QUESTION: I would be interested to know how you understand Revelation 6:2, since this Scripture is frequently used by the brothers to support the 1914 coronation. There, the Bible says Jesus received a crown and a bow to start his conquest. Since the crown stands for royalty and a bow is a long distance weapon, does not this demonstrate that Christ receives the kingdom in 1914 and fights from a distance (from heaven) against his enemies?
ANSWER: Jesus does indeed go forward to conquer his enemies. The 110th Psalm confirms this, saying: The utterance of Jehovah to my Lord is: “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies as a stool for your feet. The rod of your strength Jehovah will send out of Zion, saying: ‘Go subduing in the midst of your enemies.’”
Jehovah’s Witnesses suppose that the Psalm has been fulfilled already, since 1914. But in what way have the enemies of God been subdued? Back during the First World War men dropped hand grenades out of the cockpits of canvas-winged airplanes. Now, a man can push a button and unleash destructive power that is beyond imagining. Again, how have the enemies of God been subdued?
Consider the remainder of the 110 Psalm:
“Your people will offer themselves willingly on the day of your military force. In the splendors of holiness, from the womb of the dawn, You have your company of young men just like dewdrops. Jehovah has sworn (and he will feel no regret): “You are a priest to time indefinite according to the manner of Melchizedek!” Jehovah himself at your right hand will certainly break kings to pieces on the day of his anger. He will execute judgment among the nations; He will cause a fullness of dead bodies.”
According to the context of the Psalm, Jesus’ going forth to subdue his enemies coincides with the day of Jehovah’s anger. Is that the War of Armageddon? No, not necessarily. Surely it will culminate there, but that is not the beginning. Doesn’t the opening of the seals of Revelation result in a horrible slaughter upon the earth? Indeed. In fact, the 6th chapter indicates that one-quarter of humankind will be laid low by war, famine and pestilence. The deaths brought about by WWI and the Spanish Influenza are nowhere near that. Actually, about 3% of the total population back then was killed. The truth is, the world stands at the brink of an unprecedented holocaust, which unfortunately will bring about a “fullness of dead bodies.”
So, is it possible that Jesus may go forth to subdue his enemies in the future and his conquest will extend over the relatively short period of time allotted to Satan after his eviction from Jehovah’s heaven?
