"A Time To Lift Up Your Head in Confident Hope"

[The Librarian]

Awake 1968 Oct 08, page 24, "A Time To Lift Up Your Head in Confident Hope"

...True, there have been those in times past who predicted an "end to the world," even announcing a specific date. Some have gathered groups of people with them and fled to the hills or withdrawn into their houses waiting for the end. Yet, nothing happened. The "end" did not come. They were guilty of false prophesying. Why? What was missing? Missing was the full measure of evidence required in fulfillment of Bible prophecy. Missing from such people were God's truths and the evidence that he was guiding and using them. But what about today? Today we have the evidence required, all of it. And it is overwhelming! All the many, many parts of the great sign of the "last days" are here, together with verifying Bible chronology.

 

But what about today? Today we have the evidence required, all of it. And it is overwhelming! All the many, many parts of the great sign of the "last days" are here, together with verifying Bible chronology.

Take a simple illustration: Suppose on a hot day at the beginning of summer, someone told you that winter was coming within a week because he had seen some trees without leaves. But those trees could have died from disease or age. So, by itself that would not be enough evidence that winter was approaching. Especially so when none of the other trees had shed their leaves, when the heat continued day after day, and when the calendar told you it was just the beginning of summer. You could rightly dismiss the claim of winter's nearness as unfounded.

What, though, if months later you went outside each day in the afternoon and found the temperature approaching the freezing point, with dull gray clouds scudding across the sky? What if you saw that all the trees that were not evergreens had shed their leaves? And what if you, upon inquiring, found that the autumn harvest of crops had taken place weeks ago, and that the migrating birds and animals had already taken leave for warmer climates? What if your calendar showed that the autumn months were at their dose?

Would you still doubt if someone told you that winter was coming very soon? Would you say he was just guessing or merely expressing his own idea? Or would you acknowledge, on the basis of solid evidence, that he knew the facts and was telling you the truth?

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I remember the parable of the Grasshopper, and the Ant.

The Ant worked all summer, tirelessly, storing up food .... and the Grasshopper just played music on his violin.

Just before the first snow of winter, the Grasshopper got a concert in Miami Beach, and someone stepped on the Ant.