They had witness borne to them through their faith. —Heb. 11:39, NW.

Seventy years the Jews or Israelites were exiles in Babylonian provinces. Did they join the armies of Babylon and fight for its world domination? No; although some Jews, like Daniel and his three Hebrew companions, were taken into governmental service in spite of their conscientious worship of Jehovah God. Government servants of high rank those three Hebrews might be, yet they refused to violate their conscience and bend to Emperor Nebuchadnezzar's decree and commit idolatry, saluting the image of the political state, the golden image which the dictatorial ruler had set up for united worship by all elements of the empire. (Dan. 3:1-30) When Babylon was overthrown, the captive Israelites were not mixed in with Babylon's armies fighting against its overthrow. They knew Jehovah's prophecies had foretold its overthrow, and so why fight against fulfillment of divine prophecy, and for an oppressive world power at that? W 2/1