this Abraham really believed in Jehovah as God and obeyed him and was called for this "the friend of God." (Deuteronomy 7:6-9; 2 Chronicles 20:7; Isaiah 41:8; James 2:23) God specially promised to his friend Abraham that there was to come a healing to all the nations of the earth, and that Abraham and his offspring or descendants would have a part in that wonderful healing work. God's promises to Abraham were: "By you all the families of the earth will bless themselves." "And by your descendants shall all the nations of the earth bless themselves, because you have obeyed my voice." (Genesis 12:3; 22:18, R8) In view of those promises, let no one today make a mistake and think this means the modern nation of Israel. It is true that the modern Israelis can show they are natural descendants of ancient Abraham, but that mere line of descent does not make them the seed of blessing, not even to the eighty other nations in the United Nations organization to which Israel belongs. Today no one sees the nations of the earth blessing themselves by the nation of Israel and getting healed. The healing of people of all nations has drawn near in our day by means other than that modern nation of this divided world.
12. Because of their descent from-what man did God choose that nation of Israel, and what promises of healing to the nations did God make through this man?
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13 In the days of King Solomon, almost three thousand years ago, it could be said of his people: "Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah, the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." (Psalm 33:12, AS) The nation of the twelve tribes was united in the worship of Jehovah. They worked together in building a glorious temple to him at Jerusalem. They kept their part of their agreement or, covenant with him by obeying his commandments. So he kept his part of the covenant by blessing them with protection from their enemies and with prosperity. The history of King Solomon's reign tells us: "Judah and Israel were many, like the grains of sand that are by the sea for multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing. As for Solomon, he proved to be ruler over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the boundary of Egypt. They were bringing gifts and serving Solomon all the days of his life." (1 Kings 4:20, 21, NW) That was a prophetic picture of what it will be like on earth when Jehovah God heals all mankind by bringing the blessing that he promised through Abraham.
14 Even the queen of Sheba came a distance of one thousand five hundred miles, from the southwestern tip of the Arabian Peninsula near modern Aden, just to learn for herself about Solomon's wisdom. After seeing what he had done and how wise he was as a king, the queen of Sheba said to Solomon: "You have surpassed in wisdom and prosperity the things heard to which I listened. Happy are your men, happy are those servants of yours who are standing before you constantly,
13: How did Psalm 33:12 apply to Israel under King Solomon, and of what was their national condition then a prophetic picture?14. What queen came a long distance to see and hear Solomon's wisdom for herself, and afterward what was she honest enough to admit concerning Solomon's people?
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listening to your wisdom! May Jehovah your God come to be blessed, who has taken delight in you by putting you upon the throne of Israel, because Jehovah loves Israel to time indefinite, so that he appointed you as king to render judicial decision and righteousness." (1 Kings 10:1-9, NW) Thus this non-Israelite queen was honest enough to admit that Jehovah God had chosen those descendants of faithful Abraham as his inheritance that he might be their God, and that for this reason those Israelites were blessed at that time, about three thousand years ago.
15 But examine Israel's history after the death of King Solomon. The nation became divided into two kingdoms, the kingdom of Israel with its capital in the north" and the kingdom of Judah with its capital at Jerusalem and with the son of Solomon as king. Why was that? Because in his later life King Solomon fell away from his heavenly wisdom and turned away from the God of his father, King David. The northern kingdom of Israel lasted for 257 years. Then it was destroyed by the world power of Assyria. Why? Because it, too, fell away from the worship of Jehovah at Jerusalem and took up the worship of the idol, the golden bull, and later the false god Baal and his consort Astarte, or Ashtoreth. The kingdom of Judah lasted for 390 years after Solomon's death. Then in the year 607 before Christ its temple to Jehovah was destroyed, its holy city of Jerusalem was razed to the ground,, and the few thousands of Israelites who lived through this destruction were mostly taken to Babylon, the land of their conquerors, and the land of Judah was left to become a wild waste, shunned by all who passed by. Why? Because these Jews, or people of Judah,
15. How was Israel divided after Solomon's death, and what destructions took place upon those parts of the nation down to 607 before Christ, and why?
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forsook Jehovah the God of their forefather Abraham. Without Him as God, how could they be blessed?
16 Certainly that people then needed healing; certainly their sacred land needed healing. Did the healing come? Yes, seventy years after the destruction of the holy city of Jerusalem. Why? Because Jehovah God did not then cast them off from being his chosen people. As exiles in Babylon, or in what is now the Arab kingdom of Iraq, many of the Israelites sorrowed for having broken their covenant with Jehovah God and they turned again to his worship. For his own name's sake Jehovah God did then what he had promised to do when they returned to him. He healed them. He healed their land by bringing them back from exile and peopling it with them, that there they might again worship him at a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem. In this way the great Physician bound up their broken hearts and blessed their plagued land so that it became like the garden of Eden, like the paradise in which God, the Creator, put the first man and woman, Adam and Eve. (Ezekiel 36:32-36) The historical proof is thus before us that Almighty God Jehovah can heal a. nation, provided it makes him its one and only God.
17 Today, about two thousand five hundred years since then, we look at the hills where the sacred city, of Jerusalem used to be located. Where is the temple to Jehovah on the hill or mountain of Moriah? It is not. It was destroyed by the Roman world power in the year 70 of the Christian era. Was this for the same reason as in 607 before Christ? Yes. It was because the Israelites fell away
16. How was that people and their land healed, and of what fact do we thus have a historical proof?17. (a) Why is there no temple to Jehovah today on Mount Moriah? (b) To find out whether Israel has been healed by the setting up of the republic in 1948 what questions must we ask and have answered?
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from worshiping Jehovah. For this decisive reason their holy city was besieged for several months and captured and destroyed, along with its temple, and the 97,000 Israelites that lived through the horrible destruction were carried away captive and scattered to the ends of the earth, where many are to be found today. But has not their nation been healed since 1948, when the republic of Israel was set up in the midst of the Arab nations? Has not their land been healed, by all the farming and gardening and oil digging that the Israelis are doing? To answer these questions with hard facts we must ask, Has the temple to Jehovah been rebuilt upon Mount Moriah? Is the nation of modern Israel trusting in him for protection against all its enemies? Are the Israelis eating and drinking and rejoicing under Jehovah's king of the tribe of Judah and of the royal family of David as in the days of King Solomon, the anointed son of David? Is their land flourishing like the garden of Eden? Are they happy as Jehovah's people, bearing his holy name as his witnesses?
18 Why is the answer to all of these questions No? Because they today are not "the nation whose God is Jehovah"; they are no longer "the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance." (Psalm 33:12, AS) To hold on to the unscriptural traditions of their forefathers and to keep following false religious teachers, Israel cast away Jehovah as God. in turn Jehovah cast away that faithless nation as his people and removed his name from them. He has since put his name upon those worthy to bear it and to act as his witnesses.
19 Nineteen hundred years ago Jesus Christ himself told those Israelites so. He said to them: "Why is it you also overstep the commandment
18. Why is the answer to all these questions No?19. How did Jesus Christ himself tell those Israelites so nineteen hundred years ago, and what fruits is the republic of Israel today bringing forth?
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of God because of your tradition? ... And so you have made the word of God invalid because of your tradition. You hypocrites, Isaiah aptly prophesied about you, when he said: 'This people honors me with their lips, yet their hearts are far removed from me. It is in vain that they keep paying respect to me, because they teach commands of men as doctrines.' " And a few days before such Israelites put Jesus Christ to death for the sake of their man-made traditions, he told them that they had rejected the promised descendant of King David, whom Jehovah God had anointed and sent, and then he added: "This is why I say to you, The kingdom of God will be taken from you and be given to a nation producing its fruits." (Matthew 15:1-9; 21:42, 43, NW) Since it is to be judged by its fruits, we ask, Is the republic of Israel today bringing forth the fruits of the kingdom of God in proof that they are his nation? No; no more than their forefathers nineteen hundred years "ago did. Jesus' sentential words to them continue true until now: "Look! your...
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